If someone crowdfunds tens of thousands of dollars for a potato salad, why not for a digital paper camera. That’s exactly what Taiwanese entrepreneur George Lin did. He founded Paper Shoot. Now everyone can create an own personalized digital camera. With customized paper casings.
Paper Shoot, which cost round $50 each, targets creative customers that want a personalized design — such as kids and corporate clients. It also aims to replace the instant cameras you use to take photos of scenic spots. The camera is 1.2 centimeters thick and weighs 80 grams including batteries. The initial 3MP camera just got a 5MP upgrade.
Please, no doubts about the image quality. Paper Shoot sources image sensors, camera lenses and paper pulp from the same suppliers as Apple…
The company had launched its first customized camera in 2013. The product was so popular that the company even attracted a buyout offer from market leader Canon. Paper Shoot rejected the offer as the startup wanted to build its own brand.
Since this March Paper Shoot has become profitable and it is now setting its sights on the overseas market. To fund its global expansion, Paper Shoot has raised some $33,000 from a local crowdfunding platform to promote its product at the home equipment and decoration trade show Maison & Objet in Paris next month.
Next stop is Silicon Valley to raise US$3 million to expand Paper Shoot’s global distribution network. By 2017 the company wants to sell four million customized cameras globally.
Starting in December, Paper Shoot takes online orders to make and ship customized cameras to individual customers worldwide. It will also offer additional features including customized photo effects, video recording, Bluetooth 4.0 anti-lost function, Wi-Fi and near-field communication data transfer based on customers’ requests.
Company founder Lin says Paper Shoot doesn’t compete with other camera products on the market as it has created its own unique market. Cool concept, right, yet Paper Shoot cameras only offer four photo effects based on automatic adjustment to lighting conditions. They might be too simple and look like toys to more serious photographers…
For more on the paper camera visit Paper Shoot.