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Posts Tagged ‘KeyMission’

Nikon KeyMission action cameras listed as discontinued on maker’s websites

19 Jul

Nikon now lists its KeyMission action cameras as discontinued on its UK and Japan websites, a change first spotted by Nikon Rumors. The maker’s UK website lists the KeyMission 80 as “discontinued,” though neither the KeyMission 170 or 360 models show the same notice. The Nikon Japan website lists the KeyMission 360 as an “old product,” but doesn’t include the KeyMission 80 or 170 models under its discontinued action camera page.

The Nikon USA website does not currently list any of the KeyMission cameras as discontinued and is still selling all three models. The Nikon UK website is still selling the KeyMission 360 model, but lists the 170 as out of stock and the 80 as discontinued. Existing inventory is still available to purchase through online retailers like B&H Photo.

We have reached out to Nikon for an official statement.

Via: Nikon Rumors

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon KeyMission 360 records itself getting chewed on by a tiger

13 Aug

It looks like this tiger was about as frustrated with the Nikon KeyMission 360 as we were when we reviewed it. Obviously frustrated after missing golden hour because she couldn’t get the camera connected to her Android phone, she just gave up and chewed the crap out of it…

Joking aside, Russell Edwards of RSE Photography captured this strange video when the Nikon KeyMission 360 he put just inside the sumatran tigers’ enclosure caught the attention of a curious female. But if the fact that the tiger chewed on the camera doesn’t really amaze you, the fact that the camera survived largely undamaged should.

“To my amazement the kit survived apart from the “lookalike” joby gorilla pod that the tiger treated like it’s doomed prays bones, with literally only a few noticeable tiger teeth marks on the km360,” writes Edwards on YouTube. “The tiger was A-okay and the km360 still works as it should. So if any one is interested in how tough that action cam is, well check out the footage for yourself.”

To see a few pictures of the mostly-undamaged KeyMission 360, head over to Nikon Rumors.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon updates firmware for D600, D610, D750 and KeyMission 80

27 Jul

Nikon has updated multiple camera models with new firmware, bringing many bug fixes, as well as some new lens support and improvements to the D600 (version 1.03), D610 (version 1.02), D750 (version 1.12), and KeyMission 80 (version 1.2). All four updates are available to download now from the Nikon website. The full update changelogs are listed below:

Nikon D600 v1.03

  • Added support for the following features of AF-P lenses:
    • If the standby timer expires after the camera has focused, the focus position will not change when the timer is reactivated.
    • In manual focus mode, the focus indicator in the viewfinder (or in live view, the focus point selected in the monitor) will flash to show that infinity or the minimum focus distance has been reached by rotating the focus ring.
  • Added support for AF-P DX lenses.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • Optimal exposure would sometimes not be achieved in photos taken in live view using a lens with electromagnetically controlled aperture (type E lenses).
    • When used to take pictures after an option was selected for Custom Setting d10 (Exposure delay mode) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU, Camera Control Pro 2 would sometimes display the error “The camera was not able to take a picture.” despite having actually taken the picture.

Nikon D610 v1.02

  • Added support for the following features of AF-P lenses:
    • If the standby timer expires after the camera has focused, the focus position will not change when the timer is reactivated.
    • In manual focus mode, the focus indicator in the viewfinder (or in live view, the focus point selected in the monitor) will flash to show that infinity or the minimum focus distance has been reached by rotating the focus ring.
  • Added support for AF-P DX lenses.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • Optimal exposure would sometimes not be achieved in photos taken in live view using a lens with electromagnetically controlled aperture (type E lenses).
    • When used to take pictures after an option was selected for Custom Setting d10 (Exposure delay mode) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU, Camera Control Pro 2 would sometimes display the error “The camera was not able to take a picture.” despite having actually taken the picture.

