Photography

GoPhone turns the iPhone into a hard-mounted GoPro viewfinder

GoPhone turns the iPhone into a hard-mounted GoPro viewfinder
The GoPhone lets an iPhone 5/5s and a GoPro Hero "be as one"
The GoPhone lets an iPhone 5/5s and a GoPro Hero "be as one"
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The GoPhone lets an iPhone 5/5s and a GoPro Hero "be as one"
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The GoPhone lets an iPhone 5/5s and a GoPro Hero "be as one"
Because the camera is mounted upside-down, users will have to enable its shot-flipping feature – or, they can just flip the footage in editing
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Because the camera is mounted upside-down, users will have to enable its shot-flipping feature – or, they can just flip the footage in editing
The camera quickly snaps in and out of a mounting point on the case
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The camera quickly snaps in and out of a mounting point on the case
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Despite the incredible popularity of the GoPro Hero actioncam, it still lacks one very basic feature – a viewfinder. You can use your smartphone as a remote viewfinder via the camera's Wi-Fi signal, but for users who want to get hand-held shots, that involves holding onto two devices. That's where the GoPhone comes into the picture.

Created by Melbourne, Australia-based Andrew Dorn and Carson Tully, the GoPhone is simply a case for the iPhone 5 or 5s, with a mounting point that the GoPro's included quick-release clip snaps in and out of. The user just holds onto their phone with the Wi-Fi-linked camera hanging underneath, then monitors its shot, replays footage and manages its settings using the GoPro app.

As a side benefit, the phone/case doubles as a camera handle.

The camera quickly snaps in and out of a mounting point on the case
The camera quickly snaps in and out of a mounting point on the case

The angle of the GoPro relative to the case can be adjusted, although because the camera is mounted upside-down, users will have to enable its shot-flipping feature – or, they can just flip the footage in editing.

Dorn and Tully are currently raising production funds for their device, on Kickstarter. A pledge of AUD$40 (US$36) will get you one, when and if they're ready to go. You could instead just get GoPro's own LCD BacPac module, although the current model is priced at $80, and won't make it any easier for you to hold onto the camera.

The GoPhone can be seen in use in the pitch video below.

Source: Kickstarter

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1 comment
1 comment
Takeshi Kovacs
The gopro's wifi-smarphone picture lags about 3 seconds. So it's completly useless as a viewfinder. I've tried it. No way. Using wifi to configure is better then only camera buttons, but lcdback is the proper solution. And the Gopro wifi remote is also useless, specialy on sport events for example airsoft. And wifi drain the battery fast too. In this case the best is the one button mode. To use as a regular camera LCDback is necessary.