NIKON MC-36 Multi-Function Remote Cord-33.5 inches

I have used the MC-36 for a couple of years now, so I can better appreciate the strengths and weaknesses. First the strong points. For doing timed interval shots it is a necessity. I do 5 minute shots of the night sky for 2 hours and it works great. You can set it and forget it. No trying to read a watch in the dark. The interval timer portion is relatively easy to set, once you figure out how to set it. There is a lock function, so you do not inadvertently trigger the timer and run down the battery. You can set intervals as close as one second apart and that is one thing to remember is to have the interval one second longer than the exposure, if you want to make more than exposure. For one exposure it doesn't make any difference what the interval is set at. To do a series of exposures, for example 5 exposures of 2 minutes each, the exposure would be 2 minutes and the minimum interval would be 2 minutes and one second. There is nothing preventing you from setting the interval to one minute or 2 minutes or any value. If the interval is less than the exposure plus one second, the timer will trigger one shot, skip the second and then maybe the third shot and so on. The display appears to use e-ink, so power usage is close to zero when it is not being used. There is a back light function than can be turned on, but it goes off after a few seconds. Nice feature to be able to see the remaining exposures and time in the dark. The MC-36 also has a manual remote button that is separate from the interval timer. The manual button can be locked on. The manual button does not use any power and will function with no batteries.What's not to like about this unit? It uses the 10 pin connector, so it only works on Nikon's that have a 10 pin connector. I usually connect the timer to my camera, mount the camera to a tripod and let the MC-36 dangle. Over time this has revealed a weakness in this unit. The wires are pulling loose from all the connectors. The wire have come loose at the 10 pin connector and at the unit itself. At the price of this unit, I would have thought it would have better strain relief built into the connectors. The unit still works, but I have had to reinforce the connectors to keep the wires from breaking. Beef up the strain relief at the connectors before they fail.The angle at which the 10 pin connector attaches to the camera means it is difficult to use the Really Right Stuff L-Plates in the vertical position and have the level on the tripod connector on the back side of the camera. The release lever is on the front of the camera this way and tends to smash the cable, unless you are careful.I give this unit 5 stars for function, but only 3 stars for holding up under use.

I find this remote (MC-36) very useful and well built. I use it mainly for shooting single shots from a tripod to remove my fat fingers from the camera - thus removing camera shake when I would push the shutter release. The shutter button on the unit is large and easy to press. You can lock out all other buttons on the remote except the shutter button, therefore you don't press the Set button by mistake. Battery life seems reasonable. Batteries are not included - you need 2 AAA. Display is fine and has a backlight function. Fits well in your hand.I wish the cord was a little longer, but it seems acceptable. The cord connects to the camera via the standard 10 pin connector with the bonus of a durable metal screw-in adapater thus holding it in place securely.For those that want to be crazy, as what is life worth living if you can't be a little crazy, it's programmable for timed shooting where you can program up to 999 shots with 99 hours, 99 minutes and 99 seconds between each shot... of course, I can't think of a reason I would want to do that, but it's cool having the option - and what is life without options? You can get a lot more practical on the timed shooting also, where you can program in any number of shots (up to 999) over the course of any short (1 sec minimum) or long duration with interval times between shots. Programming is straight forward once you decide on frequency and interval times - the decision graph they give you in the manual leaves a little to be desired. The unit will beep when you are 3 seconds from the next timed shot - you can turn it off if you like. Countdown timer to next shot is shown on the display.I guess if I had a real gripe it would be about the size of the manual. I like to pack manuals in my bag, as I am getting old and I forget. This manual comes in many different languages - all in the same manual. So I ripped out the 9 pages I needed as I didn't want to carry the 60 page thing around due to the weight. If you buy this you will know what I mean when you see the manual. I have no problem with multi-language manuals, but why not include them as seperate by language so I can recycle the ones I don't want and keep only the pages I need.You want the ultimate captured memories of your kids growing up? Set up the tripod next to the crib and program in a shot every day for the next 999 days and watch your kids grow up on film (or on your hard drive if you are digital). Nice.Not cheap in price, but very nice in functionality.Edited 1/12/08: I broke down and bought a D300 (I couldn't resist) and it works just fine on it also. I am still using this remote after 8 months and I am still loving it. I use it anytime I put the camera on a tripod.

I find myself using the MC-36 quite a bit more than I thought I would, and I'm sure anyone contemplating purchasing one knows what they're all about.I originally purchased it because I like the idea of using it during long exposures or awkwardly placed shots when the camera is mounted on a tripod. I'd rather preview the scene with Live View and use the MC-36 than bend, look in the eyepiece and risk jarring the camera or otherwise upsetting the shot. The MC 36 gives you all the essential functions in your hand, but a few feet from the camera.But it doesn't end there.You can take longer exposures than the camera normally permits (my D300 is limited to 30 seconds without the MC-36, but it can take virtually any duration with the cord attached). You can also do repeating time lapse and so on with it.Only complaints are that there's no ON/OFF switch, so the display is always running. I'm sure it doesn't use much power (haven't been through a set of batteries yet), but I'm sure it would run longer if there were a way to turn it off altogether. Still, I believe the manual says that the basic remote shutter operation continues to work, even without batteries, so there's at least some fail-safe in here.The other thing I don't love about it is that it's more complicated than it needs to be. Ideally, it would be integrated into the camera's excellent menuing system so you could use all the functions without memorizing the manual, but this isn't the case. It does a lot - you just have to read the manual to figure it out.Otherwise, great product.

