How to Pair the Canon BR-E1 Bluetooth Camera Remote: Real Quick Review

[@EmeraldAudiovisual]

As of the EOS R6 Mk II, you just pair the remote and that's it. It will take stills, 2 sec delay stills and video without any further configuration or mode selection. In any mode and any setting. What you describe is correct for the EOS R and even the R7, so I guess also applies to the R5 and R6.

[@PhilipBlank]

Hey that’s great to note! I’ll pin your comment so people know it’s been updated on the new cameras! Hopefully a firmware update gets pushed down the line to resolve it for the older cameras. Thanks!

[@EmeraldAudiovisual]

@@PhilipBlank One can at least hope.

[@user-yl8zq7mn7o]

Saved my life, I didn't realize that option to use the wireless controller.

[@PhilipBlank]

Glad to help! It took a bit to learn but has been handy since

[@user-yl8zq7mn7o]

@@PhilipBlank I was thinking in a refund because i can't make it work, I thought that is a faulty device. And the user manual wasn't clear enough, it said to switch to "remote" option in the drive menu, but I never saw the remote word was at the end of the options.

[@MarcusSortijas]

Thank you for this tutorial. I paired my BR-E1 remote to my Canon EOS R for photo but was struggling to get it to work for starting and stopping video recording. I wish you just had to enable and pair the remote to the camera in one place. Not have to go to into both photo and video modes and enable the remote in two different places in the menu. At least the remote works now. Thanks again.

[@PhilipBlank]

Happy to help! I totally agree, the remote should override the mode of the camera and tell it to start recording or take a photo regardless of what mode the camera is in. Also it would be great to not have to enable it, but now that I have set it up I've gotten pretty accustomed to using it and still appreciate the remote shooting.

[@leahtrujillo4446]

This is pretty useful to hear as I’m also tired of using my phone as a remote!

[@PhilipBlank]

It’s been a handy tool in several uses so far, they just need to lower the price!

[@mrblackbond]

i bought this remote two days ago bc i didnt want to use my phone, but its a huge let down, not being able to use the app to double check/quickly check focus and or composition before using the remote again. Being limited to choosing one (phone) or the other (remote) is I feel like a huge let down.

[@pnwbjj]

I'm glad I came across your video to set this up. Canon with an epic fail on this thing and setting up. Usability (KIS) should be a top priority for Canon as these cameras get more technological and overlap with computers. We should be able to just pair it with the camera and it should just work.

[@PhilipBlank]

That’s the goal so I’m glad I could help! I agree though, they went with some unnecessary designs that just complicated things when they own both the remote and camera and could have made it seamless. Hopefully we’ll get updates someday.

[@kernzilla]

appreciate the vid here, very helpful. you showed in video mode, cannot take a photo (which almost makes sense), wondering if in photo mode it will initiate vid rec? same as photo-mode video when we hit the top rec button mode. thanks dude!

[@PhilipBlank]

Happy to help! Just trialed to validate, in photo mode, if you switch the remote from “Dot” mode, past “2” mode down to the “Video” mode, nothing happens when you press the shutter button. It’s like putting the remote into lock for the shutter bottom, AF button still functions the same though.

[@kernzilla]

@@PhilipBlank wow thanks for prompt reply! This is interesting, so in mode “2” it’s essentially holding down the shutter? This is actually useful to know, there are times the intervalometer 1 frame/sec is too slow, and this would be useful for some remote cam work at 3-5 fps on low continuous (if that makes sense). Have found shooting CRAW in this mode is nearly unlimited buffer, and very useful if you need 2nd cam shots of a specific highlight of event, while shooting tight on primary camera. Appreciate the input sir, you’ve got yourself a new sub 👌👌

[@PhilipBlank]

Oh wow thank you, I’m just happy to help! But sorry if I caused confusion, as I showed in the video, you have to select the drive mode that shows a remote, so either of the last two options in the Drive Mode menu on the EOS R. “Dot” switch position on the remote functions as the instant shutter button in either of these remote drive modes, but the “2” mode uses either the 2 second or 10 second timer, based on the drive mode you selected. Sadly you can’t hold the shutter button on the remote in either mode to do continuous shoot, at least on this camera. You can only spam press the shutter button on the remote to get a shot about 1 every .5-1.5 seconds, there is some latency. Maybe on the newer cams you can run continuous shooting by holding it down but I am not aware. You can also use the remote for bulb mode to open and close the shutter for long frame photos. Hope that helps clarify!

