When it comes to cameras Nikon may not be a name you generally associate with devices in the tiny handheld category that have the ability to easily fit in your palm, as they’re more commonly known for things like DSLR’s and higher-quality point and shoot models. Nikon is a camera company after all though, and they make all kinds of cameras, including this new range of tiny cameras as part of Nikon’s KeyMission series. There are three different cameras here in this lineup including the KeyMission 80, the KeyMission 170, and the KeyMission 360, all of which are targeted at consumers who may be wanting a camera with slightly different functionality but also enough portability to either keep them in a pocket or attach them to something they’re carrying. Nikon is showing these off at CES this week although they initially announced them last Fall, and we’ve been able to get some hands-on time with them to check them out. These are Nikon’s answer to the action camera market and essentially compete with GoPro and other similar devices.
While anyone could love all three cameras, each does aim to serve a different purpose. The KeyMission 360 for example (pictured above), is a tiny 360-degree camera that is so small and portable you can essentially take it with you anywhere without displacing any of your other gear. As the name “KeyMission” suggests these are meant to be held on your key rings. Nikon has fitted each camera in this series with a spot for a lanyard or a keychain so you can basically affix them to your keys, a zipper on the outside of a bag, or really anywhere you see fit. What’s more is that all three cameras are shockproof, as well as waterproof, although to varying degrees as the KeyMission 360 is waterproof up to 30 meters, while the KeyMission 170 is waterproof up to 10 meters, and the KeyMission 80 is waterproof up to 1 meter. Both the KeyMission 170 and 360 are shockproof up to 2 meters while the KeyMission 80 is shockproof up to 1.5 meters.
There are other differences, too. The KeyMission 80 and 170 both have LCD displays, while the KeyMission 360 does not, which means you’ll likely need to plug it into a laptop or desktop or connect it to a smartphone companion app to get access to the footage for viewing. The KeyMission 360 seems to be the most high-end, featuring Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC connectivity as well as 4K video capture, while you won’t find 4K video on the other two cameras but they will support NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Storage of course is handled by external cards instead of internal. While there was no set of full specifications available for these cameras yet nor were there any details Nikon had to share on pricing or availability, if you’d like to get a closer look at Nikon’s new pocketable KeyMission cameras, make sure to check out the gallery of images below.
