Although the buzz around the Apple Vision Pro has died down, there’s little doubt that spatial computing, mixed reality, and the metaverse will be our unavoidable future. We still have ways to go, of course, but the industry is already trying to get us used to seeing digitally in 3D, whether we’re wearing glasses or just looking at specially-designed monitors. Those 3D objects, however, don’t just pop out of thin air and have to be created one way or another. Not a problem for fabricated 3D models, but it’s a big problem when you want to make real-world physical objects into believable digital 3D objects. As part of its own push for spatial computing, Acer is launching a consumer-friendly stereoscopic 3D camera that lets anyone capture the real world in a way that can be easily viewed in 3D glasses and on glasses-free 3D monitors.

Designer: Acer

Video conferencing and live streams have become quite common these days, the latter even turning into a lucrative business opportunity. But while these mediums are able to bridge distances, there are some things that are still difficult to convey in flat, 2D monitors, things such as miniature models of architectural designs or merchandise you’re trying to sell online. While some online stores now offer 3D views of products or spaces, it’s something that’s way out of reach of regular people because of the lack of accessible and affordable tools.

The Acer SpatialLabs Eyes puts one such tool in the hands of the masses. The rather unassuming compact box packs the hardware necessary for a computer to see in stereoscopic 3D, especially thanks to an 8MP sensor per eye and plenty of controls for both beginners and experts to tweak the video quality. The hardware is encased in a weather-proof shell that has a built-in selfie mirror for easier framing, as well as a touch-sensitive LCD screen on its back.

Although the SpatialLabs Eyes is quite capable of capturing still 3D images, it really shines in its capability to record and stream stereoscopic 3D video in real-time. This makes it a powerful tool for making presentations in video calls, showing off products during live selling streams, or simply committing special, once-in-a-lifetime moments to memory in an extra special way. Of course, you’ll need a way to actually view these videos in stereoscopic 3D, and, not by coincidence, Acer’s SpatialLabs brand has a line of monitors and laptops that won’t require you to wear headsets or even glasses just to do that. The Acer SpatialLabs Eyes stereoscopic 3D camera launches in Q3 of this year for $549 in the US.

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With a stunning 300 lumens of brightness, the WUBEN E1 is 6 times more powerful than your smartphone flashlight, making it perfect for selfies, vlogging, outdoor trips, emergencies, and even reading. The best part, it snaps right onto the back of your phone, giving you a compact ring-light on demand, so you don’t have to use your phone’s crummy excuse for a flashlight. And when you’re not using the light, you can use it as a stand to prop your phone up at any angle.

The WUBEN E1 is proof that MagSafe was an incredible idea. While Apple merely designed the feature to support chargers and attach wallets, MagSafe has spawned a whole host of third-party accessories, from finger grips to tripods, power banks, EDC, and now the E1 flashlight. A perfect example of an accessory that nobody knows they want but everyone definitely needs, the WUBEN E1 straps a powerful lighting device to the back of your phone. Much more effective than your smartphone’s native flashlight, the WUBEN E1 sports a ring of 28 LEDs that create a bright ring light that’s perfect for selfies or for exploring the outdoors. The light sits on a hinge that serves as a stand for your phone, while also letting you face the light forwards or backward, giving you the option of even using it for selfies. Plus, multiple brightness levels and three color temperature settings (warm, neutral, cool) give you way more freedom than your smartphone flashlight could even dream of.

Designer: WUBEN

Click Here to Buy Now: $39 $49 (20% off) Hurry, limited units at discounted price. Raised over $133,000.

For context, the iPhone 15’s flashlight maxes out at 50 lumens – ask any photographer and they’ll tell you that is far too little for effective flash photography. The WUBEN E1, however, overshoots the smartphone flashlight’s brightness by about 6x, giving you a light that’s much more effective in a variety of scenarios, whether it’s finding your keys in the dark or taking beautiful low-light selfies.

