UNIVERSAL PHOTO TIMER TM

Transcription

1 UNIVERSAL PHOTO TIMER TM PHOTO FLASH AND CAMERA TIMER CONTROLLER USER GUIDE Rev A2.

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. WARNINGS INTRODUCTION TIMER CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS QUICK START GUIDE DESCRIPTION OF MENUS SPECIFICATIONS SAMPLE PROJECTS CONNECTION DIAGRAMS TERMS AND CONDITIONS RETURN AND WARRANTY

4 1. WARNINGS To prevent damage to the product or injury to yourself or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using this equipment. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN Failure to observe this precaution could result in injury. TURN OFF IMMEDIATELY IN THE EVENT OF MALFUNCTION. Should you notice smoke or an unusual smell coming from the equipment remove the battery immediately, taking care to avoid burns. Continued operation could result in injury. DO NOT USE IN THE PRESENCE OF FLAMMABLE GAS Do not use electronic equipment in the presence of flammable gas, as this could result in explosion or fire. OBSERVE PROPER PRECAUTIONS WHEN HANDLING BATTERIES Batteries may leak or explode if improperly handled. Observe the following precautions when handling batteries for use in this product: - Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment. - Do not short or disassemble the battery. - Be sure the product is off before replacing the battery - Do not expose the battery to flame or excessive heat. - Do not immerse batteries or the product in or expose to water. DO NOT USE THE TIMER WITH AC POWERED FLASH OR STROBE UNITS Failure to observe this precaution could result in injury. OBSERVE CAUTION WHEN USING THE FLASH Do not operate the flash with the flash window touching a person or object. Failure to observe this precaution could result in burns or fire. Using the flash close to the subject s eyes could cause temporary visual impairment. Particular care should be observed when photographing infants. Use extreme caution when handling flash contacts and flash cables. Some flash or strobe units can generate voltages in excess of 250V on its contacts. Do not connect or disconnect the flash from the timer or hot shoe while the flash is powered or charged. Touching the flash contacts or connectors may result in injury. It is recommended to use a flash unit with low voltage contacts or to use slave hot shoe wireless adapters. BALLISTICS PHOTOGRAPHY Do not use any type of firearms with this product as it may result in injury or death. VERIFY EQUIPMENT COMPATIBILITY BEFORE USING THE TIMER WITH YOUR FLASH, CAMERA OR ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT Incorrect connections of the Universal Photo Timer to your equipment or operation of your equipment outside its designed limits may cause loss of warranty or damage to your equipment. Universal Timer Ltd. does not take any responsibility for a damage of your equipment or loss of warranty. 3

5 2. INTRODUCTION The Universal Photo Timer is a hand-held photo flash and camera timer controller. It contains the following functions: WIRELESS SHUTTER RELEASE AND TIMER Acts as an infra-red wireless shutter release capable of instantly triggering the shutter without disturbing the camera. It can be used for long exposures (bulb mode) with many SLR cameras. The controller can also be programmed to be trigged at regular intervals to perform time lapse photography. CAMERA AND FLASH TRIGGER It allows you to trigger the shutter of your camera or fire an electronic flash with a programmable delay in response to a trigger. FLASH SLAVE UNIT Acts as a flash slave. Select between normal flash or pre-flash synchronization used with digital cameras. Universal Photo Timer allows you to capture rare split second events such as falling drops, popping balloons or ballistics shots. In addition, you can setup the timer for unattended operation to help you capture wild life pictures, or perform time lapse photography. The timer learns infra-red codes from your existing camera remote. It comes preprogrammed with Nikon and Cannon camera codes. As an option, you can connect the Timer to your camera with a shutter release cable (refer to section 8 for more information). The timer contains a number of built-in sensors and functions allowing you to capture special photographic effects. Refer to Quick Start Guide Section for more information. This manual provides information allowing the user to operate more advanced functions such as camera and flash trigger. It is a tool allowing photographers to perform high speed captures or wild life photography. The manual assumes good familiarity with your photographic equipment. 4

6 3. TIMER CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS Notes: - The timer requires a 3.5mm jack to PC flash sync cord and/or hot shoe adapter (not included) for some functions. By default flash sync output 2 is configured for high voltage, flash sync output 1 for low voltage. - Sensors or IR extension cables require a 2.5mm jack (sensors and other accessories sold separately). - The timer requires one 9V alkaline battery (not included). - Infra-red transmitter is located at the front of the timer. 5

7 4. QUICK START GUIDE Guide to high speed photography. Using the timer as a wireless shutter release remote. Using the timer in bulb mode. Using the timer for time lapse photography. Using the timer as a flash slave. Learning new camera codes. Learning new flash codes. The user interface consists of a 4 digit numeric LED display and four buttons. Buttons include MENU (M), SELECT (S), UP (+) and DOWN (-). The MENU button is used to turn the unit on. (If the timer does not turn on after pressing the MENU button, please replace the battery.) The MENU button is used to return to the main menu. The SELECT button is used to navigate through parameters. The UP and DOWN buttons are used for editing values and cycling through main functions. Refer to section 4 for more details on menus and configuration. 6

