I made an IR remote controller for NEX-5. Here is the picture:

It’s actually a “sound wave to infrared signal converter“. Before using it to control the NEX-5, you’ll have to “record” the IR signal and convert it into a sound wave. For more information about the IR recording process, please read this blog: “World’s cheapest remote control replicator: just 1$ !’ by jumpjack“.

I’ve already recorded the shutter release and the 2 second delay shutter release signal in WAV, AIFF and MP3 format (here is the zip compressed file). You can play back the sound file from any MP3 player, iPod/iPhone/iPad, Android phone, PSP,… to control your NEX-5.

Here is how the sound file looks like on the HTC Desire android phone:

Of course, this “controller” can be used to control almost any IR device, as long as you have the proper IR signal in sound wave format.

The schematic of the IR transmitter with  headphone jack is pretty simple, you only need two IR LEDs ( I got those from old remote controllers), and one stereo audio plug or jack:

By the way, there’s a problem with the IR port. If someone nearby is using a remote controller, your device might also react to the controller. That’s not good. Therefore, I think it’s better to make sure your controller is the only one that is commanding the device. My solution is simple: use a LEGO brick to cover the IR port, so it will not be interfered by other controllers.

Fortunately, the IR port on NEX-5 is just about the height of one LEGO brick:

We can put the IR LEDs below one brick, that’s the exact location of the IR sensor.

Here are the parts I use:

Here are the construction steps:

Solder the IR LEDs to audio jack:

The other side view:

Put them into one brick and stuff a small piece of eraser into the empty space behind the audio jack.

Finally, connect a stereo cable to the LEGO IR controller and MP3 player or a countdown timer application.

Here is the rear view of the construction:

I tried to connect the IR controller with a stereo Bluetooth headset to control NEX-5 wireless; however, it doesn’t work

The ping pong ball diffuser is a replica of the idea from virodri in dpreview foruum, and it works great!

A simple Time-lapse solution and Long Exposure solution

If you want to take a series of time-lapse photos, such as taking photos every 5 seconds, you can use a Sound Editing tool, like the free and open source Audacity, to add 5 seconds of silence (no sound) at the end of the IR sound wave.

After that, use your MP3 device to loop-play the sound wave… tadaaa, you just made a time-lapse remote controller!

For a long exposure, just set the alarm clock sound effect of your iPod or mobile phone to the IR wave file.

And finally, I’ve made a EVILRemote controller for the Android phone (Android 2.2 and above is required) which has to use with is IR device. The app is free and open source and you can compile the source code into iPhone / iPod touch app.

Have fun!

I made a viewfinder by using components from a disposable camera, CD-ROM driver and some LEGO bricks. Here is the result:

The viewfinder body is composed by three parts:

Here is the view of the assembled viewfinder parts. I only use Scotch tape, rather than glue, on both sides of LEGO to attach the top and bottom parts, in case I need to disassemble the viewfinder to clean or replace the lenses in the future.

Here are the parts for the base. The bolt and gear (dial-wheel) came from an old CD-ROM driver.

The clear plastic parts are cut from the clear plastic cover of a CD-ROM or DVD holder. I also use the same plastic on my Xbox VGA converter project years ago, like this:

The constructed custom hot shoe base for Sony NEX 3/5 series looks like below. I drilled a small hole on the top of LEGO, so that if the dial-wheel failed, I can use a screwdriver to attach or detach the custom hot shoe base.

Here is how it looks when attached to the NEX-5 body:

This is the front view of the LEGO viewfinder and the base part:

You can put any extra LEGO part above the viewfinder, if you really want to do so

Of course, I don’t really put anything on top of the viewfinder.