Time-lapse photography is fun to shoot, especially now you can use smartphone or action camera to make time-lapse videos. Sure, you can easily create quick, stationary video clips on your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, but sometimes you might want to use a DSLR or higher-resolution camera to capture images of clouds rolling through the sky, or pedestrians rushing across a sidewalk, and turn them into a stunning video with motion. The Radian 2 is a Bluetooth mount that helps you set up those shots using any camera, and capture time-lapse photography like the pros.
Currently on Kickstarter, the Radian 2 is a “precision motion timelapse device” that mounts to your camera ((it supports more than a hundred models from the major brands) via the tripod mount, which can then be mounted to a standard tripod or something like a Gorilla Grip. The gadget connects to the camera using the USB or trigger port, and communicates wirelessly with an iOS or Android smartphone over Bluetooth (new features that weren’t available with the original Radian). From the phone you can set the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings.
“USB control allows for advanced shutter and ISO bulb ramping, which will allow for Holy Grail day to night time lapses, without the photographer having to constantly touch their camera,” says Alpine Labs, the folks behind the product. “This is especially problematic in motion time lapses, as it can cause jumps in the final footage.” The company adds that you can move images from camera to phone, as it’s taking the shots.
According to Alpine Labs, “Radian can move as slowly as 20,000 discrete positions within 360 degrees. This level of angular resolution is critical for taking smooth motion time lapses and is a important component of Radian’s mechanical design. While many devices can move your camera, few can move them this accurately.”
Pledge packages range from $1 to $3,000, which gets you anything from a T-shirt to a trip with the team for hands-on lessons on how to use the Radian 2 in some scenic locations, in either California or Colorado. If it reaches its initial funding goal, Alpine Labs will launch a stretch goal to develop real-time live-view into the app, so that users can make adjustments.
Based on what we saw on Kickstarter, most people are opting for packages that have the Radian 2 with additional equipment. There is the two-axis Tilt + Pan package that gives you the ability to tilt the camera with more range and flexibility, whether on a tripod or another mount. A second two-axis package offers slide and pan functionality, where the camera can slide on a track as it is taking shots. The three-axis Rig lets you pan, tilt, and slide. There is also a linear slide adaptor kit that Alpine Labs is offering on its own; owners of the original Radian can purchase this accessory without having to buy the new Radian 2.
As of May 19, the Radian 2 has 16 days to go, and it’s close to making its funding goal