8 Guide to high speed photography The goal of the high speed photography is capturing objects in motion. You can photograph events that follow a predictable sequence. In all cases you want to be able to detect a trigger, wait for an event and take a picture. For example, in order to capture a falling drop hitting the surface of water, first you need to detect the time when the drop starts falling. Next, you create a delay between the trigger and the event. Finally you take the picture. This is where the Universal Photo Timer is used. There are two methods for performing high speed photography with the timer. The first method uses a shutter of a camera. The second method uses an electronic flash. The main advantage of the shutter method is that it can be used outdoors. The subject and the background can be fully illuminated. However, since the shutter is used to freeze the motion of the subject, it offers a limited speed. Maximum speed of a shutter could range from 1/4000sec to 1/8000sec, in some cases it may not be fast enough (fast moving objects will become blurred). Moreover, in cameras that have a focal plane shutter, a small slit moves across the photographic plane at much slower speeds (1/250), thus exposing different parts of the photographic plane at slightly different times. Finally, there is a delay between the shutter release and the actual exposure. It could be as much 100ms or more (depending on camera). In addition there could be a small variation in timing, each time the camera takes a picture. Therefore this method should not be used when high timing accuracy is required. A simple way of determining your camera shutter lag is to take a picture of a falling object. Place a measuring tape in the background. You can calculate the time based on the distance traveled and its known acceleration. The second method of high speed photography is the flash method. The picture is taken by opening the shutter of the camera, activating the flash and closing the shutter. The picture needs to be taken in a dark room. Because the room is dark, the long exposure time will not have any effect on the final output. The flash light duration now becomes the actual exposure time. The main advantage of the flash method is the exposure speed and better timing consistency. Electronic flashes are capable of light strobes with durations of 1/10,000 or faster (lower the power setting of the flash, the shorter the flash duration). 7

9 The lag between the trigger and the flash strobe is insignificant. The disadvantage of this method is that the picture needs to be taken in a dark room to avoid the over exposure. Also since the flash is used to make the exposure, it may be more difficult to provide a uniform lighting or to illuminate the background. The timer contains a number of useful features that take advantage of the integrated flash and camera control. In particular FL-2 camera mode allows you to automatically open the camera shutter, activate the flash in response to a trigger and automatically close it immediately after the flash is activated. Refer to Section 5 for more information. Always take the first pictures at a wide angle to asses the timing. For example with falling drops you want to start with short delay and roughly establish the delay before zooming in and fine tuning the delay. Always start with short delay. Locate your object. Increase the delay and observe the changes. In all cases you want to be able to create a setup for your photography with consistent timing. You want to be able to remove all variation in timing. Setup your flash for manual mode. Some flash units have a stand-by mode (to conserve power). Make sure to turn this feature off (so that that your flash is always turned on), otherwise it takes an additional time for it to activate. Camera setup is critical. You will need to set it up for manual mode with fixed aperture and shutter speed. Focus your lens and turn off auto focus. Make sure that such features as delayed exposure are turned off. Picture preview in digital cameras is extremely useful, however it may change your timing. It takes longer for your camera to activate the shutter when the picture preview is displayed on the screen. You can turn off the automatic preview after an exposure or just make sure than the last picture is not displayed while taking a new picture. 8

10 Using the timer as a wireless shutter release remote. When using the timer as a wireless shutter release, configure the camera for infra-red remote operation. Familiarize yourself with your camera and confirm the location of the IR receiver. In remote mode, your camera will stay active for a limited time before it switches to stand-by mode. Increase this timeout as needed. The wireless shutter release works by sending an infra-red code to the camera (similar to codes sent to your TV from your remote control). The best results are achieved when operating the timer in the line of sight of the camera IR receiver. Test the operating distance first, since it will vary depending on your camera model and ambient conditions. The following setup configures the timer as a wireless shutter release (verify and change the settings if required): If you want trigger a camera that uses an IR code other than the preprogrammed code in the timer - learn the required codes through Fn-4 menu (refer later sections on code learning). Fn-4 -> CAM CODE -> select actual code to be used C1, C2, C3-N or C4-N or ALL. This selects the IR code to be transmitted when triggering camera. Fn-3 -> SCALE -> This configures timing to be edited in 0.1 sec steps. Fn-3 - > SOURCE - > MAN. This selects manual operation trigger occurs when the user presses select button. Fn-3 -> DEAD TIME -> re-trigger can occur every 0.1sec Fn-3 -> INC DELAY -> 0000 the auto delay increment is disabled. Fn-3 -> REPEAT -> 0000 once triggers occurs there are no repeated exposures. Fn-3 -> MODE > STND single exposure, exposure time controlled by camera. Fn-3 -> BULB ZERO DEL -> YES. in bulb mode, the delay from the trigger to the camera exposure is zero. Fn-3 -> SHUTOFF -> 4H. in trigger mode, the unit will turn itself off after 4 hours without user input. In setup menus the timeout remains 15 minutes. Fn-3 -> WAKEUP CAM -> OFF. the unit contains a feature to automatically take a picture so that the infra-red receiver in the camera does not time out. This turns off the feature. Once configured with the settings as described above, the timer will always power-up with the same settings. The following steps operate the shutter: Fn-1, press SELECT to accept You should see DELAY, Press SELECT to accept 9

11 You should see a small LED on the left side of the display blinking. You are ready now to take pictures. Point the front of the timer towards the camera and press the SELECT button. Press the MENU button to exit. Using the timer in bulb mode. Follow camera and timer setup instructions for wireless shutter release remote. Configure your camera for BULB mode. Your camera needs to support bulb mode, such that the first IR code sent from remote opens the shutter, the second code closes the shutter. Configure one parameter differently: Fn-3 -> MODE -> BULB (instead of STND) Once configured with settings as described above, the timer will always power-up with those settings. Follow the steps below to operate the shutter: Fn-1, press SELECT You should see BULB, 001.0s. Edit the value for required bulb time. Please note that some cameras may have a maximum time limit for bulb mode. Press SELECT You should see a small LED on the left side of the display blinking. You are ready to take pictures. Point the front of the timer towards the camera and press SELECT button on the timer. The transmitter needs to point towards the camera during the entire exposure. Please take note of camera battery life when taking long exposures. Very long exposures may require a noise reduction processing at the end of exposure. Press MENU button to exit. 10

