emmanuel_rondeau

<p>UPDATE TO THIS OLD POST!<br>

It is has been a while, and I have been reminded of this old post by someone on the web. Anyway, I found the solutions to all those problems and wrote a complete ebook to explain how to build efficient DSLR Camera Trap, using CANON Rebel cameras and Nikon SB28 flashes.<br>

If you are interested, have a look :<a href="http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com/publications/dslr-camera-trap/">http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com/publications/dslr-camera-trap/</a></p>

<p>Hi There,<br>

Professional photographer for the press, I have been working a lot on camera trap for the last 3 years, working with Trailmaster equipment and different species of big cats around the world. I even created a complete guide on how I am doing it : <a href="http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com/publications/dslr-camera-trap/">http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com/publications/dslr-camera-trap/</a><br>

I opened this thread because I would be interested to get other kind of experience, such as what camera you used, what kind of images you are getting, what species you are working on..etc..., any experience? let us know!<br>

Here is one of my images, an Ocelot in Costa Rica (Corcovado National Park).</p>

<p><img src="http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com/Temp/cameraTrap.jpg" alt="" />Regards,<br>

Emmanuel.</p>

<p>Charles, the option I'm seeking has not been developed but I was thinking about develop it myself or a friend of mine.<br>

Hi Bruce, thanks for your very interesting feedbacks. I actually own "normal" SB-28's, not DX, and even with those I'm getting the behavior I described. What setup are you using ? have you faced the same problem I'm currently facing ?<br>

One thing though, I've been experimenting with a 1D III and its 10fps, and as soon as the second frame (so 100 milliseconds after the first shot), the flash works, so that means it is actually not time that the SB needs to wake up, it is just signal. It looks like they need a first signal to say "WAKE UP" and then a second signal to say "TAKE THE PICTURE". So basically I'm looking for a way to send 2 signals in the same time...</p>

<p>Thanks a lot for your answers.<br>

Charles, that's what I'm afraid of, but I've seen people making this setup to work, so there must be a solution somewhere. As for the other camera you suggested, it is not an option since the result are artistically miles from the quality of a DSLR camera.<br>

Bob, I'm (sometime) getting a 30 second exposure because the camera can be triggered at night, so the flash is lighting the foreground (subject) and the 30 sec exposure is lighting the background (like the stars). On your second tought, that's actually what I did, my trigger is putting out 5 or 6 pulses so that the flash is awaken and then the shots are taken, of course this only works with a fast shutter speed.<br>

Just to share what I'm thinking about, I think the ONLY solution would be to actually hack the camera firmware (with this http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK) to make the camera to take a "fake and fast" first image before actually taking the real images. Makes sense ?</p>

<p>Hello everyone,<br /><br />I'm working on a camera trap setup. I'm using 350D (Rebel XT) camera bodies, Nikon SB-28 flashes and PC cable to makes them work together, as well as a infrared beam system to trigger the camera when a subject is moving.<br>

(I'm using SB-28s because they hold the charge way better comparing to Canon flashes. I leave the setup out in the wild for several weeks/months, that's why I need to use the stand by mode on the flash.)<br /><br />My problem is the following : The flashes works only from the second shot. The first shot makes the flashes to wake up, and then the second shot is properly exposed with the flashes.<br /><br />It is a major problem with me since the first shot can be a 30 sec exposure, and so the 2nd shot can simply never happen. I need the fist shot to trigger the flashes.<br /><br />If you have any clue, I would strongly appreciate it.<br>

Thanks ! </p>

<p>Thanks Matthew.</p>

<p>This one might be better since it's saying what's male and female...<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=89996&is=REG&si=rev#anchorToReadReviews</p>

<p>Actually I have Pocket Wizard (radio system) but the setup I want is supposed to stay active for over a month (outside), and I don't think that the PW (or the Yongnuo) would live that long on their battery life...and BTW I don't even think that a Canon PW system can trigger Nikon FLash, even in manual mode.<br>

