Category: Imaging

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Imaging Video

One-touch Flagg’it makes editing sporting highlights less of drag

Over the last few years, sports have embraced action cameras as a way to capture those incredible moments that are often missed to later share with others. Their usually small sizes offer high-quality HD recording options, but their downside lies in having to manually turn them on and off which ultimately takes the focus off the action.

Flagg’it is a wearable button that functions as an instant marker for any and all cameras someone may have. A single button press marks a video track with a flag, and the included Flagg’it software allows users to import their video with the attached flags. Having these markers lets users more easily edit their video without having to review the entire thing for notable moments, a process that can easily eat up so much time.

Those behind Flagg’it are banking on the fact that it’s easier to begin the editing process in the moment rather than back at a computer, so they’ve made it easy to do so. The device doesn’t function through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi but rather emits an audio signal which it uses to sync instead, allowing Flagg’it to work with any camera at any distance. And its 50 hours or more of battery life relieves batteries worries, too. A Flagg’it device goes for $69, and is expected to ship July 2015 if the campaign raises $50,000.

What Flagg’it does, it does very well. Sports enthusiasts will no doubt absolutely love the ability to set up flags on their recorded video in real time, so its functionality will be met with warm welcome. It’s also shock, dust, and shock resistant, but even then it isn’t certain Flagg’it will be able to truly withstand the punishment it surely will receive.

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Imaging Video

The Parrot teleprompter for DSLRs helps your yap stay on track

Anyone trying to produce quality video is well aware of the difficulties behind editing hours of content down to that single morsel that will still flow well. The main culprit behind it all is simply forgetting lines, something easily solved with a teleprompter. Unfortunately, most are prohibitively expensive and therefore lock a large segment of individuals out of even thinking about the purchase.

It’s a shame that’s the case, because a teleprompter can dramatically increase the quality of video production almost instantly. Inventor Brigham Arce thought the same and created The Parrot teleprompter for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The product is a essentially a shrunken down teleprompter that uses a smartphone to help display text. It’s acrylic beam splitter mirror offers 70% light transmission and allows users to still read what they need to while the camera sees nothing. The Parrot and a lens adapter can both be purchased for $100. The product is expected to be shipped in May 2015 provided the campaign reaches its $30,000 goal.

Any product that can drastically reduce the price a lot of folks in the field would like to have but can’t afford will be a sure-fire hit. The product has a wide target market ranging from bloggers to video professionals, and its compatibility with most major smartphones negates the necessity for other expenses. And when users are done, they can use the Lumera to instantly share what they’ve created before they’ve dismantled the entire set-up.

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Connected Objects Imaging Video

ZANO drone zigs and zags, zooms upward from the palm of your hand

The drones we all know and love are usually large, intimidating machines that seem to be more a part of a Terminator movie than anything else. That’s why the recent trend of their miniaturization is a welcome thing.

Torquing Group’s ZANO continues that trend with its 6.5cm x 6.5cm, fits-in-the-palm-of-the-hand construction. The nano drone offers everything a larger drone can, from HD picture and video capture to a follow me mode, to ensure any high-action events can be captured. Its image stabilization ensures the moments are captured without the presence of blurring or anything else unsightly.

Smartphone tethering allows for gesture control, a back-to-user feature, and a free fly mode when users want full reign over the drone’s operation. Black and white options go for £149 (~$232), while a limited camouflage or glow-in-the-dark option are all available to interested backers, and currently go for £215 (~$335). The £125,000 (~$194,625) campaign is looking to have more ZANOs in the air by June 2015.

As previously mentioned, the ZANO is a reflection of the miniaturization of drones. Other products like the Anura or the Pocketcopter offer similar functionality, but with it are also burdened by a drone’s chief problem: battery life. The ZANO itself only lasts for 10-15 minutes before needing a battery swap, an impractical amount of time for anything other than short bursts of use, rendering something like a follow me mode pretty useless. Its size may be impressive, but users won’t be able to marvel for too long.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

Pico eases time lapses with or without a smartphone

Photographers have many tricks up their sleeves. One of the best is using time lapses to create beautiful images. This consists of taking lots of pictures within a short or long amount of time to capture shooting stars, thunder storms, sunsets or any other very quick or slow moving eye-catching event.