12 Using the timer for time lapse photography. Follow camera and timer setup instructions for wireless shutter release remote; except for the following: Fn-3 -> REPEAT -> SEL, Press SELECT Fn-3 -> REPEAT DELAY -> SEL, Press SELECT Fn-3 -> SHUTOFF ->OFF or select maximum time needed. Fn-3 -> WAKEUP CAM -> 5 or more. In remote mode your camera will stay active for limited time before it enters stand-by mode. Set the WAKEUP CAM parameter less than your camera timeout. Follow the steps below to operate the shutter: Fn-1, press SELECT You should see REPEAT, Edit the value for number of exposures. Press SELECT You should see REPEAT DELAY, Edit the value for delay between exposures. If REPEAT DELAY is longer than WAKEUP CAM duration, there will be extra exposures. Press SELECT You should see a small LED on the left side of the display blinking. You are ready to take pictures. Point the front of the timer towards the camera and press SELECT button on the timer. The transmitter needs to point towards the camera during the exposures. Please take note of camera picture capacity and battery life when taking time lapse photography. Press MENU button to exit. 11

13 Using the timer as a flash slave. The timer contains two flash sync outputs. They are activated at the same time. The timer requires a 3.5mm jack to PC flash sync cord and/or hot shoe adapter for this function. Connect one or two electronic flashes and set them up for manual mode. The following setup configures the timer as flash slave (verify and change the settings if required): Fn-3 - > SOURCE - > IR. This selects normal flash operation. Fn-3 - > SOURCE - > IR2. This selects pre-flash synchronization operation used with digital cameras. Fn-3 -> DEAD TIME -> Fn-3 -> INC DELAY -> 0000 Fn-3 -> REPEAT -> 0000 Fn-3 -> SHUTOFF -> 4H. Follow the steps below to operate the flash: Fn-2, press SELECT Set DELAY zero. Press SELECT You should see a small LED on the left side of the display blinking. You are ready to take pictures. Point the left side of the timer towards the master flash. Best results are achieved if there is a clear line of sight between master flash and the timer. Recommended to use shutter sync speeds of 1/60sec or slower. Press MENU button to exit. The timer supports high voltage flashes such as Vivitar 286, low voltage flashes such as Canon Speedlite 430EX and Nikon SB600/SB600 Speedlights. Positive hot shoe voltages only. The timer contains two independently opto-isolated circuits. By default flash sync output 2 is configured for high voltage, flash sync output 1 for low voltage. You can change the flash output configuration be placing or removing a jumper shunt inside the timer. You can remove the top cover of the enclosure of the timer by unscrewing 4 screws on the back of the timer. Once you open the timer, locate two jumpers next to flash sync output connectors. Removing the jumper configures the output for high voltage flash, inserting the jumper configures the output for low voltage flash units. 12

14 Learning new camera codes. The timer allows programming of two new codes from your existing camera infra-red remotes. Once the code is programmed you can select them through CAM CODE setting (available in Fn-4). Configure your camera for remote operation. Verify that your existing remote works with the camera before programming the code. Do not use TV or other remotes during learning process as it will interfere with the programming. Also, please note that some laptops or PDAs may emit IR transmissions that will cause the timer to learn an incorrect code. Follow the steps below to program new code (same steps apply to both codes #1 and #2): Enter Fn-4 -> 1 CAM MOD -> 40. Start with this modulation (40kHz). Press SELECT Fn-4 -> 1 LEARN CAM -> YES. Press SELECT to start learning. You should see a small LED on the left side of the display turn on. At this time point your remote and activate it pointing it at the timer from distance of one to two feet. Press and release the transmitter momentarily, do not hold it for long. You have 30 seconds to transmit the code. Once the code has been received (or time-out), you will see DONE. Pressing MENU button at this time cancels. Pressing SELECT saves the code. After accepting the code, you should see 1 LEARN CAM -> TEST. Press SELECT to test the code as many times as needed. Verify that the code activates the shutter of the camera. At this time you can fine tune the modulation to achieve longest operating distance. Pressing MENU button will bring you back to 1 CAM MOD parameter. Select each of the modulations one by one followed by 1 LEAN CAM -> TEST. You do not need to repeat learning procedure. Once you selected the modulation that gives you the longest operating distance you are done. 13

15 Learning new flash code. (This is an experimental feature. ) The timer learns codes from a master flash such as Nikon SB-800 (in master mode) or D80s built in flash (used in commander mode). You can store two different codes (F1 and F2). They could be used to store two different power outputs or two different channels. Activate your SB-600 or SB-800 flash units through wireless signal. Speedlights need to be configured for slave mode. This method is designed to provide a replacement for hot shoe connectors for above speedlights. A disadvantage of this method is the flash activation delay as compared to hot shoe approach. Expect at least 25ms activation delay when using this wireless connection. The operating distance between the transmitter and the flash is limited to few inches, direct line of sight. Configure the master for required group, channels and power outputs. Use manual settings for both channels. Verify the setup with the master and slave flash. This confirms that the master and slave are configured for correct groups and channels. Do not use TV or other remotes during learning process as it will interfere with the programming. Also, please note that some laptops or PDAs may emit IR transmissions that will cause the timer to learn an incorrect code. Follow the steps below to program new code (same steps apply to both codes #1 and #2): Enter Fn-4 -> 1 FLASH MOD -> 0. 0-N can also be used. 0-N optimizes the code to activate the flash sooner. Use 0 selection if problems occur. Press SELECT. Selecting other values such as 40 store modulated codes such as camera codes in the previous section. Fn-4 -> 1 LEARN FLASH -> YES. Press SELECT to start learning. You should see a small LED of the left side of the display turn on. At this time point your master flash/camera and activate it pointing it at the timer from distance of at least 3 feet. You have 30 seconds for this step. Once the code has been received (or time-out), you will see DONE. Pressing MENU button at this time cancels. Pressing SELECT saves the code. After accepting the code, you should see 1 LEARN FLASH -> TEST. Press SELECT to activate the slave flash many times as needed. Verify the slave flash operation. The code is now stored in the timer memory. When the flash code is enabled, it is transmitted before the flash sync outputs are activated (in order to synchronize the flash). However this will introduce an additional delay for the flash sync output. 14

