How to go about getting a gear idea off the ground

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Rich
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As me and the missus wandered around Paris last weekend with my camera an idea for something photography related popped into my nut.
Get these madcap ideas every now and then, most are just impractical pr downright crazy, but this one made sense, even my wife agreed.

So the question is how to get going, hopefully not too pricey, don't mind chucking a few bob at it, but no clue what to do first.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received and no I'm not sharing, sorry.

Cheers
Rich
 
Get a patent.
Get someone who can do CAD, draw it.
Get someone who can make it - 3D print? electrical engineer? make a prototype

Get on Kickstarter.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Get a patent.
Get someone who can do CAD, draw it.
Get someone who can make it - 3D print? electrical engineer? make a prototype

Get on Kickstarter.
Click to expand...

Thanks, thought Patent would get a mention.
Done a Google search and doesn't appear anyone else has had the idea

Will try and do some more research, not going to make a mint, but think it could make a few quid and be of interest to photographers
 
Sounds good ,go for it
 
If you don't expect the product to make you a mint the cost of getting a patent is likely to be prohibitive.

Get it made and promoted then sell as many as you can before the Chinese copy it!
 
Dragons Den :D
 
Possibly worth contacting the member on here who is making large format cameras. Believe he started by crowd-funding. Unfortunately can't remember his username at the moment but sure someone will know it.

Just searched: @stevelmx5
 
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If it is unique and complex enough that it can't be easily replicated it could live like a trade secret rather than going the expensive and lengthy patent route. Take Intel and Coca Cola as examples.

You pretty much have to get UK, EU and WTO patents... it gets expensive very quickly.
 
Just to prepare you now…the minute it is out there, you bet your ass the Chinese will copy it and bring it to market on Aliexpress before you can say "I am going to sue!"
 
rick448 said:
Dragons Den :D
Click to expand...
Doesn't Peter Jones own Jessops these days? Would it be possible to draw up some kind of NDA before meeting a rep of his. If he's interested you partner up and you've got an easy straight line from manufacture to market. If he's not, he can't make it, and you go the Kickstarter route. I'm no legal boffin but would this be posible?
 
Years ago I'd have agreed with the patent idea, especially a worldwide one as that suits your product being photo related meaning photographers everywhere may want it :)

But its slow and bloody expensive :(

But then I attended a presentation on Patent Law and real-life experience which proved what a waste of time this was all too often with the Far East (especially) not giving a damn and rushing to recreate whatever is a good idea cheaper and selling zillions while Paten lawyers chase them, usually with no useful outcome

The summary of the night was simple - if its a good idea that can sell fast then go to market ASAP and make your £million(s) before the rip-off merchants have caught up

Dave
 
Thanks all for the advice and encouragement
Thinking the patent idea is a waste of money, don't suppose the Chinese give a hoot about that sort of thing
Probably cost more than I would make before someone else jumped on the band wagon

Its something very simple, will send out a few emails and try to get a prototype made up.
Still refining it, but got the basics sorted out, sort of thing that might hopefully sell on somewhere like here
 
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Patent is definitely not worth the effort, unless you have the funds to chase infringements.

Time to market is probably the key, but I would suggest getting a working prototype and then look to sell the concept on. That way you'll reap some rewards but not have the hassle of volume manufacture/distribution/marketing/etc. Obviously there are a variety of business arrangements that can be had with whoever its sold to.

You will need a legally tight documents to be signed by all parties before entering into discussions with future partners.
 
Agree about patents not being economically useful for a small business idea. Kickstarter funding can be one way to go, but avoid dragons den, because it's all about making TV and not about starting a business.
 
Bythesea said:
Possibly worth contacting the member on here who is making large format cameras. Believe he started by crowd-funding. Unfortunately can't remember his username at the moment but sure someone will know it.

Just searched: @stevelmx5
Click to expand...

Hi :0)

I've just been reading through the thread and I'd agree with some of the others about a patent not really being worthwhile unless you're expecting to sell millions. If anyone is going to copy your product, it will most likely be the Far East as that's where the bulk of mass-production occurs. Unfortunately, I'd agree that if someone is going to copy your product, they will regardless of a patent so it's best to focus your time and money on getting it out via crowdfunding and deliver the product you're personally happy with before someone else launches their own. It's a cynical approach but probably the only realistic one.

I spent around 18 months refining/building Chroma before I was happy to launch the Kickstarter campaign (at least 8 different versions!). I didn't want to launch a camera that I wasn't personally happy with and then spend the next 18 months delaying delivery and becoming another campaign that drags out the product. It's been an exciting time, especially watching support come in on the first day and being fully funded after 6 hours! My original financial plan/target was based around selling 40 cameras in what is a niche environment. At the end of the campaign, I'd sold 150 cameras worldwide so I'm currently assembling the first of those and planning to ship in the next few weeks and turning down people asking about buying their own for the time being.

My one major piece of advice would be to embrace social media to get your product out in front of the people it's aimed at. I've built up good friendships with some of the bigger names in analogue photography worldwide and they've been really helpful in publishing articles about Chroma, which has lead to more backing (Kickstarter gives you a report of where backers clicked through to your campaign from). At the end of the day, if you believe in the product, make sure you show that in any videos/releases you do for it as that's contagious and you'll build up an equally excited following. Good luck!
 
Get some honest and informed opinions and feedback from a few carefully selected posters on here, in confidence.

The fact that nothing similar currently exists may be because it's a unique idea, or perhaps because actually it's not as good as you think it is, or it has been tried before and failed ;)
 
I can only speak to US law. Here you can easily file a provisional patent for not much money... this protects you while the idea is being farmed out and initially marketed, it alos records the idea so that no-one can patent the idea and prevent you from producing it. But beyond that, patents don't have much value at all (fat wallet wins). You can also share the idea/concept w/o risk of it being "stolen" legally even w/o a patent of any kind.

IME, most ideas/products that work for small scale are items that have higher cost/lower profit, even if the cost is just production time... basically makes the idea/product unprofitable at large scale. The other area is specialty items with a relatively small market.

I have a company that makes a variety of specialty photography accessories (and a couple that are more general). And I am fairly well aware of things that are/were available or made at one time. If you would like you can PM me and I will state here that I agree to maintain confidentiality and to non-compete (copy) with your idea.

(getting a statement of confidentiality/non-competition is not required before sharing your idea (USA), but it's a good idea... especially with those that can produce the item).
 
Fully concur with all the previous comments about patents vis a vis SE Asia.

In a previous life I spent 10 years project managing both capital and manufactured parts made in China for the European market. You can have all the precautions in place (IP rights/patents/NDA's), only transfer data via "hard " media, have development runs in "secure" trial houses etc but you can bet your bottom Yuan that if it's worth copying it will be copied! I've seen instances were a plastic moulded product has been copied, tooled up and in production/supply within the 3 weeks it takes to sea freight the "genuine" mould tool to Europe:(

GC
 
Raymond Lin said:
Get a patent.
Get someone who can do CAD, draw it.
Get someone who can make it - 3D print? electrical engineer? make a prototype

Get on Kickstarter.
Click to expand...

I use CAD but you probably need someone nearer who you could meet up with to discuss in order for them to help.
 
Thanks again all for your participation, I have sent a message to a few people that I think might be able to offer up an honest opinion

Might save me a few quid although will probably go ahead just for my use anyway

Cheers
Rich
 
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