[@ErliGalano]

Does this mean the video mode on the remote does not work even if the cam is set to video mode? I’m sorry I’m still confused bc it does not start recording when I switch the remote to video even if the cam is set to video huhu

[@PhilipBlank]

@@ErliGalano you will also need to validate that in the video settings menu you have “Remote Control” selected Enable 1:45

[@bankroll716]

Excellent video, extremely informative thanks

[@PhilipBlank]

Thanks for the feedback! I hope to help

[@joaovtaveira]

The price is absoutely ridiculous, just buy a third party alternative, like the JJC.

[@PhilipBlank]

For the $45 you can pick one up for now, the return on usability has far outshined the cost! I’ve used mine a ton so well worth it, but I can’t speak to other alternatives as this is the only one I’ve used.

[@aliciavia6455]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@PhilipBlank]

Thank you! Happy to help!

[@enemycutz6425]

Dies it work with t6i canon

[@PhilipBlank]

It does not sadly! Looks like the camera must have Bluetooth, the t6i only has Wi-Fi.

[@neostephens8980]

I don't suppose that the focus button will work if my camera is set up for back button focus, will it?

[@PhilipBlank]

It shouldn’t make any difference and should work fine. Just confirmed on the EOS R with the rear “AF ON” button programmed to “Metering and AF Start” the remote focus button functions like normal.

[@neostephens8980]

@@PhilipBlank Great thanks!

[@PhilipBlank]

No problem!

[@Bukkyagbeti]

Thank you!

[@PhilipBlank]

No problem!

[@reginaldwalton]

Is there way to program the AF button on the remote to do Eye tracking? I though it stated you could do that in the manual by changing the settings in the camera, but I wasn't able to do that. When I press the AF button, it just does regular focusing, but not eye tracking.

[@PhilipBlank]

I have not found a way to program the remote to change focus modes, but the AF button only performs auto-focus for whatever focus mode you are in. For the button to work on eye tracking you must be in the face/eye tracking focus mode, and then when you click the AF button a blue box appears around the eye and keeps tracking it as you hold it. Just confirmed on the EOS R, hope this helps!

[@reginaldwalton]

@@PhilipBlank OK thanks. I am in eye tracking mode and I do get the blue box, but it's not eye tracking. But I'll settle for this. Thanks for the reply!

[@PhilipBlank]

@@reginaldwalton Eye tracking is a autofocus with eye priority. If the camera doesn't fully detect an eye of a person or on say a photo of a car or house with no person present, it defaults to the normal autofocus rule. That's the blue box that pops up showing were it decided to focus. Hopefully it's worked for you though!

[@thaleshenriqueramos]

Is there any delay for photography?

[@PhilipBlank]

I apologize for my own delay on this! Yes there is a .25 -.5 second lag from pushing the trigger on the remote and the shutter release, especially if you have the autofocus trying to decide. It's not super ideal for sports or quick action, but for most use cases I've had it's very satisfactory. There is room for improvement from Canon though!

[@legrandtc]

Does it turn off by itself after a while?

[@PhilipBlank]

It seems to go into a sleep state, not really been able to tell the exact timing but then when you click the middle button it wakes up after a couple seconds. I have had a battery die on it after about 3 months though so I do wish it had an off switch.

[@legrandtc]

@@PhilipBlank I wish it had one too. Thanks

[@rtorr1286]

The g7x mark ii doesn’t have Bluetooth settings. Can I not use a remote ? I would have gone with the iii if I knew

[@PhilipBlank]

Oh no! It looks like it does not. Canon states the remote works with the G7X iii and the G5X ii, I’ve not used a G7X ii before on online it looks like it only supports Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth.

[@anthonypugh9268]

❤

[@PhilipBlank]

Thanks mate!