Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
I have always used my long cable release with an air bulb for taking my self portraits. However I decided to build a more modern mechanical cable release. As I researched more, I found that most made use of a linear actuator that pushes the button of the traditional mechanical cable release when activated.
I chose to use a ESP32 board as my controller, it is small and has built-in Bluetooth and Wifi. I decided to use Bluetooth in my design by creating a mobile app to send the triggering commands over.
Special thanks
1. Andreas Spiess for his project case template youtu.be/lBK0UBjVrYM
2. potentprintables for his Linear Actuator design thingiverse.com/thing:3170748
Blog post : sgwetplate.com/2021/12/diy-remote-mechanical-cable-release
Get the link to codes and 3d files at github.com/AnaloguePhotoTalk/APTRemote
Chapters :
00:00 Introduction of the Film Camera Cable Release
00:12 Research
01:20 Design of the Film Camera Cable Release
02:10 Assembly
5:40 Coding
06:58 Mobile App
08:50 Mode of Operation
12:11 Test Shoot using the Film Camera Cable Release
Affiliate links :
ESP32 Development board : amzn.to/3pvJkDs
Micro Servo motor : amzn.to/3JqbzLS
Mechanical Cable Release : amzn.to/3euY931
Ilford Multigrade paper developer : amzn.to/3fBoigM
Ilford Rapid Fixer : amzn.to/2SeHKI2
Ilford RC paper 5x7 : amzn.to/3oHMdPE
Air Shutter Release 20' : amzn.to/2RxvKS8
Shanghai film 4x5 : amzn.to/3c35QN0
*******************************************
I have been doing film photography, darkroom printing since 2003. Since then, I have also been doing alternative processes such as albumen printing, kallitype printing, wet plate and dry plate photography. My favorite cameras are the Nikon FM2 and Nikon F2 and my favorite films are Fomapan 100, Kodak Ektar, Fujifilm Velvia, Rollei Superpan. with The various genres of photography I enjoy doing are landscape photography, portrait photography.
I have always used my long cable release with an air bulb for taking my self portraits. However I decided to build a more modern mechanical cable release. As I researched more, I found that most made use of a linear actuator that pushes the button of the traditional mechanical cable release when activated.
I chose to use a ESP32 board as my controller, it is small and has built-in Bluetooth and Wifi. I decided to use Bluetooth in my design by creating a mobile app to send the triggering commands over.
Special thanks
1. Andreas Spiess for his project case template youtu.be/lBK0UBjVrYM
2. potentprintables for his Linear Actuator design thingiverse.com/thing:3170748
Blog post : sgwetplate.com/2021/12/diy-remote-mechanical-cable-release
Get the link to codes and 3d files at github.com/AnaloguePhotoTalk/APTRemote
Chapters :
00:00 Introduction of the Film Camera Cable Release
00:12 Research
01:20 Design of the Film Camera Cable Release
02:10 Assembly
5:40 Coding
06:58 Mobile App
08:50 Mode of Operation
12:11 Test Shoot using the Film Camera Cable Release
Affiliate links :
ESP32 Development board : amzn.to/3pvJkDs
Micro Servo motor : amzn.to/3JqbzLS
Mechanical Cable Release : amzn.to/3euY931
Ilford Multigrade paper developer : amzn.to/3fBoigM
Ilford Rapid Fixer : amzn.to/2SeHKI2
Ilford RC paper 5x7 : amzn.to/3oHMdPE
Air Shutter Release 20' : amzn.to/2RxvKS8
Shanghai film 4x5 : amzn.to/3c35QN0
*******************************************
I have been doing film photography, darkroom printing since 2003. Since then, I have also been doing alternative processes such as albumen printing, kallitype printing, wet plate and dry plate photography. My favorite cameras are the Nikon FM2 and Nikon F2 and my favorite films are Fomapan 100, Kodak Ektar, Fujifilm Velvia, Rollei Superpan. with The various genres of photography I enjoy doing are landscape photography, portrait photography.
