Pocket-sized instant cameras don’t have the best results professionals can rely upon, but these do have their own market. So, whether you like the compactness of the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 or the cuteness of the Polaroid Go camera, you’re in the domain where love for instant cameras is paramount. To toil your senses further, an artist has revealed a fresh new design to the already exciting and charming Polaroid Go with its special edition concept.
I am a big fan of Polaroid cameras; they have for generations been the go-to instant cameras and their film quality has been above par for their credit. Family and friends have captured memories on the fly using an ultra-compact instant Polaroid camera that in recent generations, especially with the Go edition, is white and amiable. It pleases the eye and the photography enthusiast in one portable design that has gone through drastic makeover through the years.
The most exciting new Polaroid Go has proven its stance in the instant camera market. It comes for an affordable $99.99 and fits in the palm of the hand to snapshots with point and shoot convenience. It’s a standout feature in the selfie mirror on the viewfinder, which can be used to align well for a perfect selfie before the self-timer kicks in.
The Polaroid Go is already equipped with standout features like double exposure, a selfie timer, and a throwback design that rekindles the nostalgia for Polaroid cameras of yesteryears. Designer JK Captain who is already reckoned for his retro-futuristic computer from the Loki series, believes the white plastic-bodied Polaroid Go featuring splashes of color, has some scope for improvement.
To present an idea Polaroid would want to look at closely, the designer has added a manual focus lens right below the company’s signature rainbow stipe logo for more precise focusing and better low-light photography. The portable camera is provided with three colorful buttons for Exposure, Timing, and Autofocus, alongside the zoom in, zoom out buttons. The overall design scheme from the Polaroid Go remains the same, however, the ingenious additions will make the Polaroid Go special edition create some ripples in the instant camera industry.
If there’s one thing that’s absolutely clear this year… it’s that retro is definitely making a comeback. From retro music being revisited in TikTok reels to old movies getting remakes and sequels (I meant the Matrix; there are no Spiderman spoilers in this house), people are increasingly appreciating the vintage, the old, the classic. I only hope that this trend works for tech too because there’s truly something beautifully simple about technology from the years gone by.
Take cameras, for instance. The most popular camera (the one on your phone) is also the most complex one. From its ridiculously tiny hardware to its incredibly complex underlying software, the camera in your pocket might be tiny but it’s far from simple. Retro cameras, on the other hand, were designed to be easy to understand, repair, and reuse. It’s no wonder that you could restore a camera from the 40-50s today and it would still work like a charm! Meet Woodsum, a camera that champions this very simplicity. Designed to work without batteries, the Woodsum camera captures images on a 35mm reel of film. It uses a pinhole lens instead of those fragile glass lenses… and it’s a device so simple, you could literally build it yourself. In fact, Woodsum comes absolutely unassembled and your first photography project is, in fact, to build the camera!
Entirely made from laser-cut pieces of wood that you assemble together, the camera comes complete with a pinhole lens, shutter, viewfinder, film-holder and winder, camera grip, a tripod mount, and even an eyelet to tie your camera-hanging leash around! It uses no lenses (thanks to the pinhole construction) and works completely without batteries or electrical components.
The Woodsum looks and functions exactly as an analog camera would. Press the shutter button down and the shutter opens to let light onto the film. You can manually control exposure by holding the shutter button for as long as you want. Get your hands on a tripod and the Woodsum camera can work in low-light settings without a flash too – just expose the film for longer! The pinhole lens allows for some eerily beautiful color pictures that have a true vintage feel (something you’d find in obscure Instagram filters), and the overall process helps you understand the basic tenets of photography, like aperture, exposure, shutter speed. It also looks like a wonderful vintage camera, with a solid build thanks to the laser-cut wood, and possesses the rare IKEA-esque feature of actually encouraging people to build out their own gadgets from scratch, so they love and cherish them even more! A perfect camera for shutterbugs, hipsters, analog-lovers, curious learners, and DIY enthusiasts, the Woodsum camera comes in 3 different retro colors to choose from!
If your loved one is into action sports, filmmaking or photography, a camera or accessory would be a highly appreciated gift, to say the least. And there’s never been a better time to own a new camera, as the latest technology will let them take better photos and video than ever. It can be difficult to know where to start, though, with all the camera models out there, let alone the numerous accessories like backpacks, memory cards, tripods and more. Fortunately, we’ve done all the research and found cameras at a wide range of prices, along with accessories that will help your giftee get the most out of their gear.
