Taking panoramas, time-lapse videos, or recording personal interview podcast videos without a cameraperson and with an iPhone or iPod is a difficult task. At $149.95 for the Bluetooth model direct from their website, Motrr’s Galileo robotic iOS device dock does everything mentioned and then some.
Overview
Motrr’s Galileo Unboxing by Chris Rauschnot @24k
The Motrr Galileo was born from a crowd funding campaign that solidified a want for this type of iOS accessory. Some consider it to be the first controllable robot for the iPhone. One of the reasons why it’s so popular with iPhone photography enthusiasts and professionals alike is that it can be mounted on a standard tripod. Tripod mounts allow the Galileo to be setup in places that larger cameras wouldn’t be able to go. While testing the device, I came across a University of Kansas City Journalism professor using one to teach his students during the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, on how to setup shots and control a camera to create compelling event coverage.
With Apple’s latest iOS, panoramic photos are possible, but the result is nowhere near what the Galelio and the Sphere 360 app can do. Once a 360-degree sphere is captured, it can be shared and embedded on websites like the one below. Panoramic photos are fun, but when you can virtually step inside of them, that is when it becomes cool.
Sphere by Ham TheAstrochimp
Time-lapse video is another area where a robotic dock like the Galileo makes it a compelling accessory to own. I’ve seen photographers use egg timers and GoPro cameras to make time-lapse videos, but there’s no control there. The combination Bluetooth connectivity and app integration with TimeLapse available for $4.99 on the iTunes App Store, allows you to create time-lapse videos like the one below.
TimeLapse App demo by Steve Tsuida
Personal podcasts are some of the most popular videos on YouTube. Creating them on the iPhone is pretty easy, but leave the frame for a few seconds and the scene needs to be reshot. Motrr’s Galileo, along with the Videography app, track objects and faces that enter the scene. This eliminates the need to have a cameraperson track you in the frame or reshoot scenes when recording video solo.
Object Tracking With Videography App and Galileo
Verdict
The Galileo robotic motion platform from Motrr gives iPhone photography enthusiasts through professionals access to a wide range of new possibilities with highly acclaimed apps like TimeLapse and Videography. The device is compact enough to keep in a backpack or in a photographer’s accessory case.
Virtually stepping inside of panoramic photos, tracking objects and faces while recording podcasts and producing amazing time lapse videos on an iPhone makes a gadget like the Galileo intriguing enough to buy. Take a look at the current list of compatible apps and there is talk that an Android version could be coming out soon. Keep an eye on Motrr and the Galileo, its functionality and app are constantly being expanded.
Rating:4/5.0
Price: $149.95 for the Bluetooth version and $99 for the 30-pin version– Available at the Motrr website or at BestBuy.
Pros:
- Simple to setup, download the iOS app & pair via Bluetooth.
- The app platform offers developers access to its robotic functionality.
- Tracks faces and objects in videos for interviews.
- Create amazing time-lapse videos.
- Create spherical panoramas with the free Sphere app.
Cons:
- At a price of $99 for its 30-pin model & $149 for its Bluetooth model, it is priced slightly higher than what other iOS photography gadgets go for.
- It can do 360-degree panoramic photos but the stitching software can create banding due to lighting differences in the scene.
Disclosure: I received a Motrr Galileo for review at no cost. I did not receive compensation for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
