Unlocking Advanced Control for My Canon 350D with the TC-80N3

Unlock Your Canon TC-80N3 for Modern DSLRs (A Quick DIY Hack!)

The Canon TC-80N3 wired remote is a fantastic piece of kit for astrophotographers, mainly because it comes with a built-in intervalometer – perfect for those long exposure shots. However, there’s a catch: out of the box, it’s only compatible with Canon DSLRs older than the 300D, thanks to its proprietary Canon N3 connector.

Want to use it with your 350D, 300D, or any other Canon DSLR that sports a standard 2.5mm jack connector? Good news: it’s incredibly simple to make it happen!

Here’s what you’ll need for this quick hack: a 2.5mm male stereo jack connector, a pair of wire cutters, a soldering iron, and a bit of solder.

First, pop out the battery from your TC-80N3. Next, snip the cable about 2cm (roughly an inch) from the end. Carefully strip back the insulation on the three wires you’ll find inside, then solder them to your 2.5mm male jack connector in this order:

• Red wire -> Jack Tip
• White (or yellow) wire -> Jack Ring
• Shield/Ground -> Jack Sleeve

Now, just pop the battery back in, plug your newly modified remote into your camera, switch your DSLR to BULB mode, and you’re good to go! That’s it!

I’ve been using this exact setup with my 350D for over two years now, and it’s been rock solid – zero issues to report!