Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
How would you like to take digital photos with your old 35mm camera? I’m Back is a device that promises to “bring back to life” the feel of vintage cameras, but in the digital form.
With I’m Back, you can use your old film camera, but with the focusing screen in the place of the film roll. The photo is created on a camera module located behind the camera body and saved on an SD memory card.
Sliders are one of the best tools to come along for those who want to add some interest to their video and timelapse sequences. They come in all shapes and sizes, and many of us own one. I own three. What I don’t have, though, is a good small motorised slider. That’s where Rhino Camera Gear’s new ROV slider hopes to fit in.
Rhino are no newcomers to sliders or timelapse gear, yet the new product is being launched through Kickstarter. And it sees some pretty good early bird deals, too, with backers able to acquire their own ROV slider for as low as $229. It looks like a neat piece of kit. Definitely handy for throwing in your backpack for those impromptu timelapses while out with your phone.
Thanks to companies like Fujifilm and Impossible, instant photos are well and truly back, and they’re here to stay. While the Polaroid concept has always been quite popular, Fuji’s range of Instax cameras & films have proven to be extremely successful. Many photographers I know have one. For behind the scenes snaps, or just fun shots while doing things with friends, they love them.
Now, Lomography want in on some of that action. They’ve just announced the new LomoInstant. A fully analogue instant camera designed specifically for use with Fuji Instax instant film. The first fully analogue camera of its type that accepts Instax film.
The idea of streaming liveview from your phone to your camera is not a new one. I’ve been doing it over USB and WiFi now with my Nikon DSLRs to qDslrDashboard for a while now. Other solutions, such as the TetherTools Case Relay. But, both of these systems are quite limited. You have to have one of a set list of specific cameras, for a start.
This device, called LukiLink, though, actually gives your phone HDMI capture abilities. So, you can use it with any camera that has an HDMI output. You can use it to monitor, record, and even live stream your DSLR, mirrorless or other camera’s output. The product is currently about a third funded on Kickstarter with 23 days to go. But if it can deliver on its promise, it looks fantastic.
If you’ve ever wanted to bring together the quality of the DSLR and the spontaneity of an instant camera, C.P. Goerz joins them in Citograph 35mm f/8 lens. The lens is always in focus, and it’s aimed to “put the ‘Insta’ back into Instagram.” and “bring the spontaneity back to photography while maintaining the highest standards of photo creation.”
Pinhole photography has had an interesting life. It started off as the most basic fundamental way to capture an image. Despite becoming “obsolete” as lens technology developed, it’s still one of the first types of camera often taught to kids learning photography. They make their own from scratch and then go out and shoot with it. It’s photography at its most simple.
In the digital age, pinhole photography has started to make something of a comeback. Some make their own pinholes, while others buy modified DSLR body caps online. The Thingyfy Pinhole Pro, though, really takes pinhole photographer to the extreme. What makes it unique, and pretty cool, is that it features a variable aperture, with pinhole sizes ranging from 0.1 to 0.8mm in diameter.
Do you recall Flag? The app that wanted to take your photos and print them for free, funded by advertising on the reverse of the photo? If you do remember it, it’s likely that you were one of its Kickstarter backers. If you don’t, you’re forgiven. January 2014, when Flag launched its first Kickstarter campaign, was a while back. And it hasn’t exactly been delivering on its intended business model of ad-supported photos for free, and disrupting the photo-printing industry, since then, either.
So why am I writing about it, you might ask? The company hasn’t delivered anything and three Kickstarter campaigns and an unsuccessful Shark Tank pitch later it drifts on in a zombie-like state of unfulfilled promises, disgruntled backers, and belligerent entrepreneurs. Think of it as a cautionary tale.
I don’t know when mounting strobes the wrong way around inside softboxes became a thing. But, apparently it is. More mysterious than the “when”, though is the “why?”. The Shwop is a new product on Kickstarter that lets you do exactly this, though. Reverse mount a strobe inside a softbox.
They do list a few benefits of working this way on the campaign page, although I’m not entirely convinced. Putting me off even further is the fact that what essentially amounts to a fancy flash bracket costs more than the strobes it holds.
You do see some strange things popping up on Kickstarter. This one doesn’t launch for another 17 days or so, but I think it definitely qualifies as a little strange. It’s the TriLens Holder from a company called Frii. On first glance, it might seem quite useful. A neat new idea that could be a valuable time saver if you’re shooting something like a wedding or other event.
You’re not going to be using the same lens all day, and you want to have your other go-to lenses close at hand. It is actually a pretty neat idea, although not a new one. It’s a lot like the Lens Flipper, except it holds three lenses instead of two. And it also attaches to your belt instead of using a strap or attaching to a backpack. But that’s a lot of weight tugging on your pants all day.
A new interesting project has been launched on Kickstarter, and vintage camera fans might like it. Meet Jollylook: a simple folding instant camera made entirely from recycled paper and cardboard. When you fold it, it takes no more room than a smartphone box. It’s a mechanical camera with no electronic components whatsoever. Just cardboard, paper, a pair of lenses and a plastic cartridge for instant mini photos. It’s more environmentally friendly than the packaging of a regular camera, as it uses less material and it’s all recyclable or recycled. And it gives you instant results using Instax mini film.
You can find out more about John on his website or follow him on Facebook and YouTube.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
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