Newbie question about replicating button press with Arduino UNO

Projects General Guidance
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Hello everyone. I am brand new to Arduino so sorry if this is the wrong area to post this, please point me to the right area if so.

I am trying to replicate the remote trigger switch for my Panasonic GH1. The electrical schematic required is basically two switches that change the resistance seen by the camera. See the following website to see the schematic: Panasonic Lumix G1 GH1 Remote Shutter Release Circuit - Robot Room.

I want to use my Arduino UNO to remotely trigger the camera every few seconds to put together a time lapse video. Eventually this will hook up to a small rolling cart that will move slowly along taking pictures every 30s - 1min to produce a nice photographic video effect.

I can't figure out how to actually make arduino replicate pushing a button. I can have it react to a push button, but not push the button. Do I need an opto-isolator for this? A relay would seem overkill.

Any help is appreciated.

Derek

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I can't figure out how to actually make arduino replicate pushing a button. I can have it react to a push button, but not push the button. Do I need an opto-isolator for this? A relay would seem overkill.

Many people don't like using relays, but I'm not one of them. I often use low current +5vdc reed relays that can be driven directly from arduino output pins. This one draws about 25 millamps so about the same as a LED. You should mount a reversed diode across the coil terminals for transient suppression. $1 each so not much more then twice the cost of a button switch!

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RLY-496/5-VDC-SPDT-REED-RELAY/1.html

Lefty