Canon 20D. Can't find way to do delayed shutter release.

[daveyduck]

Is it really true? Is there no self-timer on such an expensive camera as my Canon 20D, or am I missing it. I like to do night skyline shots, with a decent tripod, but they usually come out with camera shake blur due to my ever-so gentle touch on the button. (Not gentle enough obviously).

Even the cheap cameras have self-timers. It's gotta be there somewhere. Can anybody help?

[MathewLodge]

Originally Posted by daveyduck

Is it really true? Is there no self-timer on such an expensive camera as my Canon 20D, or am I missing it.

Yes, it is there. Turn on the camera and press the Drive/ISO button on the top. Turn the dial to select "self timer" drive mode.

[Noel_Carboni]

You can time shots in-camera up to 30 seconds.

If you select mirror lockup + self timer the camera will swing out of the way first, then the exposure will start a few seconds later. That's probably what you want with the kind of shots you are doing. It worked best for me with astrophotos.

Beyond 30 seconds you'll want a remote release such as the RC80-N3, or for full timer control with virtually limitless duration, multiple exposures, etc. a Timer-Controller (TC80-N3).

-Noel

[Doug_Kerr]

Hi, Noel,

Originally Posted by Noel_Carboni

You can time shots in-camera up to 30 seconds.

What clever trick are you thinking of?

In the EOS 20D, the "self timer" delay is a fixed 10 seconds.

By way of a ploy involving the mirror lockup function, one can in effect get a delay of 2 seconds. (You referred to that in your reply.)

But I don't know how to do "up to 30 seconds".

Best regards,

Doug

[Noel_Carboni]

The self-timer delay is, as you say, 10 or 2 seconds.

As Matthew answered the question directly, I was extrapolating David's question a little bit, letting him know (through my own experience with night photography) that the longest exposure that can be timed (e.g., in Tv or M modes) is 30 seconds.

Sorry if I confused anyone.

-Noel

[Richard Dickins]

I use a remote release anyway rather than the self-timer for this kind of shot.

As Noel says, Mirror lockup is also very useful in these cases since the mirror moving can also induce vibration - although that should be gone after the 2s timer.