Equipment pieces question

[RonKolos]

Hi everyone,

I'm not an expert with film cameras. I just bought an old Canon EOS 500 body, and it came with some pieces that I'm unsure about. I would be grateful if you could please see attached photos and let me know what these items are and how to use them.

 

[bernard_L]

• Cokin filter holder. Should have a threaded ring to affix in front of lens, like a filter
• 85A filter: to use artificial (tungsten) light film in daylight; unlikely to use nowadays
• What looks like a Cokin polarizing filter. Makes the sky a deeper blue, especially in directions at 90° away from sun
• Cable release. Little thingy protruding at the base of the plunger might have something to do with a latch, i.e. to keep the plunger in the "push" position; might be confirmed by the 3rd pic where the tip is "out", presumably without anybody pushing the plunger.

 

[MattKing]

Thread moved - "Miscellaneous Equipment" seems to fit better.
@bernard_L is correct. The "thingy" is used to lock the shutter open, which you need to do when you want to make time exposures that are several seconds in duration. You use a cable release to release the shutter for those long exposures, because if you try to use your finger to do that the camera will shake and the photo will be blurry.
You would normally mount the camera on a tripod for those long exposures.

 

[Mike Sowsun]

The shutter release cable is from an old manual focus film camera with a conventional shutter button. The EOS cameras have electronic shutters and that cable will not work.

 

[eli griggs]

The shutter release cable is from an old manual focus film camera with a conventional shutter button. The EOS cameras have electronic shutters and that cable will not work.

Keep the shutter release, in your working bag, as you never know when you'll want it.

Electric releases are needed with this camera, but the world is too small not to be prepared for odd ball occurrences.

IMO,
Eli

 

[MattKing]

The shutter release cable is from an old manual focus film camera with a conventional shutter button. The EOS cameras have electronic shutters and that cable will not work.

Correct - I missed this because my version of the camera was badged as the Rebel 2000 in my marketplace.
Some cameras give you options between electronic and mechanical cable releases, depending on which accessories you have, so it is never a bad idea to have one of the mechanical ones around.

 

[RonKolos]

Thanks for your replies everyone. That's very helpful. I'm happy with that plunger cable thingy - I found the shutter whole where to screw it into. I've never made a long exposure photo before and always wondered how people get them looking so great (i.e. when theres moving cars creating light trails and the background buildings are clear and sharp still, or when the water looks smooth and soft or a moving river looking streaked and soft).

 

[koraks]

I found the shutter whole where to screw it into.

But not on the Canon EOS 500 you mentioned, I assume. As pointed out, the cable release you've got is not compatible with that particular camera. The EOS 500 camera uses a cable release with a 3-contact 2.5mm jack plug. The Canon product type is RS-60E3 and it looks like this:

3rd party clones are available for around $15.

I agree with @eli griggs that you should keep the mechanical cable release, since there are many cameras out there that use one; particularly cameras made up to around 1990 (and even some after that).

i.e. when theres moving cars creating light trails and the background buildings are clear and sharp still, or when the water looks smooth and soft or a moving river looking streaked and soft

You also want to use a tripod for those shots. But yes, that's the kind of scenario where a cable release is nice to have.