Canon EOS R10
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
Though it just came out, Canon’s EOS R10 is near the top of the list for desirable camera gifts, thanks to a mix of great handling and strong performance. It has a nice big grip and generous controls, so it’s easy to change commonly used settings. It can shoot bursts at up to 23 fps, and the eye- and face-detect autofocus is powerful enough to keep up. Video is solid too, with up to 4K 60p resolution, 10-bit color and super slow-mo (1080p at 120 fps). It also comes with a flip-out display and built-in flash. The main drawback is the lack of in-body stabilization.
The Hero 11 is GoPro’s most refined action camera yet, so it’s guaranteed to please any adventurous folks on your gift list. It now comes with a 27-megapixel sensor, offering a significant bump over the previous 23-megapixel chip. With that, you get the highest resolution video of any action camera (5K 60p and 4K 120p), with 10-bit color across the board. It also has a faster f/1.9 aperture. The higher resolution enables the horizon-leveling feature that keeps things steady when the camera tilts, on top of GoPro’s class-leading HyperSmooth stabilization, now in its fifth generation. You probably don’t need to update if you’re coming from a Hero 9 or 10, but it’s far and away the best option otherwise.
Sony’s A7 IV is a follow up to the immensely popular A7 III, and would be guaranteed to please any photographer for Christmas. Resolution is up over the last model to 33 megapixels and image quality is much improved overall. And video is finally on par with rivals as well, with 4K at up to 60 fps and high, billion-color 10-bit quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job correcting camera shake. The biggest drawbacks are rolling shutter that limits the use of the electronic shutter and the relatively high price.
Panasonic’s GH5 II is an update and not an overhaul of the original GH5, but it’s still the best value in a mirrorless camera for video – and a great gift for a videographer. New features include improved stabilization, 10-bit color for 4K 60p video, All-I capture, PD charging via USB-C and new video streaming options. The drawback is the continuous video autofocus that’s not up to par with rivals, but it’s better than before. For around $1,700, it costs less and delivers more than most rival cameras.
Having a good fluid-head tripod is a must for shooting video, but they can get quite expensive. For a gift that won’t break the bank, Libec’s TH-X is a great choice. It can handle cameras up to 9 pounds, and includes a sliding plate that makes it easy to balance your camera. It offers smooth tilting and panning, easy leveling, a quick-release plate and 2-stage legs. It weighs just 3.1 KG and best of all, costs only around $200.
One of the most useful accessories out there for vlogger on your Santa list are Joby’s famous mini-tripods, and the best one for the money is the GorillaPod 3K. Attaching your camera couldn’t be easier thanks to the secure clip-in mounting plate with a built-in level. And the flexible legs let you set your camera anywhere to shoot, or even wrap it around a tree or other object. And of course, you can bend them out for the ideal vlogging angle and steady out your shooting, to boot. Best of all, you can now pick one up at Amazon for just $45, a bargain for such a versatile tool.
The ProTactic 350 AW II from Lowepro is a versatile camera backpack that makes a great gift for any photographer. It’s comfortable whether you’re doing a shoot across town, in the middle of nowhere or in another country, and spacious enough for a generous amount of photo or video gear. Lowepro claims you can carry a Pro DSLR and 24-70mm zoom, plus eight extra lenses or flash units, along with an additional DSLR and 13-inch laptop. It’s also modular, with adjustable dividers, removable straps and multiple pockets.
With its rugged, practical design, Peak Design’s Everyday Messenger Bag is an ideal gift for adventurous or photo-shooting loved ones. It’s built with a lightweight yet durable 100-percent waterproof recycled 400D shell with the ingenious Flexfold dividers in the main storage area. It also offers a pair of zipped pockets, two elastic side pockets and a compartment big enough for a 13- to 15-inch laptop. I own one myself and find it practical both for work and daily activities, letting me fit a camera, lens and laptop along with my wallet and keys. It’s not the cheapest bag out there at $230, but your Dad won’t have to buy another for a good long while.
If you’re not interested in paying for Adobe’s subscription services, the best video editing software gift idea is Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 18 app. It gives users two ways to edit, with a Cut mode for quick projects and Edit for more advanced videos. Plus, you get Resolve’s well-known color correcting tools, the Fairlight audio editor, along with the Fusion graphics and compositing system – everything needed to deliver a project.
