The StockCam is an unusual camera cage for photography enthusiasts who need multiple mounting points for various accessories, as well as stability and better camera handling. It’s also shaped like an assault rifle…
If you’re a photographer who’s also into guns, you’ll probably love the design of the StockCam. It combines the functionality and convenience of a high-quality camera cage, with the aesthetics of a modern assault rifle. It even features a trigger to activate the shutter or lock the cage to ensure that the shutter doesn’t accidentally get pressed. You actually use it by pressing the stock against your shoulder and looking into the camera display as you would in a gun scope, and then press the trigger to shoot, as in take a picture. But can you imagine using one of these things around police?
The first time I stumbled upon a video of the StockCam on an obscure Japanese website, I was convinced it was some sort of a joke, as the idea of disguising a camera cage as a realistic assault rifle seemed, well, dangerous. But then I studied the product a bit, and it looked a bit too well-thought-out to be a spoof. It does offer plenty of functionality, with multiple mounts for things like microphones, lights, and spare camera lenses, and the trigger is designed to work like an actual camera shutter, with light presses used for focusing, and hard presses for taking shots.
The thing is that whoever designed the StockCam wanted it to look like a real gun. They could have simply made it bright yellow or orange, but instead, they went for the gun black which only enhances its similarity to a real firearm. Even the guy in the promotional photos and videos is wearing a military-type vest – albeit one with the Rockstar logo on it – so the military look is intentional.
If you’re going to use something like the StockCam to take photos of birds in the wilderness, maybe you’ll be fine, but if you bust something like this out in a US city, you’re asking for trouble. This thing looks way too realistic not to be confused with an assault rifle, and do you really want to get shot? And I don’t mean photographed.
For more information on the StockCam, check out the official website. They actually have a 50% early bird discount, if you’re considering getting one.