16 5. DESCRIPTION OF MENUS PRINCIPLES OF USER INTERFACE The user interface consists of a 4 digit numeric LED display and four buttons. Buttons include MENU (M), SELECT (S), UP (+) and DOWN (-). Scrolling text messages provide intuitive and easy to navigate user menus. The MENU button is used to turn on the timer. It is used to return to the main menu. The SELECT button is used to navigate through parameters. The UP and DOWN buttons are used for editing the values and cycling through main functions. The timer contains two types of main functions: Fn-1 and Fn-2 are trigger functions, Fn-3 and Fn-4 are configuration functions. When editing a parameter, pressing UP or DOWN buttons will adjust the value by one. Pressing and holding the button starts scrolling quickly through the numbers. When editing time (such as delay), the timer shows numbers in the range of 0.1miliseconds up to 9999 seconds. This is done by shifting the decimal point as the number increases. For example numbers 0000 to 9999 (with no decimal point shown) represent time in sec to sec range (0.1ms resolution). Once 1 sec is reached the time value is edited in the range of 1.000sec to 9.999sec (1ms resolution). This continues up to sec(edit resolution increases to 1sec per step). Following table summarizes resolution and range described above: Screen shows: Resolution and range: 0000 to ms edit step, 9999 represents sec to ms edit step, represents 9.999sec to ms edit step, represents 99.99sec to sec edit step, represents 999.9sec to sec edit step, represents 9999sec. When configuring the timer, the display shows a description of the parameter followed by the value of the parameter. The description scrolls across the screen. The timer features dynamic menus. You can customize the timer for the most frequent operation. Most of the parameters in Fn-3 and Fn-4 menus contain a special option 15

17 called SEL. When a parameter is set to this special value it will appear in Fn-1 and Fn-2, otherwise the parameter is not shown. Values configured through Fn-1 and Fn-2 menus are set temporarily. They will need to be re-configured if powering down or after entering Fn-3 or Fn-4 menus. Once the timer is configured and waiting for a trigger, the display turns off and blinks a single LED to indicate readiness. Pressing the MENU button exits trigger mode. In configuration mode, the timer turns off after 15 minutes of inactivity. 16

18 MAIN MENU Pressing UP and DOWN buttons switch between different functions. Pressing SELECT enters the menu. Pressing MENU returns to Fn-1. Main Menu: Fn-1 CAMERA TRIGGER MENU This menu is used to enter camera trigger menu. Use this menu for wireless shutter release functionality. Fn-2 FLASH TRIGGER MENU This menu is used to enter flash trigger menu. Use this menu for flash functionality. Fn-3 SETUP MENU This menu is used to configure the timer. Fn-4 CODES MENU This menu is used to select, learn and test camera and flash codes used by the timer. OFF This turns off the timer. 17

19 Fn-1 CAMERA TRIGGER MENU Pressing SELECT proceeds to the next parameter. Pressing UP and DOWN buttons edits parameters. Pressing MENU returns to Fn-1. Parameters already pre-configured through Fn-3 or Fn-4 menus will be hidden in this menu. Configuration mode includes: SOURCE Configures trigger source. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) MAN manual trigger, press SELECT to trigger MIC microphone trigger IR infrared trigger, single pulse IR2 infrared trigger, dual pulse LEV sensor 1 OR sensor 2, level sensitive trigger OR sensor 1 OR sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger AND sensor 1 AND sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger DIST distance trigger, based on speed calculation between sensor 1 and sensor 2 output. 18

20 MODE CAM CODE FLASH CODE Configures camera capture mode. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) STND camera standard exposure BULB camera bulb exposure FL-1 camera single exposure plus flash trigger FL-2 camera bulb exposure plus flash trigger Configures camera infra-red codes sent during triggers or events. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-4 menu.) C1 IR camera code #1 as programmed through Fn-4. C2 IR camera code #2 as programmed through Fn-4. C3-N Emulates Nikon ML-L3 remote. C4-C Emulates Canon RC-1 remote (instant shutter release) CABL Use this code with shutter release cable. ALL Transmits all the codes in sequence: C3-N, C4-C, C1, C2. Possible use includes stereo photography when you can activate two cameras at the same time. Please note that cameras will not be perfectly synchronized due to camera reaction times and delays in code transmission. Configures flash infra-red codes sent during triggers or events. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-4 menu.) The codes can be programmed to trigger such speedlites as Nikon SB-600/SB-800 or a flash slave unit. The operating distance of the infra-red codes is limited. The transmitter of the timer or a transmitter extension need to be placed within few inches from the sensor of the flash or flash slave unit. Expect a delay of at least 12ms or more depending on the programming. In cases where a faster response time is needed use a hot shoe adapter or flash slave unit for non-digital cameras. In this menu, the flash output and codes are available only in Fl-1 and Fl-2 camera modes. F1 IR flash code #1 as programmed through Fn-4. F2 IR flash code #2 as programmed through Fn-4. F3-S Emulates code to trigger a flash slave unit (such as Wein HSD Digital Hot Shoe Slave). There is a 12ms delay in triggering the flash when using this code. 19

21 INC DELAY REPEAT REPEAT DELAY BULB DELAY Configures delay increment value. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) Range s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1ms. This value is added to the delay each time a trigger occurs. This function has no effect in FL-1 or FL-2 camera modes. Refer to falling drop sample project for more information. Configures number of repeats after a trigger occurred. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) If set to zero, camera or flash are activated only once after the trigger itself no repeats. In STND or BULB modes this sets number of camera shutter releases as a result of a trigger event. In FL-1 or FL-2 modes this sets number of flash strobes as a result of a trigger event. Configures delay before another camera or flash activation occurs. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu and if REPEAT is set to nonzero value). Range 0.1s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1s. Some cameras or flashes are not capable of 10 activations per second (with 0.1s delay). In this case a longer delay is required. Consult manufacturers instructions as to the safe limits of flash or camera repeats. Configures bulb delay. This is the delay between the first IR code sent from the timer (to open the shutter) and second IR code sent from the timer (to close the shutter). (Visible only if MODE is set to BULB) Range 0.1s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1s. Configures a delay from the time a trigger is detected to flash or camera activation. (Visible only if BULB ZERO DEL is NO and SOURCE is not DIST) Range 0 sec to 9999sec. Minimum edit step is configured through SCALE parameter in Fn-3 menu. Edit step based on SCALE parameter: 1 Minimum edit step is 0.1ms (provides high accuracy) 10 Minimum edit step is 1ms Minimum edit step is 0.1sec (provides faster editing for longer delays) 20

