If you find that the flash on your mobile phone simply isn't cutting it anymore, take a look at The Kick Light? Described as "a super customizable light studio that fits in your pocket" the Kick Light is a panel of LED lights that can attach to your iPhone (or be used separately), and can apparently display any color in a brightness of a user's choice.
You know those iconic minimalist product photos for Apple gadgets? Have you ever wondered about how they're shot and who shoots them?
One of the people behind the photos is San Francisco-based photographer Peter Belanger. The video above is a behind-the-scenes look into how Belanger photographed the iPhone 3GS for a 2009 issue of Macworld magazine.
As more and more consumers use their smartphones as their primary camera, camera gear manufacturers have been brainstorming new products designed to mount phones to camera tripods. Universal mounts to this point have largely been focused on ways of gripping the phone securely. The JackPod is a new stupidly simple answer to how to get phones mounted to tripods: it uses the standard headphone jack found on pretty much every smartphone on the market.
Check out this DSLR Paparazzi lamp, created by Spanish design studio Monoculo Design Studio. It's a wooden hanging lamp that's shaped like a gigantic Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 camera lens.
Here's another curious photography-related novelty item for those of you looking to fill your house with them (i.e. those of you who purchased the lens shaped vacuum cleaner and lens-shaped humidifier that we featured recently): it's a lens shaped pepper mill.
Lens-shaped coffee mugs and vacuum flasks (the proper name for the Thermos) have become a hot novelty item in the world of photography over the past couple of years, and Leica wants a piece of the action. Two weeks ago, a Leica-branded coffee mug was spotted on eBay, and now it appears that the strange product will be hitting store shelves at brick-and-mortar Leica retail locations.
About this time last year, a startup named Satarii released the original Swivl: a nifty little motion tracking dock for your smartphone. Meant for shooting video and video conferencing, the dock would follow your every move by keeping a remote tracking marker in frame.
At the time we speculated that if the Swivl was successful, Satarii would probably go on to manufacture something compatible with larger cameras. We also mentioned that, paired with a remote shutter release, the Swivl could become a useful tool for still photographers. Not that we're taking credit or anything, but it seems Satarii were listening; this week the company announced two new, beefier, tablet- and DSLR-compatible Swivls.
Of all the photography-related novelty products we've seen so far, this one has to be one of the most bizarre. It's a hand-held vacuum cleaner designed to look just like a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR lens. The device can draw its power from either the cigarette lighter socker in your car or the USB port on your computer.
If you've ever had to take traditional camera straps on and off your camera, you probably know how annoying the task is. Peak Design, makers of the Capture camera clip system, wants to change the way people think about and use straps. The company has unveiled a new strap called the Leash, a versatile accessory that can take on different configurations and be used for multiple purposes.
ClearViewer is the compact camera's equivalent of a DSLR viewfinder attachment. It's a folding high-diopter lens that lets you use your compact camera's LCD screen as an electronic viewfinder by putting your eye less than 2 inches away from the screen. This lets you see fine details in the shot, make precise manual focus adjustments, and avoid the problem of glare.
Last year, we wrote about Poladarium, a tear-off calendar that inspires you with a new Polaroid picture every day. Now, for roughly the same price, you can create one that features your own photographs. Instagram printing company Printstagram has launched a new calendar product that allows you to turn your Instagram photo stream into a beautiful stack of 365 8.5x7cm "Polaroid" pictures.
360° interactive photographs of products are a great way for online merchants to increase their conversion rates -- people apparently feel more comfortable buying things if they can see what it looks like all the way around -- but creating those views can be a pain. Enter RotaryView's new CupChair, a simple app that greatly simplifies the process by taking care of most of the steps for you.
The bean bag is a tool that photographers sometimes use to stabilize their camera. Plop it down on a …
If you’re as passionate about cooking and baking as you are about photography, then the GAMAGO Telephoto Kitchen Lens …
Want to enjoy your favorite Instagram feeds through a picture frame on your wall or desk? Instacube is a product designed for you. Created by design group D2M, the Android-powered frame is completely designed around viewing and interacting with Instagram photographs.
There are a number of products out there that make child photography more child friendly by distracting the kid …
Light Up Your Memories is a concept product by designers Hwang Youn Ha, Kim Min Jeong, Cha Yoon Suk …
HandiZoom is a new camera accessory that adds a special grip to your DSLR that allows you to hold and use it like a camcorder. The device adds ENG-style zoom controls by connecting directly with the zoom ring on your camera lens. Videographers who've transitioned to DSLR shooting may feel much more at home with their hand around an ergonomic grip and a zoom rocker under their fingertips.
Last year MIT grad Justin Jensen raised nearly half a million bucks through Kickstarter to launch CineSkates, a camera slider system that adds wheels to GorillaPod Focus tripods. Now Jensen and his startup Cinetics are back again with a new product called CineSquid, which provides a strong suction cup mount system rather than wheels. This allows cameras to be mounted onto things like cars, boats, and even airplanes.