Slightly smaller than a hockey puck, the WUBEN E1 packs a series of 28 LEDs in its compact design, and can be used either independently or while securely snapped to the back of your MagSafe-compatible smartphone. On its own, the WUBEN E1 is a pretty handy little flashlight that can be held in your hand, attached to the hood of your car (or any metal surface), or even propped up on any flat-ish plane for instant lighting. Snap it onto the back of your smartphone, however, and you’ve got yourself a powerful tool for selfies, vlogging, or even outdoor adventures.

The WUBEN E1 operates entirely thanks to a crown located on the rim beside the LEDs. Similar to the ones found on a watch, the crown can be pushed to activate the light or cycle through temperature settings, and can be rotated to adjust the brightness. Keeping things gloriously simple, the E1 doesn’t come with an app or any settings that would complicate its use. It’s simply a great, intuitive, sleek EDC light that just so happens to attach to the back of your phone.

Attaching the WUBEN E1 to your phone gives you two distinct benefits. The light’s hinged arm lets you use the E1 as a stand for your phone, propping it up in pretty much any angle you choose. The second, more obvious benefit, is the fact that it replaces your phone’s flashlight with something far more versatile and powerful. The LED ring is 6x more powerful than your phone’s native flashlight, and the hinged arm lets you face the lights anywhere, creating a great makeshift camera light that’s just wonderful for low-light shots, vlogs, or even vanity selfies. Weirdly enough, the LED ring also makes your iPhone look somewhat like a Nothing Phone (1), which feels ironic and slightly hilarious. iPhone users get the last laugh, however, because the E1 is so much more capable than the Nothing Phone’s notification LEDs.

Each E1 comes made from lightweight Magnesium alloy, giving the EDC flashlight a weight of just 36 grams or 1.26 ounces. At just 6mm thin, the WUBEN E1 fits comfortably onto the back of your phone without really jutting out or obstructing regular phone usage. It’s also slim enough to slide directly into your pocket with or without your phone, reinforcing its portability. A 320mAh battery gives the flashlight anywhere between 30 minutes of usage (on its brightest setting) or 50 hours of on-time (on its lowest setting), while a USB-C port on the base of the light lets you charge your device.

The WUBEN E1 starts at $39, and for $69 you’ll get the E1 along with a metal tripod stand/selfie stick that sits between the flashlight and your phone, turning your cutting-edge phone into a comprehensive photo and videography device. The Wuben E1 ships globally starting July 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $39 $49 (20% off) Hurry, limited units at discounted price. Raised over $133,000.

The post Compact MagSafe Flashlight is perfect for everything from iPhone photography to outdoor adventures first appeared on Yanko Design.

Your DSLR may not have Apple FindMy, but the folks at Polar Pro have a clever alternative. Meet the Defender, a camera body cap that fits directly over the lens rim, protecting the sensor inside from damage or exposure to outer elements. Designed to fit on a wide range of models, the Defender isn’t just a protective cover, it comes with a hollow design that lets you stow away essentials including SD cards or even an Apple AirTag. Pop the Defender onto your camera and now not only do you have memory cards available to you at the tip of your fingers, you’ve also got a camera that you can track on your iPhone or any other Apple device. Smart, eh?!

Designer: Polar Pro

The Defender Body Cap comes with a 6061 aluminum outer body, eschewing the plastic construction found on most default camera body caps. The aluminum offers stronger protection, defending your camera from bumps, scratches, and offering much higher protection than flimsy plastic.

The Defender’s secret sauce, however, lies in its inserts that fit into the body cap, allowing you to store items inside the cap’s spacious form factor. Polar Pro offers 3 inserts to choose from – one that holds an AirTag, another that holds 1 SD and 2 MicroSD cards, and a third that holds a CFexpress A card. The caveat, however, is that you can only use 1 insert at a time, which means you can’t simultaneously store an AirTag with an SD card (which feels like a bit of a lost opportunity to be honest), but I’d probably pick an AirTag any day, given that SD cards can easily fit in a wallet.