A good light is an awesome tool in your favorite photographer or videographer’s arsenal, and a relatively affordable gift to boot. One of the best all-around models is the Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED Panel. It weighs just 4.8 ounces, but offers dimmable lighting across a range of colors, with adjustments either on the fixture or via a smartphone app. It mounts on any wall or light stand via a magnet or quarter-inch threads, has cordless operation and a battery that runs for 1.5 hours at full power (charged via USB). The most interesting feature is special effects that range from a cop car’s flashing lights, flames, candlelights, a lightning storm and more.
If the vlogger in your life doesn’t already have one, Rode’s wireless and shotgun microphones are solid, affordable gifts. The VideoMic Go is ideal for interviews and run-and-gun shooting, thanks to the crisp directional audio and relative ease of use. It comes with a shock mount to eliminate bumps or vibrations that could interfere with sound and doesn’t require a battery, unlike past Rode models. Meanwhile, Rode’s Wireless Go II is one of the most popular wireless lavalier mics out there, functioning as both a microphone (for up to two subjects) and wireless transceiver. It offers a reliable connection and good audio quality, or you can maximize clarity by connecting external 3.5mm microphones like Rode’s $80 Lavalier Go, the Sennheiser Pro Audio ME2 or others.
There’s no point in buying your favorite photographer UHS-I cards anymore when faster UHS-II models can be found at nearly the same price. That’s the case with Lexar’s 64GB or 128GB 1667x V60 UHS-II cards, available at just $33 and $50, respectively. While not as fast as a top-of-the-line 2000x card, you still get faster read and write speeds (250 MB/s and 120MB/s) than any UHS-I card for a fraction of the price. If speed is of the essence, then SanDisk’s top-end V90 cards with 300MB/s read and 260MB/s write speeds can be found for $80 and $150, respectively.
Many new camera models these days, including the Panasonic GH6, Fujifilm X-H2, Canon EOS R3 and EOS R5, along with others include CFexpress Type B slots that are multiple times faster than SD UHS-II cards. Prograde’s Type B Gold with 1700 MB/s read and 1500 MB/s write speeds are a good value, available in 128GB and 256GB versions for $100 and $140 respectively. And if even more speed is required for 8K or RAW capture, ProGrade also offers the 165GB and 325GB Type B Cobalt versions compatible with 8K and RAW on the EOS R5 for $180 and $450, respectively.
Nothing ups video production value like a camera slider for doing “dolly” moves, and one of the most affordable and gift-friendly models is Edelkrone’s SliderOne V2. It’s relatively lightweight and small at just 20 centimeters (8 inches), so it’s portable enough to fit in a camera bag. It offers smooth operation that’s easily programmable from a smartphone, and works nicely with other Edelkrone products like the HeadONE motorized panning system.
No matter how advanced photography tech may get, there’s something about an actual physical camera and the fact that it always reigns supreme. We’ve reached a point where most of us use our smartphones to to click photographs and record videos! I mean, they are extremely accessible and easy to use. But anyone who owns a real deal hardcore camera – knows that the true joy of photography lays in this one gadget. They always take the utmost care of their precious camera, after all it is their most prized possession! However, cameras these days are going beyond the usual and quintessential DSLRs. They’re getting more innovative, savvy, and futuristic! And, we’ve curated a whole collection of unique camera designs to satisfy all the photography lovers out there. From DJI’s latest action camera that perfectly replaces the GoPro to a minimal digital camera for globe trotters – this wide range of camera designs is perfect for all kinds of photographers!
What the Action 2 gets right with its design isn’t just the camera (after all, DJI’s cameras are pretty fantastic to begin with) but rather how the camera is operated. The company designed an exhaustive list of modules, holders, and even accessories to go with their camera, all of which affix themselves to the Action 2 using an incredibly powerful set of magnets (a la MagSafe). The modules simply snap on or snap off, and give you a variety of use-cases, from being able to hold the camera in your hand, fix it to your chest/arm/head, attach it to your helmet, handlebar, or dashboard, place it on a steady surface, or even go underwater with it. If there’s a place you could take your Action 2, or an activity you could conduct with your Action 2… DJI’s thought of it and designed a module/accessory for it.
