Using Remote Triggers/Shutters for Wildlife 

As a wildlife photographer often time I find beautiful long exposure landscape shots and the remote is very handy in those situations.

An additional wildlife use I am trying is for birds (eagles) that are nesting. When I am lazy, I’ll set the shot up (focus and exposure) to what I want to capture (trying to get the eagle returning to the nest) Then I can sit back in a chair and keep my eyes peeled. When he (or she) returns I can use the shutter release. It’s been fun experimenting

Good. Thank you

I use a wireless trigger from inside the warmth of my truck lol I use the wireless shutter remote by SMDV RFN4. I will set my camera and tripos outside my truck and set it up on a perch location I know about then climb back into my truck and wait. I've also used it for birds. such as Kingfishers, that are extremely skittish. I can set the camera up close to a branch on know the Kingfisher lands on and step back and wait. When it lands and is still, I will pray to the focus Gods and hope the trigger gets focus and start pressing the button. I only need one shot to be in focus after all. Sometimes it works and I get a shot and sometimes it doesn't. But it was fun trying. And if you aren't having fun you aren't doing it right.

Wish they made that plunger trigger for the Canon's.

I use the Nikon MC-30 and a Vello wired remote. I use back button focus most of the time but when using the MC-30, I use the touch screen to focus. I have very warm gloves that I use for cross-country skiing and a light wool glove liner at times. I also will use a muff to keep my bare hands in along with a handwarmer. A quick touch on the screen and the hand can go back into the muff. Valleret gloves are nice but I cannot afford them and there are more affordable alternatives for those wanting t save money and keep warm. I do plan on purchasing a wireless remote soon.

For the past five years I have primarily been doing bird photography, so I haven't been using any kind of a remote shutter release. If/and/or when I do some low light long shutter shots I do have the Nikon MC-36A programmable remote that I use. Again great content. I like the detail you go into about each product.

I think this topic go well and compliment the IR triggers that are used for night wildlife remote photography.

I can only think of 1 situation where a programmable shutter release is useful. If you need to go use the restroom, and you’re in a place where either you can trust the camera to be left where it is or where you can go without leaving eyeshot of it, and if you have your tripod and camera set up where you’re waiting for something, then setting the trigger on a continuous interval can help get shots while you’re doing your business.

I bought mine because it doesn't use batteries and doesn't have a light that will ruin night vision. I haven't received it yet, but I'm excited to use it at night.

Hi Scott, it's funny you mentioned about cold hands and using a remote shutter because that is the same reason I use the exact setup. I use the MC-30A all the time when my camera is on the tripod for bird photography and of course for slow shutter speeds.

After seen this video I ran to verify my 2.4GHz Wireless ShutterBoss Shutter Release Timer Remote that I used for more than 6 years ago with my D800 for milky way photography and landscape. After the video I tried with my Z9, I use back button, works GREAT. Thanks for this video. I will travel soon to Minnesota to photograph Owls, that will work great. Thanks for the video!!

street photos with camera on my chest with a 20mm Viltrox I can release the shutter with my hands in my pocket close to my subjects.

I use the Vello for landscape never occurred to me to use it for wildlife which is what I shoot primarily. Will give it a try. Thanks Scott for your tips.

The programmable feature would be useful in doing a time-lapse. For example, let's say you have a watering hole that is getting a lot of traffic from different species. A time-lapse would allow you to see what is coming in and out. Not a pure stills use, but it could be pretty interesting.

the programable remotes are wen you are doing long exposure photography like astrophotography or using a 10 stop nd filter and or self portraits

One more reason for using remote triggers, that I discovered a few years ago, is for split-second action photos. For example, a bird taking off a branch. I noticed that watching the scene with a naked eye and releasing the shutter with a remote, I react a fraction of a second faster compared to watching through a viewfinder. The difference is not big, maybe ~1/100 of a second or something like that (I guess). but it is definitely there. Statistically, the number of pictures, where I managed to capture the beginning of the action is evidently higher with the remote trigger. I don't know why it is so. But it is. Nowadays, new mirrorless cameras offer an option to record frames in a loop for 1/2 second *before* one presses the trigger all the way down. Hence, this reason is slowly becoming less important. But pre-shooting drains a battery rather quickly, so I still like to use a trigger in such a situation.

I use in combination with live view when covered up in heavy camp and it’s not convenient to work the buttons. I can point the camera with my left hand, watch the screen and trigger focus and shutter with the remote. Last week shooting deer, very wild in the week following hunting season, well after sunset using this technique and appreciating the silent shutter on my Z6ii. Thanks.

I just ordered an inexpensive shutter release and want to experiment with using it in a situation where you can't get out of the vehicle (parks in East Africa where I live) using a tripod, holding it upside-down out the window to get a low angle.

Remote trigger is also great for high mega pixel cameras, as they pick up shake really easily, even on a tripod, I've found my Sony A7Riv's 61mp is massively improved by using remote shutter. -I thought I was the only one to use a remote for bird photography lol.