This nifty feature means your camera’s body cap now has a secondary purpose – hidden storage. The cap fits on Sony, Nikon, and Canon cameras, allowing you to pretty much attach the Defender onto DSLRs, SLRs, Mirrorless cameras, or even full-frame video cameras. Pop an AirTag in and your camera can easily be tracked on your FindMy app, so that if it ever gets misplaced or stolen, you’ll know exactly where it is. Chances are nobody will know the body cap has an AirTag concealed inside it, and anyone who values cameras will know better than to throw the body cap away.

The Polar Pro Defender comes in 3 colors – Black, Desert, and Forest, and ships with all 3 inserts, allowing you to choose what to tuck away in your body cap.

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Most cameras follow a simple architecture – they’re either cylindrical shaped, following the traditional shape of camera lenses, or they’re spherical shaped, allowing for 360° rotation. Not that cameras need to be any awkward or unique shape, but it helps when something breaks the mold, creating a design that stands out for being radically unique. Meet the Psync Genie S, a camera that thinks outside the box, by making a camera that quite literally IS a box. With a ‘lid’ that contains the camera lens and the floodlight, the Genie S automatically adjusts itself to face anywhere on a vertical axis, letting it look straight, up, or down. However, the lid also has another feature, it acts as a literal privacy shutter by simply allowing you to ‘shut down’ your camera. Turn the camera off and its lid quite literally closes to have the lens face directly downward, effectively turning the camera off!

Designers: Milian Lu and Duo Li

Drawing inspiration from Bauhaus principles, the Genie S boasts a minimalist aesthetic. Clean lines and geometric shapes prioritize function without compromising style. But the camera’s true innovation lies in its transformable design. Unlike most static security cameras, the Genie S features a unique “Open Box” design that physically transforms based on its operational state. This movement provides instant feedback to users, letting them know whether the camera is active or not. It’s a subtle yet effective detail that enhances the user experience.

Beyond its rather quirky-yet-functional form, the Genie S packs a powerful technological punch. At its heart lies a tiny, custom-developed dual-axis gimbal system. This innovative technology allows for a wide field of view, capturing a significant portion of your space with 350-degree horizontal and 135-degree vertical coverage. Furthermore, the Genie S boasts a crisp 2K resolution with 6x zoom, allowing you to see clear details even when zoomed in on specific areas.

One of the most intriguing features of the Genie S is its “ViewSay” technology. This AI-powered system goes far beyond simple motion detection. ViewSay analyzes and interprets the visual data it captures, providing users with intelligent notifications. Imagine receiving a notification that says “Pet cat playing on the couch” instead of a generic “motion detected” alert. This level of detail allows for a more informed response and peace of mind.

The Genie S prioritizes user control over data privacy. Unlike some security cameras that rely on cloud storage subscriptions, the Genie S offers local storage options (32GB or 64GB). This ensures your data remains private and eliminates any hidden fees associated with cloud storage. Additionally, users can customize motion detection alerts to receive notifications only for specific events, such as people, pets, or vehicles. This minimizes unnecessary alerts and allows you to focus on what truly matters.

The post This ‘Foldable’ Security Camera has a hinge that also lets you ‘shut down’ your camera! first appeared on Yanko Design.

It may have been criticized for flooding the mobile phone market with dozens of confusing designs, but Nokia’s seemingly eccentric designs sometimes hit the right marks when it comes to uniqueness, aesthetics, or usability. From the XpressMusic to the N-Gage to the Communicator, there are times when those designs felt far ahead of their time, which didn’t do their sales any favors. There has been a great deal of interest in revisiting these designs, most of which, however, only make sense for non-smart feature phones like the ones HMD is offering. One particular design, however, might find a place in this modern world that’s obsessed with taking photos and recording videos, especially if it gets a little Nothing-inspired facelift.

