p.1 #1 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
The A7 V cements that Sony is abandoning the analog multi port. So how does one connect an external camera trigger to these new cameras? Do any exist? The A7 V replaced the port with a second USB-C, and cameras like the A7cR just omitted it.
I have lightning and sound triggers which use the multi port. How can I adapt them to use the USB-C port instead?
I do long exposure photography that requires an external intervalometer, is that a dead option as well?
I feel like Sony just forgot that people have use for the multi function port.
I asked a Pro Support rep about this with the A75 and the response I got was that they don't know of anything to do these functions through the USB-C port. This sucks for the future of this platform for me.
p.1 #2 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
Sony, and maybe some other manufacturers, makes bluetooth external camera trigger. I am not sure though how or whether it will satisfy your needs. In addition, the new crop of Sony cameras, like the A1, has a built-in intervalometer. I used it a few times to capture star trails. Not sure whether it is available in the new A7 V though. Plus, the B option is also available now for really long exposure shots. Just FYI, of course...
p.1 #5 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
It should have built in intervalometer. It should also work with the Sony app through the wifi/bluetooth. If those two options are still not refined enough for your purpose, let us know the solution you manage to find.
p.1 #6 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
tctmp wrote:
It should have built in intervalometer. It should also work with the Sony app through the wifi/bluetooth. If those two options are still not refined enough for your purpose, let us know the solution you manage to find.
I don't think built in intervalometer will do longer than 30s exposures, and IIRC it has a delay shot to shot. I have done long exposure and astrophotography and I use a wired remote (a7IV) so I can have exactly the exposures I want, and when doing astro or stacking - I can lock the bulb mode on the intervalometer and set the camera to high speed capture with my SS at 30s and this will capture 30s exposures as fast as the buffer will allow - super useful for star trails / etc. I don't think any built in from Sony is capable of this.
p.1 #7 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
bmike-vt wrote:
I don't think built in intervalometer will do longer than 30s exposures, and IIRC it has a delay shot to shot. I have done long exposure and astrophotography and I use a wired remote (a7IV) so I can have exactly the exposures I want, and when doing astro or stacking - I can lock the bulb mode on the intervalometer and set the camera to high speed capture with my SS at 30s and this will capture 30s exposures as fast as the buffer will allow - super useful for star trails / etc. I don't think any built in from Sony is capable of this. ...Show more →
I agree if you want to shoot longer than 30s, the built in one won't do. But at 30s, I think it should be capable. You can set SS at 30s, and shot interval at 31s on the intervalometer. I don't think the net delay of 1s between shots will make any difference in this case, in fact I think in Sony's case (behavior depends on the logic implemented and can differ between Sony and Nikon), even if you set shot interval at 30s or less, it will work and immediately take the next one. And I don't think buffer should ever be a concern for long exposure either.
p.1 #8 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
It makes a very subtle difference when shooting star trails. For other Astro work it won’t matter (if on a tracker) - but then I would be shooting longer than 30s anyway, so I need bulb mode or an external control. Even city images with 2-4 minute exposures and ND filters do not work with the built-in intervalometer.
tctmp wrote:
I agree if you want to shoot longer than 30s, the built in one won't do. But at 30s, I think it should be capable. You can set SS at 30s, and shot interval at 31s on the intervalometer. I don't think the net delay of 1s between shots will make any difference in this case, in fact I think in Sony's case (behavior depends on the logic implemented and can differ between Sony and Nikon), even if you set shot interval at 30s or less, it will work and immediately take the next one. And I don't think buffer should ever be a concern for long exposure either....Show more →
p.1 #9 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
The built in intervalometer does not do more than 30 second exposures. I frequently will do longer than that for star trail photos. You don't actually want in many cases with star trails to do 30 second exposures because you want to control the amount of stars picked up by the camera by lowering the ISO. See the example photo of Half Dome. 8 x 8 minute exposures.
For time lapse most of the time, if Sony cameras metered a true dark sky correctly the built in intervalometer would be ok. But none of my cameras (2x A7r3 and 1x a73 presently though I've owned many other models) underexpose the night sky. They will not reach ISO 6400/30 seconds/ f2.8 for a moonless sky. So manual intervention is required, which means external intervalometer.
And wireless connections are unreliable and waste electricity. I put cameras in remote places and leave them there. I'm not going to sit there all night with my phone so an app can control the camera all night, necessitating many lbs of extra battery capacity to be hiked in when a simple wired connection is superior in every way.
Intervalometer aside - the other functionality provided by external triggers is just removed? No lightning triggers. No sound triggers. There has got to be a wired solution.
p.1 #11 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
As a photographer who frequently uses camera traps, getting rid of the multi-port is very sad unless better options are created that can use USB-C:
- The built in Intervalometer in sony cameras locks focus - so you can't start a long term intervalometer or camera trigger that would re-focus (for example on a moving animal, or moving runner). You must use an external intervalometer. I hope this is something that can be a user-selectable option in the future, which would make the internal intervalometer much more valuable.