The Mi Action 360 overall champions a rather ‘less is more’ aesthetic. The two-button interface aside the camera’s body also has a battery level indicator, an in-built microphone, and two tripod mounts that let you hook your action camera onto tripods, selfie sticks, or a host of other mount-compatible accessories. It doesn’t match up to the DJI Action Cam’s magnetic mounting system, which I’ve declared my love for pretty publicly. That being said, the Mi Action 360’s core capabilities are entirely different, and judging by the size of the lens, this little bad boy should quite easily be able to capture 360° HDRI images in 4K, which would make for great immersive VR content. It’s a shame this camera’s just a concept… although here’s hoping that an exec at Xiaomi sees this design.
This smart camera has a powerful performance quotient – courtesy of the crossed section of closed lens that hide from plain sight in a series of plastic casings that move independently. Depending on the shot being taken, the lenses can be swapped with the push of a button. A telephoto for taking a portrait shot or a wide lens for shooting panoramic landscapes on a golden sun bathed evening. The viewfinder can rotate in 180 degrees direction for portrait shots or 90 degrees for a wide shot without moving the camera instead. The functionality is also kept to the bare minimum to let you focus on capturing memories. The flash intensity is controlled via the large wheel, while the positional switches lend the option to toggle between colored or monochrome photos or videos.
To make the instant camera appealing to this new wave of ‘content creators’, Polaroid debuted the Now+, an i-Type camera that comes with a slew of features that upgrade the instant camera experience with filters, lenses, art-styles, and a remote shutter feature through Polaroid’s own smartphone app. The snap-on lens kit features multiple tinted lenses as well as a ‘starburst’ lens for more vivid shots. The Now+ even comes with autofocus capabilities (a feature that was also built into its predecessor, the Now) and extensive creative control thanks to the accompanying Polaroid app. The app lets you adjust the camera’s aperture for either crisp, clear shots, or bokeh-filled low DoF images, while the camera intelligently handles the exposure to give you the best shot.
Weaver’s design focuses more on shock-value than actual physics or aerodynamics, which is precisely what makes the Jupiter drone concept fun to analyze from a design sense. The drone’s strange shape almost gives it the appearance of an all-seeing eyeball that levitates around everywhere, and according to Weaver’s visualizations, it’s the kind of drone you’d use to film the action around you – thanks to the presence of dual fisheye 4K cameras that can capture in 360°. It comes with the battery mounted on the top (weighing a commendable 400g) and has sensors at the bottom that detect proximity, allowing it to nail the landing – because without any bumpers or feet, the Jupiter can only take-off and land on your palm. The fact that the outer shell protects the internal propeller so well makes it perfect for this, as well as acting as a general buffer as the drone flies around filming the world around you!
Meet the NOTIC, a camera concept that takes instant photography to the next level. While most instant cameras are a mere two-step effort – clicking and printing (or developing if you’re pedantic), NOTIC adds a third intermediary step that lets you customize your photos before they print. The camera’s built-in stylus lets you doodle on your photos, adding notes, emojis, sketches, etc. to give your photo a more heartfelt, personal touch. The NOTIC camera concept is roughly modeled on the format of the Fujifilm Instax series, with its almost boxy appearance. It comes with a viewfinder in the top corner that lets you compose your shot, a flash for dark scenes, and an autofocus sensor that ensures your images are crystal clear. Once you’ve clicked the picture, a screen on the back of the camera displays your photo (which you can either accept or reject), and a pop-out-stylus built into the side of the camera lets you doodle on your photo before printing it out. Just experientially, it feels a lot like doodling on an Instagram story or a Snapchat snap before posting it, except this isn’t really ephemeral. Once you accept your final result, the photo develops on the instant film which slowly makes its way out of the top of the camera.
LEICA is known for creating bespoke cameras that are almost collectible. While this clashes with the idea of handing them over to a kid, the quality of the output they deliver are sure to encourage the kids into taking up this hobby with increased frequency. The form of the camera is designed to encourage exploration – with soft rounded edges and a viewfinder that resembles a donut. The design names the viewfinder the visual inspection tool – letting the kid peek through it to discover the world they want to click a picture of. The aesthetics use a soothing yet vibrant white-yellow combination, sparking joy in all they do. Functionality-wise, the camera has a viewfinder, a button to click, a battery level indicator, and a lot that shoots the printed paper out once we click the photo.
