Time-lapses capturing the growth of a plant can be mesmerizing – both those shots typically require careful shooting over the course of several days and even months. But a plant-obsessed tech company wants to build a smart camera that’s purpose-built for ”plant-lapses.”
Dedicated time-lapse cameras are built specifically for shooting across long intervals while automatically creating a stitched video that speeds up time. FernSnap takes that same concept but builds the time-lapse camera into a grow light that both helps light up the shots and aids plant growth.
The LED light has a full-spectrum mode meant to mimic sunlight as well as a blue-violet mode for seedlings and a red-orange option for buds and fruit.
The FernSnap light and camera are built into a clamp base with a flexible arm, designed to continue to take photos of houseplants from the same spot across several days or even weeks without moving the camera. Controls for the light and camera are built right into the base.
The camera uses five different time-lapse modes built for specific purposes, from seed growth to flowers unfurling. Those preset modes range from watching plants for 10 days to 60 days, while users are also able to create custom intervals. Finished videos are 2K MP4 files that can be saved to a microSD card or sent to cloud-based storage.
The dedicated plant camera uses AI to automatically stitch those photos into a time-lapse video, using AI tools to correct exposure and fix small camera shakes. The term “smart” camera also comes in because FernSnap can recognize different types of houseplants.
The Hong Kong-based developer Linne International Limited didn’t say how long FernSnap’s battery is rated for, but the plant cam recharges via a USB-C cord.
The company is turning to Kickstarter to fund the FernSnap, with pledges including the camera starting at about $99 / £75 / AU$140 / CA$140, plus shipping.
All crowdfunding carries some risk, but FernSnap has already exceeded its original funding goal. If manufacturing and quality control proceed as expected, then the company expects to get the plant camera into the hands of the first backers in December 2026.
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