We are very excited to finally be able to announce today new Adaptalux features that we have implemented into the product. We were blown away by the Kickstarter campaign and all of your generous support, so we wanted to maximise the funds received to make the product even better. Detailed below are new product features that we have been working very hard on over summer. All of these features will be built into the first batch of the product, meaning you will be receiving more Adaptalux features than we originally outlined with your pledges and pre-orders! How awesome is that?

Built in Bluetooth!

We have now developed and built in bluetooth capability into every Control Pod. This expands Adaptalux’s capabilities significantly and means our original idea of having a bluetooth accessory that plugs into the back of the Control Pod is no longer required. This means you will now be able to control Adaptalux wirelessly with your android or iPhone devices straight out of the box.

We have built features into the App such as LIVE control as well as the ability to download and upload lighting configurations directly from the Control Pod to the app. This will allow the Adaptalux Lighting Library to be more detailed and all electronic data of a set-up will be available at the tap of a button for everybody.

The App itself is also coming along nicely. We are now working on the 3rd revision, optimising the best methods of controlling Adaptalux using the App so it is effortless and intuitive. We are hoping to release the App a month before the product launch, so people can experiment and build lighting set-ups in an “offline mode” in preparation of receiving the Adaptalux’s. The app will only be available to iPhone users at launch, swiftly followed by an Android version. More details about the Adaptalux App will be posted as updates as it progresses over the next few months.

To use Adaptalux via bluetooth is very simple. Simply hold the cycle button on the Control Pod for 2 seconds to make it enter a bluetooth seeking mode, and then simply connect to it using the Adaptalux App. Easy.

Improved Battery Life:-

One of the most common questions we have had are battery life concerns so we have listened and improved. Through some clever coding, we have improved the battery life by 5X without sacrificing any light output. This now means one single charge will provide 12 hours of use with 3 Lighting Arms connected at 50% brightness. This means 1 charge gives you a lot of time to master your Adaptalux lighting set-up for a subject when both in the field and at home.

New and improved Control Pod status indicator:-

The battery indicator LED on the Control Pod has now been upgraded to have a blue notification too alongside red and green. It will now indicate the following at a glance so you can stay focused on your photography work:-

Flashing Red:- Battery is getting low, lighting no longer suitable for free-hand shooting.

Constant Red:- Very low battery, charge immediately.

Flashing Green:- Charging

Constant Green:- Fully charged and still connected to external power source.

Flashing Blue:- Bluetooth mode enabled, seeking connection.

Constant Blue:- Bluetooth connection successful. Connected to the Adaptalux mobile App.

Help us spread the news about these amazing new features!

This update is a big deal for us and you guys! With these new features, Adaptalux will be better than ever and it’s all thanks to your generous pledges and support. We would really appreciate it if you would take a minute to spread the word regarding this update using social media. To share, simply click on the desired social media icon below, it’s that easy and it will mean a lot to us!

New Launch Dates:-

The downside to these new innovations and features is they have delayed our original schedule by some time. We are sorry about this but we think these new features are well worth waiting a little longer for and we hope you all agree too! The new schedule is outlined below:-

We are now anticipating a launch date in February 2016, although if we finish earlier it could be January. The BETA pledgers will receive their Adaptalux Kits 4 weeks before everyone else. Other Kickstarter pledges will then be fulfilled followed by website pre-orders.

Production Updates:-

A lot of Adaptalux has now been ordered and delivered. Here is a range of images of new parts received since the last update. The last item to order will be the Control Pod PCB with the new bluetooth functionality. We are going to be starting some of the sub-assemblies through October here in the UK.

Samples testing the Diffuser/Colour Filter assembly process.

Tooling for our patent protected electrical contact design

Finished Aluminium Control Pod Front plates

We have decided to change the finish of the Control Pod from a speckled texture to a matte texture. We believe a matte finish gives the Adaptalux Control Pod a more high quality aesthetic and it also suits the designs of the Lighting Arms and Effect Components more. Here is a render showing the Control Pod with a matte black finish.

Packaging:-

Packaging design is now almost complete. We now need to seek a company to help us manufacture and assemble the packaging. We have designed as much as possible by ourselves to keep costs down. There will be packaging for the following:-

Starter Pack
Combo Pack
Ultimate Pack
Individual Lighting Arms
Individual Diffusers/Colour Filters

More to follow regarding the packaging in the coming months including images of the designs and prototypes.

Winner of our mini-competition:-

The winner of our mini-competition ins our last update is Kevin L. Kitchens. His guess was 1,024 screws which was the closest. There were actually 1,998 screws in there believe it or not! Congratulations to Kevin and he won a free colour filter to add to his pack!

Thank you everyone for your continued support! For weekly images from Adaptalux be sure to follow our Flickr and Instagram pages.

About
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Sam Granger

As the product designer and Founder of Adaptalux, Sam's love for macro photography was the leading influence in the creation of the Adaptalux Studio. He continues to innovate, always working to improve our products and develop new projects.