RayShaper’s camera’s unique hexagonal shape allows you to create a ‘honeycomb’ of multiple cameras snapped together. This array has two main benefits – firstly, the slightly offset cameras allow you to capture a wider shot without using a wider lens, and while provide spatial resolutions of over 1 billion pixels at 120fps. Secondly, the offset cameras allow you to capture depth information too, and even perform spatial recordings with 6 degrees-of-freedom (6 DoF) that are necessary for VR headsets. “Compared with ultra-high-resolution and light field camera systems currently on the market that use legacy architectures, BeeHive provides higher performance at a much cheaper cost”, say the folks at RayShaper. The modules allow you to add or subtract lenses on the fly, and give you the power to build up your camera setup without necessarily needing to upgrade by buying the newest cameras. Just add a few more modules and you’ve got a camera rig that’s much more powerful!
Sliding cameras on smartphones aren’t new, although Vivo’s concept takes it a couple of notches ahead. The patent shows a phone with a massive pop-out tray on the front. Within it, sits a tiny drone (sort of like the Air Selfie Drone from AirPix but smaller) with four propellers and a bunch of cameras and sensors. Fire your camera app and the tray instantly pops out and the drone takes off. A front-facing camera on the drone’s body lets you click photos (either of yourself or of landscapes) from a variety of vantage points, going above and beyond what your smartphone camera and your outstretched hand can do. Given how small drones, it isn’t entirely an idea I can actually dismiss… although what would Vivo’s marketing team call it? A Dronephone? A Smartdrone? A Phdrone?!
I bet you’re just as baffled as I am looking at Canon’s new RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens. It almost looks anthropomorphic, with the way the two eyes stare at you, but in fact, what’s really marvelous is where Canon seems to be going with their cameras. DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras are already some of the most powerful shooters out there, and rather than ditching that entire ecosystem of cameras to move to newer camera types – like drones and AR/VR cameras, Canon has just embraced good old-fashioned innovation instead, with a newfangled lens that is compatible with their existing EOS range of cameras. The lens, when paired with the company’s 1.5.0 firmware update, enables the humble yet capable 2D camera to shoot SBS 3D content. Pair the lens with the EOS R5 mirrorless camera and suddenly you can perform high-resolution video recording at up to 8K DCI 30p and 4K DCI 60p.
With an incredibly diverse eco-system of snap-on modules that let you practically attach the camera anywhere you want, the DJI Action 2 is what you get when you create a camera after intense research and design-thinking… not by simply copying what the rest of the market is doing.
Drone and gimbal makers extraordinaire, DJI seems to be completely disrupting the non-smartphone consumer camera market. The OM, Osmo, and Pocket give you a set of really powerful stabilized on-ground recording capabilities, while DJI’s drones really speak for themselves… With the Action 2, however, the company hopes to conquer yet another market that was up until now dominated by GoPro.
“The blueprint of an action cam is a familiar one – tough, waterproof, in a compact body”, says the narrator in the video above… and in doing so, perfectly describes the pit into which most tech companies fall – the pit of the ‘template’. It’s easy to be the second or the third best company in any domain… simply follow your biggest competitor and provide ‘the next best option’ for consumers to consider. This is something most action cameras have been doing by simply recreating what the GoPro pushed out. Once you hacked the template, you could make your action camera cheaper, have more memory, have a better battery, or cloud storage, and voila… your product was a worthy competitor to the GoPro. What the Action 2 aims at doing is redrawing that template by asking itself “If the GoPro didn’t exist, what would an action camera in 2021 look like?”
What the Action 2 gets right with its design isn’t just the camera (after all, DJI’s cameras are pretty fantastic to begin with) but rather how the camera is operated. The company designed an exhaustive list of modules, holders, and even accessories to go with their camera, all of which affix themselves to the Action 2 using an incredibly powerful set of magnets (a la MagSafe). The modules simply snap on or snap off, and give you a variety of use-cases, from being able to hold the camera in your hand, fix it to your chest/arm/head, attach it to your helmet, handlebar, or dashboard, place it on a steady surface, or even go underwater with it. If there’s a place you could take your Action 2, or an activity you could conduct with your Action 2… DJI’s thought of it and designed a module/accessory for it.
In many ways, this holistic approach is GoPro’s undoing. The way DJI’s modules just magnetically snap on or snap off the Action 2 make it really easy to use the camera anywhere and anyhow… and the camera’s all-terrain + waterproof design, 155° Super-Wide lens, powerful digital stabilization algorithm, and the 4-microphone recording setup make the Action 2 an incredibly compelling purchase.
