Arsenal Is a New “Intelligent Camera Assistant" That Promises to Help You Take the Perfect Photograph

Photographer Ryan Stout used his engineering skill to create “Arsenal” which he describes as “the world’s first intelligent assistant for DSLR and mirrorless cameras." The idea is that with this compact, wireless device you can use an iOS or Android smartphone to control your camera and take the guesswork out of capturing great images.

Arsenal created an immediate buzz on Kickstarter where it has blown past it’s $50,000 goal with almost $360,000 pledged and 26 days still to go. Our guess is that many advanced amateurs and pros may take a pass on a device that sort of turns their advanced DSLR or mirrorless cameras into point-and-shoots. That said, Arsenal does promise some pretty impressive capabilities for less experienced photographers.

Arsenal mounts to a camera’s hot shoe, with a coiled USB cable making the connection. From there everything is done wirelessly through your smartphone. A quick tap activates Arsenal’s setting assistant that uses artificial intelligence based upon thousands of photos to determine the optimal settings for the scene you’re shooting.

According to the Arsenal team, the sophisticated device makes short work out of scenes with high dynamic range, and enables you to take multiple exposures and merge them into a single Raw or JPEG file—all automatically. Other features include focus stacking, dramatic long exposures without ND filters, time-lapse videos and more.

Arsenal is designed to be compatible with a wide-range of cameras made by Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm. Backers will receive a “Kickstarter Exclusive” by pledging $150, with initial shipments expected in January, 2018. You can find complete details on Arsenal’s Kickstarter page and watch a demo video below. 

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