I'm hoping to find a remote control/shutter release cable for my Minolta XL-400. I'm having the hardest time finding one of these things! Does anyone know if these are somewhat universal? Would any other models for other still cameras for example be interchangeable?
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
posted September 19, 2019 10:21 AM
If it's like the XL-401 (-and it should be...They are basically the same nut in a different shell!) it's a little bit unorthodox!
Most movie cameras have a standard-issue photographic cable release, but these use an electrical control.
If a regular cable release will not thread in, try to plug in a 3.5mm plug. (-like a set of headphones.)
If that's it, the remote control is active when Tip and Shield are shorted together.
My remote is a 3.5mm monaural plug, some small gauge wire twisted together and a cheap switch.
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
posted September 19, 2019 10:33 AM
Thanks, Steve! This is definitely an electrical cable, not a standard mechanical shutter release, but the input is a bit smaller than a 3.5mm jack (I tried plugging in a 3.5mm mono audio plug, too big).
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
posted September 19, 2019 10:41 AM
Interesting!
Maybe Minolta went to a conventional phono plug on XL-401 and XL-601 as kind of analog-era "user friendliness".
There are 2.5mm audio plugs: never seen one myself, but they do exist. (-maybe one of these?)
If our theory is a good one, you should be able to strip some copper wire of about the hole diameter, place it in the jack and make the camera either run or click off a frame (depending on the settings).
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
posted September 19, 2019 01:18 PM
Thanks, Maurice. I'm going to buy one of these 2.5mm plugs, a momentary N.O. push-button switch, and a few feet of cable. Hoping that'll do the trick! And yes, Steve, doing some single frame "animation" and hoping to avoid camera shake!