22 DIST Configures trigger distance. Distance is measured from the second sensor to the target. (Visible only if SOURCE is set to DIST) Range 0 to 9999 (any units of measure can be applied). The timer calculates trigger delay: delay = (DIST/DIST SENS)*(time between sensor 1 and sensor 2). Time between sensor 1 and sensor 2 is limited to 1.3 sec. The velocity of the object needs to be constant. Minimize DIST/DIST SENS ratio to reduce multiplication of errors in measurement. Trigger modes: CAMERA STANDARD EXPOSURE (STND) CAMERA BULB MODE (BULB) CAMERA SINGLE EXPOSURE PLUS FLASH TRIGGER (FL-1) CAMERA BULB EXPOSURE PLUS FLASH TRIGGER (FL-2) Camera standard exposure is a mode where camera is activated in response to a trigger or repeat event (camera IR code is sent once, after programmed delay or distance). In this mode the timer stays in the trigger mode, after trigger sequence is executed. Press MENU button to exit at any time. Camera bulb exposure is a mode where camera is activated in response to a trigger or repeat event (camera IR code is sent twice, after programmed delay or distance). Your camera needs to support bulb mode with IR. First IR code opens the shutter, second IR code closes the shutter. Time between codes is set with BULB parameter. In this mode the timer stays in the trigger mode, after trigger sequence is executed. Press MENU button to exit at any time. Camera single exposure with flash mode. In this mode, camera is activated when entering trigger mode (camera IR code is sent once). Flash is activated in a response to a trigger or repeat events (after programmed delay or distance). In this mode the timer returns to configuration mode once trigger sequence is executed. Camera bulb exposure with flash mode. In this mode, camera is activated when entering trigger mode (at this time camera IR code is sent once to open the shutter). Flash is activated in a response to a trigger or repeat events (after programmed delay or distance). After trigger sequence is executed, the timer sends a second camera IR code to close the shutter. Your camera needs to support bulb mode with IR. In this mode the timer returns to configuration mode once trigger sequence is executed. 21

23 Fn-2 FLASH TRIGGER MENU Pressing SELECT proceeds to the next parameter. Pressing UP and DOWN buttons edits parameters. Pressing MENU returns to Fn-2. Parameters already pre-configured through Fn-3 or Fn-4 menus will be hidden in this menu. Configuration mode includes: SOURCE Configures trigger source. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) MAN Manual trigger, press SELECT to trigger MIC microphone trigger IR Infrared trigger, single pulse IR2 Infrared trigger, dual pulse LEV sensor 1 OR sensor 2, level sensitive trigger OR sensor 1 OR sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger AND sensor 1 AND sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger DIST distance trigger, based on speed calculation between sensor 1 and sensor 2 22

24 FLASH CODE Configures flash infra-red codes sent during triggers or events. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-4 menu.) The codes can be programmed to trigger such speedlites as Nikon SB-600/SB-800 or a flash slave unit. The operating distance of the infra-red codes is limited. The timer s transmitter or the IR extension needs to be placed within few inches from the sensor of the flash or flash slave unit. Expect a delay of at least 12ms or more depending on the programming. In cases where a faster response time is needed use a hot shoe adapter or flash slave unit for non-digital cameras. Transmission of codes is disabled when using IR or IR2 SOURCE setting. INC DELAY REPEAT REPEAT DELAY F1 IR flash code #1 as programmed through Fn-4. F2 IR flash code #2 as programmed through Fn-4. F3-S Emulates code to trigger a flash slave unit (such as Wein HSD Digital Hot Shoe Slave). There is a 12ms delay in triggering the flash when using this code. NONE Does not transmit any of IR codes. sync output is triggered after the IF code are sent. Use this selection to shorten the response time of the flash through flash sync output. Configures delay increment value. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) Range s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1ms. Value of 0000 disables this feature. This value is added to the delay each time a trigger occurs. Configures number of repeats after a trigger occurred. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) If set to zero, flash is activated only once after the trigger itself no repeats. Configures delay before another flash activation occurs. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu and if REPEAT is set to non-zero value). Range 0.1s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1s. Some flash units are not capable of 10 activations per second (with 0.1s delay). In this case a longer delay is required. Consult manufacturers instructions as to the safe limits of flash strobes. 23

25 DELAY DIST Configures a delay from the time a trigger is detected to flash or camera activation. (Visible only if BULB ZERO DEL is NO and SOURCE is not DIST) Range 0 sec to 9999sec. Minimum edit step is configured through SCALE parameter in Fn-3 menu. Edit step based on SCALE parameter: 1 Minimum edit step is 0.1ms (provides high accuracy) 10 Minimum edit step is 1ms Minimum edit step is 0.1sec (provides faster editing for longer delays) Configures trigger distance. Distance is measured from the second sensor to the target. (Visible only if SOURCE is set to DIST) Range 0 to 9999 (any units of measure can be applied). The timer calculates trigger delay: delay = (DIST/DIST SENS)*(time between sensor 1 and sensor 2). Time between sensor 1 and sensor 2 is limited to 1.3 sec. The velocity of the object needs to be constant. Minimize DIST/DIST SENS ratio to reduce multiplication errors in measurement. Trigger modes: FLASH TRIGGER FLASH SLAVE NORMAL FLASH SLAVE WITH PRE- FLASH SYNC Flash trigger a mode where flash is activated in response to a trigger or repeat event. This mode includes all trigger sources except for IR and IR2. In this mode the timer stays in the trigger mode, after trigger sequence is executed. Press MENU button to exit at any time. In this mode, the flash is activated in response to infra-red trigger. The mode can be used to increase illumination by synchronizing additional flash units with cameras main flash. Configure SOURCE to IR to use this mode. In this mode flash IR codes are disabled. In this mode the timer stays in the trigger mode, after trigger sequence is executed. Press MENU button to exit at any time. In this mode, the flash is activated in response to infra-red double flash. The mode can be used to increase illumination by synchronizing additional flash units with cameras main flash. (to be used with digital cameras that employ pre-flash synchronization). Configure SOURCE to IR2 to use this mode. In this mode flash IR codes are disabled. In this mode the timer stays in the trigger mode, after trigger sequence is executed. Press MENU button to exit at any time. 24