Designer: Viet Doan Duc

Flip phones or clamshell designs are nothing new, even if the recent generation of foldable phones has given birth to their renaissance. The Nokia N90, however, did more than just open up in a stylish way to reveal a bigger screen and a large T9 keypad inside. It could also twist its top half so that you could hold it like a camcorder and feel more like a proper content creator. That was 20 years ago, even before the word “influencer” or even “YouTube” came to light. Now smartphones are pretty much pocketable cameras, and this concept design tries to give the Nokia N90 a second chance, with a bit of a twist.

The Nokia N90 design is obviously outdated by today’s standards, so this revision borrows some inspiration from Nothing’s now iconic translucent glass design. The concept focuses on three main concepts: mechanical precision, the spirit of exploration, and minimalist language. The mechanical aspect can be clearly seen from the smartphone’s industrial appearance, revealing details of precision circuity and clear edges. At the same time, however, it still manages to embrace minimalism by keeping the details down to the essentials, eschewing the noisy details that pervaded Nokia’s design language.

The Nokia N90 x Nothing concept is clearly a design that encourages exploration and creativity with its core design gimmick, turning the upper half around for a more immersive photography experience. Not only does it try to convey the feeling of using a camcorder, it also makes some difficult angles more feasible because of the degree of freedom the mechanism offers.

On the technical side, the dreams of some of the best hardware features that the mobile industry has to offer, and not just with the camera that’s installed on the phone’s hinge rather than its back. The physical keypad, for example, is replaced by an E Ink display that combines customizability and power efficiency, while a touch-sensitive D-Pad above it offers more precise control. All these, however, make the Nokia N90 x Nothing even more of a pipe dream, but the design itself is something that could definitely spark interest, and hopefully sales, among today’s generation of design-conscious creators.

The post Flip phone concept aims to inspire creativity with Nokia, Nothing aesthetics first appeared on Yanko Design.

From the moment I set my eyes on the Apple Vision Pro, the intuitive nature of its interface struck me. Controlling the device through natural gestures—like tapping fingers together for selection or pinching to zoom—felt like an extension of my own movements, creating a seamless user experience that was truly impressive. “Everything’s all eye track,” I marveled, amazed by the device’s responsiveness, which made every interaction feel intuitive and natural.

Designer: Apple

During the initial setup, the Digital Crown—borrowed from the Apple Watch—brought up the home view with a simple press. The blend of futuristic technology with familiar elements made the icons react as I looked at them, creating a magical experience. This immediate and responsive engagement reinforced the intuitive nature of the user interface. As I explored this advanced technology, I remember thinking, “I haven’t read any reviews on the Vision Pro, and that’s a good thing.” Approaching the device without any preconceptions allowed me to truly immerse myself in the experience.

As I navigated through a demo photo library, the ambient lighting dimmed, focusing my attention on images that transported me to places like Iceland and the Oregon coast, displayed panoramically. “That was so amazing,” I exclaimed, overwhelmed by the vividness and the immersive experience the photos provided.

Viewing spatial photos and videos added incredible depth to everyday moments. Watching a family birthday party captured with the Apple Vision Pro felt as if I stood among the celebrating children, bringing these moments to life. “So no one else can see this except you and me, huh?” I remarked to Avnish, my guide through this journey, who was able to see what I saw through an iPad. This added layer of interaction enhanced my appreciation for the technology as I watched a spatial video shot with the iPhone 15 Pro, captivated by the depth and realism.

The design of the Apple Vision Pro was notably sleek and modern, with a lightweight, comfortable frame suitable for extended wear. The minimal physical buttons enhanced its streamlined appearance, highlighting its advanced gesture and eye-tracking capabilities. A dedicated button for capturing spatial photos and videos added real-world interactions into vivid digital clarity, showcasing Apple’s meticulous attention to hardware design.

Manipulating my environment with a turn of the Digital Crown was particularly impressive. I could adjust my immersion levels from partial to full, exploring digital renditions of places like Mount Hood National Forest as if I were truly there. This smooth transition back to reality, while remaining connected with those around me, showcased the device’s seamless integration into personal and social settings.