Perhaps the Action 2’s most defining feature (and you’ll see it practically all their images) is the snap-on touchscreen module. Traditionally, all action cameras have lenses on the front and displays on the rear… and that’s great for filming everything except yourself. DJI’s Front Touchscreen Module basically lets you turn the action camera into a wide-angle vlogging camera. The module snaps right on and lets you attach other accessories like the tripod, selfie stick, car-mount, etc. Moreover, snapping it on doesn’t just give you a front-facing extra screen… it gives you an extra battery pack too, doubling the Action 2’s recording time to 160 minutes, and also adds extra mics for crisper audio recording – a feature that vastly benefits vloggers and influencers who want to be in the spotlight.
While I would have wished the Squid Game security was themed on the cold expressionless masked character, the “Front Man”, this design is a perfect addition for every pop-culture enthusiast!
If you haven’t heard of Squid Game, you must be living under a rock! Hunger Games was already your cup of tea, then a highly viral South Korean dark series trending on Netflix should be on your binge-watching list. If you’ve already watched the 9 episode Squid Game series, then it’s highly likely you’ll fancy this home security camera. The accessory themed around Squid Game is inspired by the workers monitoring the activities of players on a CCTV monitor.
The ruthless workers in the viral series will now adorn the secure corners of our homes, as the security camera keeps us safe – well, a cliche of sorts. The rotating lens positioned right where the eyes of the character would provide a 180-degree view of the surroundings for complete security. The movement is actuated by motion and an audio sensor that sets the camera into action, tracking the movement. Since most security cameras attached to the servers can have access to all the inside activities when not intended by the user, the creators of this concept add a useful feature. To make sure there are no hacking attempts or unauthorized access to the footage, there is a privacy mask that physically blocks the FOV when the camera is not in use.
Since we are living in a world where Zoom meetings and online classes are the new normal, the Squid Game camera has its own light illumination. The light intensity can be adjusted as per the user’s need or level of ambient lighting in the room. The designers Cheon Ryong Choi, Soonook Kwon and Jaeyeon Nam have created two other themed versions of this cute little home security camera. One carrying an oxygen cylinder on the back like an astronaut and the other dressed in a raincoat and umbrella. Personally, I will stick to the Squid Game character, if ever such a security camera met fruition.
Designer: Cheon Ryong Choi, Soonook Kwon and Jaeyeon Nam
The myFirst Insta Wi can click photos, record videos, print images on thermal-ink paper, and even print out labels. It’s designed to be uncomplicated enough for a child to use and is built with a cute-yet-robust design that can easily tolerate more than a few accidental drops or throws.
Your child may have to wait till they’re 18 to legally join a social media network and share their images with friends on the internet (although whether that’s a good thing is a completely different argument), but they shouldn’t have to wait till they’re 18 to get their first taste at photography. The myFirst Insta Wi is an adorable little instant camera that allows children to click photos, apply filters, print images out, and even record videos right on a powerful yet simple device that makes photography easy to understand without constantly needing to be connected to the internet… or even requiring expensive instant-developing photo paper. The Insta Wi does, however, come with a companion smartphone app that lets you transfer the photos to your phone, edit them, and even design labels/stickers for your kid to print out and mark their belongings like an adorable little mini-Monica!
The camera comes with a child-friendly design featuring a rounded-rectangle body with soft corners, ears on the side to anthropomorphize the design, an easy-to-use interface, a vibrant color scheme that matches the Pantone Colors of the Year, and perhaps its most underrated feature, a lanyard that lets the kids carry the camera around their neck just like a pro photographer (while also ensuring the camera stays on them and doesn’t get lost).
Ditching complex assemblies and cartridges entirely, the Camera ships with a cradle to dock it on, and runs on a built-in 1,500mAh battery that gives up to 5 full hours of continuous usage. It comes equipped with a memory card slot, so you can store photos and videos digitally on an SD Card, and even lets you transfer media via WiFi to a parent’s phone for editing or posting on social media on behalf of the child.
If you DO want to transfer media to other devices like a laptop, a USB2.0 slot on the side lets you easily connect the camera to your computer for transferring images, editing them in professional software, and printing them out in color on your desktop printer. For everything else, the Insta Wi comes with its own thermal printer that makes printing easy and cost-effective without requiring complex parts like expensive ink cartridges.