Nikon D750

  • Added support for the following features of AF-P lenses:
    • ?If the standby timer expires after the camera has focused, the focus position will not change when the timer is reactivated.
    • ?In manual focus mode, the focus indicator in the viewfinder (or in live view, the focus point selected in the monitor) will flash to show that infinity or the minimum focus distance has been reached by rotating the focus ring.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • ?When pictures were viewed after shooting with Overflow selected for Role played by card in Slot 2 in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU, the camera would sometimes display the second-last picture taken.
    • Microphone sensitivity would sometimes not be correctly adjusted when movies were recorded with Auto sensitivity > Microphone sensitivity.

Nikon KeyMission 80

  • Improved an issue that interfered with pairing or resulted in unreliable connections when the camera was used with the Android edition of the SnapBridge app.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sphere of frustration: Nikon KeyMission 360 review

27 Apr

360-degree capture is still a relatively new concept, and one that can be hard to explain to the casual consumer. But play someone a 360 video and you suddenly have the ability to expand their idea of what photography is. This is especially true when 360 content is viewed with a smartphone that senses its position in space, allowing viewers to explore an entire surrounding area, revealing more – behind, above, and below the viewer – as they move the device around. Where most photography provides a window onto an experience, 360 puts the viewer smack in the middle of a scene.

When Nikon announced the KeyMission 360 more than a year ago it appeared, on paper, to be the category leader. 4K image resolution, a somewhat compact form factor, weather sealing for action sports, dual lenses to capture a full sphere of image data: it was all there.

  • Dual F2.0 lenses for full 360-degree image, each with a 1/2.3″ 21MP CMOS sensor
  • 4K UHD video capture
  • 29MP still capture
  • Shockproof and waterproof housing
  • Removable battery and microSD card
  • Prominent, easy-to-access physical controls

Well…mostly there. When it was finally released in September 2016, the KeyMission 360 arrived with a personality as dual as its opposing lenses. The hardware impresses in many ways, but the software and interaction with mobile devices quickly make you forget about those advantages. Although Nikon is making incremental progress, you may find the urge to test the camera’s shockproof construction by throwing it across the room.

  Nikon KeyMission 360  Ricoh Theta S  360fly 4K  Samsung Gear 360 (2017)
Max Video Resolution

3840 x
2160/24p 

1920 x 1080/30p 2880 x 2880/30p

4096 x 2048/24p

Photo Resolution 7744 x 3872 5376 x 2688 2880 x 2880 5472 x 2736
Waterproof (without a housing) Yes No Yes No
Field of View 360 degrees (dual lenses) 360 degrees (dual lenses) 240 degrees (single lens) 360 degrees (dual lenses)
Storage microSD card 8 GB internal 64 GB internal microSD card
Weight 198 g 125 g 172 g 130 g
MSRP $ 500 $ 350 $ 500 TBD

It’s worth noting a new 4K Ricoh Theta will likely be announced soon. The Nikon KeyMission 360 is available now for a a street price of $ 496.95. 

But let’s start with the overall experience, because shooting in 360 degrees takes a different approach from most cameras.

Handling

When we talk about how a camera handles, we usually mean how it feels in the hand, how much it weighs, and how comfortable it is to shoot using a viewfinder or an LCD. With the KeyMission 360 (and most other 360-degree cameras), the entire surrounding area is recorded as a sphere. Its dual lenses (each backed by a 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor) capture two separate images that are stitched together by software, leaving nowhere for a photographer to hide.

The camera itself is compact and solid, with a size and heft a bit larger than a baseball (roughly 6.4cm/2.5in cubed), including the space occupied by the curved lens covers. The KM360 weighs in at around 198g (7oz). If you’re holding the camera, though, your hand and arm dominate much of the field of view. When I asked in the DPReview offices if anyone had a selfie stick I could borrow, I thought I would be knocked over by a concussion wave from eyerolls. And yet, 360 works best when you can get the camera away from yourself, be that on an extended mount, a tripod, or a helmet mount. The KeyMission 360 has a standard 1/4 inch socket at the bottom for attaching almost anything.

