Battery-grip Mod for the Nikon D50
by skorpion_ in Circuits > Cameras
4932 Views, 2 Favorites, 0 Comments
Battery-grip Mod for the Nikon D50
This is a modification I did along with my mod ”Adding cableremote for Nikon D50”
Because my D50 only had IR-remote capabilities, the battery-grip’s only way to interact with the D50 was with IR. It was a ugly way from the start, with a IR-emitter that you had to eject from the shell so that it stuck out from the grip and could send IR-signals to the IR-receiver on the D50.
When I added a cable-remote port for my D50 earlier, I also put 2 wires down the battery-tray for this mod.
This is how-to is about making a cable-connection between the battery-grip and the camera thru the battery-tray.
Because my D50 only had IR-remote capabilities, the battery-grip’s only way to interact with the D50 was with IR. It was a ugly way from the start, with a IR-emitter that you had to eject from the shell so that it stuck out from the grip and could send IR-signals to the IR-receiver on the D50.
When I added a cable-remote port for my D50 earlier, I also put 2 wires down the battery-tray for this mod.
This is how-to is about making a cable-connection between the battery-grip and the camera thru the battery-tray.
Adding Crimp Contacts on the Prepared Wires in the Camera
This is the battery-tray with crimp socket attached. I bought the crimp socket from Elfa here in sweden:
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-010-18&toc=0
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-010-18&toc=0
Adding Female Housing Ti the Cameras Battery-tray
This is the female contact housing glued in place in the tray. It does not interfear with the battery nor with the lid when attached.
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-566-06&toc=0
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-566-06&toc=0
Disassemble the Battery-grip
Time to disassemble the battery-grip. On my battery-grip, most screws where easy to find, but 1 was hidden under a piece of rubber. Make sure to remove all screws so you don't break it when to open it.
The original button is only a one-step button (shutter-off). I need to replace it with a two-step button to be able to use focus before shutter. I bought this one from Elfa:
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=35-663-42&toc=0
Locate the button and remove the PCB-card from its place. You might be able to use the original PCB for the button but I made one on my own. When finished soldering the new two-step button and wires I had to make the PCB thinner to be able to fit it in the original place. A razor-knife was easy to use when trying to split the board.
I isolated the wires from the old button/PCB with shrink tube so it wont mess things up later. I also had to modify the button itself, because the old were of another model than the new two-step. You can see in the pic that this has a small knob on it, that is what I had so glue to the button for it to have contact with the new two-step button.
The 3 wires from the new two-step button are GND, Focus and Shutter. GND is soldered at another point that is GND, the other ones are soldered to a plug connector on the battery-grips ”fake-battery”
The original button is only a one-step button (shutter-off). I need to replace it with a two-step button to be able to use focus before shutter. I bought this one from Elfa:
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=35-663-42&toc=0
Locate the button and remove the PCB-card from its place. You might be able to use the original PCB for the button but I made one on my own. When finished soldering the new two-step button and wires I had to make the PCB thinner to be able to fit it in the original place. A razor-knife was easy to use when trying to split the board.
I isolated the wires from the old button/PCB with shrink tube so it wont mess things up later. I also had to modify the button itself, because the old were of another model than the new two-step. You can see in the pic that this has a small knob on it, that is what I had so glue to the button for it to have contact with the new two-step button.
The 3 wires from the new two-step button are GND, Focus and Shutter. GND is soldered at another point that is GND, the other ones are soldered to a plug connector on the battery-grips ”fake-battery”
Attaching the Plug Connector
This is the plug connector glued and soldered at the bottom of the battery-grips ”fake battery”
The plug connector I used is this:
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-716-70&toc=19754
make sure to align it correctly so I slides in easily in the female housing in the cameras battery-tray.
Assemble the battery-grip again and you should now have a battery-grip that has a two-step button for focus and shutter that connects to the camera by just sliding the battery-grip in the battery-tray!
The plug connector I used is this:
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~gb_en/elfa/init.do?item=43-716-70&toc=19754
make sure to align it correctly so I slides in easily in the female housing in the cameras battery-tray.
Assemble the battery-grip again and you should now have a battery-grip that has a two-step button for focus and shutter that connects to the camera by just sliding the battery-grip in the battery-tray!