With so many new methods of creating images, photography has become more than simply taking a picture. This new device from MIOPS brings photographers closer to the images they envision by making the process simpler.
The MIOPS Flex is a new variant of the brand’s smart trigger. Their first camera trigger, Smart+ which we reviewed previously, offers a ton of features that help automate many exposure workflows like time lapse, star trails, HDR, etc. There are various sensors for sound, light and motion that offer a wide range of possibilities.
MIOPS Flex offers a lot of the same features as older versions of smart triggers, however, this one also comes with unique features that can be very useful, especially for photographers. professionals who need to shoot from unusual angles or with unusual settings. for those who shoot a lot of HDR and exposure compensation, as well as time-lapse.
Construction and Design
The Flex is a single unit that can be mounted on the camera’s hot-socket or other cold-shoe slots. It connects using a series of different ports depending on the actual use and the camera to be used with it. Flex has a very minimalistic design. This all-black has a single backlit button to simply turn it on and off, and it is accompanied by two LED indicators on the side that indicate connection status. In addition to power on, all operations are controlled via the MIOPS mobile app. On the right side is a micro-SD card slot that will be used to store the output of the processes involved, as well as copies of the images taken with the device. While the design is sleek and minimalist, the all-plastic construction raises some questions about durability, especially when used in extreme conditions.
Long exposure
One of the most basic functions of this smart trigger is complete control for long exposure shooting. Like the other variants, the MIOPS Flex offers a smartphone-controlled way to activate the lock and release the shutter. The long exposure timer can hold the long exposure for up to 99 hours with an additional option of timer delay. For long-exposure landscape photographers with ND filters, the app also features an ND filter calculator built into the remote self-timer that will automatically enter your resulting exposure times and give allows you to shoot directly from the settings recommended by the ND filter calculator.
Time lapse
MIOPS Flex provides all the time lapse functions found in MIOPS Smart + and Remote plus. Standard interval shooting can be performed for manual time-lapse shooting functions with adjustable parameters such as exposure time, interval, and total exposures. It also has some more advanced time-lapse functions such as a “holy grail” time lapse mode that allows the trigger to help you adapt to changes in ambient light, which is perfect for convert from day to night and vice versa. Other time-lapse functions work in tandem with the built-in sensors, such as “Storm-lapse” mode that activates exposure using the light sensor that detects lightning and activates the camera to capture the shot. . The Road-lapse function works with a laser sensor that triggers the camera to capture when an object passes in front of the sensor, making it perfect for capturing moving vehicles from the side of the road. HDR time lapse function captures different exposures instead of single exposure to create more vivid and detailed clips.
However, the most notable time-lapse feature of MIOPS Flex is that it can generate previews of your time-lapse segments with the use of dedicated memory and mobile apps. The application can assemble time-lapse clips quickly without having to upload and process them with a computer. While the previews are not flexible in terms of speed and framerate, they are of great value in ensuring that clips can be stitched together and show a glimpse of the final result. fruit.
HDR and Focus Stacking
Just like other versions of the MIOPS camera trigger, the Flex has a multi-exposure automatic process for HDR and focus stacking. The different HDR modes have customizable exposure modes ranging from 3 to 9 different exposures with between 1/3 and 3 stops each. However, similar to time-lapse, Flex can create a real-time preview or simulation of the resulting composite and composite HDR images to help the photographer gauge success. of the final output or even use them as samples.
The MIOPS Flex also features an auto focus stacking mode that allows the device to navigate around the frame to focus on different parts to cover the areas needed to produce a highly detailed result. .
Live View
The MIOPS Flex utilizes both Bluetooth and WiFi connections on both the camera and the smartphone being used. This allows the device to send video information and use the smartphone (or tablet) as a secondary display. This can be quite useful for situations where the camera angle is not optimal for viewing the camera’s screen, such as at very high or very long angles. Although there is about a second of delay that makes high-speed shooting undesirable, this function can certainly help make for a more efficient and comfortable shooting experience.
User Experience
MIOPS Flex is more functionally rich than other camera triggers, which explains why setting up the device requires a few more tedious steps. If the device is used for standard trigger functions such as shutter release and interval shooting, along with the use of the smart sensor, the device will only require a regular cable compatible with the camera. However, for more advanced functions using PC remote control and tapping into storage, the setup process can be more complicated and individualized on each camera model. MIOPS has provided a specific guide that can be found here. These steps include turning off the smartphone control function, changing the USB mode, disabling USB-C charging, etc. All these settings must be set every time you use the Flex with advanced functions, It may take a little longer than usual if you switch between such functions frequently.
Once fully set up, the Flex becomes a device that allows your smartphone to control almost any aspect of the photography process from a controlled distance. Capturing more complex time-lapse workflows, landscapes, special effects, and more just got easier with the automation the device provides. Users can also better monitor the process and output through remote live view as well as real-time previews of time-lapse and HDR. Overall, after successfully tinkering with the camera settings, the MIOPS Flex can be a great tool to simplify the workflow of many different types of photographers.
What I like:
- Features long exposure, time lapse, special effects, etc.
- Instant time lapse and HDR preview
- Shoot from a distance
What I don’t like
- Complicated setup process
- Completely plastic material
- Micro-USB charging
