Yo. Creator of Nova here. Can I get a green tick thingy?
Happy to answer any questions about Nova.
I created Nova last year because I wasn't happy with how the flash worked on camera phones. Ran a Kickstarter, got manufacturing setup, and now it's ready for everyone to buy.
It's my first hardware product and I'd love feedback from the PH community.
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Love this! Ever since I sold my DSLR and went all-iPhone for camera usage, I've been looking for a good indirect light solution.
A couple questions:
1) Assuming this only works with the Nova app, and no other camera apps?
2) Battery life?
3) Any pro-tips for one-handed use?
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@joewalnes Thanks for the responses! That adhesive looks really useful for a couple different things. I was originally thinking more about how to recreate a flash shoe so I could have the flash bounce off the ceiling, for example. I found this gooseneck clamp and it looks like it may work?
One thing I'd like to see is a UGC gallery of shots taken with Nova. I've only found a handful of examples on your site and other reviews. It's pretty clear that it helps avoid the harsh light problem of the built-in iPhone 5s flash, but curious to see what else people are able to do with it.
@joewalnes with so many people doing software startups, I commend you for doing hardware!
What's been the hardest part about building and selling something "real"?
@adamsigel
1. At the moment it only works with the Nova Camera app (Free in App Store: http://wantnova.com/appstore). However we have an open source SDK and we're keen to work with camera developers to integrate. https://wantnova.com/sdk/
2. Battery life: 2 weeks on standby between charges. You can get about 500-1000 flashes out of it. Of course this totally varies by how much you use it, flash brightness, etc, but it should give you a rough idea. In practice I charge mine about once per week and it's always ready when you need it.
3. Some pro tips...
3a. For one handed use get yourself some of this micro-suction-cup-tape: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ITX9.... You can stick your Nova to the back of your iPhone and easily remove it when you need to without leaving any stick marks. I only discovered it last week and it's really handy!
3b. Use the hard volume buttons instead of touching the screen to take the photo. It's much more ergonomic.