![Ullu 20140104090127-assembled[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Ullu-20140104090127-assembled1-300x168.png)
Do you still care about 3D? Well, maybe your kid does. With the old ViewMaster toy in the back of his mind as his inspiration, the creator of Ullu has added a new dimension to your iPhone 5 photos and videos. The plastic viewer that clips onto the phone comes in multiple colors and allows you to view your photos and videos in 3D. The open sides also allow for easy browsing of pictures. Once you (or your kids) are done enjoying those special moments, the clever if chunky accessory folds down and becomes a protective case for your phone, differentiating it from similar products. For $89, a backer gets a complete product with an expected delivery of December 2014.
Tag: photography
The only drawback to a gorgeous sunny day is when you want to take pictures or shoot a video. The glare on the lens makes for muted colors and saturation. In response to the repressed photographer that likes to capture those picturesque moments with their mobile device’s camera, Shadei Sun Hood improves your outdoor shoot with portable shade that fits in your wallet or pocket and is compatible with most devices donning a camera. However, it is not hands-free in that it needs to be held in place by one finger on the finger adjust. Some assembly is required before you use it for the first time, and after that it folds down for easy toting. For $10 AUD a backer gets a complete product with an expected delivery of April 2014.
The Premise. With the right equipment and a combination of talent and practice, taking a beautiful photograph can become a true passion. Doing more with a camera however requires access to the kinds of utilities and professional-grade equipment that is uncommon and expensive. Even those who have truly great vision and artistic sensibilities can find it difficult to make their ideas into reality without the right tools.
The Product. Cinetics, makers of the previously Kickstartered CineMoco and CineSkates, has another unique tool for photographers everywhere: The Axis360. Designed to help automate panning, tilting, and sliding for photographers and keep shots steady even over long periods of time, the Axis360 acts almost like a construction set toy for a camera. The base tripod is designed to shoot panoramic scenes with variable speeds, but with more Axis360s and modular components, the same camera/product combo can also tilt vertically or even slide along a 32-inch track over time. These pieces can be combined in nearly any sensible fashion to capture the perfect video or series of photos.
The Pitch. With a series of technical and inspiring shots, Cinetics shows off the kind of product that a camera equipped with the Axis360 can provide. Showing off their experience in successful Kickstarter campaigns, the materials for the Axis360 are comprehensive, visually explaining how the different parts interact, and what illustrating just what each tier provides. A how-to video is also provided that shows how the control is used to set up the product to move in just the right way. Cinetics needs $75,000 to bring the Axis360 to market, complete with all of its specialized components.
The Perks. The basic, panning tripod Axis360 model will launch in May 2014 and is available to those who contribute $395 or more. Being able to use the tilting or sliding functions requires additional modular components, which are gradually offered at higher tiers. The $1,495 tier comes with enough Axis360 modules and all of the available add-ons to allow photographers to make full use of the equipment.
The Potential. Based on Cinetics’s past history with crowdfunding, it’s a safe bet that photographers and videographers will be eager to get their hands on the Axis360. It may be a little much to expect to see it on the average store shelf with standard equipment, but the modular features make it essential for those that are truly passionate about professional quality time-lapse photography or video to order these once they become available.
The Premise. We love taking photos of our kids, and, with the transition from wallet to smartphone, immense photo storage has encouraged child-centered bragging to hit an all-time high. But it’s hard to show off images of your baby which are blurry because he wouldn’t sit still or just okay because she’s decided every other object in the room is more interesting than a camera lens.
The Product. The Looky Loo Light tricks babies and small children into liking photography by distracting and inspiring them to look directly at the lens, in most cases improving the subject’s interaction with the camera. It’s comprised of a set of four blinking, colored LED lights on a Velcro band which can attach to the lens hood of a DSLR. The flashing lights tend to dominate the child’s attention, so that in most cases her body is positioned toward the camera and a head-on shot looking directly (or almost directly) into the lens can be achieved. There are three light settings, three different sound settings, and even adjustments you can make to the brightness of the lights – handy for transitioning from indoor and outdoor shooting.
The Pitch. In a four-minute video which is one part product pitch and three parts blooper reel, pro photographer and chief Looky Looer Allison Carenza tells us that she specializes in shooting children’s portraits and explains what inspired the idea. Realizing that her “tools” for taking children’s portraits were increasingly looking more like children’s toys and less like camera accessories, she decided to make something that would lessen the burden of entertainment, freeing her to more easily capture fantastic shots when they came. Allison explains to backers that she needs to raise $50,000 to pay for a small initial Looky Loo Light production, which she has determined will occur in the U.S. While the page lacks any type of demonstrative content in installing Looky Loo onto your camera lens, it does identify two achievements in 2013 – winner of the “Dream Big” and “Most Innovative Inventions of 2013” awards.