Say hello to the latest item in the PetaPixel Store: the Instant Photo Pendant Necklace! This beautiful pendant is designed to look exactly like a 1-inch tall Polaroid picture. Insert your favorite 0.8-inch square photos through a slot in the side, and keep it safe and snug with a clear plastic square (included). The copper and iron pendant is coated with white and comes with a silver-colored 18-inch chain. Buy one while supplies last for just $10 from our store (shipping is free for US residents).
This giant film roll packs a roll of toilet paper instead of photographic film. It’s refillable, and can be …
Zoom creep is what happens when gravity causes your lens to zoom in or out due to it being …
Today, we're excited to introduce our new Camera Stickers: cute little stickers based on the awesome pixel illustrations of designer Billy Brown. The stickers are printed on durable and tear-proof PVC plastic. 91 stickers per sheet, and 3 sheets -- 273 stickers total -- cost just $5 with free shipping within the US! You can buy them over in our store.
There hasn't been much activity in the PetaPixel Store since we launched the Leica Look-Alike skins in September 2010, but today that changes -- we're pleased to announce the new Polaroid Picture Frame and Mirror! It's an awesome picture frame for your desk that looks just like Polaroid 600 instant film, and when there isn't a photo inside it doubles as a mirror.
Editor's note: This is the second interview we've done with Haje. The first was back in 2010 regarding his blog Photocritic.org
Haje Jan Kamps is the entrepreneur behind the Triggertrap and the blogger behind Photocritic.org.
PetaPixel: Can you tell quickly describe the Triggertrap for people who haven't heard of it yet?
Haje Jan Kamps: Triggertrap is an universal camera trigger. It's "universal", because it's designed to connect just about any trigger source to nearly any camera. Right now, we're supporting more than a hundred camera models, but we're adding new cameras to our Supported Cameras list all the time.
The device has a sound and light sensor built in, and it can do linear and non-linear time-lapses. I'm most excited about the auxiliary port, though, which enables users to connect nearly anything they want to the device. One reader suggested connecting it to the final buzzer they use at basketball games, to take a photo of the state of play just when the buzzer sounds -- what a great idea!
If you love the fact that IKEA furniture is cheap and easy to put together, but hate the fact …
iPhoneography (i.e. iPhone photography) is exploding in popularity, and undoubtedly many people jumping into the craze will want to …
I don’t know about you, but if it weren’t for the protective case on my smartphone, it would have …
You know how you can never manage to frame people properly when taking self-portraits of you and your …
The LoopIt is a new camera sling by Luma designed to be smaller, lighter, and more affordable than the Luma Loop. Both slings use a lanyard and connector that slide along the camera strap and connect to cameras via any available strap mount point. The push-to-release swivels are manufactured at the same factory that invented the swivel used by the US military, with tolerances that supposedly exceed the ones used in combat.
These pastel baby box cameras are perfect for any party where photography enthusiasts are present. Etsy seller …
Carry around your business cards, cash and/or plastic in style with this nifty …
Remember the awesome Leica M9 iPhone 4 skin that we featured back in August? If you desperately wanted one, today is your lucky day -- we've created our own and it's for sale in the PetaPixel Store for $13 with free shipping within the US!
The super detailed plastic skin is designed to protect your iPhone 4 while making it look just like a Leica rangefinder camera.
Sony just announced a new video camera that's quite a worthy challenger to the Flip Video. The Bloggie Touch replaces the original Bloggie video camera and boasts a much sleeker design (dropping the swiveling LCD), a 3-inch touchscreen, 4 to 8 GB of internal memory, 1080p HD video recording, and 12.8 megapixel photographs. Like the Flip, it's designed for quick and easy photos and videos on the go, and can connect to computers via a built-in USB connector.
Apparently babies can't resist a good checkboard pattern. ShutterBuddy is a camera attachment that surrounds your camera or lens with a checkerboard pattern, causing babies to stare uncontrollably at your camera (whether in fear or fascination, we have no idea). You can order your own for $15 through the ShutterBuddy website, or you can spend some time creating a do-it-yourself version by printing out or drawing your own checkboard pattern.
We here at PetaPixel are pleased to announce the new Photographers Rights Gray Card Set, a nifty accessory that can help you remember your rights and educate others if you're ever confronted while shooting.
Hatcams are a new line of custom baseball caps that have an industry …
The Cloak Bag is a minimalistic camera bag with a pretty unique feature: …
If for some reason you're against carrying extra batteries around for your digital camera, then this might be just the gadget for you. YoGen is a human powered charger that generates power when you pull on the lawnmower-style ripcord.
Here's yet another interesting camera accessory that might make a good present this Christmas season.
Back in April of 2007, Udi Tirosh over at DIYPhotography wrote an article describing how to customize your bokeh using a paper cutout in front of your lens. That do-it-yourself project was so successful that Udi has now turned it into a camera accessory you can purchase.