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help !<br>

B&H has this :<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=133220&is=REG&addedTroughType=search<br>

So from a cable perspective what I would need is:<br>

- a male (hot shoe) to female (splitter) PC cable from the hot shoe adapter to the splitter.<br>

- and for each flash, a female (splitter) to male (flash) PC cable from the splitter to the flashes.<br>

Am I right ? or close ? :)</p>

<p>Just adding that those should work :<br>

http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,12326.html<br>

http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,12111.html<br>

Now I need to find a way to make it work with several flashes simultaneously.</p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

For some reasons, I would like to trigger 2 Nikon SB-28 (in manual mode, of course) with a Canon Rebel XT Camera body. I was thinking about triggering them with a PC Terminal adapter (something like that : http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/621573-REG/Interfit_STR115_STR115_Hot_Shoe_Adapter.html) but I have some questions first :<br>

1) Wouldn't the voltage be a problem?<br>

2) How could I trigger 2 flashes with this system? I would need some sort of multiplier or something.<br>

3) Are the PC cords (connectors) for Canon and Nikon different or is it a standard? (I've never used PC cord) could you point to the kind of cable I would need?<br>

4) Any other solutions ?<br>

Thanks a lot for your help !<br>

Emmanuel.</p>

<p>Hey Brett,<br>

I actually replied to your posts at work but then I got called for a meeting and I forgot to submit ! damn.<br>

So thanks for spending time to share your experience, I really appreciate it. It's true that your posts are a bit discouraging but this is the kind of information I'm looking for. Actually a friend was there (Corcovado) last year in November and the weather wasn't bad, that why I thought it could be ok, but of course your experience of CR is way deeper than his.<br>

For insurance, any way to insure the gear for just a short period of time ?<br>

I also have questions about how to get from a place to another. Would you recommend bus, renting a car ?<br>

About the housing, I saw a lot of luxury lodge but It's not what me and my wallet are looking for, any recommendation ?<br>

Thanks again for your time.<br>

I got a 580 EX II and a diffuser.</p>

<p>I was actually thinking about getting the Sanho Colorspace UDMA but at 300$ (body only + HD) I can get a very decent eeePC Asus 1005HA-P with something like 9 hours of battery, in addition, I just have to add an external HD (say 60$, instead of another 300$ for an additional Sanho system) to have the redundancy we are looking in a backup system.</p>

<p>Very interesting inputs from both of you, I guess I have to do my homework now. I went to your website and enjoyed what I've seen Sean, congrat ! It may belongs to another thread but what about the backup, were you guys using a Laptop, netbook, stand alone backup system ... ?</p>

<p>Greg S, thanks for this useful feedback about your equipment. About the rain, I'm planning to use a "rain-poncho" and my usual hiking shoes. My plan was to bring the very minimum number of clothes.<br>

Thanks Douglas, I had missed the thread you pointing to.</p>

<p>I really appreciate the advices Gary ! Monteverde Cloud Forrest and the Ostional wildlife refuge sound (and look, I've just googled them) amazing.</p>

<p>Thanks Gene.<br>

No I usually don't mind carrying around this equipment, but I'm usually doing that in our NP (hiking trails), not in the middle of a tropical forest. Yes, I'm using a Gitzo tripod and a Wimberley sidekick for the 500.<br>

Thanks for sharing the locations, will see what I can found on the web to give me and idea of how it looks.</p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

I decided to go to Costa Rica in November, something like 17 days, from the 1st to the 18th. I'm going to spend a week with a Guide in the Corcovado National Park and this is for now the only thing I know about my trip.<br>

Questions:<br>

1) Do you have any good locations for wildlife and landscape (beside of the Corcovado NP) ?<br>

