What is Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is a launchpad for creators to raise funds for the initial production of their invention. Backers (that’s you!) can support the creator by pre-ordering the product at a discounted price.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:43
How do I pledge?
In order to pledge, click that green button that says “Back this project”. You’ll get to select your shipping country and choose your desired pledge level and reward.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:43
Do the Blips lenses work with multiple camera smartphones?
Yes! You only need to put the lens on the main camera. The multiple camera phones have one main camera and one or more secondary cameras. Align the Blips lens on the objective lens of the main photo camera and use the phone as a microscope, or as a camera for macrophotography! How can you recognize which one is the main camera? Cover, with your finger or with anything else, each camera; when you cover only the main camera you will not see the previous image on your screen. When you cover the secondary cameras, you will keep seeing the same image on your screen (you will not note the effect of the coverage). In some cases, you could use the macro camera, which is available on many recent models of smartphone. In this case, Blips3 lenses will provide a higher magnification and performance than the native camera. Diversely than common clip macro lenses, Blips3 lenses, thanks to their extra small size, they usually do not cover the secondary phone cameras, as well as the led of the smartphone. Therefore, they do not disturb the balancing of the light and the performance of these smartphone cameras. On some iPhone models (i.g. iPhone 13 pro) the image may switch from the main camera to the secondary one, in particular when you apply digital zoom. For avoiding this annoying effect the solution is locking the autofocus, once you are going to apply the digital zoom! How to do it? On the native camera app of iOS, as well as on our free app, it is very easy: just keep pressing on the screen for a while and you’ll get it done.
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When is my money collected?
Your money will be collected only after the project ends on November 4th, 2022. If the project is cancelled for any reason, you won’t be charged.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
Why do lenses not go beyond 10x magnification?
The level of optical power (i.e. magnification) has been selected with attention in order to provide the best overall optical performance and usability. Moreover, magnification is not an important parameter for digital optics (and microscopy); the most important parameters are resolution, i.e. the ability to distinguish tiny features, and field of view, i.e. the imaged area without scanning your device on the sample.
- Higher magnification needs very short depth of focus, significantly smaller field of view and very short working distance.
- Shorter deep of focus makes very difficult to get images in focus using hand-held devices
- Smaller field of view makes it very difficult to find the sample you want to observe behind the smartphone.
- Very short working distances do not allow us to film or shoot nature subjects like insects, to look inside flowers, or to check inside small 3D structures.
Higher optical magnification can be achieved with different systems where sample and optics are rigidly kept at a defined distance, but the fields of application are partially different from the targets of Blips3. For systems with higher magnification you need a solid base and adequate illumination, as in the case of our DIPLE microscopes.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
When will I get my pre-order?
Blips3 lenses are set to ship in December (early birds)-January 2023. Depending on your location, you’ll get them few days after the shipment. Please note that this is an estimate, as you’re pre-ordering the product and production delays could arise.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
What payment methods can I use?
You can use any debit or credit card associated with Visa, Mastercard or American Express, as well as Discover and JCB cards. Kickstarter does not accept payments with PayPal.
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Does it work with my tablet or iPad?
Blips3 works perfectly on tablets and iPads, and the larger screen of these devices offers a great, detailed view on the micro-world!
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Can I put the lenses on the phone cover?
Yes.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
Is my device compatible with Blips3?
Blips3 lenses are designed to work on virtually all smartphone models available on the market. The lenses work well on cameras at the same level of the phone body, or on smartphones with protruding cameras. Depending on the device architecture, Blips3 lenses can be placed horizontally or vertically without any changes in their performance.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
How many megapixels are required?
The number of pixels of your camera sensor is usually not an issue. Indeed, the higher the magnification, the lower the number of pixels required to achieve the same resolution. A rough numerical evaluation for Blips3 MX is following: Field of view: 10 mm – image 16:9 at 5.99 MPixel (3264×1836) Every pixel side corresponds to 10 mm/3264 ≈ 3 microns
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Are there any customs duties to pay?
All shipments to the US and to the European Union have no custom duties to pay. There may be small duties to pay for other countries, depending on local laws.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
What does it mean to back a project (pledge)?
When you back a project, you’re pre-ordering the product. That means you’ll get it once it’s produced. Besides getting the product itself, you’re also joining a community. Follow along the production process, take part in important surveys and give the creator valuable feedback.
Last updated: October 20, 2022 01:46
What is BackerKit?
BackerKit is a service that crowdfunded project creators use to keep track of hundreds to tens of thousands of backers—from shipping details, pledge levels, preferences and quantities, whether they have paid or had their card declined, special notes, and everything in between!
The BackerKit software and support team is independent from the campaign’s project team—BackerKit does not handle the actual reward shipping. For more information about the preparation or delivery status of your rewards, please check the project's updates page.
How does BackerKit work?
After the campaign ends, the project creator will send you an email with a unique link to your survey. You can check out a walkthrough of the process here.
I never received my invitation. How do I complete the survey?
The most common reasons for not receiving a survey email is that you may be checking an email inbox different from the email address you used to sign up with Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account, or it may be caught in your spam filter.
Confirm that the email address you are searching matches the email address tied to your Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or Tilt Pro account. If that doesn’t work, then try checking your spam, junk or promotions folders. You can also search for "backerkit” in your inbox.
To resend the survey to yourself, visit the project page and input the email address associated with your Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account.
How do I update my shipping address?
BackerKit allows you to update your shipping address until the shipping addresses are locked by the project creator. To update your address, go back to your BackerKit survey by inputting your email here.
When will my order be shipped, charged or locked?
That is handled directly by the project creator. BackerKit functions independently of the project itself, so we do not have control of their physical shipping timeline. If you want to check on the project’s status, we recommend reading over the project's updates page.
I completed the survey, but haven't received my rewards yet. When will they arrive?
As BackerKit does not actually handle any rewards or shipping, the best way to stay updated on the shipping timeline would be to check out the project's updates page.