Spatial multitasking introduced a new way to interact with applications, allowing me to manipulate windows in a spatial context as if handling physical objects. This dynamic, intuitive approach transformed traditional interfaces into a vibrant, three-dimensional workspace.

The entertainment capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro were striking. Watching 3D movies like “Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” transformed any space into a personal cinema. The high-resolution display and spatial audio created a viewing experience that far surpassed traditional setups. “That’s impressive,” I remarked, blown away by the depth and immersion of the features.

The Apple Immersive Video demo was a highlight, transporting me to the center of the action—flying over landscapes, diving with sharks, and standing on a soccer field. This segment was so engaging that I was left nearly speechless, managing only to say, “That was so amazing.”

An interactive session where a butterfly landed on my hand and a close encounter with a dinosaur showcased the Apple Vision Pro’s unique capabilities, blurring the lines between digital and physical realities. These experiences felt real and tangible, enhancing my appreciation for the device’s ability to create such vivid and interactive moments.

Finally, with the Apple Vision Pro, I got the chance to rehearse—well, more like pretend—to present Apple’s infamous “one more thing” on the stage of the Steve Jobs Theater. It felt so real that I almost waved to the nonexistent crowd! I’ve been to press events there before, but never on stage. The closest I’ve gotten was the last third of the theater.

Photo credit: YouTuber MKBHD demonstrates Keynote on Vision ProMKBHD on YouTube

After the demo—and yes, I highly encourage anyone and everyone remotely interested in spatial computing to visit your local Apple store—I had the option to purchase a brand new Vision Pro constructed right there. The Solo Knit Band, Dual Loop Band, and importantly, the Light Seal are available in size 21W, which fits me perfectly. Apple has streamlined the sizing process in the Apple Store app, which now includes a 3D scan of the face for a customized fit, guiding you through capturing the necessary facial dimensions.

The Apple Vision Pro demo was a breathtaking introduction to futuristic technology that felt straight out of science fiction. Its intuitive interface and gesture controls impressed me immediately, making every interaction feel natural and fluid. While the immersive experience of exploring vibrant, distant locales and engaging with life-like spatial videos was captivating, the demo ended too soon, leaving me eager for a more extended, immersive exploration with the Vision Pro. I’m looking forward to delving deeper into its potential in a longer session.

The post First Time Using the Apple Vision Pro: It Blew My Mind first appeared on Yanko Design.

Move over, mirrorless cameras… It’s time for the micro-mirrorless camera to shine.

If you think about it, there’s really no reason a mirrorless camera has to be as big as it is. Without pissing off the photography community, a GoPro is nothing but a smaller version of the mirrorless camera. It uses the same technology of light directly hitting a sensor to capture an image; and the only real difference is the fact that compact action cameras have slightly smaller sensors, and don’t have interchangeable lenses… so Samuel Mello Medeiros decided to change things. Partnering with Yashica, Medeiros created the world’s first-ever micro-mirrorless camera. The ‘Yashica – I’m Back’ camera is as small as a stack of playing cards, but packs a Sony CMOS sensor that captures 4K video and 12MP images. Despite its size, the camera doesn’t compromise on features – it comes with 3 interchangeable lenses, the option of adding a larger battery, a flash hot-shoe on the top that lets you also attach a shotgun microphone or other accessories, and yes, WiFi capabilities so you can share your photos directly to your smartphone once they’re captured.

Designer: Samuel Mello Medeiros

Click Here to Buy Now: $239 $299 ($60 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $380,000.

Medeiros founded ‘I’m Back’ in 2018, creating unconventional cameras for photobugs. While his earlier experiments revolved around reviving older cameras with new technology, the Yashica – I’m Back may just be his magnum opus. It sits at the junction between smartphone photography and pro camera photography, offering the best of both worlds. The Yashica – I’m Back measures 3 inches wide (77mm) and 1.9 inches high (50mm), making it nearly 1/4th the size of your standard mirrorless camera. That’s small enough to fit right in your pocket and whip out when you need to click photos. Sure, the ergonomics are a little challenging considering the size, but the camera is a healthy balance between tiny and powerful, sitting at the intersection between convenient smartphone photography, and advanced camera photography.

