This Kickstarter smashed its goal in one day – and now stands at almost double the original target.
Frii Designs have developed a new product that they hope will vastly improve the lives of many photographers. Citing the workflow of professional photographers as the inspiration behind the design, the company state the TriLens will “eliminate the need for multiple camera bodies, assistants and bulky bags.”
Simply clipping on to your belt, the TriLens will no doubt be a great convenience, particularly for location photographers who may travel a fair distance on foot when shooting. But it’ll seemingly prove to be invaluable to the likes of wedding photographers, who face added pressure to change lenses in order to capture unmissable moments.
An in-built “Auto-friction mechanism” keeps the TriLens steady when you’re moving - by automatically adjusting the force needed to rotate the housing depending on the weight and size of your lenses.
We only use high strength steel and fiber reinforced nylon to make sure you don’t have to worry about anything else than what’s in front of your camera. To ensure high quality and reliability the TriLens™ is designed, manufactured and assembled here in Sweden. The TriLens™ is weather resistant and designed to withstand loads up to 100 kg, just in case you would want to carry a space telescope through a war zone.
The Swedish creators behind the TriLens estimated 500,000 Swedish Krona (approx $57,000) was required for the initial batch. At the time of writing, their Kickstarter contributions stand at 975,000 Swedish Krona ($111,000).
If, like me, you’re always at a loss as to where to stick a lens cap, the TriLens might just be your new best friend. It comes with five sets of magnetic arcs, meaning a lens cap can be attached to any empty slot on the TriLens, also protecting the slot from any dust in the process.
The TriLens is due to be available for Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You can read more about the design process, as well as back the project at the Kickstarter page here.
Your thoughts?
Will be interesting how they handle the patent infringement from GoWing, the Lens Flipper
The lens flipper has 1-2 lens on it. This has up to 3. It's sufficiently different IMO.
It's retarded, but shouldn't infringe on gowing's idea...
Actually it does, 3-4 times
I think you don't understand how patents work.
It needs to be sufficiently different and provide different function in order to not be infringing on an existing patent.
It provides more attachement for lenses and "dispenses" the lens on a pivoting axe.
Anyway, why the fuck am I arguning with you....
"Sure it's infringment!!! TO YOU PITCH FORKS EVERYONE!!!" /s
>>I think you don't understand how patents work.
But does what you think matter?
>> It needs to be sufficiently different and provide different function in order to not be infringing on an existing patent.
This vague and, as you have applied it, completely erroneous. If you can't invalidate a patent by adding to it. If a component of your product uses an idea covered in another patent, you have a problem. "Different function" doesn't help and "sufficiently different" is tautologous to the point of being meaningless.
>> Anyway, why the fuck am I arguning with you....
Well, obviously you need the practice.
Mr. Blah, Your the one that does not know how patents work, I doubt you have read GoWing's Patent on the Lens Flipper. I know for a fact that the Tri Lens infringes on GoWing's Patent at least 3 times if not 4. But if you feel you must win this "argument" I just may let you. I have nothing to prove to people on the internet, you obviously do.
The first thoughts: Creative idea. 1. I can imagine how much dust this thing can collect. May not be a good investment if you would have to frequently take your camera to labs for sensor cleaning. 2. For events / wedding photographers - can't see the point of using it. I am guessing here, however I think it would be hard to move around and kneel down without the risk of breaking the lens by bumping into something or smashing it to the ground when kneeling down. A small bag (which can also hold your spare battery, memory cards, and cleaning kit) seems to be a much better solution. 3. In some countries you may run a risk of being shoot down by police if they think it's a weapon holder. 4. The weight of this thing along with the weight of the lens may put your pants down:) The way the guy changes lenses putting one under his arm and leaving camera with open sensor facing up is misleading and seems to be shown to convince why you need this product - I have not seen pro photographers who change lens this way (not efficient, risky, slow, and unprofessional).
Peak Designs came out with this a few years ago, so this is not a new or original design. I purchased the Peak Capture Lens system, tried it out at a concert, and promptly returned it. https://www.peakdesign.com/product/clips/capturelens/
Looking at this, it has the very same issues as the Peak clip:
1. No way to really tell if the lens is correctly locked in (My 70-200L wasn't completely locked in and fell out of it, just as i caught it).
2. No safety lock. Accidentally bump that little silver button above your lens, and you run the chance of the lens disengaging from the lock, and eventually working itself out of the channel and onto the ground. (At least the Peak had a recessed button release)
3. Every weigh a lens? How about 3 of them? Plus a metal 3 lens mount? Plus a belt mount for it? You realize how much weight that is on your side, not to mention pulling your pants down? (And believe me, when i used the Peak with a 24-70L and 24-70L, it was already heavy and pulled my pants down, even with a belt.
