What features matter in an intervalometer for a Canon 550D?
Asked 9/5/2012
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I want to experiment with time-lapse and interval photography using a Canon 550D. I’ve briefly tried the Hahnel Giga T Pro II, but not long enough to know which features are actually important.
What should I look for when choosing a remote or cable intervalometer for this kind of use?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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I don't know how fancy you want to get, but the one you mentioned has many features than I ever needed with my intervalometer.
It seems to me that if you don't know what to look for, your needs will be pretty simple, like my needs - you just need to take photos on a predefined interval. And I think almost all devices will satisfy this need perfectly.
One feature that I like is the ability to manually release the shutter 'during' an automated session. I found it useful when I wanted to include more photos of a particularly interesting moment during making a time lapse of a trip.
SO if it is not the set of features, what else is important?
Battery life - most devices offer satisfactory battery life, but on a remotely triggered model it may be shorter than on a cable model. Can the batteries be replaced? What size does it use? How easy it is to charge / replace batteries?
Quality of build. Are the contact points metal or plastic? Are connectors solid and will they not break due to frequent use?
Does it get a lot of bad reviews online? Are there known issues that people frequently report?
Make sure you are not paying too much for a brand model. I use a cheapo intervalometer that I got for ~$30 bucks and I have made many time-lapses with it. It never failed.
Originally by user11038. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11038
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For basic time-lapse work, the key requirement is simple: it must reliably trigger the camera at a preset interval. If you’re just starting out, most intervalometers that support the Canon 550D will do that well.
Useful things to look for:
- manual shutter release during a running sequence, so you can add extra frames without stopping the program
- battery life, especially for wireless/remotely triggered models, since they may run shorter than cable releases
- compatibility with your camera’s remote port
- controls that are easy to program for interval shooting
If you want more than standard interval shooting, some advanced trigger systems can also fire the camera from events like sound or lightning, not just time intervals.
So, for normal interval photography, prioritize reliability, battery life, and ease of use over lots of extra features. If you expect to experiment with special trigger modes later, then a more advanced unit may be worth it.
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