Note: This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.
A wireless remote for a camera is a difficult thing to review, mostly
because your experience is going to vary greatly depending on which
camera you have. You will have to set your camera up, but the exact
menu path is going to vary slightly with each model and there are
several models of Nikon that this remote works with. I have only used
this remote with the Nikon D50, so a lot of what I write in this review
is going to be affected by that.
The other reason is that you
don’t generally get much of a choice of remotes. Each camera only takes
one remote. Which remote you buy will be determined by which camera
you have, essentially making it Hobson’s choice. Either you buy a
remote or you don’t.
There are a few reasons why you would buy a
remote. If you want to take a picture of yourself, but don’t want to
use the timer function, you have two options: get a remote or bring a
friend to take the picture. You may also want to reduce shake if you’re
taking a long exposure or using a telephoto lens. If you decide that
you want to get a remote, your instruction manual should say which model
you’ll need. If not, the manufacturer’s web site should have that
information.
The remote itself is pretty simple. It’s a button
and a transmitter connected by a body with a battery. They only thing
that it does is trigger the shutter, much like the button on the
camera. You can’t change camera settings with the remote. You can’t
use it to compose or review pictures. You can’t order takeout with it.
It acts just like the shutter release on your camera. Setting up the
camera to be triggered by the remote will depend on your camera; the
instruction manual should have a section on it. (This is one of those
things that I just can’t help you with.)
The range is pretty
decent. I can stand back maybe 10 or 20 feet and still have the remote
trigger the camera. The angle will matter on the build of your camera.
Each camera has a remote sensor that receives the remote’s signal. If
something’s blocking it, the camera won’t take the picture.
Range
has rarely been an issue for me since I usually use the remote for long
exposures. I’m generally standing behind the camera. In fact, I’d
actually recommend using the remote for long exposure. Without the
Nikon D50, I have to hold down the button on the camera if I’m not using
the remote. With the remote, I press the button to start the long
exposure and again to end it, which really cuts down on blur as a result
of shaking.
I have tried to take pictures of myself with the
remote. I know with the D50, I have three options. I can either set
the camera on a 10-second delay, use the remote with a 2-second delay or
simply use the remote. If I use the remote to take a picture of
myself, I’ll probably either look funny or be shown pressing the button
on the remote. The advantage of using the remote with a 2-second delay
is that I can take several pictures without running back and forth to
the camera. The only problem I’ve had is setting up the picture. I’ve
never been able to do a decent self-portrait.
The battery is an
odd size, but you get one with the remote. Before using the remote,
you’ll have to take off a protective plastic strip. (It took me a few
minutes to figure out why it wasn’t working straight out of the box.)
This brings me to the only major drawback of the product. Getting the
battery door off of the remote is a real pain. You have to pinch two
things that go in so that you can take off the battery door. It’s
fairly difficult to do.
I bought the ML-L3 for $20, but the price
has since dropped. The last time I checked, it was going for $17.50.
The D50 has since been discontinued, but there are still camera models
available that use this remote. If you want a remote, it’s really not a
big deal to get one. The one thing I will warn you about is that since
the remotes are small, they’re easy to lose. Keep yours in a secure
place or you will have to replace them often.
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