An artist and inventor created a compact camera that doesn’t take photos…unless there’s a dog in the frame

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The creator behind Unnecessary Inventions has built a point-and-shoot camera...that only takes dog photos

A dog running with a tennis ball with an emoji of a camera and a puzzled face
(Image credit: Future)

I’m the sort of person who pets every dog that I see (much to the dismay of my own overly jealous canine), which is probably why the latest video from inventor and artist Matty Benedetto of the aptly named Unnecessary Inventions popped into my Instagram feed. Bendetto’s latest invention? A compact camera that refuses to take a photo…unless there’s a dog in the frame.

Bendetto’s new camera is a point-and-shoot style camera (with a rainbow that’s rather reminiscent of the Polaroid brand). But what’s unusual isn’t the camera itself, but the software inside.

Bendetto programmed the camera to stubbornly refuse to take a photo…unless there’s a dog in the frame. Such a concept is likely powered by object recognition, which is common in modern autofocusing systems, only the object recognition isn’t just for focus. Instead, it ensures that the memory is filled exclusively with canine friends.

When the camera doesn’t detect a dog, it refuses to take a photo, flashing “No dog, no photo” on the screen if the user attempts to take any dogless photos. When a dog is detected, the camera’s shutter button turns green, and the compact camera has no qualms about snapping away.

I’m the sort of person who thinks photos with dogs are better than photos without, so I love Bendetto’s quirky dog-loving camera. Is it an unnecessary invention? Yes. But is it statement art that says photos are better with dogs in them? Also yes.

Bendetto’s earlier photography-inspired inventions also include a four-point tripod that mounts three cameras and a printer to shoot forward-facing video, vertical video, and rear-facing video, and spits out prints. He also once turned a camera into a phone case.

Find more of Benedetto’s inventions on the creator’s Instagram or YouTube, or explore his online store (which, sadly, doesn’t feature the camera).

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Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary K. Grigonis
US Editor

With more than a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology, Hillary K. Grigonis leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Rangefinder, The Phoblographer, and more. Her wedding and portrait photography favors a journalistic style. She’s a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, but has tested a wide range of cameras and lenses across multiple brands. Hillary is also a licensed drone pilot.

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