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?
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).
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!