Pixel RW-221 wireless RF remote control

Panasonic Lumix G cameras do not come with any remote receiver. Neither infrared (IR) nor radio frequency (RF). I like to have the possibility to trigger the shutter remotely, and so I have been searching for an appropriate remote shutter release.

Of course, there's always the self timer. But it is more of a hassle to use, and it doesn't give you any control over the autofocus.

I have previously tried the JJC JR series Infrared Controller. While it does do the job, it is awkward to use, somewhat unreliable, and has a poor build quality. Also, since it is an IR controller, you need to point the remote towards the receiver.

So I was not happy with the JJC JR remote.

I decided to try an RF remote from Pixel, called "Pixel RW-221 Wireless Remote Control". It is made for the Panasonic G series, as well as the older Panasonic DSLR cameras.

When unpacking, it is immediately clear that this is a higher quality product than the JJC JR remote. The parts have a better look and feel, and the buttons operate better. Also, the cord is spiraled, and has gold plated contacts. It comes with batteries, two sets of two AAA units. Here are the contents:

Clockwise from top left: Spiral cord with 2.5mm jack connectors, the remote receiver with a power button, and a shutter release button, the wireless remote control, batteries (4xAAA), and the operation manual.

The following picture shows the two units open, with batteries installed. You can see the dip switches, which are used to change the RF frequency. This is useful if you have several units, or if your neighbour has the same product.

If you are practical, like me, you can operate the unit without reading the manual. It is very intuitive. The video shows how to use the remote:



The remote is used on a Panasonic Lumix DMC GH1 in the video above, but should work with all Panasonic G series cameras. I have confirmed that it works with the Lumix GH1, GH2, and GH3. The latter has a separate remote control socket, not combined with the mic. It also works with the Lumix GX1, GX7, G5 and G6. The Lumix GM1 does not have a remote control socket, and cannot use this remote.

The right angle plug goes into the camera, and you must make sure to insert it fully. Some times, this requires pushing it in quite hard.

The remote receiver unit doesn't need to sit in the flash socket. But as long as you don't need to mount a flash, it is a practical place for it to stay. When pressing the power button, the red LED flashes to indicate that it is on.

The remote shutter can be half pressed for focus, and pressed fully for triggering the shutter.

There is an auxiliary shutter button on the receiver unit, which works in the same way.

I could not get the Bulb mode to work. It appears to trigger the shutter quickly over and over again. So if you need the Bulb mode, this remote might not solve your needs.

Conclusion

This product can be bought at a reasonable price from various auction sites. It has a good quality feel, and works in an intuitive way. All in all, it is highly recommended for those who need a remote control.

Remote control for Panasonic Lumix G series

One drawback with the Panasonic Lumix G series, is that the cameras do not have any infrared receiver. So there are no simple wireless remote controls available. But there are some third party remotes that can be bought fairly inexpensively.

One of them is the "JJC JR series Infrared Controller". This one can be bought online.

In the package, there is one cord, one controller unit (lower right in the picture), one receiver unit (in the middle of the picture), two CR-2032 batteries, instructions manual and a small screwdriver.

The build quality of the items appears to be fairly poor. They do not feel like high quality items, far from it.

The set can be used in two ways, either as a wired remote control, or as an infrared remote control.

Using it as a wired remote control is fairly straight forward: Connect one end the cord to the microphone/remote control input on the camera, and connect the other end to the controller unit. When this is done, you can press the controller unit release button halfway to focus, and fully to trigger the shutter. There is also a function to provide delayed trigger on the controller unit.

If you want the wireless remote functionality, you also need the infrared receiver unit. Connect the cord to this unit, rather than the controller unit, as in the picture below. You can now use the controller unit just as when connected directly with a wire, provided that you point in the direction of the receiver.

Panasonic GH1 camera body with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 lens and the remote receiver from JJC. The Lumix 20mm pancake lens has an optional third party 46mm screw in hood mounted.

Problems

However, the wireless remote does not operate as flawless as described above. Trough some trial and error, I found that when connected to the receiver unit, the camera will not respond to the remote control operations, unless it was previously used in wired mode. So to operate the remote control in wireless mode, you need to do the following:

1. Turn on the camera.
2. Connect the controller unit to the camera with the supplied cord.
3. Operate some function with the controller unit, for example autofocus.
4. Disconnect the controller unit from the cord, and connect the infrared receiver.

After having done this, you can use the wireless remote control as it is intended to work. If you turn off the camera, you must repeat these steps again for the remote function to work.

I have bought a second remote control, the Pixel RW-221 Wireless Remote Control. It is superior to the JJC JR unit tested above. The Pixel RW-221 remote has better build quality, works more intuitively and reliably, and simply gives better value for money.