CES 2023: Creators can record professional video from their camera directly to their iPhone or iPad with this new device

This year’s CES was packed with futurists electric vehiclesexperimental roboticsY immersive virtual reality devices. But what about technology for today’s humble content creators? You know, the people on the internet who create everything that users see, listen to and generally consume?

Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of companies there that make products for filmmakers, YouTubers, and podcasters. Leaders in the space like Canon and Nikon were on hand showing off the latest camera models. Popular names in the audio and live streaming space like Audio-Technica and HyperX also had some new gear to show off. And there were also many smaller companies that presented their microphone, camera and lighting accessories.

Accsoon shows how the image from your video camera appears on your iPad Mini thanks to SeeMo.
Credit: Matt Binder/Mashable

There were a large number of updates or new models of countless products. But, I was in search of something new for creators. And I found it in vermoan HDMI adapter from China-based video company Accsoon.

So what does SeeMo do? With this device, creators can mount an iPad or iPhone on top of their camera and use their Apple device as a monitor when shooting video. If you regularly use a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you know how small and lacking those little fold-out LCD screens are. This is where SeeMo comes in. If you already have an iPad or iPhone, why not save some money on a new monitor? Simply connect your iPad or iPhone to SeeMo, mount it to your camera, and connect your camera to SeeMo via HDMI.

Mashable’s Matt Binder tests the SeeMo.
Credit: Mikayla Whitmore

At CES, I had the opportunity to interact with a short demo with SeeMo and I have to say that it was amazing to see high quality video feed from a high-end DSLR camera through the mounted iPad Mini in real time. I can’t imagine shooting video using a flip-out LCD anymore. In fact, I felt that SeeMo gave the iPad Mini a new purpose. I always felt that the smaller iPad was caught between those who wanted a large touchscreen tablet and those who should just buy a large iPhone. But after looking at all these Apple devices using SeeMo, the iPad Mini was the perfect size, not too big and not too small, for a mounted camera monitor.

The external monitor feature is great, but on its own, I can see how some people might not have been sold. After all, creators can buy small external monitors that mount to their camera. Turning your iPad into one seemed more of a convenience to some than a must-have, generally speaking.

However, the Accsoon team brought out the other important feature during the demo. SeeMo users didn’t even need to record to their camera’s SD card. Video from your camera could also be recorded directly to your Apple device.

Using Airdrop to share video shots with your DSLR camera honestly felt revolutionary.
Credit: Mikayla Whitmore

To show the usefulness of this feature, the Accsoon team recorded a video with a DSLR camera directly on the Apple device. Then within seconds, Accsoon streamed the video to my iPhone. It wasn’t hard to see right away how this could change filming workflows. Imagine being able to show clients what you just photographed within seconds of photographing it. Or how fast you could upload the images to social networks of an event that you are filming.

If the SeeMo feature that turns your iPad into an external monitor is anything like upgrading your camera’s LCD screen, then it feels like turning your iPhone into a professional-grade video camera. Your camera storage space has just run out of whatever storage size your Apple device has. And, as icing on the cake, you can even live stream video from your camera using your iPad or iPhone with SeeMo directly to YouTube, Twitch and other platforms.

Unlike a lot of the futuristic tech on display at CES, Accsoon’s SeeMo is available now for $179.