Today’s digital cameras come jam-packed with so many features, you’d think they also had the ability to automatically take photos for you. While cameras themselves aren’t quite at that stage yet, there’s an accessory out there that can help you take a photo without having to press your camera’s shutter button. Dubbed the MIOPS Smart, this camera trigger was crowdfunded on Kickstarter and aims to be an all-in-one device for photographers interested in high-speed photography.
Unique Features
Composed mainly of plastic, the MIOPS Smart is very lightweight and is the size of a small mobile phone. It has a color LCD screen with six large buttons on one side, and a hot-shoe mount on the other side, allowing for the trigger to sit out of the way on top of your camera while shooting. A slim side panel peels back to display several ports for cable attachment to cameras. A rechargeable battery powers the MIOPS Smart, and it can be easily recharged. The MIOPS Smart can be controlled either through dedicated controls on the device itself, or by any smartphone via a Bluetooth connection.
In terms of using the device in practice, its interface and buttons are pretty simple to use without having to resort to a manual. With some light experimentation, you can be up and running with the MIOPS Smart quickly.
MIOPS Smart Modes and Trigger Options
There are three modes that are especially unique: laser, lightning, and sound modes. As their names imply, laser mode is fired when a laser fried by the device is broken, lightning mode triggers the camera when there’s a sudden change in light, and sound mode is triggered by a dramatic change in noise. Each mode allows for sensitivity adjustment on a scale of 1-100. It may take some experimentation to find the correct sensitivity setting for the photo you’re going after. Beyond these three unique trigger modes, the MIOPS Smart also allows for standard photography features such as HDR bracketing and time-lapse shooting.
- Laser Mode (requires a laser pointer)
- Lightning Mode (capable of capturing lightning, fireworks, or other instances with a sudden change in light).
- Sound Mode (such as popping balloons, breaking glass, explosions)
- HDR Mode (takes a burst of bracketed shots up to 7 frames)
- Timelapse Mode (intervalometer)
- DIY Mode (program the MIOPS to be triggered by any type of external signal)
MIOPS smartphone app interface
Controlling the trigger through the MIOPS Smart’s dedicated device controls.
Compatibility
Before purchasing the MIOPS Smart, ensure compatibility with your camera of choice since the device uses a camera-specific cable to properly connect. The MIOPS Smart is compatible with digital cameras from most major brands including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Pentax, and Fujifilm. In this review, the device was tested with a Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 6D, and Sony a6300 without a problem. See the full list of supported cameras here.
The device also offers iOS and Android support and will work with most smartphones.
Test Shots
Triggered in Laser Mode with a laser pointer behind the plant and watch, pointing toward the MIOPS Smart laser.
Also shot in Laser Mode per the specifications above.
Shot in Sound Mode, with a slight delay to give subjects some time to get partially in the air.
Shot in Lightning Mode. This is SO much more efficient than doing long exposures!
Is It Worth It?
The MIOPS Smart retails online for $199.99. Included in the box are the MIOPS trigger, a BL6c battery, a USB connection cable, a flash sync cable, and camera cable (this one should be specific to your camera brand of choice). There’s no physical manual included, but it’s intuitive to figure out, and an online manual can be referenced as needed. As a food and restaurant photographer, the MIOPS Smart’s Laser Mode proved to be VERY convenient for capturing action shots of chefs and bartenders in the kitchen. It was literally a snap to have the MIOPS automatically take photos for me. The same was true for travel photography scenarios, such as capturing wildlife in action, and lightning storms. Overall, I’d definitely recommend the MIOPS Smart for anyone who does coordinated photography with action elements.
