Canon Wireless Remote Control BR-E1

Finally had an opportunity to use this with my EOS R50. The set up was simple and quick and it integrated right into my camera without further adjustments. The only thing I still haven’t figured out yet is how the AF button works. I’m sure I have to adjust a setting there but that’s just me. It is small and so can easily fit in a pocket for quick access in your camera bag. I am using it currently to take aquarium photography so I can snap from a distance to capture those fish that run to the back of the tank when I’m near! As long as I have a focus point and the camera is on my tripod, I just sit and wait and snap away. Really glad I invested in this tool!

It works great but has limits below the camera limits. For most applications this is a non-issue.

A perfect control for my Canon EOS R7.

The Canon Wireless Remote Control BR-E1 does exactly what it promises. It’s reliable, easy to pair, and offers seamless wireless control for capturing photos and videos. The compact size and straightforward functionality make it a handy tool for any photographer. However, the price feels steep for such a simple device. While the quality is solid and it integrates perfectly with Canon cameras, it’s hard to justify the cost compared to more affordable third-party options. Great product, but a better value would make it perfect.

I bought a new camera thinking that my old shutter release would work on it but it turned out that it doesn't. The old one uses infrared but the new camera uses Wi-Fi. Plus point for this one is that it works from a greater distance. Negative side, having to turn the Wi-Fi on on the camera uses more battery power and continually needing to turn the Wi-Fi on and off to conserve the battery when not using the remote or sending photos to your smart phone. So it's beneficial to have more that one battery with you when going on shoots. With the infrared remote, it was always ready to be used without putting a drain the battery. As I mentioned, this remote works really well and from more than 16 feet away from the camera but with all things, you gain one thing but sometimes you lose others.

I wanted a Bluetooth remote for my EOS 6D MKII so I bought the Canon Wireless Remote Control BR-E1. The BR-E1 is functionally similar to the RC-1 and RC-6 remotes but uses Bluetooth instead of IR to trigger the camera. Why Use the BR-E1? The BR-E1 helps eliminates camera shake in photos using slow shutter speeds by remotely triggering the shutter and/or AF. Plus, the BR-E1 can trip the shutter from 16.4 feet above, below, behind or to the side of the camera so it makes a great substitute for a cable release. The BR-E1 also allows video start/stop and focus without touching the camera. In the past I used the RC-1 and RC-6 IR remotes to record most of the videos on my YouTube channel: sit in chair with guitar, press remote button and rock! Unfortunately, video lights are extremely bright and overwhelm the IR signal if not pointed exactly at the camera’s IR sensor. With the BR-E1, the radio signal over Bluetooth means I don’t have to maintain line of sight or worry about bright lights: press and it triggers no matter what. It’s also able to control the zoom function for the Canon Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1, a function I couldn’t test since I don’t own a PZ-E1. Pairing the BR-E1 For triggering stills and video with Bluetooth equipped EOS cameras, you need to pair the BR-E1 with your camera. Each EOS model is a little different but this is the basic procedure for the 6D MK II: • Enable Bluetooth in camera menus • Select “pairing” • Hold down both zoom buttons on the remote • When the camera asks if you’d like to pair with the BR-E1, tap "yes" Once paired, put the camera in self-timer/remote mode and press the big round button on the BR-E1 to take a picture. That's it. There's a three-way switch on the side to toggle between immediate release, 2-second delay and video release. If you disable Bluetooth and enable Bluetooth at a later date, the camera remembers the paired BR-E1. In other words, pairing is a one time only operation for each device. Bulb Use For bulb exposures, fire the BR-E1 once to open the shutter and again to close it. If the BR-E1 is set to 2-second delay, there will be a 2-second delay before the shutter first opens. MLU The BR-E1 can be used with mirror lockup (MLU): enable MLU in camera menu, enable self-timer/remote mode, set 2-second delay on the BR-E1 and, finally, press the big button on the BR-E1. The mirror will swing up and the shutter opens two seconds later. Sleep Mode The default sleep mode setting for most EOS cameras is 60 seconds. With the RC-1/RC-6 that meant you had to trigger within 60 seconds or the camera timed out. However, with the BR-E1, if the camera sleeps, you can wake it with a single press and trigger with a second press. Good show Canon! Gotchas Not many gotchas other than a steep price and incompatibility with older EOS. The BR-E1 Wireless Remote Controller only works with recent Bluetooth equipped EOS such as the 6D MKII, SL2, T7i, 77D, etc. So no support for a M3 or 80D from only a couple years back. Last Blurb The BR-E1 is a easy to use and somewhat pricey accessory but has proven to be an essential tool in my studio, making my one man production solo guitar and duet video shoots easier. It's also ideal to control vibration during long exposures and, of course, to trigger selfies and group photos.

