The Nikon WR-1 is a Fancy New Wireless Remote Control That’s Hot Shoe-able

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The new Nikon D7100 DSLR wasn’t the only interesting product announced by the company yesterday. Appearing alongside the camera was a new WR-1 Wireless Remote Control Transceiver. It’s a remote control that can be used in multiple ways depending on your needs.

If you want to shoot time-lapse videos with your DSLR, the WR-1 can serve as an intervalometer. Simply mount it to the hot shoe of your DSLR, plug it into the camera using the supplied cable, set it, and forget it.

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However, the device’s real potential emerges when you pair it with a buddy: either another WR-1 or a WR-R10 Transceiver. You can then use your WR-1 as a remote controller while the other accessory connects to the DSLR and serves as a receiver. This allows you to trigger your shutter remotely and also check/adjust your camera’s settings (e.g. ISO, shutter speed, aperture, shooting modes) from a distance.

If you want to control a number of cameras simultaneously, the WR-1 can be set to “Master” mode to control up to 20 other WR-1 units or 64 other WR-R10 units. The “Slave” devices can also be organized into four different groups if you would like to control sets of them independently.

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The WR-1 uses a frequency of 2.4GHz, has 15 different channels, and offers a maximum range of 394 feet. Since it uses radio waves, you don’t need to rely on line of sight or be hindered by sunlight like you sometimes would with an infrared device. If you need to extend the range, you can use multiple WR-1s to relay the signal to the camera.

Be warned, though: the WR-1’s power comes with a price. It’ll have a hefty price tag of £650 when it hits store shelves in Europe starting in March 2013. B&H is also taking preorders for the device for $550.

(via Nikon via N-Photo)

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