Just recently, we reported about the special-edition models of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 mirrorless camera – clad in colorful leatherette and accompanied by genuine-leather camera straps in a matching color – designed for the fashion-conscious photographer. For those who like it a bit more understated and less obtrusive, there’s another option that doesn’t involve wielding around a full-size camera. The Archive Eye is the latest fashion-friendly take at a life-logging device, and it combines both style and modern tech-geekery.
At first glance, the Archive Eye looks like a small ladies’ bag featuring an “eye motif” on the front (the bag’s design suggests it’s targeted toward women). A closer look, however, reveals that the bag sports a small opening just above the eye, where the life-logging camera’s lens goes. For those unfamiliar with the term, life-logging devices are a new trend in consumer wearable technology, and they do just as their name suggest: they keep track of your daily life by taking pictures and/or videos at regular intervals. (Check out our review of one such device, the Narrative Clip.)
This particular combination was jointly developed by U.K.-based fashion designer Lulu Guinness and life-logging device manufacturer Autographer, and the camera included in the package is the exact same model that can be purchased separately from Autographer. It has a wide-angle 136-degree lens and comes with five built-in sensors that not only keep track of your movements, but also help the camera determine when the best moment for taking a picture occurs.
Using a built-in GPS unit, the Autographer can geotag your images (location information in the images’ metadata that will later help you to match the pictures to the places you have visited). With Bluetooth connectivity, the camera can be hooked up to a smartphone and send images directly to the Internet. The combo of camera and pouch is available for £395 (approximately $660) via Guinness’ website – not cheap, but then again, designer fashion never is.
While we do appreciate the capabilities of the camera, we do wonder where this combo leaves privacy. While a life-logging device is already hardly visible on its own, in combination with a dedicated bag it not only becomes even more unobtrusive, but downright invisible. Should you decide to buy one of these and use them on a regular basis, you should be cautious as to which of the pictures the device records could end up for everyone to see.
(Via Design Taxi)