Pico makes it easy to create customized time lapses. The device plugs into your smartphone and then the free app makes it possible to schedule the number, frequency and exposure of desired shots. In addition, the app allows for bulb ramping which makes it possible to change the light for shots going from day to night. Once that’s done, plug Pico into the camera which will obey the program.

If a program is unnecessary, you can use Pico as a simple intervalometer. To do so, press down on Pico and count the number of beeps. Each beep equals one second. When that’s finished, the camera will continue shooting at the desired interval until Pico is unplugged.

Pico plugs into the camera with different cables available that are compatible with 300 different camera models. Plugging into the headphone jack means that Pico is compatible with any iOS or Android smartphones running current or recent software. In addition, this product has a battery life of eight years.

Many cameras have interval options available, but all are difficult to use. Photographers are forced to use little screens and buttons to make their programs, with few options available to them. Pico makes programming a cinch and is small enough to live in the camera bag all the time. It’s unclear if the app saves past programs. If it doesn’t, the creators may want to consider adding such a feature. Backers will need to donate $50 for this product with an estimated delivery date of July 2015. Pico is hoping to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter.

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Imaging Technology Video

Ghost Drone disappears, returns with a tap

More and more, drones are starting to be seen in everyday life, but the process continues to be slow. One of the main obstacles in adoption is how unfriendly most drones are to users, usually requiring assembly and presenting users with bulky RC controllers with a million and one buttons that have to be learned for proper control.

The team behind the Ghost Drone has focused primarily on usability instead, ditching the big RC remote for an Android app that allows for easier control. A single tap will launch the Ghost into the air, tapping locations on a map of an area will prompt it to travel to that point, and another button will command it to return and land. A micro-control mode will offer users more nuanced control when needed, but they’ll have to be careful as the drone offers no obstacle avoidance technology just yet.

The Ghost Drone is Go Pro compatible with the addition of an optional gymbal, or attachment on which to connect cameras and other peripherals. Its SDK, or software development kit, makes it extremely customizable as well. The product is another worthy attempt to bring drones to the forefront similar to what the Anura is doing, and does so while being extremely sleek. The $375 Ghost Drone is expected to ship in January 2015 provided its campaign reaches the $100,000 goal.

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Imaging

ProPalz enhances GoPro camera users’ extreme sense of humor

Using video to improve one’s game will do one of two things: it will either make one bitter or better. And better often includes bringing out one’s sense of humor. ProPalz may be able to help those who tend toward the extreme to take themselves less seriously when the stress and pressure to improve is on. The plush critters appear to serve a “duel” purpose in that they function both as a protective camera case and clip-mount. The padded case reduces shock during those extreme activities, and the clip camera mount offers the opportunity to attach the camera (while in the case) to a belt loop, back pack, golf club, guitar neck (or perhaps strap during performance), goal post, Harley handle bars or whatever one desires to make a ProPalz type of visual statement.

Of course, it might also work well for getting the kids to smile in videos, too. Other GoPro camera mounts that backers may want to check out include the Infinity Arm and SpinMount campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $6,500. For $100 backers get one product with an ambitious expected delivery of January 2015.

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Chargers/Batteries Imaging

SunnyBAG action case stores GoPro and charges it with solar energy

Any extreme daredevil knows that the best way to capture cool stunts is to use a GoPro camera. These cameras’ durability and versatility make them perfect to take to rivers, mountains, cliffs, jungles or any other daredevil-y place.

Up until now, GoPro cases have been rather lame compared to the cameras themselves. Introducing SunnyBAG: a GoPro case that not only protects these cameras wherever they may go, but also charges them. The case is covered with solar panels that soak up rays, turning them into battery life for the GoPro. In addition, the case can also charge smartphones, tablets, Google Glass, smartwatches and any other USB compatible device.

