Camera remote release pinout list

Canon
Nikon
Pentax
Olympus
Sony
Panasonic/Lumix

Most DSLR and SLR cameras can be triggered remotely using a release cable. Unfortunately the connectors used for the external release have rather exotic shapes. Below you will find the pinouts for the common camera types. The standard solution consists of three wires: ground, focus and shutter. To focus the camera the focus wire has to be connected to ground. To release the camera both wires have to be connected to ground.

Canon

All Canon EOS cameras are equipped with a remote release connector. There are two types of plugs. Refer to this article for more details on the electrical data of the external trigger ports. Most types can be released by pulling down just the shutter wire.

2.5mm Jack Connector

This connector is used with the EOS 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D, 550D and the 60D. The last type is the only two digit camera using a jack plug. It's is a DIY friendly stereo (3 pole) 2.5 mm jack plug. It is not the standard plug used in mp3-players etc. which has a diameter of 3.5 mm! But don't worry, you can buy this smaller plug in any bigger electronics store. The 'official' remote controller with this plug sold by Canon is called RS-60 E3.

N3 Connector

This connector is used with the EOS 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, 5D, 5Dmk2, 7D and all types of the 1D. The only way to get the connector is canibalising a cheap remote control. The 'official' remote controller with this plug sold by Canon is called RS-60 N3.

Nikon

With three different types, Nikon is the unbeaten leader in inventing remote release connectors.

MC-DC1

This type fits the D70, D70s and D80.

MC-DC2

This type fits the D90, D3100, D5000 and D7000. Probably it was introduced because of the GPS-receiver. The D90 was the first cam to appear with this new connector.

10-pin connector (MC-20, MC-22, MC-30, MC-36)

nikon 10 pin remote release connector pinout

This is the connector found in the bigger Nikon cameras like D200, D300, D700, D3, D3x etc. It is also used by the Fuij S3 and S5 Pro. Nikon offers a cable called MC-22. It's an adapter cable for the round 10 pin plug ending with three banana connectors for own circuitry.

No connection...

Unfortuntely the modells D40, D60 and D3000 don't have a cable release connector.

Pentax

Pentax are the good guys. All Pentax cameras can be triggered remotely via a simple 2.5-mm jack plug. The pinout is the same as for Canon cameras (see above).

Olympus E-system

This is the plug found on the Olympus RM-UC1 remote release. According to the Olympus web site it fits the modells E-PL2, E-P2, E-P1, E-620, E-30, the E-400 series, E-510 and E-520. It's also compatible with the compact cameras XZ-1, SZ-20, SZ-30 MR, SP-565, SP-570 and SP-590. One user reported that plugging in the remote cable into his E-520 blocks all controls on the camera body. The settings have to be done before attaching the cable.

The plug shown above can be found on the Olympus RM-CB1 remote release. Compatible camera models are E-1, E-3, E-300 (via battery holder), E-10 and E-20.

Sony

Sony has a rather exotic connector fitting all types. Many modells do not have a remote control connector. Both focus and shutter must be connected to ground to release the camera. Shutter only doesn't work. The connector was invented by Minolta before Sony bought them.

Panasonic/Lumix

Panasonic/Lumix goes an unusual way and uses just one wire to control the focus and the shutter. As shown in the picture above, only the shaft and the first ring are used. Resistors are used to choose the function. This connector is used by the Panasonic GF1 etc.
Experiments showed that the more common resistor values of 33k, 3k3 and 2k2 also work.

Disclaimer

No guarantee for nothing. Please be careful when experimenting with your camera.

Comments

Sorry

Sorry that I asked the same question twice but the first time it told me that I got the captcha wrong so I tried again. And that time it told me that there was already a post with the same information but I thought that the first post never went through so I modified the title and the phrasing of the post and tried again. Now I see that both went through and there is no apparent way to delete one of them. Oh well.

#15 - Don - 02/16/2012 - 21:48

Looking for cables

Thanks for doing this! I am now looking for a site that I visited once and can no longer find. It sells cables for a universal wired remote that they also sell. The cables all have a mini-jack plug on one end and a camera remote shutter connector on the other end. Does anyone know which site this might be? Thanks.

#14 - Don - 02/16/2012 - 08:35

Cable supplier?

Great stuff - thanks! Now I am looking for a site that I visited once and can't find now. It sells cables for a universal wired remote that they also sell. The cables all have a mini-jack on one end and a camera remote shutter connector on the other end. The cables were inexpensive - only about $6 as I recall. Does anyone know who this manufacturer might be? Thanks.

#13 - Don - 02/15/2012 - 21:41

Re:

I propose not to wait until you earn enough cash to buy goods! You should get the loan or college loan and feel fine

#12 - ChristaMATHEWS - 02/08/2012 - 22:36

mc-dc1 to mc-dc2

Hi,
Is there any adapter or cables+adapters combination to convert mc-dc1 shutter cable to mc-dc2 shutter cable type. I got a 5 meter shutter cable for d80 that I want to fit to d90 camera.
Many thanks !
Asaf

#11 - Asaf - 01/07/2012 - 22:26

Modified XPan remote socket

#10 - Monz - 01/03/2012 - 18:01

Modified XPan remote socket

Great site. Thank you for all the information. I have a Hasselblad XPan camera whose remote socket has been modified. Can you tell from this picture, which brand of socket has been used. There are two pins housed in a circular recess which is threaded.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/monz/6133440912/][img]http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6173/6133440912_556ebea79d.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/monz/6133440912/]xpan socket2[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/monz/]*monz*[/url], on Flickr

#9 - Monz - 01/03/2012 - 17:59

Ersatz Guru

On my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6 there is no jack for the plug you describe (4 pole, 2.5mm). Also you call it a jack but the illustration is of a plug. Hmmm. Am I missing something? TIA, Jesse

#8 - Jesse Guy - 11/30/2011 - 08:08

Thank for the info on Olympus

#7 - luk - 11/10/2011 - 15:25

Olympus E510 problems

I found that for my camera is necessary to use shell instead of ground pin. Maybe it is problem of my camera, maybe not. If you have similar problem, try it this way.

#6 - joyo - 11/06/2011 - 23:19

MC-DC2 plug

its hirose mini-b 4pin
http://www.delock.com/produkte/gruppen/Kabel/Delock_Cable_USB-B_mini_4pin_Hirose_USB-A_15m_male-male_82208.html

#5 - ifoo - 09/10/2011 - 07:53

nikon

Do you know of any vendors that sell the nikon MC-DC2 plug alone? I'd love to just get the plug without having to buy a cheap release off ebay... Thanks for putting this info together!

#4 - ryan - 08/20/2011 - 17:38

Thankyou!

Thankyou for doing all this research. I am designing a remote shutter adrduino shield and am trying to maximise compatibilty with cameras. This post is a gem to me and has saved me a lot of time!

Best regards!

http://danthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/arduino-timelapse-shield.html

#3 - Dan Thompson - 07/04/2011 - 05:11

R1 remote

I believe that the Sony R1 uses the LANC protocol for it's remote.

#2 - John Hedgecoe - 06/02/2011 - 08:40

Sony R1

The Sony R1 seems to work with the RM-VD1 remote control. I think this remote uses some kind of protocol for the communication, because it has to many functions for just 3 wires (stereo jack plug). Unfortunatelly I have no data about it.

#1 - luk - 05/19/2011 - 10:34

I have a Sony R1 can you help with the pin outs for remote triggering.

Thanks

#0 - simon - 05/01/2011 - 20:00


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