So this product hit my FB feed and I checked it out, looks pretty cool, but on the other hand it almost feels like cheating. Kind of relies less on the photographer's skills , maybe takes the challenge out of picture taking.
It's just a screen shot so no one has this blowing up their feed, anyone ever try it?

Also on another FB page about astronomy pictures they use "stacking " I had never heard of that before, anyone here use it?

 

Thank you for sharing. I have a pretty strong opinion on this subject, however I would like to see what others have to say about it first.

 

I have no idea what that is or does. There is no description.


either way AI is the next disruptor. I hate the idea. But at some point it will be the norm

 

Drew, if you go to their website it shows what it does, basically AI makes it darn near perfect.

 

100% cheating but it is still amazing technology!

 

So I am not alone on this.

 

Here is my take...but before you read this know it is NOT directed toward the OP and I am just commenting in general about this technology. First lets understand that are more photos taken each day in the United States alone than in the first 100 years of photography from every person on the planet. Let that sink in for a minute.

Of the photos taken each day over 98% are using a phone and over 99% of all photos taken are using an "auto" setting. Event though using Auto setting over 90% of all photos taken have an additional filter slapped on them already. Of all those photos taken just a very small fraction are ever printed, estimated to be less than .001%

I am bringing up those stats because I am unsure of who this product is supposed to be for? The people that are already using "Auto" Settings are not going to want to learn anything more/new as the snapshots they are creating are already good enough when the post to Social Media. I cannot see any professional using this technology as it is basically saving (to my knowledge) the finished image to their phone and not the camera card. That said the exception of the Time-lapse application which can be beneficial. But I would NEVER shoot HDR shots like this, nor remote shutter...and if I cannot figure out exposure compensation or how to focus properly than I am not a real photographer anyway. The program claims is "Magically Eliminates" people from the frame. Again it is basically using an algorithm to search out people and I 100% guarantee if you zoomed into any of these photos after it removed the people you would see all sorts of digital artifacts.

Technology like this is marketed to people that have no desire to learn photography...because the angle is just slap it on your camera and BAM....instant artwork! To me it is like people who create "AI Artwork" by literally just typing a bunch of words into a program and letting the computer do 100% of the work. Is that really artwork if my 12 year old Daughter can create identical photos as a "Master AI" creator?? Ridiculous and in insult to anyone who knows what they are doing. In the automotive world this is the equivalent of self driving cars. To those that hate to drive and don't want to learn they love that type of technology...for me I like driving and less "nannies" the more engaged I am with the automobile. The question I always ask my photography students is HOW is this type of technology making them a better Photographer? A person can hike throughout Yosemite and get some really great snapshots in auto mode...but with all of this advancement in technology are the pictures actually better than Ansel Adams from 100 years ago?? I think a very easy argument could be made that technology has made us dumber in regards to Art in general. Mozart had to write and play his own music, Michelangelo had to not only have amazing vision but the skill to use a brush, Singers in the past had to write their own music and perform live with no auto tune...etc...

Now I am being specific here about "automated" camera technology that sells the users on the fact that NO skill is required to create great shots. This is not a commendation of photo technology in general.

 

Here is a good example of what I was asking about stacking. The things listed in the screen shot, is this new to photography, the way of the future, how does it work?