I was recently reading into ML again and was intrigued by the Audio RemoteShot feature in conjunction with another module feature of ML (Ghost Image, in my case to use for stop motion). However, the idea of having to make a vocal noise manually seemed a bit cumbersome to me, but then I started searching and discovered these really cheap and slightly suspect little audio jack buttons from China (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-5mm-Smart-Mikey-Mi-Key-Quick-Click-Button-Smart-Key-Dustproof-Plug-Earphone-Jack-For/32747105797.html), and I wondered if these could possibly be used in conjunction with an audio extension cable to create a rather ghetto external camera shutter control?
I'm no expert, but I assume if I clicked the button on these they'd produce enough, erm, "interference" that would register as noise to my camera if I had it set to hear through an external sound source. Just wondering if anyone else has thought of this before and if it would be possible to achieve as simply as I'm imagining.
Such remote switch was invented already decades ago, doesn't need ML and is quite standardized among many manufacturers.
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/remote-switch-rs-60e3
From a third-party manufacturer or used should cost much less, I would expect ~$5.
Apples and oranges. That switch is not audio activated and doesn't work on the EOSM and probably some other cameras. However, you can do a simple hardware hack along with a lua script to create let's say a wildlife camera trap (https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=9741.msg173718#msg173718).
As I understand, Albert wants to trigger the camera with a switch, not with a sound. If so, there is a dedicated solution for it, without a need of going such way around. It would however, as you say, not work with the original M but will work with every (?) DSLR and many mirrorless system cameras.
Just tested on EOS M, if shorting the audio input is able to generate enough noise level to be used as a trigger -- yes, it is. In case you would have problems with repeatability, you can use a tiny button battery (1.5V) which will be applied to the audio input. This should work reliably.
Man, I forgot to mention I do only have the EOS M. So ArcziPL, you are talking about the official remote Canon switch still yes? Those don't seem to come up very often for reasonable prices on eBay (I'm not a professional, and this isn't a hobby I really want to splurge on at the moment, not even for ~25 which is the going range on that official switch), but I guess I will keep my eyes out.
Given how absurdly cheap they are though, I may order that Chinese 3.5mm TRS button anyways to see if it produces the same short (and thus register as sound) that would work for my needs. Alternatively, and it'd be more effort than I wanted, I happen to have a few Arduinos on hand, and I could create a simple scenario where pressing the onboard button will generate a tone I could patch through into the camera with an audio cable. But that would be far less elegant than what I really want.
don't mean to doublepost, but I feel silly not having looked further into the forums to find this thread (https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=11930.0). This seems to bode well for my idea, though granted, people were still using wired remote adapters on the level of the RS-60E3, so I hope the cheap 3.5mm jack button will deliver even over a long extension cable, let alone straight into the audio jack.