Hello all,

I'm a new member from london England, great to be part of the forum.

I have recently purchased a Nikon D3000 with the intent of using it remotely with the ML-L3. I'm setting up a photography project where i need the camera to work on remote for long periods of time. In the D3000 Setup Menu, under "Remote On Duration" I am able to to set the remote duration for 15 minutes but this is the maximum.

Does anyone know a way of overriding this feature so i can have the remote function on permanently? Is there a way of re-programming the firmware or using a different remote other than the ML-L3, a radio remote perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks fellow Nikonians!

Tys

Have you looked at tethering your camera to a computer?

George
My Nikonian Galleries

Thanks for the suggestion, but ideally i need a wireless shutter release... Tricky I know!

Then you may need to jury rig a mechanical shutter release and control unit to depress the shutter release. Some people have used Leggo Mindstorm or R/C model controllers.

George
My Nikonian Galleries

Welcome to Nikonians, Tys. I think that, provided you use the remote control at least once every 15 minutes, the remote control mode will remain active as long as you want. I could be wrong, though.

Chris

I remembering seeing the shutter can be kept open about 30 minutes roughly in the user manual.

This can be only done on Manual mode it was specified.

Correct me if i am wrong.

That is correct for long exposures.

But the OP wants to take an image at a set set interval like once every half hour or 30 minutes all day or over a couple of days and then make a video of the images to create a time lapse movie. Since this interval is greater than the maximum time to keep the IR remote live, use of the ML-L3 is not possible. But one could use the camera powered by an external power supply and tethered to a computer with appropriate time lapse software to control the camera. The more expensive dSLRs have the ability to use wired remotes with intervalometers that accomplish this type of task without a computer and software.

See Time Lapse Construction Photography for an example of a time lapse movie over two days.

George
My Nikonian Galleries

I'm also new to all this but i was wondering if you can use a wired remote, just for shutter release without the interval timer and all available for the more expensive cameras. The battery grips that are available need a cable to be attached for the vertical shutter release on the battery grip to function, so im guessing you can find wired remotes without battery grips with just a shutter release and hopefully a wire long enough to serve your purpose.