For the past few years, MIOPS has been crowdfunding a bunch of useful photography gadgets like the Mobile, Flex and Flex Bolt camera triggers. Now the Spark brings DSLR-like control to iPhone photographers, along with a lightning trigger, long exposures and other creativity tools.
"Spark brings professional-level features and versatility to iPhone photography, allowing users to unleash their creativity and capture stunning images and videos," said company CEO, Onur Celik. "We believe Spark will empower photographers and videographers, taking their craft to new heights."
Users start by mounting an iPhone to the accessory via MagSafe if the model has it or by attaching a MagSafe sticker to the handset if not. The phone's camera array protrudes beyond the Spark's frame while the chunky grip to the right offers DSLR-like controls for adjusting ISO, white balance and focus plus a shutter-release button up top.
Long exposure modes can help with photos of the night sky, bring a sense of movement to waterfalls or river flow, or help users to paint with light. An onboard light sensor can take the guesswork out of trying to capture a lightning strike.
There's a mode to combine the best elements of bracketed exposures for rich and detailed HDR imagery, while photo stacking can grab "intricate details that make your images truly stand out." There's even a feature that can digitally remove people and objects from a scene for a less cluttered image. And for a hands-free experience, the iPhone wearing the Spark can be controlled remotely using an Apple Watch.
Additional tools include a burst mode for quick-fire action shots, live filters can be applied in real time, folks can get on the level courtesy of a tiltmeter, a histogram display will help users get the best shot while overexposed areas can be highlighted to allow for adjustment before the snap is taken.
Favorite presets can be saved for easy recall, users can choose JPG, TIFF, RAW or ProRAW image formats, and creations can be shared direct to social media through the app. The device is powered by its own battery, so won't draw your iPhone's juice, with MIOPS saying that users may not need to top it up for a whole year.
The Spark is described as the "ultimate tool for photography enthusiasts" and is currently the subject of a Kickstarter funding campaign. As of writing, pledges start at US$99. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in May 2024. The video below has more.
Source: MIOPS
