I came across an article about a "Pluto" gizmo that can be attached to cameras in order to trigger the trigger, (the trigger, not the horse),for lightning shots, motion activated capture shots, audio activated shots, etc. That article is here:
https://fstoppers.com/apps/smart-remote ... box-310144
I looked at the Pluto and a couple of similar accessories at B&H:
Pluto: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... igger.html
Vello Stryker II: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... hting.html
Miops: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... igger.html
MK Controls for Canon: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... igger.html
I looked at a couple available on Amazon as well. Amazon did not have the Vello Stryker II, which can work with my Panasonic GH5, and so far I like it best for my purposes. Cheap, replaceable batteries and only needs to be plugged into the camera (with the correct cable) to work in the motion activated mode.
As I've continued reading I came across this article, and this guy likes a "passive infrared motion sensor", for reasons he explains in his text:
https://digital-photography-school.com/ ... mera-trap/
He also talks about using flash for night time shots and it occurs to me that I might have better results trying to capture nighty beasties than daytime ones. But I've never used a flash, other than the little blue bulbs that could be popped into my very first camera, a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye. (Still have that camera!)
I do have a Canon flash unit that came along with a used Canon camera I bought. I know nothing about it. Can any flash be used in the hotshoe of any brand of camera?
TTL flash means "through the lens?"
I'm going to continue reading and re-reading this stuff. Sometimes that helps me to make sense of these things. The only major disappointment I've had with my GH5 is the lack of motion activated recording. I used to get some fun birdage with a small video camera that had the feature. A couple of days ago I side glance - spotted a vertical tail moving quickly. Little chipmunk ran into a hollow log in my back yard. He popped up in a hole in the center, then eventually emerged out the far end. Today I put some sunflower seeds in the hollow log. I'd love to get some good footage of the little guy without having to spend my life in the back yard waiting for him. Or her.
Hope this helps someone here who may also be interested, and will appreciate any info anyone may have to offer in regards to which of these units might be best for my purposes. (Oh, I doubt I'd use the apparently primary use for these gadgets, the lightning trigger. Around here when we have lightning we are inside torrential rain clouds and it isn't like you get to see the lightning strikes in the way they can be seen over distant mountains in the American west.
Paz