26 Fn-3 SETUP MENU Pressing SELECT proceeds to the next parameter. Pressing UP and DOWN buttons edits parameters. Pressing MENU returns to Fn-3. Pressing SELECT in BUZZER parameter loops back to SCALE parameter. Parameters include: SCALE Configures time scale for DELAY setting. 1 Minimum edit step is 0.1ms (provides high accuracy) 10 Minimum edit step is 1ms Minimum edit step is 0.1sec (provides faster editing for longer delays) 25

27 SOURCE Configures trigger source. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus. MAN manual trigger, press SELECT to trigger. This is useful if the timer is frequently manually operated wireless shutter release timer. Reduces amount of configuration needed to operate the timer. MIC microphone trigger IR infrared trigger, single pulse IR2 infrared trigger, dual pulse LEV sensor 1 OR sensor 2, level sensitive trigger OR sensor 1 OR sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger AND sensor 1 AND sensor 2, edge sensitive trigger DIST distance trigger, based on speed calculation between sensor 1 and sensor 2 DEAD TIME Configures trigger dead time. This is the time that the trigger sources are blocked and prevented to re-trigger. Range 0.1s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1s. INC DELAY Configures delay increment value. This value is added to the delay each time a trigger occurs. This function has no effect in FL-1 or FL-2 camera modes. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus Delay increment is disabled. >0000 Delay increment is enabled. Range s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1ms. 1 SENS POL Sensor 1 polarity. Indicates at what logic state the input is active. The input contains pull-up to 5V. NEG Falling edge or low level (0V) depending on SOURCE selection. If using an optical photo-transistor sensor, this setting corresponds to light present condition. POS Rising edge or high level (5V) depending on SOURCE selection. If using an optical photo-transistor sensor, this setting corresponds to light absent condition. 26

28 2 SENS POL DIST SENS MIC SENS SENS POWER REPEAT REPEAT DELAY Sensor 2 polarity. Indicates at what logic state the input is active. The input contains pull-up to 5V. NEG Falling edge or low level (0V) depending on SOURCE selection. If using an optical photo-transistor sensor, this setting corresponds to light present condition. POS Rising edge or high level (5V) depending on SOURCE selection. If using an optical photo-transistor sensor, this setting corresponds to light absent condition. Configures distance between sensor 1 and sensor 2 that is used in DIST trigger type. Range 1 to 9999 (any units of measure can be applied). Microphone sensitivity. LOW Lowest sensitivity. MED Medium sensitivity. HIGH High sensitivity. Configures power output for external sensors. ON Always on. AUTO The timer turns off the power after a trigger is detected. Power is turned back on after the camera/flash activation. Configures number of repeats after a trigger occurred. (Visible only if set to SEL in Fn-3 menu.) If set to zero, flash is activated only once after the trigger itself no repeats. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus Camera or flash are activated only once after the trigger itself no repeats. >0000 Repeat enabled. Range 0001 to Configures delay before another flash activation occurs. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus. >0000 Range 0.1s to 9999sec. The minimum edit step is fixed at 0.1s. Some flash units are not capable of 10 activations per second (with 0.1s delay). In this case the a longer delay is required. Consult manufacturers instructions as to the safe limits of flash strobes. 27

29 MODE BULB ZERO DEL SHUTOFF WAKEUP CAM Configures camera capture mode. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 menu. STND camera standard exposure BULB camera bulb exposure FL-1 camera single exposure plus flash trigger FL-2 camera bulb exposure plus flash trigger Allows the user to remove DELAY editing in Fn-1 mode for BULB mode. NO DELAY parameter is configured normally. YES The DELAY becomes zero in BULB mode. This is useful if the timer is frequently manually operated wireless shutter release timer. Reduces amount of configuration needed to operate the timer. Specifies maximum time the timer will wait for trigger before it shuts off. This applies only to trigger mode. OFF The timer will run without time limit. 4H The timer will stay in trigger mode for maximum of 4 hours before timer shutting off. 12H The timer will stay in trigger mode for maximum of 12 hours before timer shutting off. 24H The timer will stay in trigger mode for maximum of 24 hours before timer shutting off. Configures camera auto wakeup feature. Most cameras will turn off automatically after some period of inactivity while waiting for IR signal. This applies to trigger mode. The timer will periodically send a code to camera to wake it up. Please note that this feature may interfere with trigger events if wakeup and trigger occurs at the same time. OFF The feature is turned off 5 Wakeup occurs every 4 minutes 30 sec. 10 Wakeup occurs every 9 minutes 30 sec. 15 Wakeup occurs every 14 minutes 30 sec. 30 Wakeup occurs every 29 minutes 30 sec. 28

30 BUZZER Configures audible feedback of the timer. Includes button press and trigger sounds. OFF The buzzer is disabled. ON The buzzer is enabled. 29

31 Fn-4 CODES MENU Pressing SELECT proceeds to the next parameter. Pressing UP and DOWN buttons edits parameters. Pressing MENU returns to Fn-4. Parameters include: CAM CODE Configures camera infra-red codes sent during triggers or events. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus. C1 IR camera code #1 C2 IR camera code #2 C3-N Emulates Nikon ML-L3 remote. C4-C Emulates Canon RC-1 remote (instant shutter release) CABL Use this code with shutter release cable. ALL Transmits all the codes in sequence: C3-N, C4-C, C1, C2. Please note that cameras will not be perfectly synchronized due to camera reaction times and delays in code transmission. 30