Micro Mirrorless Yashica – I’m Back emerges, a fusion of tradition and innovation!

Use three different lenses for diverse scenes and styles, adjust settings manually, and expand options with larger lenses through an adapter.

The micro-mirrorless camera banks on Yashica’s 75-year history in the camera business. Designed in partnership with the legacy camera brand, the camera sports cutting-edge tech including a 12MP Sony IMX 117 sensor that outputs 4K@24fps, 2K@30fps, and 1080p@60fps with the ability to take 40MP interpolated images or 12MP real-dimension images. Just like a professional camera, this one has a digital viewfinder that opens out and flips over, letting you click selfies or take vlogs while monitoring your feed. The 2-inch touchscreen gives you the convenience of a smartphone, allowing you to swipe through settings and look at your carousel, or even plug an external display in using the HDMI port for a more professional setup. You can also leverage Yashica – I’m Back as a webcam for creating videos and conducting high-quality live broadcasts. Images get stored on a MicroSD card, with the camera accepting as high as 128Gb cards, and there’s also built-in WiFi that lets you share images and videos directly to Android and iOS devices. The kicker, however, is that this tiny camera comes with not one, not two, but three interchangeable lenses in the box.

Wide lens 3,4mm.

Normal lens: 8,6mm.

Tele lens 25,7mm.

In my opinion, where the GoPro went wrong was in cementing itself into the action camera box. With just a wide-angle lens and nothing else, there wasn’t much you could do with a GoPro than basic vlogging activities… but that isn’t the case with the Yashica – I’m Back. The camera comes with a standard 8.6mm lens that’s comparable to a 50mm lens for a normal camera, a 75° wide-angle lens, and a 25mm telephoto lens (which actually translates to 150mm on a normal camera), with the ability to manually focus on images to get that gorgeous depth of field in your images and videos. That isn’t all, a simple adapter lets you attach a whole host of third-party lenses, including ones for SLR, DLSR, and mirrorless cameras from leading brands. Medeiros and his team are also working on giving the camera macro capabilities using the standard 8.6mm lens, which would just make the camera an all-round photography powerhouse.

The highlight of the Yashica – I’m Back micro-mirrorless camera lies in its tiny-size-zero-compromise approach to photography. It’s perfect for carrying around with you wherever you go, allowing you to take quality photos and videos without the expensive gear, or letting you bank on a good camera without needing to whip your smartphone out. The Yashica – I’m Back comes bundled with a remote control for wirelessly operating the camera, a USB-C charging cable, and a wrist-strap… although you can upgrade to a bundle with all the accessories, which also include the three lenses, a tripod/selfie-stick, and an additional battery grip. The Yashica – I’m Back ships globally and comes with a 2-year warranty on hardware/software defects.

Click Here to Buy Now: $239 $299 ($60 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $380,000.

The post World’s Smallest 4K Mirrorless Camera is as tiny as a GoPro and has Interchangeable Lenses first appeared on Yanko Design.

When Jobs took the stage to announce the iPhone back in 2007, he used three terms to describe the revolutionary device – a widescreen iPod with touch controls; a revolutionary mobile phone; and a breakthrough Internet communications device. However, ever since the iPhone 7 introduced a dual-lens main camera system on the phone, the Apple team has sort of obsessed with making sure the iPhone has a great camera first, and phone-adjacent features later. Almost like a handheld camera with an App Store, the iPhones now are just a shadow of what they could be. No foldable technology, no AI-based enhanced features, and not even a damn-near decent voice assistant. In fact, it took Apple YEARS to get 5G to their iPhones. Apple spends nearly 30-40% of each iPhone keynote talking about the camera and screen, and now rumors are indicating that the iPhone 16 will introduce a dedicated ‘capture’ button that lets you click photos like you would with a professional camera. The problem with this is that it’s diluting the very definition of a smartphone… and I feel like it might be deliberate.

