In this camera shutter release guide, we’ve picked out the best shutter releases for the following camera brands: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Olympus.
Finding a proper shutter remote is not an easy task, especially because most are third-party and might not work with your camera.
Few advantages of a shutter release:
- There are wireless and wired shutter releases
- They’re a great accessory if you can’t be next to your camera when taking a picture
- They’re great for long exposure photography (night sky, fireworks, light trails, bulb shooting, wild animals)
- They’re great for self-portraits and group shots
We recommend you to get both wired + wireless remotes. Both have their advantages.
For example, a wireless release allows you to stay further away from the camera. A great example would be wildlife shots, sports, or even something static like night time photography (you can stay in a warm car and take pictures).
A wired shutter release is usually more reliable (although many wireless are), but has a limited range. They’re great for minimizing camera shake since you don’t have to press the shutter button, and they’re also useful for long exposure and studio photography.
1. Canon Shutter Releases:
Canon BR-E1 Wireless
Canon RC-6 Wireless
Progo RS-60E3 Wired
2. Nikon Shutter Releases:
RFN-4s Wireless
Foto&Tech ML-L3 Wireless
Pixel FSK Wireless
3. Sony Shutter Releases:
4. All Brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax)
If you decide to buy anything after clicking on our Amazon links, you automatically support us. It’s what allows us to write guides such as this one.
Canon – 3 Shutter Releases
Canon BR-E1: A wireless remote control released in 2017, this works only with Canon 6D II, T7i, 77D and SL2. Works up to ~16 feet distance in any direction. It’s a little bit expensive but you have no other option (other than try to use your phone to connect and use the camera).
Canon RC-6: Another wireless remote but this one works with 99% of Canon cameras (except for the 4 models above). It’s really simple and small, and offers a “bulb” mode feature, along with delay shooting.
Progo RS-60E3: This is a wired remote that’s also a lot cheaper than most. It seems to work with almost all Canon cameras with no issues (except for the ones above). The cord is around 3 feet long and this release has a bulb feature. It allows you to auto focus with it, by simply pressing the shutter button half way, like a regular shutter button. In order to shoot, simply fully press the button.
Nikon – 3 Shutter Releases
RFN-4s: This is an excellent wireless shutter release for many advanced Nikon DSLRs. The list includes D500, D800, D810, D4, D5 and many older models. It’s got 16 channels in 2.4Ghz frequency that work up to 320 feet, but expect this to be smaller in real use. The antenna to receive the signal is very small and doesn’t get in the way so you can leave it on pretty much always. This is easily your best option if you’ve got one of the models that work wit hit.
Foto&Tech ML-L3: Super cheap, small and works up to ~16 feet. It works with many Nikon cameras, but not the D3400. This wireless remote uses infrared technology so if your Nikon doesn’t allow that, there’s no way to use it. The list of confirmed models is pretty big though,, and it includes almost every DX model. Bulb mode is possible. You need to stand in front of the camera in order for the remote to work (since the IR chip is positioned there).
Pixel FSK: This one’s worth the money, and works with many FX and DX models (but not the D3400). It uses 2.4GHz transmission and allows you to change the channel if anyone is also using the same remote. It has plenty of features such as bulb mode, delays, interval shooting and timers. It does not come with a battery though (uses 4 x AAA batteries).
Sony – 1 Shutter Release
Foto&Tech IR: A simple wireless IR remote control that works with all Sony cameras; A6, A7 and A9 series, and also their SLT models. It’s quite simple and cheap, and doesn’t work if you’re shooting from behind the camera.
For All Brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax)
Marrex MX-IR5: As you can tell by its name, the Marrex is another IR wireless remote control but it’s designed to work with all major camera brands, as long as they support IR. Like other IR remotes, you can’t take pictures standing behind the camera since most have an IR sensor positioned at the front. Because of this, it’s more appropriate for group shots, self portraits or any other situation where you don’t have to be behind the camera.