- Many camera trap situations relay on multi-hour/day periods, so using a phone or bluetooth remote control is not an option. I'm not aware of an external bluetooth intervalometer
On the upside, there are * some * usb-c cords that work with * some * cameras for * some * functions. For example, this link is a usb-c to 2.5mm (a standard intervalometer/camera trigger size). On the a7C and a7CR, this cord will trigger the shutter, but not focus. It does not work on a zv-e10. Other USB-C to 2.5mm cords that I've tried do not work at all. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZCPMFC1?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_13
I hope others find better solutions and can report them here!
p.1 #12 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
I'm in the same boat as Kurt. My entire photography workflow (astro-landscape photography) is dependent on wired remotes. The internal intervalometer is not a replacement because I need exposures longer than 30 seconds, and I often need to check/adjust settings or chimp during timelapse filming, which isn't possible without canceling the internal intervalometer. Bluetooth isn't an option because my shoots are hours long, I'm often not next to the camera, and a few seconds of dropped connection would be ruinous. I'm often running multiple cameras, so multiple laptops for tethering would be problematic.
isyoox703 wrote:
There are wired usb c triggers for the A7CII and the 6700, so I am hoping those will work to replace the Sony RMSPR1 I use...
I don't think this is correct. Could you provide a link to such product?
The USB port on the newer cameras is listed as a 10 gigabit data port, so anything converting from the analog old connector would need to have some circuitry between. The shutter trigger on the mult port is shorting two pins together. I do not think the new USB port has pins that should just be shorted together, unless Sony designed something a little different. But if they did, you would think they would mention it. Shorting pins together in a USB port seems like a recipe for an expensive repair.
p.1 #15 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
I don't know about the newer cameras with one USB-C port, but the A7C (which has two) is listed as having one 10Gbps port and one . . . not? It isn't clear but I interpreted that as the second port is the new/old multi-port but also a charge port. Hoping Sony can clear this up. I'm not immediately worried about it, but it will influence future buying decisions.
p.1 #16 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
AGeoJO wrote:
...In addition, the new crop of Sony cameras, like the A1, has a built-in intervalometer...
To all who are interested, if this hasn't been mentioned before:
Sony's built-in interval timer is abysmal; it effectively locks up the camera and denies all functionality unless you end the time-lapse.
They have had interval timers since before the newest crop of cameras, but it was always this way, I think.
For the record, since I review cameras and get to play with them all:
Canon's built-in interval timer is similarly restrictive, but I forget if it's as totally shut-down as Sony.
Nikon is the only one I know for sure allows most camera functions during a time-lapse, and they've had the built-in interval timer for (checks notes) approximately two decades now.
So, when folks ask me why I still prefer Nikon as a landscape and time-lapse photographer,this is one of the things I mention... Not a deal-breaker by itself, but the little things add up.
p.1 #17 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
bmike-vt wrote:
I don't think built in intervalometer will do longer than 30s exposures, and IIRC it has a delay shot to shot. I have done long exposure and astrophotography and I use a wired remote (a7IV) so I can have exactly the exposures I want, and when doing astro or stacking - I can lock the bulb mode on the intervalometer and set the camera to high speed capture with my SS at 30s and this will capture 30s exposures as fast as the buffer will allow - super useful for star trails / etc. I don't think any built in from Sony is capable of this. ...Show more →
Yep, good times, reminds me of the time we tried the "just jam the shutter continuously" trick on a Nikon...
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Also, yeah, as far as I know, Fujifilm and Nikon the brands that allow both shutter speeds longer than 30s *AND* interval timers. On Canon, enabling the built-in bulb timer inherently disables the built-in interval timer.
p.1 #18 · USB port external camera triggers for newer Sony cameras? A75, A7cr etc?
Sean Goebel wrote:
I'm in the same boat as Kurt. My entire photography workflow (astro-landscape photography) is dependent on wired remotes. The internal intervalometer is not a replacement because I need exposures longer than 30 seconds, and I often need to check/adjust settings or chimp during timelapse filming, which isn't possible without canceling the internal intervalometer. Bluetooth isn't an option because my shoots are hours long, I'm often not next to the camera, and a few seconds of dropped connection would be ruinous. I'm often running multiple cameras, so multiple laptops for tethering would be problematic.
I don't think this is correct. Could you provide a link to such product?...Show more →
It's not perfect, but should function for the newer Sony Cameras (tbd on the a7v).
Interesting. When an a75 becomes available for me to evaluate, maybe I'll get one of those adapters and try it. We recently did a project in Yosemite and I evaluated an a7cR and it was restricted to only 30 second exposures because of this limitation. If an external intervalomter can be used and then combined with a dummy battery the a7cR becomes a viable option.
It's not perfect, but should function for the newer Sony Cameras (tbd on the a7v).
I'll try this next time I use a USB C only Sony body. I've built a good number triggers/remotes, so I'll probably just build a USB C breakout cable and try shorting the data pins to GND or +5V and see what happens. It's surprising that this works for you, since (to my knowledge) Sony has never documented triggering cameras using analog signals on the USB C port.