4. Take this to a crowded area and have someone bump into you, and you risk a dropped lens popping out.
5. Want to advertise all your lenses to everyone (and a lot of them) at once? Wear this. Guaranteed at one point in your life, you're going to walk out from a heavy crowd and realize one of your lenses are missing. Or worse, someone coming up and pulling that round cotter pin attaching the lens system to the belt mount and running off with all your lenses. Or much worse, getting held up for them.
But mostly, it's going to be heavy as all hell wearing them. And you might as well flash tape all your money to your shirt since you're already advertising to everyone that you have some heavy cash on you, hanging conveniently off the side of your belt. Do yourself a favor and get a lens changing bag, which lets you hold 3 lenses, or 2 lenses with the 3rd left empty for changing out lenses. ThinkTank makes an excellent one for just over a 100 bucks. https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/retrospective-lens-changer-3
Actually, The Lens Flipper came out a full year before Peak Design.
That's fine, but it's an even worse design as it just hangs loose from a strap, whereas the Peak has it firmly secured on a belt or strap via their clip system. The mechanics still apply to both, as well as this tri lens system- clunky, heavy, and highly impractical for any type of useful work, as well as dangerous for the lens and photographer.
The Lens Flipper is more secure on a strap then it is on the Peak Design Capture Lens.
Neither would survive being used by a concert photographer, where a quick change system is the most beneficial. Walk in a park with your kids, sure. Events and concerts, no.
I agree. It is a bit cumbersome to use. My biggest problem was that it takes a lot of practice to mount a lens to it one handed without seeing.
Where I see the a good use for this is for attaching it to the backpack strap. Much more convenient and secure. But that of course only works if you use a backpack :p
It makes me very nervous doing that- it's like mounting your wallet with $1000 bucks sticking out of it to your strap- and some people would like that idea even more than you would, if you get my drift :(
The drawback of connecting your lens to this is there's no safety mechanism for making sure the lens is locked in place (or if someone tries to have a go at the lens while you're focused on your shooting), as in a fail safe safety, and no real way to see if the lens lock is fully engaged (you don't want your lens sliding out an dropping to the floor).
Forgot to mention hiking in my comment :) In urban areas I totally see your point. But can't say that it's a fault of the product.
it would pull my pants down.
I think it's great, but I would never use it. I use the dual spider holster. Great to instantly have another camera lens available without having to change anything. Plus, having your pants fall down every wedding makes for great laughs at my expense, but whatever it takes for the pics. lol
maybe it's aimed at those who change lens like the guy in the video
I can't remember whose channel it was, but one of the Youtube educators I follow did a slow motion analysis of the promo video and it didn't look like a practical product, based on all the things that everyone is pointing out, especially the pants pulling down. I use a Spider holster with a 24-70 on one body and a 70-200 on the other. When I didn't own two cameras, I would rent a second one. I'm just not interested in doing lens swaps during an event. And the fast and heavy primes that their supposed target market will be using are going to drag people's pants down, especially in business/formal attire.
Now that I think about it, I guess this is a product targeted only at male photographers. Even in pants that have belt loops (often, women's pants don't require a belt), I just don't see this thing working. I suspect they'll sell these to men who don't have any experience shooting events.
Dust and rain buckets. Brilliant.
Okay, most of us cringe to the idea of using this. (I can't imagine using that in a concert...)
But I will assume they (the inventors) wanted such lens changer that suits their needs, so they felt the urge to make one and sell it as well.
It's like the Fstopper's Flashdisc story. And like that product, it's not for everyone.
I tried a nearly identical product to this and it failed miserably for concert shooting.
Like I said, I can't imagine that pulling my pants down while shooting concerts. I'd be better with two bodies (or three sometimes)
I've tried the 2 camera strap thing with BlackRapid, but found that useless as well, with the problem being that the settings you make on one camera aren't the same on the other. That means, when you use camera #2, you have to adjust settings all over again to match what you have on camera#1. You'll end up missing more shots bc of that, sadly. I have a small shoulder bag that has 3 slots for lenses and that works perfect for quick changes.
Well it's all based on the user's preference. I kinda have a "preset" for every gig I've shot and my system works for me well.
Bottom line, the contraption above might be a game changer for some people.
You made me physically ill using the most cliched word on the internet, 'game changer'. :(
And yes, every person has their shooting style, though based on my testing of an identical product, it failed on every count. Maybe someone (with a tight belt and pants) will find use for it though, lol. :)
A solution in search of a problem.