Recycling Project – Trigger Your Camera With A Mouse

Remember those old mice you use to have before computer mice became monsters with twenty five buttons, side buttons, rollers, sliders and what not.

Dave Schlier had a spare oldie (mouse that is) that he recycled into a shutter release cable. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that clicking a mouse is the most affective way to take a shot. But if that what it takes for you computer addicts to take the camera out of the bag, my task here on earth is completed.

Here is how to make one of those cool mice (of course you can always build a traditional release cable):

This is a DIY hack to make a shutter release that will work with Pentax
K110D. It will also work on Pentax and some Canon cameras that use a 2.5mm
(3/32″) stereo monoplug that use the middle and inner pins as separate
contacts and the outer (large) pin as common

Supplies:
– 3/32″ stereo jack (solder connections)
– 3 or 4 wire cable (I used phone wire)
– old 2-button mouse.

Tools:
– soldering iron
– knife
– wire strippers/cutter
– stiff drink
– patience
– A multitester/ohmmeter is very useful as the switches are
generally SPDT

Also, burn ointment, bandages, etc. Have fun!

There you have it – now it’s time to go and tell your friends that you spent the afternoon playing with mice instead of doing something useful like taking pictures of your favorite cat.