Customer Reviews

Accessory Power Professional Series CANON RS-80N3 Equivalent Wireless Remote For EOS-3, 1v HS/1v, 1D-series, 1Ds-series, 5D-series, EOS 7D 10D, 20D, 30

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I've wanted to buy a wireless switch for my Canon camera for a long time, but have been put off by the price of the Canon remote controller. I stumbled on this unit while looking for other camera accessories on Amazon and due to the great price I had to buy one for my upcoming vacation. This is one of the best accessories I've bought for my camera.
I'm writing this review after using the Accessorygenie RS-80N3 Equivalent remote on vacation with my Canon 50D. I used the remote on a regular basis under varying conditions and it was well worth the money I spent on the remote. It was a relief not having to set the timer and then having to run (sometimes over rocky terrain) to get into the picture. It was also nice being able to take several pictures without having to run back-and-forth to the camera, or having the picture ruined by someone missing the timer queue.
Using the device was very simple. One simply mounts the receiver in the flash shoe, plugs it into the shutter release (on the side of the camera), turns the receiver on, turns the transmitter on, frames the picture, and finally presses the button on the transmitter to take the picture. LED lights on the front of the unit indicate that the unit is on and when the camera is focusing and taking a picture.
An advantage of this remote is that it is a radio-frequency remote rather than infra-red like several other remotes for the Canon SLR cameras. Because it is radio-frequency the transmitter does not have to be line-of-sight with the receiver (unlike the infra-red remotes). It was easy to hide the remote when taking pictures as I could hide the hand holding the transmitter behind my wife's back and make the pictures look as if someone else was running the camera. I did not try an extreme range on the remote, but I took several pictures with 50 feet between the transmitter and receiver with no problems.
The remote control has recessed toggle switches on the receiver and transmitter that allows the frequency to be changed if another remote is in use and interfering with your remote. I haven't had any issues with this, but I typically use my camera in areas where interference from another photographer is not likely. The toggle switches are on the small side (I don't see that they could be made bigger without making the transmitter and receiver larger) and require a small jeweler's screwdriver or mechanical pencil/pen to toggle the switches. I didn't find this to be a problem as I typically run around with a mechanical pencil in my pocket and if the switches were not recessed it would be easy to bump a switch and change the frequency on the receiver or transmitter which would prevent them from working properly.
The size of the receiver and transmitter were just right. The transmitter is small enough to fit in your hand and be completely hidden by a partially closed hand, but is still large enough that it is not easy to lose. The receiver isn't much bigger than the remote and is light enough that it can be left dangling from the side of the camera. It is typically mounted in the flash shoe, but when using the flash that slot isn't available. Fortunately, the receiver is light-weight and can be used dangling from the side of the camera, but I'll be looking for a shoe mount that I can attach to my tripods so the receiver doesn't have to dangle from the camera.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the price and performance of this product. It's well made, fairly priced, and worked perfectly with my camera.

Just received mine last week. I've experimented with it outdoors. One of the reasons I purchased it, was to finally get a shot of myself, actually riding on my motorcycle! :o)

I know, pretty silly. Of course, I'll be using it for other situations, but, it seemed to work well in my experiment. I'm using it with my 40D. I'd set the 40D for high speed continuous shooting, and rode toward the camera on tripod. This remote triggered the shutter fairly reliably. There were a couple rides where the it did not trigger the shutter.

On one attempt, when I got off the bike to check the camera, the shutter was still releasing! It was continuously releasing, but not at the high speed rate at which it had been set. Thankfully. It was releasing at about one frame per second. Go figure. Out of about 6 attempts, 3 seemed perfectly successful, 1 had that triggering that wouldn't stop.

All experiments done statically, at distances as far as 50 to 100 feet were successful.

I've just now experimented with it, with the 40D in Live View. It works, but I wouldn't recommend this. Take the 40D out of live view, then use the remote.

I've also just tried it with a cheapo radio flash trigger and receiver, out of China. The flash transmitter was in the hotshoe, and I was hand holding the 430exII speedlite with the flash receiver. This RS-80N3 Equivalent worked perfectly firing the shutter and the Chinese flash transmitter/receiver. The RS-80N3 Equivalent was dangling down along side the camera in the tripod. No need for it to be in the hotshoe.

So, it seems as if this device is going to work in the situations I'd hoped. Time will tell regarding its build quality and longevity.


26Oct09
Just wanted to reiterate that it isn't necessary for the RS-80N3 Equivalent to be in the hotshoe. You can have a speedlite in the hotshoe or a flash radio transmitter in the hotshoe and still use this wireless remote to release the shutter and fire the flashes. I've been using it with the flash radio transmitter for off camera flash work, experimenting using me as the subject. (lack of better subjects) :o)


24Jun10
I did have one experience with this RS-80N3 Equivalent a couple months ago and it didn't fire the cheapo radio flash wireless trigger any longer. The RS-80N3 Equivalent would fire the camera shutter, but not the flash trigger. I had to keep running back to the camera, set the shutter delay, then run back with the off camera flash to where I needed to be. I haven't had an opportunity since then to use Equivalent remote.

Its really easy to use. Just take it out of the box, throw the included battery into the receiver, connect the receiver to the camera,turn the remote on, and start using. It's pretty crazy how practical this thing is. You can actually be in the pictures with help of a tripod!!! For close-ups it makes a lot of sense so there is not motion distortion... that always used to bug me. If you have a dSLR, make the small investment for a really useful add-on. Easy to use, easy to set up... great item.

