Pulse is a remote camera trigger for Canon and Nikon DSLRs which allows users to wirelessly control the shutter and adjust settings such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed from their smartphone. The device, which can also be used when shooting video or time-lapses, is currently on Kickstarter, where it exceeded its US$50,000 funding target in just three hours.
Though many new cameras boast built-in wireless features, there are still an awful lot of cameras out there which don't. Pulse is designed to bring powerful remote control functions to Canon and Nikon DSLRs, and is being launched by Alpine Labs, which has previously given us the Michron, Radian, and Radian 2 time-lapse devices.
Pulse connects to the USB port of a camera and is said to be compatible with more than 60 Canon and Nikon cameras which can then be controlled from an iOS or Android device. Alpine Labs says compatibility is currently limited to Canon and Nikon devices because of the way they respond to having a USB device plugged in. A full list of compatible cameras is available in the FAQ section of the crowdfunding project page.
The slim Pulse dongle can be mounted to the hot-shoe on a camera and, once plugged in to the USB port, allows access to camera settings on a smartphone via Bluetooth connectivity. The clean and simple app interface is very similar in style to that on the Radian 2, and lets users trigger the shutter to take a photo, and adjust settings including ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, giving considerable creative control. This is useful for times it's just not practical to be by the camera making adjustments and shooting.
While the Bluetooth connection doesn't allow for a live preview, you can preview thumbnail images right after you've taken the photo. Also, in addition to shooting stills the Pulse allows users to start and stop video recording (something few remote triggers can do), or trigger a series of shots at intervals for producing time-lapse videos. Advanced time-lapse options include things like exposure ramping to adjust ISO and shutter speed when capturing day-to-night transitions.
At the time of writing, Kickstarter pledges start at $74, which is said to be $25 less than the expected retail price. If everything goes to plan with the project, the Pulse triggers are expected to start shipping in April 2016.
You can check out the Pulse Kickstarter video below.
Sources: Alpine Labs, Kickstarter