32 1 CAM MOD Camera code #1 modulation for infra-red transmission. The timer does not automatically detect the modulation type of the transmitter used in learning mode. It needs to be selected manually. The closer the modulation to actual frequency, the better the range of the timer kHz 36 36kHz 37 37kHz 38 38kHz 40 40kHz 57 57kHz 1 LEARN CAM Camera code #1 learning menu. NO Skips the learning. No changes are done to code #1. YES Starts learning procedure to capture code #1. Refer to Quick Start Guide section for details on learning new codes. TEST Use for testing to verify that the code was recorded correctly. Sends out code #1. 2 CAM MOD Camera code #2 modulation for infra-red transmission. The timer does not automatically detect the modulation type of the transmitter used in learning mode. It needs to be selected manually. The closer the modulation to actual frequency, the better the range of the timer kHz 36 36kHz 37 37kHz 38 38kHz 40 40kHz 57 57kHz 2 LEARN CAM Camera code #2 learning menu. NO Skips the learning. No changes are done to code #2. YES Starts learning procedure to capture code #2. Refer to Quick Start Guide section for details on learning new codes. TEST Use for testing to verify that the code was recorded correctly. Sends out code #2. 31

33 FLASH CODE Configures flash infra-red codes sent during triggers or events. Transmission of codes is disabled when using IR or IR2 SOURCE setting. SEL Parameter is not configured. User needs to specify this parameter in Fn-1 or Fn-2 menus. F1 IR flash code #1 F2 IR flash code #2 F3-S Emulates code to trigger a flash slave unit (such as Wein HSD Digital Hot Shoe Slave). There is a 12ms delay in triggering the flash when using this code. NONE Does not transmit any of IR codes. sync output is triggered after the IF code are sent. Use this selection to shorten the response time of the flash through flash sync output. 1 FLASH MOD Flash code #1 modulation for infra-red transmission. The timer does not automatically detect the modulation type of the transmitter used in learning mode. It needs to be selected manually. The closer the modulation to actual frequency, the better the range of the timer. 0 No modulation. 0-N No modulation. Compresses the code to improve reaction time. Optimized for Nikon SB-600/SB-800 remote slave operation kHz 36 36kHz 37 37kHz 38 38kHz 40 40kHz 57 57kHz 1 LEARN FLASH Flash code #1 learning menu. NO Skips the learning. No changes are done to code #1. YES Starts learning procedure to capture code #1. Refer to Quick Start Guide section for details on learning new codes. TEST Use for testing to verify that the code was recorded correctly. Sends out code #1. 32

34 2 FLASH MOD Flash code #2 modulation for infra-red transmission. The timer does not automatically detect the modulation type of the transmitter used in learning mode. It needs to be selected manually. The closer the modulation to actual frequency, the better the range of the timer. 0 No modulation. 0-N No modulation. Compresses the code to improve reaction time. Optimized for Nikon SB-600/SB-800 remote slave operation kHz 36 36kHz 37 37kHz 38 38kHz 40 40kHz 57 57kHz 2 LEARN FLASH Flash code #2 learning menu. NO Skips the learning. No changes are done to code #2. YES Starts learning procedure to capture code #2. Refer to Quick Start Guide section for details on learning new codes. TEST Use for testing to verify that the code was recorded correctly. Sends out code #2. 33

35 6. SPECIFICATIONS Three products in one: WIRELESS SHUTTER RELEASE AND TIMER, CAMERA AND FLASH TRIGGER, FLASH SLAVE UNIT Wireless Shutter Release And Timer: Acts as an infra-red wireless shutter release capable of instantly triggering the shutter without disturbing the camera. It can be used for long time exposures (bulb mode) with many SLR cameras. The controller can also be programmed to trip at regular intervals to perform time lapse photography. Provides most of the functionality of a programmable photographic timer such as Canon TC- 80N3 or Nikon MC-36 timers (done thorough infra-red code emulation, no cord). The exposure is delayed by your camera shutter lag. Camera And Flash Trigger: It allows you to trip the shutter of your camera or fire an electronic flash with a programmable delay in response to a trigger. Triggering includes: manual, microphone, infra-red, combination of triggers from external sensors, trigger based on distance and speed measurement. Flash Slave Unit: Acts as flash slave. Selectable between normal flash or pre-flash synchronization used with digital cameras. Indoor range up to 45 ft. Flash output: Two 3.5mm jacks for photo flash units. Two parallel, but independently opto-isolated circuits with 300V rating. The timer requires a 3.5mm jack to PC flash sync cord and/or hot shoe adapter (not included) when using flash. Supports high voltage flashes such as Vivitar 286, low voltage flashes such as Canon Speedlite 430EX and Nikon SB600/SB600 Speedlights. Positive hot shoe voltages only. Sensor connections: Two 2.5mm jacks for external sensors or IR extension cables (sensors and other accessories not included). Programmable sensor polarity. The timer can be triggered with different combinations of the sensor input: sensor 1 AND sensor 2 edge trigger, sensor 1 OR sensor 2 edge trigger, sensor 1 OR sensor 2 level trigger, sensor 1 and sensor 2 distance calculation. Sensor signal needs to be active for at least 25us. Interface: 4 digit LED display, 4 button interface. Buzzer is used to provide audible feedback. Scrolling text messages provide intuitive and easy to navigate user menus. Dynamic configurable menus to customize for most frequent operation. Built in components: Built in microphone and infra-red sensor. 34