Have sold my Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi), and the RC-1 remote control I had gotten for it, I needed a new way to remotely trip the shutter. I looked at several models; the Canon RC-5 was much too expensive, so I kept looking. Then there was a short 1 metre (3 foot) tethered remote, but that wouldn't work for me. Eventually this remote came to my attention. It did what I needed, only better.

In changing over, gone was my limited range of 8 metres (25 feet) which was replaced with 100 metre (330 feet) range.

I ordered it before I went on vacation, but the item didn't arrive in time, because it had been shipped with FedEx. FedEx does not deliver on Saturdays, and I left on Sunday. Had the item been shipped using UPS, I would have had my product that Saturday. So I haven't had much time to use my product, but from what I have found, I like it a lot.

The ability to use the remote wirelessly is a BIG plus. As opposed to the Canon RC-1 which is Infra-Red, the wireless interface is perfect for what I need. The RC-1's IR technology required the remote to have a two-second-delay, in this time the user could hide the remote before the shutter tripped. With the wireless feature this remote can be kept out of sight while standing in your usual group photo, no need to hide the remote and no need to have the two-second-delay. However, I still would have liked that option.

Another feature I love is the tethered receiver of the unit. I can be conveniently attached to the flash-shoe on the camera or left to dangle below it. It features a second button, so this unit can also function as a tethered remote to trigger the shutter, such as used in wild-life or landscape or telephoto shots.

I will give one warning about the product; watch out for the connector as the item is meant for the mid-level canon cameras, not the Rebel line. The Rebels use a mini-sony pin, whereas the higher-end Canons use a tri-pin connector. I ordered one before from another vendor and was shipped the wrong pinned version, yet the picture showed the correct one on Amazon. Just be careful is all I say, talk to your seller before you buy. :)

The plastic housing does seem a little on the cheap side; it feels like it will break if I press it too firmly. I would imagine that if Canon had made this it would be made better, but that would also mean a MUCH higher price-point.

Still, in the end, and the brief time I have had to test this product, I can say that I am quite pleased with my purchase. As for durability, I will admit, that it is like most things today, very delicate and not meant for abuse, so as long as I take care of the remote, I am sure it'll last a while.

This item is wonderful and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Note: Time-lapse mode is not a function on this unit. If your camera has this function, then you can trigger it, but there is no switch that you can set on the unit itself. Also, releasing the shutter after locking it (holding the button down for over 2 seconds) does not always work. I have had to use the off button of the receiver to end long exposures. Otherwise, well built and I like the flash shoe mount which keeps the receiver from dangling off the camera.

Works well on Canon 7D no problems. Works great at forty feet that's more distance then I need.

Works so well with both my new EOS 7d and my old 20d, that it's really not fair to criticize anything, but here goes. You have a choice of mounting it either with the lights pointing to the rear or pointing forward. If you are going to be behind the camera, you'll want it pointing to the rear and you will find that it protrudes enough to prevent you from getting your eye as close to the viewfinder as you might like. It would be nice if they put the lights on top and slightly elevated so that you could see them from any direction. You could then mount it with the big end facing forward and out of the way. Still a great product at an unbelievable price.

Update: After storing the unit for one month, I found that the CR2 battery in the receiver was dead. In reading other reviews, I found that the receiver continues to draw a small amount of power even in the off position. Also, the battery compartment door can get stuck in the closed position and require a LOT of force to open. I solved this problem by filing down the inner side of the cover where it gets caught on the battery as shown in the customer images. Be sure to have some extra CR2 batteries handy and remove the battery from the unit when it is not to be used for a week or more. The GP 23AE battery in the transmitter also failed at the 3 month point and the Energizer brand 23A battery I replaced it with failed in less than a week. I'm now ordering more of the original GP brand and hope that they will last three months or more. You should also have some of these in reserve. To get a reasonable price on either of these batteries you need to shop online. Both Amazon and eBay sell them for a fraction of the price of camera stores and offer free shipping. Even with these problems, I still like the unit and consider it a great buy.

I purchased this remote control because of the upcoming trip to Japan with my wife three weeks ago.
I have to say this product really helps me a lot.
Let me explain how:
1)During the end of March and beginning of April every year, there is a very good chance to see cherry blossom in Japan, which also means there are a lot of tourists crowded at beautiful scenery. By using this gadget, I could set-up the camera in place, waited for the gap last tourist just finished taking pictures, ran to the scene with my wife, and then pushed the remote. Picture's done. No need to say "excuse me" or some other Japanese expression which I don't know how to say, by the way.

2)I came with a group, and I also had to save as much time as possible on equipment set-up to take more pictures since the guide gave limited time on each spot. This product can mount on the hot-shoe. I did not need to worry about losing it, and still could use the remote function or the wired receiver any time I needed it.

3)In the hotel, I could set-up the camera between the window glass and the curtain so that night-view pictures could be taken through glass without any reflection. I don't need to touch my camera but just push a remote button.

4)It save the money from my pocket but have every function other similar but more expensive ones have without falling of my expectation. It worked every time I used so far (two weeks of use).

There is only one flaw I can think of --- it does not have auto power shut-off on the receiver end. I forgot to turn it off many times after I used it though the battery is still not dead.

In Conclusion, I am very happy that I have this useful device, and will carry it with me every time I take photos with tripod.


J.J.

It was a pleasure doing business, the product got to me quicker than they promised, it performs as advertised, and it meets all my needs. Very easy to use, nothing fancy.

The unit works great - just as advertised. It works with my 20D and my 5D Mark II. It was great deal
considering the prices of other comparable units on the market