I Decided to Go All In

Hey,

After getting back from my trip, I’ve been incredibly inspired and focused on taking the WLV-01 to the next level. So far I’ve just been doing smaller releases and I’ve decided that it’s time to focus more energy and resources to making this camera successful. The main areas I’ve been prioritizing have been optimizing the camera software, distribution and compliance for scale.

Camera Software

The latest release of the software is almost through its final round of testing. I’ve been giving sneak peeks of the software but there are 3 main features coming out that will enhance the performance of the camera:

-Desktop-less boot process resulting in extended battery life and faster boot time

-Introduction of a computational photo mode for the imx585 that takes 4 quick frames and merges them together to make a 20mp image (similar to how phone cameras operate)

-Optimizing the color science and lut functionality in advance of the color sensor releases. This includes the ability to convert luts that are built for Lumix v-log and load them into the camera

Distribution

This is the biggest news! I got to meet with some great people while I was out in San Francisco and have decided to launch a Kickstarter to drive the new release of Micro 43 sensors. The project has the official “Project we love” designation and I’m extremely excited to work with them on this launch!

The official launch is coming soon and you can subscribe to the pre-launch page to be notified on the launch date: WLV-01 Pre-Launch Page

Compliance

Since the Micro 43 board is a brand new piece of electronics that hasn’t been sold at scale yet, I need to go through all of the FCC and ISED certifications. It’s quite pricey but also a lot of fun learning more about EMC and working directly with an accredited lab. I’ve also picked up a few tools for my personal lab to do some initial frequency testing. Sounds a bit boring but I’m actually really into it!

Overall, I’m very excited about the future of the camera and can’t wait to share this new version with you. As always, thank you for the support - it’s been a year since I’ve launched this Substack and am honored to have connected with so many of you.

If you’d like to help support the growth of the camera, please consider sharing the Kickstarter link with friends and family that may be interested!

Cheers,

Malcolm