A roll of thermal-in paper sits inside the camera’s body, and with the push of a button, kids can print out any of the photos they’ve clicked. The smartphone app also turns the Insta Wi into a label-maker, allowing parents and kids to design labels that can then easily be printed out on adhesive-backed thermal-ink paper (like the ones you find in label-makers).
Using the camera is an absolute breeze too. The Insta Wi comes with two cameras, a main front-facing camera with a focus distance of 50mm, and a rear selfie-cam with a focus distance of 20mm for those closer shots. The camera can click pictures at resolutions of 6, 9, or 12 megapixels, and even perform HD video recording at 1080p or 720p (at 30fps) with audio, while a 2.4″ IPS LCD panel on the rear of the camera acts as your viewfinder, letting you compose your shots. To make things even more interesting, the Insta Wi comes with its own set of pre-installed filters and frames to make taking photos and videos a great deal of fun… without having to hand your kid a smartphone!
Each myFirst Insta Wi camera ships with the dock/cradle, the lanyard, a USB data/PD cable, a MicroSD Card and Card Reader, a user manual, as well as 5 different rolls of thermal-ink paper (regular, sticker-paper, and label-cut). The camera uses any regular 57mm-wide roll of thermal-ink paper (26mm roll thickness), and you can buy additional rolls of regular as well as transparent and colored paper rolls as an add-on purchase. The camera set is available on Kickstarter for a holiday-discounted price of $69 and comes with a 1-year warranty. It even ships right before the holidays for the first 5000 backers, making it a perfect Christmas gift for shutterbug enthusiasts of literally all ages!
Henry Smallbone’s FLANEUR digital camera bends the general notion of how a smart camera needs to look like and how’s one going to use it. The unique design and functionality are the USP of his creation, and I like the idea completely!
Taking things slow is associated with being wise – just like a tortoise. The FLANEUR digital camera is the result of this very philosophy to slow down and being considerate in the digital world. Just like the tortoise, the camera motivates the user to not just go berserk with clicking photographs (simply because it could be done) but take a slower approach to every aspect of everyday life. The camera stores 37 photos in its memory for that very intent – making the user mindful of limited clicks he/she has at her disposal.
In fact, “Flaneur” in French means a person who’s a stroller. This term was used in the 19th century by French poet Charles Baudelaire to denote an observer of modern urban life. Now, it has taken up the meaning for someone who meanders around observing things keenly. The camera’s design is inspired by this notion – hence, the very colorful, casual form factor that one can carry around. Henry gives the accessory a bold aluminum casing design with large buttons and dials, inviting curiosity by onlookers.
The smart camera has a powerful performance quotient – courtesy of the crossed section of closed lens that hide from plain sight in a series of plastic casings that move independently. Depending on the shot being taken, the lenses can be swapped with the push of a button. A telephoto for taking a portrait shot or a wide lens for shooting panoramic landscapes on a golden sun bathed evening.
The viewfinder can rotate in 180 degrees direction for portrait shots or 90 degrees for a wide shot without moving the camera instead. The functionality is also kept to the bare minimum to let you focus on capturing memories. The flash intensity is controlled via the large wheel, while the positional switches lend the option to toggle between colored or monochrome photos or videos.
The fact that you’re here reading my opinion on the new Apple iPhone 13 is a responsibility I take incredibly seriously, but I’ll be honest… a lot of times innovation just gets sugar-coated. Throwing statistics like saying an iPhone is 40% faster and 10% lighter sounds incredibly enticing, but at the end of the day, a consumer is hardly expected to sit and measure an iPhone’s screen to see how much larger it is compared to its predecessor, or simultaneously run games on both phones and see if the newer one has 20% better graphics thanks to a 5-core GPU. As much as nerdy stats sound exciting, they honestly mean nothing to 99.9% of consumers when push comes to shove. So here’s my simplified overview of the new iPhone 13 – no technical jargon, no over-complicated charts, just simple facts.
The simple reason behind why I’m choosing this format is because there’s nothing measurably better in this year’s lineup. I’ve honestly seen the climate go through more drastic changes in a single year than the iPhone has this year. (And I’m not knocking on Apple… I just think this forced tradition of launching a new phone every year is getting tiring)
Apple introduced 5G and MagSafe with last year’s iPhones, so this is almost like a placeholder year for the company as the world combats a pandemic + chip shortage, and also as Apple prepares for much higher demand next year as people who bought the iPhone 11 and 12 will want to upgrade to the iPhone 14. So what’s new with this year’s iPhone? Not much if you’re looking for major changes. The notch is now slightly smaller (yet still very noticeable), the battery slightly bigger, the chip slightly better, the cameras have night mode, and you can now shoot cinematic videos where the focus shifts from one subject to another, like in films. Oh, and the iPhone 13 also uses plastic from recycled bottles in its antenna strips.