I recently bought the Canon remote controller, and it has completely changed the way I take photos, especially when I’m shooting solo content or need stability for long exposures. It’s one of those small accessories that ends up becoming absolutely essential once you’ve used it a few times. Setting it up was super easy just point and click. It connected instantly with my Canon camera, no complex setup or pairing needed. I mainly use it to take my own pictures when I’m traveling or creating content outdoors, and it gives me the freedom to frame my shot perfectly, step into the scene, and take the photo exactly when I’m ready no more rushing or awkward timer runs. The response is quick and accurate. I never have to worry about delays or missed shots. It’s also great for group photos where I want to be in the picture without having to depend on someone else to take it. I also use it for time-lapses and long exposure photography at night no need to touch the camera and risk shaking the image. It’s super lightweight and compact, so I just keep it in my camera bag or even my pocket. The battery life has been excellent I’ve used it for weeks without needing to change the battery. The range is surprisingly good too; I’ve triggered the shutter from several feet away with no problem. If you love taking your own photos, want more control in your shoots, or just want to avoid touching the camera during delicate shots, this little remote is a total game-changer. Definitely one of the best and most useful purchases I’ve made for my Canon gear.

This review is for the Canon BR-E1 wireless remote control. I use it with a Canon EOS-R camera to take photos where I'd like to be away from the camera so as not to distract the subject, such as wildlife, or to minimize camera shake, or where I'd like to be in the photograph but don't want to use the delay feature. The remote has a nifty loop so that I can attach a lanyard and hang it around my neck. It’s so small that it would be easy to lose. One thing I’ve noticed is that there is a tiny lag between when I push the button on the remote and when the shutter trips. The lag is tiny – about a fourth of a second or maybe even less, but it’s there. And it drains the camera's battery if you're not alert and don't take the proper steps to disable Bluetooth when not using the remote. Setup was “interesting”. I downloaded the owners manuals for the camera and the remote from the Canon USA support web site. The manuals were helpful in figuring out what to do, but trial and error helped. On my old 5D Mark II all I had to do was plug in the wireless remote. The EOS-R and the BR-E1 were more difficult. Following is what worked for me on setup with my EOS-R; I don’t promise that it will work for everyone: Start by flipping the camera’s touch screen around so that it’s easily visible. Then: 1. Pair the BR-E1 with the EOS-R on Bluetooth. To do this: (a) On the EOS-R, go to setup screen 5 "wireless communication settings" (b) select "Bluetooth Function" (c) select "Bluetooth Function: Remote" (d) select “Pairing.” (e) Simultaneously hold down the “W” and “T” buttons on the remote. The light on the remote will flash and eventually the camera will indicate that the remote is registered. It seemed to take a couple of minutes for the registration to take effect. 2. To set up the camera to use the remote: (a) Press the “M-Fn” button to select the drive mode; then, using the Main Dial (adjacent to the M-Fn button), select the remote control icon (the icon is tiny; it looks like a tiny clock with a wireless remote control). (b) Confirm the selection by pressing the “SET” button on the “Quick Control/Setting Button on the back of the camera. Pressing the shutter button halfway also works. (c) Test by pressing the W or T buttons on the remote or by pressing the remote’s shutter button. N.B.: While the remote control icon is activated, the operation of the camera’s shutter button changes. If you press the shutter button on the camera there will be a ten-second delay before the shutter trips, but if you press the shutter button on the remote, the shutter will trip instantly. (CONFUSION FROM OWNERS’ MANUAL: the owners’ manual seems to say that the next step is to go to Shooting Screen #2 on the camera’s menu and to select “remote control” and “enable”, though this may actually be only for use when shooting movies. My camera does not have such an option – Screen #2 only offered Lens Aberration Correction and External Speedlite Control - but after some trial and error I found that this step is not necessary.) The process that worked for me was actually simpler than that described in the manual, and the remote works fine. Finally, Bluetooth drains the battery as long as Bluetooth is enabled on the camera, whether the remote is actually in use or not. To stop the battery drain, go back to Setup Screen #5 and disable Bluetooth. Overall, even after getting the remote set up with Bluetooth, merely using it seems like an unnecessarily complicated process. If one wants to save the camera's battery power you have to open the menu to enable Bluetooth at the start of a shoot, and again open the menu to disable BT at the end of the shoot. I wonder if there's a better alternative.