Amiga joystick camera cable release

amiga_release

[betaj] shares this cool mod with us. They used an Amiga joystick to create the shutter release for their camera. The circuit is pretty simple, consisting of a battery and a switch. It interfaces with the camera via a USB type A connector. Its fairly simple, but will definitely get some comments from onlookers when it is used. Still, the best mod we’ve seen for a camera by far is the chdk software for Canon digital cameras. I’ll bet we see an NES controller version soon, despite the ergonomic nonsense of it.

Comments [9]

9 Responses to Amiga joystick camera cable release

SleighBoy says:

March 17, 2009 at 1:18 pm

I think a NES light gun would be even better, and probably attract more looks.

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twiz says:

March 17, 2009 at 1:43 pm

or how about the super scope from the snes?

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stn says:

March 17, 2009 at 2:04 pm

I use such construction since 2002, using mini jack and the old python joystick handle as a cable release to my pentax, works fine [;

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will d. says:

March 17, 2009 at 2:54 pm

I have an old PC joystick lying around and have wanted to make a nice shutter release. This is soemthing i think i will build.

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apu says:

March 17, 2009 at 11:19 pm

I made mine in a mint tin.

The cool kids are using the IR controller from those cheap crappy RC helicopters.

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Flood_of_SYNs says:

March 18, 2009 at 12:33 am

I am tempted to build something like this for my Canon S5 which has CHDK on it.

And good luck getting on a plane with that thing, I can see it now.

TSA: *picks up modded Amiga joystick*
TSA: Hmm… what is this?
You: It is a shutter release for my camera…
TSA: I am gonna have to ask you to follow me to this room.

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PKM says:

March 18, 2009 at 4:20 am

Whaddya mean ergonomic nonsense? up/down = zoom in/out, left/right = shutter speed up/down (if your camera does that by remote), A = autofocus, B = shutter. :)

If I could figure out the pinout on my camera and didn’t mind risking bricking it…

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betaj says:

March 18, 2009 at 6:26 am

Hi guys, glad to see that my instructable has generated some interest.

I had a couple of old Amiga joysticks lying around for ages, but I could never bring myself to throw them out…I always thought I might find some use for them someday.

In the meantime I had been browsing the CHDK wiki for instructions on implementing a cable release…so the two ideas just kind of came together :)

just FYI, I’m using this cable release with my Canon PowerShot S3 IS (@flood_of_syns should work exactly the smae way with the s5). first press will tell the camera to autofocus, and the second press triggers the shutter.

I wonder whether the other usb data line might be integrated with some custom CHDK scripting to add zomm functionality maybe?

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stn says:

March 18, 2009 at 2:24 pm

mine, is wired via mini jack and works with both old analog mz6 as well as new k20, finger [front] is for focusing, upper fire is for taking photos [shutter release] I can use autofire as well in B mode so you dont need to keep button pressed

yet if you connect k20 via usb cable to pc you can control it from pc via pentax remote tool.. so i’m wondering how does it work, via shortcuting specific pin with ground or rather in digital signal form, as you can change aperture and time value as well..

regards,
stn

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