2) About the equipment, for wildlife/landscape, I'm mainly using a Canon 17/40, Canon 70-200 f/4 IS, Canon 500mm f/4 and Canon 100 Macro, along with 2 bodies (5D II and 40D). Everything fits nicely in my backpack but make it of course very heavy. I've never been to such forest and I'm a little bit concerned about this backpack being too heavy for a long hike in the tropical forest. In the same time, I don't see myself leaving my best lens (500mm) at home for this trip.<br>

3) About the security, I read here and there that leaving anything in a car was a big mistake, what is your opinion on this ?<br>

4) Have you used a Guide ? and if so how much were you paying ?<br>

5) I guess I should also plan something for preventing the equipment to get wet like this [http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/hydrophobia-300-600-rain-cover.aspx]<br>

Thanks !<br>

Emmanuel.</p>

<p>Thanks Cliff.<br>

If you guys want to follow my future work (and highly possible failures :) on Camera Trap (among other things), please check my Website (<a href="http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com">http://www.emmanuelrondeau.com</a> ) and particularly my blog (<a href="http://blog.emmanuelrondeau.com">http://blog.emmanuelrondeau.com</a> ). The blog is open to discussion, I've just posted a topic about Camera trap.</p>

<p>Thanks Gable.<br>

They are apparently using home-made hard case for the camera, and super clamp and arm for the flashes. Interesting. I'd like to know more about the technical aspect of this shooting but this video doesn't give much information.</p>

<p>Gable: Thanks. I know the Steve Winter's work but I can't locate the video our are talking about, would you mind sharing the address.<br>

John: I spent most of my time hiking with 20 pounds of equipment and of course all my current photographs are taken being behind the lens, so I know it is a lot of work and efforts. However, what I'm trying to do here is to get different pictures, seing the animal on a different angle, something that I couldn't do by staying behind the lens, even in a Photographic Blind. That doesn't mean I'm going to spend 10k on camera trap equipment and sell my camouflage and 500mm lens, but just that I think there is artistically something to do on this side of the Photographic world. I don't agree when you say that this setup is only useful for subject like snow leopards and jaguars. While it is particuilarly useful in this case, it can be useful for whatever animals, I'd love to see a good image of Coyote along a trail, or in the middle of nowhere. Camera trap can help to be creative, that's all matters to me. Most of the things I've seen on the web taken by Camera trap look pretty bad too, but that is not going to discourage me. Thank you for your participation and the link you specified, I'll take a look.</p>

<p>This kind of photography requires a lot of research and a lot of time in the field trying to understand the animal behavior and their habitat. Once this work is done, you can more or less predict where the animal is most likely to be. Then you can frame you image and make the adjustment for a particular time of the day (light) or night (flash).<br>

Your are making artistic choices by choosing your focal, your composition and your camera setup. The only difference is that it requires a lot of time and work.<br>

Thanks for your participation in this topic.</p>

<p>Please note that this topic stays open ! Don't hesitate to give your opinion or thought about Camera Trap Photography.</p>

<p>Thanks Bruce.<br>

I'll definitely contact you very soon, like now. :)</p>

<p>Sure Peter. I know the difference between the GP-SLR and the GP-SLRZOOM. I'm actually thinking about getting:</p>

<ul>

<li>a GP-SLR + Flash shoe attachment for the Flash.</li>

<li>a GP-SLRZOOM + Joby Ball-head for the Camera and maybe the trigger (release date: June 23thrd, see this link: <a href="http://getsatisfaction.com/joby/topics/ball_head_for_gorilla_pod_slr_zoom_release_date">http://getsatisfaction.com/joby/topics/ball_head_for_gorilla_pod_slr_zoom_release_date</a> )</li>

</ul>

<p>Thanks for your input, appreciate it.</p>

<p>Interesting links.<br>

Apparently these guys are using all in one product with camera included in a box and everything. While this solution is pretty handy, it produces<strong> very low image quality pictures</strong> . What I'm trying to do is not to just get a record of the animal but rather to get unique pictures of animals in their environment.<br>

Thanks !</p>