What just about visually sets the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini apart from last year’s iPhone 12 and 12 Mini is the marginally smaller notch (although a 20% size reduction isn’t really enough to make a difference), and the new camera layout on the back. The new diagonal layout, Apple claims, adds more space between the two lenses, allowing the internal sensors to be bigger. It’s enough to make this year’s iPhone 13 camera as good as last year’s 12 Pro. Pretty cool, but it isn’t unexpected to see cameras get better every year.
The new iPhone 13 and 13 Mini run on the A15 bionic chip, come with a slightly larger battery, and house a stronger Ceramic-Shield glass on the front. The antenna strips on the side of the phone use recycled plastic (from single-use bottles) along with recycled rare earth magnets, tungsten, gold, and other materials used in the phone. Like their predecessors, they support 5G and MagSafe, are available in 5 colors, and will ship without a charger.
The iPhone 13 and 13 Mini are accompanied by the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, which come with the same shimmering stainless steel body and glass front and back. The front sports the smaller notch, while the back looks exactly the same. The Pro series come with 3 lenses, although Apple claims they’ve made major changes to all three of them, giving all of them Night Mode and the ability to shoot incredible shots no matter the lighting. A notable upgrade to the iPhone’s camera capabilities is the addition of Macro photography, which lets you now zoom in on really small subjects to capture tinier details.
The new cameras on the 13 and 13 Pro editions also support a rather interesting video feature called Cinematic Mode – which allows the camera to automatically and intelligently shift focus from subject to subject while you’re taking a video, just like in Hollywood films. Here’s a quirky little short film they shot entirely on the iPhone to show the Cinematic Mode in action.
Ultimately, the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro aren’t as game-changing as one would expect, although I partly blame us consumers for having such lofty standards each year. Yes, they’re incrementally better (as they absolutely should be), but not in a way that’s directly measurable… or warranting of an upgrade (unless you absolutely need it). If you’re looking at your iPhone 12 and wondering whether to line up outside the Apple Store for an upgrade, I’d tell you to sit this one out. Apart from a slightly smaller notch, you’re really not missing much; and if you want longer battery life, perhaps a $99 MagSafe battery pack could solve your woes?
Doesn’t it strike you as odd that Xiaomi would randomly drop such a massive product teaser just a day before Apple’s September event? And hold their own even a day AFTER Apple announced the new iPhone? I’m not an expert analyst, but it seems like they’re trying to beat Apple to the punch, given that a lot of people are expecting Apple to launch their own smart glasses soon. The announcement a day before and the event a day after Apple’s California Streaming event is just Xiaomi’s way of rolling its sleeves up and trying to grab the news cycle by its horns before Apple floods the internet. Moreover, the Smart Glasses also end up firing shots at Facebook, who just announced their own camera-enabled wayfarers with RayBan. Gossip and speculation aside, here’s what the Xiaomi Smart Glasses are all about.
Designed to look like a regular pair of eyewear, Xiaomi’s Smart Glasses actually come with a holographic display built into them. The tiny MicroLED display (which Xiaomi says is smaller than a grain of rice) is built into the temple stem, and reflects a simple UI onto the right eyepiece of the glasses. The specially crafted eyepiece uses a series of microscopic “optical waveguides” to project the display into your eye, allowing only you to see the augmented reality elements when you wear the glasses.
The Smart Glasses come with a rather bare-basics interface, although it’s still incredibly advanced for its time (not to mention the fact that Xiaomi managed to fit all this technology into a ridiculously slim piece of eyewear). The holographic display can display messages, alerts, notifications, and time, although Xiaomi’s most impressive flex was showcasing a live translate feature, that took an English food menu and overlaid the Chinese translations on top of it. Aside from the MicroLED holographic display, the Smart Glasses also come with a camera lens that captures the world around you, allowing you to not just take pictures, but also analyze images and text. Whether all that live translation and processing power happens within the spectacles themselves is yet to be determined, although we can expect much more information on the 15th, when Xiaomi holds its product event.
For now, the Smart Glasses are just a concept teaser with no price, no tech specs, and no foreseeable launch date.
