Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote Shutter Release for Panasonic DSLR and FZ50

by Panasonic

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 0.7 x 4.1 inches ; 1.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000GBVA34
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: DMW-RSL1
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

Panasonic Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Camera Remote Control DMW-RSL1 Camera Remote Controls

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The importance of compatibility, April 17, 2010

By 

Bill (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote Shutter Release for Panasonic DSLR and FZ50 (Electronics)

Before I purchased this item, I read some of the reviews here which lead me to believe that I might be better off to get a third party product at one fifth the price. An 'equivalent' part can be found on e-bay at much lower price; I bought it. Quickly I returned it because it worked randomly. I was offered a replacement or refund, I went for the former, thinking what I had was merely a victim of 'infant mortality' (found occasionally, but rarely in electronics). Alas, the replacement part, while working a little bit better, failed in similar manner. Being a serious photographer, I can not afford to have device working un-predicatably. I bought DMW-RSL1 quickly. Pleasantly, it works like a charm in all circumstances. The purpose that I write this review is to alert people about the importance of 'compatibility'. In the digital world, while 'almost compatible' is not difficult to immitate, to be 'truly compatible' can only be attained by paying for the right product. I have seen enough of it in the past, still I fell to the same trap again this time.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Necessary for the nature photographer - and horrendously overpriced., December 24, 2006

By 

Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote Shutter Release for Panasonic DSLR and FZ50 (Electronics)

The Panasonic Lumix cameras don't ship with remote controls. So if you're doing nature or other types of photography where you want as much control over the moment of exposure as possible, you either risk the self-timer or buy this vastly over-priced item.

What it boils down to is that if you want a vibration-free exposure at a moment of your choosing (disregarding the inherent delay of the camera) it's the DMW-RSL1 or nothing.

At least the product does what it supposed to, even it it is grossly over-priced. I'm sure you could build one yourself for far less, but I haven't been inclined to try to figure out how.

Jerry

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Way Way Overpriced But Works, February 5, 2010

By 

B. Fuller (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote Shutter Release for Panasonic DSLR and FZ50 (Electronics)

Let's get the price issue out of the way first. Nikon and Canon are notorious for overcharging for their accessories. But Panasonic makes their $40 remotes look like a bargain by comparison.

With that said. This little remote works and does its job. For those that don't know why you would need a remote I will explain.

The job of the remote is to remove vibrations from your photographs. That means it is almost always paired up with a tripod. With the camera on the tripod and the shutter activated by remote, you will not shake the camera and cause blurriness.

There are 3 situations that you would want to use this.

Shooting scenery-- when you see the spectacular scenic Ansel Adams shots and are amazed by how sharp they are. One of the reasons is they were shot on a tripod with a remote. This is a bread and butter use of a remote shutter. Additionally, with the advent of High Dynamic Range (HDR) techniques, the remote shutter would be invaluable for the bracketing shots.
Shooting in burst mode (static scene but moving subject) -- Obviously you could use this for just about any situation. However, burst mode for moving scenes and objects really calls for hand held shots and panning. The remote would be a hinderance. However, if you are shooting static scenes but moving subjects (kids sitting on a chair but wiggling), this would be a good way to get sharp images and pick your favorite expression/pose etc from the myriad you took during the bursts.
Shooting in bulb mode -- There is really no good way to do this without a locking remote release. The GH1 has a 4min bulb mode. So for the GH1 bulb mode means as long as the shutter release is held down, the shutter will remain open up to 4 min. Some good examples of bulb shooting would be fireworks at night, taking pictures of the night sky, lightning at night, and streets at night. Because the sensor heats up when doing this, there is noise generated by this. Many cameras today have a long exposure noise reduction which effectively doubles the time it takes to take long exposures. It does this by recording a picture of the same length of time with the shutter closed and then subtracts the noise from that picture from your picture.

This remote has a half-push function and a locking function. That means you can push the button half-way down and the camera will focus and set exposure (in the correct modes). Also, for the bulb mode and burst mode you can lock the switch in the full depressed position so you don't have to hold it down. One thing to note is this remote plugs into the same port as the external mic for the GH1. I can't think of a situation where you would need both at the same time but if you did, that is not an option.

Overall, I recommend you find a cheaper remote shutter release. However, if you get this one, it will work as expected.