Earlier this week, leaks showed a new hardware feature coming to the iPhone – a Capture Button that would sit on the top right corner of your phone if you held it in landscape mode. Surprising as it is, considering Apple has been trying to go buttonless and portless for a while now, the Capture Button seems like an odd addition to a phone. Not a single other smartphone has a camera shutter button. In fact, the de facto position is to turn your volume button into a capture button while the camera is running… so what’s driving Apple to add YET ANOTHER button to their phone, following the addition of the Action Button last year?

Leaked images of iPhone dummies used for case designs

Last month, I pointed out that the iPhone 16 is just going to be one of those boring phones worth missing, and this Capture Button seems to reinforce that fact. Every 3 years, Apple launches a ‘boring’ iPhone with a minor design upgrade just to keep things moving before a radical change and it’s been 2 years since the Dynamic Island, so this is probably Apple’s boring year. But why a Capture Button? Nobody said we needed it, not a single Android competitor has a Capture Button, heck if anything we’d appreciate bringing the 3.5mm audio jack back. So why is Apple going ahead with this hardware change?

There are two ways to look at it. The first is a simpler explanation – Apple’s run out of ideas. This is just one of those years where Apple pushes out something so it can tick that annual release box and make a few sales before something bigger and better in 2025. It’s a theory that holds merit given that the iPhone 8 was the ‘boring’ phone for the iPhone X, the iPhone 13 hardly had any extra features (unless you count Cinematic Mode as a game-changing upgrade) before the iPhone 14 ushered in the Dynamic Island. This basically means it’s business as usual and 2024 is just going to be a boring year for iPhones… but there’s yet another explanation.

Close-up of the purported Capture Button

The second explanation is a little more layered and vague, considering there’s no concrete proof to the fact. The explanation is that Apple’s pretty much resigning the iPhone to its fate – the camera. With the Vision Pro becoming Apple’s new breakthrough device, the iPhone will eventually take second place, quite like the iPod did 12 years ago. There are multiple rumors that Apple’s building a cheaper Vision headset (without the ‘Pro’ title) for the mass market to immerse in spatial computing… and when that happens, the iPhone won’t be anything except for a glorified photography device. It still doesn’t explain why Apple’s adding a Capture Button to their phone, given that people already use the volume button to capture photos… but that’s the vague part, because we really don’t ever know what’s going on inside the heads of Tim Cook and the Apple team until and unless they tell us. But as far as the iPhone 16 goes, I’d recommend you give it a miss unless you were long due for a smartphone upgrade.

Renders by Sarang Sheth

The post Apple’s Big Mistake with the iPhone 16 Series is Focusing TOO MUCH on the Camera first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Polaroid brand has become synonymous with instant cameras that are experiencing a renaissance these days. But while the retro fever has people printing out square format photos again, the designs of these modern instant cameras left some things to be desired. Yes, they recreated the feeling of holding a large and chunky camera, but they might have done it too perfectly to meet the needs and tastes of today’s mobile photographers and creators. Smartphones offer more flexibility and features but at the expense of that authentic instant camera experience. This product concept tries to bring the best of both worlds together through a design that can adjust to your needs rather than the other way around.

Designers: Daphne Hernández, Paola García Higuera, Gonzalo Barba, Ricardo Zerón, Ximena Bravo Barreto, George Gonzalez, Cristian Tovar

The earliest modern instant cameras try to stay faithful to the Polaroid design by eschewing modern conveniences like LCD screens and photo editing prior to printing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, portable photo printers try to provide the same instant printing experience without requiring a separate camera from the one you already have in your pocket. But while smartphones offer a lot of powerful photo editing features, many people find the camera user experience a bit artificial or even forced because of the design of the phone and the connotations that come with it.

