After months of production, Beep Industries has begun shipping POPA, their big red shutter button designed for your iPhone camera. The unique device neatly attaches through the 30-pin dock connector on iPhone 4 and 4S which triggers the specially designed POPA camera app to open automatically.
According to POPA designer Brendan Dawes, his creation was meant to transform the iPhone into a modern snapshot camera by bringing back the feel and speed of an old school shutter button.
"The design is firmly rooted in the now but with a subtle, respectful nod to the beautiful and iconic cameras of the past," said Dawes. "We love buttons – we think they’re playful and inviting – they scream out “C’mon press me”.
POPA began as a crowd funded venture on Kickstarter.com in June 2011, back when the device was still called Red Pop. Over 600 backers pushed funding for the project to $48,081 which more than doubled the $20,000 goal. In order to avoid a legal squabble with an over-sensitive soda brand, Dawes chose to change his Red Pop brand name to POPA before it launched.
It became obvious early on that POPA was something that resonated with iPhone users anxious to add Beep's "big red button" to their iPhone photography. As first shipments have now begun to arrive, the chatter on Twitter has been loud and clear that this $75 iPhone option is a certified hit with early adopters.
POPA's shiny metal body is wrapped with a real leather grip and a tripod mounting thread at the base of the device. The very Apple-like packaging includes a small carrying pouch and a leather wrist strap that screws into the tripod mount.
Brendan Dawes is convinced that the best camera to have is the one that's always with you. A belief system shared by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, who recently called iPhone "the snapshot camera of today." during a televised appearance on Rock Center with MSNBC anchor Brian Williams. Leibovitz explained how she reccommends the device to those that inquire about a good camera to use. The timing of that widely televised iPhone camera endorsement could be ideal for the launch of POPA.
"I think it's an exciting time for iPhoneography," Dawes told iPhone Savior. "The new 4S – which works great with POPA – brings with it an excellent camera so it really is a great option - plus it's always with you."
"I've already had pros contact me about POPA including a beta tester of POPA who used to test for Canon and Nikon and really loved it. Love getting that type of feedback."
When you open the POPA app it's instantly obvious the design incorporates a classic film camera aesthetic with a pencil to circle snapshots and a film role design to scroll through pictures. A recent 1.2 update has added a tap to focus feature and the ability to the lock focus with the app. I liked the timer on board along with accessing social sharing options using a click wheel.
It's possible that POPA may be perfectly poised to become the next leap forward In iPhoneography by offering users the kind of comfort, speed and stability required when snapping multiple iPhone photos in the heat of battle. With the recent onslaught of snap-on lens filters, the big red button is a truly unique shutter option that could make iPhone point-and-shoot photography far more enjoyable.
I'm convinced the big red button has all the right stuff to become a monster hit with iPhone faithful and I was willing to bet my own $75 bill on proving my hunches wrong. Does iPhoneography have a new superstar to grab hold of? I'll let you decide.
POPA from Beep Industries
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