I’m trying to build a remote controlled camera system, and the cameras I’m using are tiny, so I don’t need a large pan/tilt head. These tiny cheap heads are going to be enough for my purposes. The problem is the craptacular remote with tiny rubber membrane switches. A tiny, easily losable remote is the weakest point of the system. Does anyone have a circuit that I can build that will allow me to replace the membrane switches with larger mechanical switches, so I can build a proper control panel that will last?
Just build the same circuit with better switches, lots of soldering will be involved.
Depending on your skills you can probably use something like an Arduino (programmable micro processor) to build one. You can probably the rotaty head too 
I know they have kits for remote controls and the like (IR or radio sigal)
Huh? Remote controls have a lot of specialized circuits in them. I’m wanting to modify an existing remote. The remote has a circuit board with pairs of copper pads that the rubber material touches, but I always thought these were capacitive switches, not a straight closed circuit.
Is this an IR remote?
If so, just buy a learning remote control with big buttons, and teach it.
Also, there are sometimes third-party remotes available (I bought one from my Nikon on ebay for a few dollars).
No, it’s an RF one.
I really don’t want to use any existing remote control. I want to have full-sized real switches - think the same quality as the ones used for stand-up video games. The remote it comes with has a diamond shape of four rubbery buttons, and I’d like to replace that with a game joystick.
As far as I know, the rubber material is conductive (carbon impregnated), and serves to close the circuit. You might stick a resistor in there (1k or so) in case the circuit depends on the resistance of the pad, but besides that, a simple switch or button should do.
Ah, OK! I had always heard that they were capacitive switches. I’ll open a spare remote and do the test. Thanks!