The Polaroid DUO concept solves this duality by ironically embracing it. It splits the instant camera into two distinct parts: the camera module and the printer. The camera is a small, lightweight square reminiscent of action cameras that you can attach or hang anywhere so that you’re ready to take photos or record videos anytime. The compact design, which includes a touch screen on the back to tweak the photos’ properties after the fact, offers a more engaging and fun way to take photos without being too conspicuous or flashy like a smartphone.

You can use the camera module on its own and print the photo later, or you can slot it into the larger printer module to make it behave exactly like a traditional instant camera. You don’t lose any of the functionality, however, since you can still access that touch screen. What you get, instead, is a unique character and the experience of holding a fun-looking chunky box up whenever you want to capture the moment and print out the memory right then and there.

Polaroid DUO is definitely an intriguing concept, one that makes you wonder why no one has implemented it yet. It combines the powerful functionality of smartphones with the elements of fun from instant cameras in a way that doesn’t sacrifice one for the other. There might be some implementation details that will need to be ironed out, but most of the technologies needed to make this design a reality are ripe for the picking.

The post Modular instant camera concept offers a new way to create and share memories first appeared on Yanko Design.

You call that a camera bump? Hold my beer…

The smartphone camera is officially the most popular camera in the world today, accounting for a staggering 92.5% of all images taken in any given year. Conventional photographers (who make up the remaining paltry 7.5%) will argue that smartphone photography isn’t ‘real photography’, but that’s only because digital cameras offer tonnes of more variety in terms of being able to shoot on multiple types of lenses. Batting for the mobile photography team, however, is SANDMARC with their newly unveiled whopping 6x telephoto lens for the iPhone. Not only does it boost your smartphone camera’s existing zoom (which is around 30x for the iPhone 15 Pro) by an additional 6x, it also gives you the benefit of an adjustable focus wheel – probably the first for any smartphone camera lens – bridging the gap between phone and traditional camera photography.

Designer: Sandmarc

Even though a smartphone camera is ridiculously powerful for its small size, there are certain things you really wouldn’t do with it, like take wildlife shots, telephoto shots of objects far away (architecture, birds, etc.), or ultra-low DoF portrait shots. Well, maybe you’d take the latter, but that’s a legitimate gray area because artificial bokeh can never compare to the real deal. SANDMARC’s Telephoto 6x Lens wants to change that. Designed to be good enough to take on a wildlife photoshoot or to capture objects from far away because they aren’t really accessible, the zoom lens does a phenomenal job of enhancing your smartphone’s vision without causing any sort of loss in quality because of the limitations of smartphone lens structures.

Aside from extending your zoom range, the Telephoto 6x Lens prioritizes superior image quality over the limitations of your phone’s digital zoom. Crafted with high-quality, multi-coated glass, this lens promises to deliver noticeably sharper images with enhanced detail, even in challenging low-light conditions. Unlike typical add-on lenses that can be cumbersome and offer limited functionality, the SANDMARC lens boasts a unique feature: an adjustable focus wheel. This empowers you to take complete creative control over your photos. By fine-tuning the focus, you can ensure intricate details in close-up shots are captured with razor-sharp precision, adding a whole new dimension to your mobile photography repertoire.

The lens design incorporates a shallow depth of field, a technique beloved by professional photographers. This means realistic bokehs that highlight your subject beautifully, without any of those errors or artificial blurring created as a result of computational photography done by smartphone algorithms. This setup, in its truest sense, is the closest thing to bringing conventional camera tools to smartphone photography. Sure, professional camera evangelists would still say this isn’t ‘real photography’, but they also won’t deny that the results from this phone and lens setup are just immaculate.

While the $159.99 price tag might seem steep, it’s worth considering the significant enhancements it offers. The extended zoom range, improved image quality, and creative flexibility the lens provides can elevate your mobile photography to a whole new level.

The post Sandmarc’s new iPhone lens gives you a bonkers 6x optical zoom AND an adjustable focus wheel first appeared on Yanko Design.