36 Number of programmable camera codes: Two programmable IR camera codes. Camera code selectable modulation 33kHz, 36kHz, 37kHz, 38kHz, 40kHz, 57kHz. Learns IR codes from your own IR camera transmitter (codes with up to 40 bits of data) Number of programmable flash codes: Two programmable IR flash codes. Learns remote trigger flash codes used in Nikon SB-800 and SB-600 speedlites. Allows the timer to trigger the speedlite or flash save unit (short operating distance) In some cases eliminating the need for a hot shoe adapter and a sync cable. This is an experimental feature. Pre-programmed camera remotes: 2 pre-programmed camera remote codes: Preprogrammed with Nikon ML-L3 Remote Control Code. (used with Nikon SLRs D40(x)/D50/D60/D70s/D80). Pre-programmed with Canon RC-1 Remote Control instant release code. (used with EOS 10s, Elan/II/IIE & 7/E, Rebel K2, Ti & T2 (Date Model Only), Digital Rebel and IX Series Cameras) Time adjustment limits, accuracy and response time: Trigger delay adjustments done in 100us resolution. Repeat exposure and bulb time adjustments done in 100ms resolution. Adjustments done up to 9999 seconds. Accuracy of delays to within 100us or 1% whichever is greater. Response time for the built in microphone is within 0.5ms. Environmental operating conditions: Ambient temperature +32 to 104 deg F (0 to 40 deg Celsius), max humidity 85% non-condensing. Management Features: Auto shutoff timer selectable between always on, 4 hours, 8 hours or 24 hours. Camera auto wakeup feature, prevents the camera entering sleep mode. Takes picture while waiting for a trigger. Wakeup is selectable between off, 5min, 10min, 15min, 30min. Power Source: Operates from 9V alkaline battery. Battery life: up to 40 hours (ambient temperature 20 degc). The battery life also depends on the accessories connected. If there is a current drain through one of the external sensor connections, the battery life will be reduced. Weight (without battery and cables): Approx. 3.5 oz. ( 100g ) Dimensions (L ( x W x H): 4.94" x 2.75" x 0.94" (125.5mm x 69.9mm x 23.9mm) 35

37 The information presented in this document is for informational purposes only and may contain technical inaccuracies, omissions and typographical errors. Universal Timer Ltd. reserves the right to revise this information and to make changes from time to time to the content hereof without obligation of Universal Timer Ltd. to notify any person of such revisions and changes. Camera and Flash are not included with the timer. Laser pointers are not included with the timer. Hot shoe adapter, IR extension cable and optical phototransistor sensor are not included with the timer. They can be purchased separately. Please contact us through for more information. The timer allows photographers to create elaborate setups and interface custom sensors. It is left up to the individual photographer to build and connect them. Some technical skills are required for advanced features. Nikon is a registered trademark of Nikon Corporation. Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Corporation. 36

38 7. SAMPLE PROJECTS The examples below illustrate the use of Universal Photo Timer: FALLING DROP In this example I captured a falling drop in various stages of its fall. I turned on a faucet so that a drop would fall every 2 seconds. For this project I used the following components: Camera and flash. Universal Photo Timer. Phototransistor and external sensor cable with 2.5mm plug. Laser pointer. Dripping faucet. I used Nikon D80 with Nikon Micro lens 60mm f/2.8 and Nikon SB-600 for background illumination. The lens was manually focused. The camera was set for manual mode with aperture of f/8 and shutter speed of 1/200s, ISO 100. Remote receiver enabled. Built in flash of D80 was configured for commander mode so that SB-600 would turn on during exposure, to improve lighting. Universal Photo Timer was used to activate the camera (I did not need a darkroom for this). To trigger the timer I used a standard off the shelf laser pointer as the light source and an optical sensor to detect the presence or absence of a laser beam. The optical sensor was connected to SENSOR 1 of the timer. I placed the laser and the sensor several feet away. The laser was pointed at the tip of the faucet and at the sensor. As the drop was forming, the laser beam was deflected. As the drop fell, the laser beam returned to the sensor thus triggering the timer. I configured the timer for camera mode trigger (Fn-1) with SOURCE set to OR and MODE set to STND. Sensor polarity: 1 SENS POL was set to NEG and DEAD TIME was set to 1.0 sec. Since the shutter lag of the camera is approx 100ms, it is impossible to take the picture of the falling drop that has just triggered the sensor. Since the drops are forming at the constant rate (roughly 2sec), I decided to trigger on one drop and take the picture of the following drop. 37

39 I set the delay to approx 2 sec and was able to take pictures of the drop as it was just about to fall. Since I wanted to capture a sequence of exposures of a falling drop in various stages of its fall, I configured INC DELAY parameter to increment delay after each trigger. This allowed me to capture this sequence as illustrated below (four exposures combined into a single picture using a picture editing software): Notes: Please observe manufacturer safety precautions when handling lasers. 38

40 POPPING BALLOONS In this example I captured a popping balloon. The balloon was punctured with a dart. The picture is taken in a dark room. The flash is the only source of light in the room. The sound of a popped balloon triggers the built-in microphone activating the flash. It is a matter of few milliseconds for the balloon to completely collapse once punctured. The entire event is so fast that even increasing the distance between the balloon and the microphone can significantly delay the exposure (the sound takes longer to reach the microphone). The timer delay is set to zero to allow fastest reaction time. For this project I used the following components: Camera and flash. Flash connected to Universal Photo Timer with flash sync cable. Universal Photo Timer. Balloon and darts. I used Nikon D80 with Nikon f/ lens and two electronic flashes for foreground and background illumination. The lens was manually focused. The camera was set for manual mode with aperture of f/8 and bulb mode, ISO 100. Remote receiver enabled. Setup your flash for manual mode, as low power as possible this increases the speed of the exposure reducing motion blur of the collapsing balloon. Also, make sure to turn off standby mode in your flash. 39

41 I configured the timer for camera/flash mode trigger (Fn-1) with SOURCE set to MIC and MODE set to FL-2. Make sure that FLASH CODE in Fn-4 (or Fn-1) is set to NONE (setting FLASH CODE to any other value will create an additional delay of few milliseconds) In FL-2 camera mode, the timer opens the shutter of the camera as soon as you enter the trigger mode. Once the sound trigger is detected, the timer fires the flash and closes the shutter of the camera to prevent accidental overexposure. Notes: Please exercise extreme caution when throwing darts. No kids around. Please wear safety glasses. 40