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Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 10:59:20 EST
From: "Rolland Elliott (Quality Assurance Co-Op)" 
Subject: Making your own N90s Electronic Shutter Release

If you own an N90s and want to make your own inexpensive
electronic shutter release here are the simple plans:
Total cost = About 3 to 6 dollars.
Time to make = About 10 to 20 minutes.

1. Gather up two (1 or 2 feet) pieces of single strand
insulated copper wire (strip the insulation off both the
ends) and an alkaline or Ni-Cad battery.
2. Locate the 10 pin terminal on the upper right of your
camera body and remove the cover.
3. Stick one wire in the bottom right hand hole (4 o'clock
position) and stick the other wire in the other bottom right
hand hole (5 o'clock position). The wires only have to go in
about 3 or 4 mm.  See diagram below!
4.  Attatch the other end of the 5 o'clock position wire to
the positive battery terminal (you can solder it or use
electrical tape).
5.  As soon as you touch the other end of the 4 o'clock
position wire to the negative battery terminal the camera's
shutter will be released.

If you have your camera on single servo or continuous servo,
the camera's exposure meter will first be activated, it will
auto-focus on the subject and then the shutter will be
released.
If you have your camera on manual focus the exposure meter
will turn on and then the shutter will be released.

This setup isn't too convienient to operate as is. To make
it convienient go to your local electronics store and pick
up an AA battery holder and a simple on/off switch. The AA
battery holder lets you change the battery easily and the
on/off switch allows you to trip the shutter easily.  If you
don't have the switch you will have to manually touch the 4
o'clock position wire to the negative terminal of the
battery, this is a pain in the neck after a while.  You will
also probably want to make a connector to your camera's 10
pin terminal, so you don't have to poke the two wires into
the holes all the time.  Pick up some FIMO plastic modeling
clay at your local crafts store and mold it around the two
wires while they are connected to your body, then stick the
wires and modeling clay in your oven to harden.  Now you
have a nice socket that can be plugged in and out of your
N90s very easily.

           -------------
          /    NIKON    \
- ---------/               \----------------\
                              O     O     |
                             O        O   |
                                O O       |
                             O        -   |
                               O    + |
                                    | |
                                    | |    On/Off switch
                                 ___| |___/ ___
                                /              \
                               /                \
                               + AA 1.5V Batterya-

I have used this set-up to trip my shutter about 75 times.
So far nothing strange has happened to my camera and it's
working fine. But please don't blame me if your camera blows
up on you!

Other notes:
If you leave the 4 o'clock wire attatched to the negative
battery terminal the camera's exposure meter will remain on.
If you are in single servo focusing mode, the focus will be
locked after the shutter is released and the camera will not
allow you to take another picture until you disconnect the
wire from the negative battery terminal.  If you are in
continuous servo focusing mode the focus won't be locked,
but the camera will not allow you to take another picture
until you disconnect the wire from the negative battery
terminal. Conclusion: Don't leave the 4 o'clock wire
attatched to the negative battery terminal.

If you are using this setup your camera will probably be on
a tripod so I'd recommend the following:
1.  Have the shutter release switch set to off.
2.  Manually focus your camera.
3.  Turn the swtich to the on position.
4.  As soon as the camera's shutter is released turn the
switch off.
Has worked great for me every time!!!

Hope it works for you too.  Sincerely, Rolland Elliott


Author: Rolland Elliott, published in Nikon Digest 734, December 10th, 1996.