While the charging time for devices supported by SunnyBAG may be on the longer side, this case is still very interesting. It’s ideal for thrill seekers who spend the whole day on the move looking for the next piece of action. Backers can have their very own by April 2015 for $89, if SunnyBAG can meet its $30,000 goal on Indiegogo.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

Shake your Polaroid picture with the SnapJet instant smartphone printer

No matter what kinds of digital advances are made in photography, instant film will always have its place in our collective hearts. Its immediate nature along with the iconic shaking necessary to dry off a fresh picture will always see people trying to incorporate it alongside new technology rather than letting technology render it obsolete. In no other product is this more true than SnapJet.

SnapJet is a high-quality, open source printer that produces Polaroid images with the help of any smartphone. It’s extremely slim and therefore portable, and above all easy to use. Simply navigate to the desired picture on the smartphone, place it screen down onto the printer, and SnapJet will do the rest — no app, wires, or connection of any kind necessary. The only thing a user will need is widely available Polaroid 300 or Fuji Instax film. When the analog nature of a Polaroid won’t cut it, send high-quality prints using LifePrint instead. In any case, the $129 SnapJet is expected to ship in November 2015 if the campaign behind it reaches $155,000.

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Imaging

Lume Cube portable flash brightens up your selfie, illuminates environment

Those who love high quality photography are moving farther away from cameras and simply relying upon their smartphones for a great shot. The smartphone camera has come a long way, providing folks with control over focus, exposure, filters and more. However, there are still a few key ways these phone cameras lag behind digital or film cameras.

Lume Cube provides the kind of light that’s hard to find when using a smartphone camera. Each cube is 1.5” and provides up to 1,500 lumens. With a strong magnet on the back and powerful suction cup, each cube can be mounted at least somewhere for the perfect shot. Or use the tripod it comes with to stand it up. Boasting two hours of battery life and no recycle in between flashes, Lume Cube can easily be used for continuous use.

Best of all, though, is the fact that these cubes sync up via Bluetooth to any iPhone or Android with its accompanying app. The app allows up to five Lume Cubes to be used at once. It also allows for dimming and either sporadic flash for photo taking or a continual flash for videos. Last, but not least, each cube is encased in waterproof silicone making it durable for wherever a photograph may need to be taken.

The campaign does a fantastic job of showing backers just how powerful this light can be, with some nighttime action shots and a before and after selfie. Lume Cube clearly delivers what it boasts. The only drawback is that they’re a bit bulky. If its creators can flatten these cubes out so that they’re less, well, cube-y, then they’d be much more portable which is the whole point of shooting with a smartphone. Backers can have one for $59 by February 2015. Lume Cube is looking to raise $56,000 on Kickstarter.

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Imaging Video

Vela One delivers high-speed flash photography faster than you can blink

Being a photographer is an expensive gig, and treading into the waters of high speed photography, even more so. The equipment currently used to film those well-known shots of small events like water droplets falling and frogs jumping cost big money, so it’s not hard to see why it isn’t more prevalent. Matt Kane wasn’t a big fan of the excessive costs, and created the Vela One to make it more affordable to do quality high speed photography.

The Vela One does away with the need for a high-speed camera costing tens of thousands of dollars as an LED-based unit that packs one million units into a sturdy polycarbonate box. The Vela One is capable of pulses as short as 500 nanoseconds, 100 times faster than standard speed light flashes and fast enough to shoot a rifle bullet. Since the device isn’t based on high voltage sparks and doesn’t require dangerous equipment to operate, it’s so much more versatile and accessible. Photographers can combine the Vela One with the fps1000 for truly low-cost, quality shots, making the former practically necessary to most any photographer. A donation of £550 (~$856) will get backers a Vela One by May 2015 should the product reach its campaign goal of £25,000 (~$38,900).