What's in the Phottix Hector box?
The Phottix Hector hopes to solve a problem photographers face: Composing photos without looking through a DSLR’s viewfinder.
It can be difficult to look through the viewfinder of your DSLR camera. Mounted on a tripod, close to the ground, you have to kneel to compose a shot. The Phottix Hector, a new Live View Remote, hopes to helps photographers with this age-old problem.
What’s In the box:
- The Phottix Hector Remote View Unit
- Cables for the 40D
- 3.7 volt battery
- 110/220V World-wide adaptor
- Instructions
The Unit
The Phottix Hector remote is a solid unit made of black ABS+PC plastic, measuring 136mm x 65.5mm x 25.5mm, and weighing in at 390g. It features a 2.5 inch color LCD screen, a large main button for autofocusing and shutter release, and smaller buttons for accessing the three additional shutter release functions. Indicator lights for Power, Charge (both red in color), and Camera Function (green in color) are located below the LCD screen.
The bottom of the unit has a dial for adjusting LCD brightness, and jacks for the power/charging adaptor, the remote cable to connect the Hector to the camera, and a power switch. The back of the unit hold the battery compartment.
Connecting the Hector
The Hector connects to DSLR cameras via a 2 meter cable. One end is plugged into the camera, the other, with two prongs – one for shutter release, the other for live view – are plugged into a camera’s remote and AV jacks. One interesting thing about the Phottix Hector : It can be used on several different camera models from Canon, Nikon, Sony or Olympus (see specs at end of post).
Using the Phottix Hector
Using the Phottix Hector
After plugging in the cables and turning the unit and camera on, and engaging the live view mode on the camera, a live view image from the camera appears on the unit’s LCD. The shutter button on the unit act like the shutter release button on your camera: A half-press focuses, a complete press releases the shutter. On achieving focus the Hector’s green “camera” LCD changes to green, showing the camera is ready.
Three additional shutter modes are available – 2 second delay, bulb, and continuous mode. The delay mode releases the shutter after two seconds, and the continuous mode captures five images. The bulb mode is self explanatory, a manual way to release the shutter and keep it open.
The Hector, without a battery, will work as a wired remote shutter release, without the LCD preview. This is an added bonus, cutting down on the assorted gear in your camera bag.
Benefits: At a glance
- Solid, light-weigh remote unit.
- Useable on a variety of Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus DSLR models.
- Easy to set-up and use.
- The LCD brightness can be adjusted, useful in different lighting conditions.
- A variety of shutter release options (2 second delay, continuous, and bulb).
- Shutter release is responsive and operates like a DSLRs shutter release button.
- The Hector operates as a wired remote shutter release when it is without power.
Technical Specifications
Materials: ABS+PC plastic
Dimensions: 136mm x 65.5mm x 25.5mm
Weight: 390g
Battery: 3.7v
AC-DC voltage : 100-220v
Cable Length: 2m (standard) 5m 10m 20m
The Phottix Hector will only work on digital cameras with live view functions. They include:
Canon: 1Ds Mark III, 1D Mark III, 40D, 50D, 5D Mark II, 450D, 1000D, PowerShot G10
Nikon: D3X, D300, D3, D700, D90, D5000
Sony: a300, 350, a700, a900, a330
Olympus: E-30, E-520, E-620, E-510, E-420, E-410, E-330
Can this divise be plugged into a monitor to get a larger screen?
Hello jason: Thank you for your comment. At present there is no AV output jack on the Hector, needed to attach to larger viewing screens. I will forward this idea to the design department. Perhaps it can be incorporated into future versions.
Am I right, that this unit doesn’t provide me a possibility to control the zoom? I searched for this function in various descriptions but couldn’t find anything. I’m at the moment looking for a remote control for my DSLR. The Phottix Hector looks great and – although it costs much more than other units – it would be my first choice. But for me the extra monitor just makes sense, if I could not just release and focus remotely, but also control the zoom. Technically this should be no problem, regarding the fact that I found remote controls for app. 15 Dollars that could do so. Therefore I can’t imagine that such a function won’t be incorporated into such a – comparably – complicated unit like the Phottix Hctor Remote Unit.
Alternatively: I use an Olympus E-Series Camera. Can I use the Phottix with an ordinary infrared control at the same time (using the infrared control to control the zoom and the Phottix to check the result) or will one unit “block” the other (cause then I would already have 3 release buttons working parallel)?
Hello Sven:
Thank you for your comment. No, you can’t control the zoom with a Phottix Hector. Most of the camera models the Hector is compatible with (ie. Canon, Nikon, Sony DSLRs) have zoom function in their lenses, uncontrollable by a remote.
I am unsure about using the Hector with an IR remote. I will ask the engineers. Please tell me: Which camera are you using?
hi, please can you tell me how it is possible to have a usb live view plug + a stereo jack on a side of the cable and only (if i see well) a mono jack on the other side ? and is it possible to add two or three meters more of jack/jack cable to have more than 4 meters of cable (1,8m is tooooooo short for me)
thank you
Will the image I see on the Phottix Hector’s LCD be an exact replica of the image I would see on my canon 450’s LCD ?
Will it be the exact same image quality?
Thank you,
Pat
The Hector an awesome tool that allows enthusiasts and professional photographers to take their creativity to the next level. Zigview is finally in for some serious competition!
Which of the Phottix Hector models work with the new Nikon D3100 and D7000? And how well does the Hector’s LCD screen work under direct sunlight?