Adding a Wired Shutter Release to the Sony NEX-5

Posted by Mark Kirschenbaum on Jan 13, 2015

The Sony NEX5 is an amazing replacement for standard SLR cameras. In sports such as Paragliding, skydiving and B.A.S.E. jumping where the user is wearing their camera on their helmet, a lightweight high quality camera has always been sought after. The NEX5 is close to the perfect camera for these sports. It's super fast, high quality, and light.
Unfortunately it's missing a wired shutter release switch. An IR shutter release mechanism can by hacked to allow for shutter release but in our test we only got maximum 1fps using this method. This is unacceptable for this camera and for customers in extreme sports.

These two videos show step by step how to modify the NEX-5 with a wired shutter release. I go through taking apart the NEX-5, performing the mod, putting it back together and finalizing the assembly. This mod should only be done by qualified electronic folks who have worked with cameras this complex in the past. Please watch both videos in full before starting this mod. The start of the second video shows the soldering parts if you want to see if you have enough skills for that first.

We currently are not offering a service to do this mod but have heard some people offering it. If you are not skilled enough to do it, please consider supporting one of these individuals.

Use this knowledge at your own risk! You will void the warranty of the camera and its possible to make the camera into a paper weight. We are not responsibile for you ruining your camera. With that said, Enjoy!