The Perks. For 25 early birds, pledges of $150 will earn a backer reward of one black Looky Loo Light along with a Looky Loo t-shirt. Kickstarter and Standard editions offer the same reward for $199 and $249 respectively, and backers who want a limited edition color will commit to funding the project at $299. All Looky Loos are expected to ship in August.
The Potential. While no doubt a useful product for Allison’s application, it’s difficult to say how easily Looky Loo may be adopted by the general public. Many new parents certainly choose to invest in a DSLR, but that is a purchase expected to last a number of years. While Looky Loo may be successful in creating easier “head-on” portraits of children less than a year old, it would be important to understand how much longer a child has before becoming desensitized. All toys get old and uninteresting after awhile –ask Andy and Buzz. It’s not a very practical accessory to have to tote around in terms of size and it’s unclear whether Looky Loo can be used simultaneously with an external flash, or whether light from the LEDs are negatively effecting the image.
The Premise. To get that perfect shot, serious photographers rarely rely on just a camera in their hands. Any photographer’s assistant can tell you that there’s plenty of ancillary equipment like tripods, beauty dishes, extra lenses and external flashes that needs to be lugged around. But sometimes one needs to lug a little less.
The Product. Flekt is a diffuser that works with the built-in flash on your DSLR in order to eliminate the need for a much larger piece of equipment. Photographers use diffusers to prevent the harsh contrast of dark shadows common when using a flash. The accessory attaches to your DSLR via a magnetic piece called a Magattach inserted into the camera’s hot shoe. Light is then redirected by the reflector onto the Flekt attachment with a white, silver or gold reflector. The purpose of Flekt is to give professional photographers and advanced amateurs a way to achieve studio-quality lighting using just the camera’s pop-up flash, eliminating the need for other equipment. One can bend the shape of Flekt to create some variety in its lighting effect.
The Pitch. Flekt’s inventor, Preston Vance, and partner Max Beach present the concept of Flekt and explain the details that went into the product’s design. Preston explains that he hired 10 photographers to give him feedback on the initial beta version in order to refine later product designs. While Flekt is the first in this product line, Preston’s ultimate vision is to have the photography community design attachments and reflectors which will then be created by his team.
Reading the rest of the campaign page, you’ll see that Flekt has been seven years in the making and that the founders are looking to raise $70,000. Other tidbits include sample photos and a few gifs which show how easily the system comes together. In a bold move, the site compares an image taken with an iPhone to an image taken with Flekt on a DSLR. While not really comparing apples to apples, it does capture the potential of image quality the product versus the common alternative.
The Perks. Material rewards for Flekt backers start at $65, which nets 150 early birds a Flekt system with the white reflector coating. From there, options continue to $150, which provides backers with the entire Flekt system including all three audaciously named reflector coatings – Lambertian White, Silver Exciter and Gold Exciter. If the project meets funding goals estimated, delivery of the systems will be September – October 2014.
The Potential. Several camera accessory brands have versions of pop-up diffusers, but Flekt is unique in that it offers a full system of interchangeable reflectors and was designed with several camera brands in mind. The photog community will likely put Flekt through a variety of tests to understand whether the innovation truly stands up in terms of image quality. The flip side is, that if Flekt passes the test, it will likely be eagerly embraced. What Flekt has going for it is its portability, simplicity and versatility.
The Premise. Photography is all about getting the shot, but what about when that shot puts your camera in perilous danger? And what if you wanted to take your camera somewhere a tripod wouldn’t balance? There are many tripods on the market, but few offer versatility to grip onto a wide range of surfaces.
The Product. The Triflex is a triple-legged device that attaches to your camera. The legs are easily manipulated and can grip onto a variety of shaped objects. The flexibility of the Triflex allows for precise adjustment of camera angles, and the developer touts the exceptional ability of the legs to hold onto whatever you choose to wrap them around.
The Pitch. This campaign’s home video isn’t anything spectacular, but it does have a wholesome vibe to it. The designer of the product does the voiceover and the videography, which means he obviously trusts his own product. The “maybe-try-this-at-home” moment comes when he even attaches the camera to his in-laws’ moving ceiling fan to show how well it can resist centrifugal force.
The Perks. Triflex is a product that allows a photography to really take control of the shot and not have to fear they’re going to lose their camera. The Triflex, due to ship in March of 2015, goes for $25. There’s a $10 fee for a Go Pro adapter although that’s pretty standard.
The Potential. Even with the slowdown in the digital camera market, accessories like the Triflex have appeal because they can also be used with smartphones that people definitely want to protect. The main competition is from the Joby Gorillapod and similar products that can support beefier cameras, but the Triflex’s longer appendages should give it the leg up in many instances.