The $40 pixel TW283 remote trigger is wireless. I find it great for getting my camera close to the hummingbird feeder and "pulling the trigger" from a distance. I have been very happy with mine for over a year.

Scott... I am using an old Nikon MW-1 remote radio controller adapted to the 10 pin socket in my D 810... the range is up to 1/2 a mile. It is big and heavy, but I have been able to shoot wild life without being remotely detected.

Great info thanks ! ... for my D850... is there any remote that allows me to control VIDEO recording? I just want to start the video remotely. Thanks !

I thought I was the only one using remote shutter. Use it for owls all the time. 1) I have the third party intervalometer from Neweer - cheap but built well and works great (got it for Astro). Never use it for birds. For owls (and macro) I use a cheap wireless one. Hate being tethered to stuff - I’ll trip over it for sure. Excellent for macro when shooting roosting bugs in early morning (before sun up, base ISO, shutter between half second to a second). (I’m a tripod/set-up shooter for macro).

My first remote trigger was located on a pistol grip style head and I used it for bird photography. Mainly for stability. Pushing the button on the camera can make the camera dip forward. I have a remote trigger in my photography box that I have never used. While I do photograph wildlife at all different types of locations, I also photograph animals from my vehicle. I use a bean bag on the door. If I pull a tripod out the subject is usually running away depending on the location. I am curious if you have ever created a video about the "can I help you?". An example, one day I was photographing a Ring-neck pheasant and it was strutting around walking closer. I was on a back road with only two or three houses on it. No other cars went through the entire time I was there. The bird settled down just off the edge of the road and I was getting some nice close images. Then I hear a woman say: "can I help you?". She scared the bird away. Even though you are on a roadway and not on private property people feel that it's their job to police the roadway. I always try to be nice but it's annoying. Have you ever covered this topic?

I've never considered trigger for wildlife, maybe because I'm the lazy photographer that rarely uses a tripod. When I was working at a camera store I was able to get the Canon remote triggers at a reasonable price, but name brand really does put a premium on that price. We were a Promaster dealer the last few years I was there, and I bought a programable timer release, which was much less than what Canon wanted for theirs. Sadly it has a wire issue so that it only works if I manage to position it just right. Don't need it for wildlife, but I don't shoot just wildlife, so it was nice for long exposures and time lapse and such. (Thankfully the EOS R5 has those functions built in.)

I was using Camtraptions until I made my own remote trigger network system.

I have a wired simple trigger and an intervalometer that can be used wired or wireless. I use them for long exposure landscapes and for astrophotography, but I often use the 2 sec. delay timer instead of the remote trigger. The winter use inside the gloves is a great idea and I will also use them for owls in low light (if I’m ever lucky enough to see one 😉). As an aside, I will be getting Valleret gloves for Christmas - Markof Pro V3, but wondering if I should go for the Skadi Zipper Mitt instead. I am rarely out in temps below 30F, but my hands run cold (and I’ll be taking a winter birds workshop in B.C. in February).

I enjoyed this video. I've been thinking of getting a remote release ( wireless ) for high shutter speeds. Like when waiting on a perched Bald Eagle to take flight. Wondering if any problems with any " lag " with when I hit the button.

nice.. I shoot a lot in snowy cold temps (Upper MI). 20F is still warm. :-) I usually just suffer with one big glove (left hand) and a smaller glove on right hand to manipulate the camera. Suffer no more. Honestly, I've just been just too lazy to get a trigger. Yeah dumb. Question: Could you just stuff the remote in the mit? Cable looks a bit short, perhaps with a wireless. I thought about cutting a hole in the mit. Although, with that setup, i'd probably turn and pull the entire rig with me.

@WildlifeInspired Did you ever do that wireless remote trigger video you promised to do? I couldn't find it.

Hi Scott- Another use for the shutter remote is to shoot, in burst mode, small birds coming in for a landing on a perch or a feeder. I'm considering purchasing the R6 or Z6ii and need to know if either has the option to shoot in burst mode with a remote trigger. i would greatly appreciate your help!

hi.. is there a wireless remote trigger for Z6 ?, where i can stand 10 feet away from camera and press the remote shutter to take a photo

Did you make the wireless video? Cant find it. Thanks

Great reviews, Scott! Why an intervalometer???... Well, even if youre primarily a wildlife photographer you might enjoy astro on occasion. Maybe you'd like to do a Timelapse, or some kind of macro where it might be handy? Its the rare photographer that exclusively specializes in any one subject, isn't it?

I find remote triggers an unnecessary accessory in most cases. I use the Canon app for smartphone (connect either via bluethooth or wifi) instead for triggering when i do not want to introduce any vibrations. But I can see the usecase with the gloves for the remote triggers.

Do these remotes focus when half pressed even if we had set the back button focus and deactivated the regular shutter from focussing?

Great topic. Is there any way to remotely control the camera for a longer range than 7-10 meters (doesn't need to be NIkon)? Similar to drones?

How would this work with back button focus do I have to change my settings