Habe lange überlegt, ob ich das Geld in einen Kabelfernauslöser investieren soll -oder nicht. Nachdem ein Produktvergleich diverser Anbieter über die Kundenrezensionen möglich war, merkte ich schnell das es doch das Original von Nikon sein muß, um richtige Langzeitbelichtungen mit längeren als den kameraseitig einzustellenden Verschlußzeiten hinzukriegen.Positiv sind mir -ebenso wie anderen Käufern- vor Allem die breite Palette an Nutzungsmöglichkeiten durch Timer et cetera, die solide Verarbeitung und auch die Schraubarretierung des Steckers aus Metall aufgefallen. Also keine billig friemelige Plastiklösung die bei regelmäßiger Nutzung den Geist aufgibt :)Bezüglich der Kabellänge stimme ich mit Markus Mayer überein -kurz. Deshalb für mich auch mehr der Nachfolger des Drahtauslösers als ein Fernauslöser. Allerdings hätte ein längeres Kabel wohl auch einen höheren Preis zur Folge.An der Gehäuserückseite habe ich eine kleine Öse entdeckt. Dort läßt sich einwandfrei ein Schlüsselband oder Ähnliches zur direkten Befestigung am Stativ einfädeln -so werden anderweitige Lösungsansätze entbehrlich.Etwas unvorteilhaft finde ich, daß Nikon keine Aufbewahrungsmöglichkeit für den im Durchmesser etwa fünf Millimeter großen Verschlußdeckel des Kameraanschlusses im Fernauslöser bietet. Da ist die Lösung beim Batteriehandgriff für die D200 gelungener (die serienmäßige Akkufachabdeckung verschwindet sicher in einer Aussparung des Handgriffs) dort geht nichts verloren.Ich werde es noch mal genau ausmessen und vielleicht im Batteriefachdeckel etwas mit dem Dremel entfernen. Dann könnte es passen -aber erst mal schauen...Den fehlenden Ausschalter ersetzt bei mir -wie bei meinen ersten Blitzgeräten die sich schon mal gerne in der Fototasche einschalteten- ein schmaler Papierstreifen im Batteriefach zwischen Batteriepol und Gerät.Vier Sterne gibt es wegen dem die Kauflust bremsenden Preis und der fehlenden Aufbewahrungsmöglichkeit für den Verschlußdeckel.

For the £75 new price I paid through amazon UK this is good value and a quality product. Functions are flexible for both MC-36 derived exposure/interval times and fully manual bulb photography. Setting the delay, long exposure and intervals is easy to understand and set up. I'm using with a D800e and experimenting ahead of a trip to the Arctic so ease of use with gloves in low light combined with a secure quality camera attachment cable and battery life are stand-out features for me.Setting the camera to exposure-delay mode works with the manual bulb setting on the MC-36 as does mirror lock-up. This is slightly confusing when using the interval-timer on the remote as the 1st interval trigger raises the mirror and the 2nd takes the photograph, but it does work to minimise vibrations and contribute to sharpness - you just need to think through the implications of each delay and the number of intervals required.Would've given it 5 stars is you could set the exposure interval to be less than 1 second.

About 3 years ago I bought a cheap alternative remote (Phottix Cleon) which worked fine until it sadly developed a connection fault in the wiring. I tried fixing it to no avail. Having some wedding work coming up, I decided to get the nikon MC-36 as a replacement, being able to use it on my D300/700 and hopefully an additional full frame body soon, via the 10-pin connector on Nikon pro cameras.The MC-36 does what it says it should and is simple to operate, albeit a bit big for what it does. You may think twice before packing it for a day out or a holiday "just in case" you need it. The upside of this is that its easy to hold and use without being fiddly. The better Nikon DSLRs have an intervalometer built in anyway but this unit also allows full control over timed exposures and perhaps most importantly for general use, a simple remote release for long or bulb exposures.Even at reduced price (let alone the ludicrous RRP) its very expensive for what it is. Build quality looks OK and it better last for that price. It seems very tight of Nikon not to include batteries or a little slip case to keep it in and stop it getting knocked about in the camera bag.I'm happy with it but when you think you can get a wonderfully built Zeiss 35mm f2 lens for only 5x as much as the RRP on this little device it really does sound silly!

Eigentlich hat das Gerät den Namen "Fernauslöser" nicht verdient: Das 85cm kurze Kabel taugt gerade mal dazu, die Hände beim Auslösen nicht an der Kamera haben zu müssen. Weit weg kommt man damit von der Kamera in keinem Fall und hat so höchstens Vorteile mit der Spiegelvorauslösung der Kamera. In Kombination mit dem Preis: Punktabzug.Der Auslöser besitzt eine integrierte Beleuchtung, einen Timer und einen abschaltbaren Piepston. Um diese Funktionen nutzen zu können, füttert man den Auslöser mit zwei AAA-Batterien. Durch die freie Kombination der verschiedenen Modi des Auslösers - Serienbilder, Langzeitbelichtung, Pausen zwischen den Bildern - mit den Einstellungen an der Kamera, z.B. Belichtungsreihen, Mehrfachbelichtungen, Belichtungskombinationen erhält man ein breites Spektrum an neuen Möglichkeiten. Man braucht lediglich eine Ablage oder eine kleine Tasche am Stativ, denn bei dem kurzen Kabel baumelt der Auslöser sonst bei jedem normalen Stativ einen halben Millimeter über der Grasnarbe.Die Auslösefunktionen - das wären der normale Knopfdruck und das Dauerfeuer mittels Auslösersperre - funktionieren auch ohne Batterie, hier braucht man also nichts zu befürchten.In Summe ein schönes Zubehörteil. Wenn doch nur das verdammte Kabel länger wäre!

Good product, reliable