Two prominent buttons on the case let you capture video or stills. They’re sized and placed in such a way that you can easily trigger a shot by feel alone: video recording using the rectangular button on top, or still photos using the smaller square button on one side. They’re also large enough that you can initiate a capture if you’re wearing gloves. (The typical way to turn the camera on or off without recording is to press and hold the video-capture button for a few seconds.)

Additionally, pressing a button starts a capture even when the camera is off, an unusual feature for most cameras that, in this case, is often helpful. If the camera is mounted on top of your head, for instance, you don’t want to mess around trying to start recording when it’s time to hurl yourself down a snow-covered mountain. By default, the still photo is on a timer so you don’t capture just your King Kong-looking giant hand. The downside to this feature is that it’s easy to accidentally start a video recording as you’re putting the camera back into a bag (I have the hour-plus videos to prove it), or occasionally capture a still image while opening the interface hatch on the opposite side of the button. I’d like to see a setting or lock switch for toggling this feature on and off.

That exterior hatch reveals one of the KeyMission 360’s strengths: the battery (the EN-EL12, which is also shared by several of Nikon’s Coolpix compact cameras) and microSD memory card can be removed and swapped with others when needed. Many 360-degree cameras have sealed-in batteries and internal memory, requiring you to stop and recharge the battery or offload media when the storage is full (or both). You’ll also find a microUSB port for charging and data transfer, as well as an HDMI micro (type D) connector.

Nikon claims a CIPA battery rating of 230 still shots and about 1 hour and 10 minutes of video capture per battery charge. In my experience, I got a little less than 1 hour of video when shooting continuously until the battery ran out, without controlling the camera via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (which consumes a bit more power). Shooting stills using the exterior button and with minimal interaction from the phone app resulted in an impressive 479 shots, however.

The hatch seals tight when closed with a double-locking door, retaining the camera’s waterproofing down to 30m (98ft). It’s also shockproof from 2m (6.6ft) and freezeproof down to -10°C/+14°F.

The wide-angle lenses sit behind protective plastic lens covers that you’ll want to keep clean from fingerprints and dust. Unlike most 360-degree cameras, the KeyMission’s covers are removable so you can swap in an alternate set of included covers designed for use underwater (to adjust for distortion). Although I could have used the camera without any covers, I didn’t see much difference in the image quality, and would rather pay to replace lens covers than the lenses themselves if the KeyMission took a tumble.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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KeyMission 360 firmware update improves stability under iOS 10.2

11 Apr

Nikon has issued a firmware update for its shockproof and waterproof KeyMission 360 spherical 360-degree action camera that improves stability under iOS 10.2. It specifically solves an issue with unstable connections between the camera and Apple devices running the iOS 10.2-compatible version of the Nikon SnapBridge 360/170 app.

The new firmware can be installed by selecting Camera > Camera settings > Firmware version in the SnapBridge 360/170 app or Set > Firmware version in the KeyMission 360/170 Utility and checking the camera firmware version. More details and the firmware itself is available in the Nikon Download Center.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon KeyMission action cameras now shipping in US

29 Oct

The Nikon KeyMission action cameras are now shipping from retailers in the US. As previously stated, the Nikon KeyMission 80 is priced at $ 270, the KeyMission 170 at $ 399, and the KeyMission 360 at $ 499. However, all three models are being offered on Amazon, B&H Photo, and Adorama at slight discounts.

The Nikon KeyMission 360 was first introduced at CES 2016, and followed later by the KeyMission 80 and KeyMission 170, with the numbers referring to each model’s field-of-view. The KeyMission 80 features a 12.5 megapixel front camera and 4.9 megapixel rear camera with support for 1080p recording, while the KeyMission 170 and 360 both support 4K recording. All three cameras are rugged to various degrees, including being waterproof and shockproof.

Via: NikonRumors

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon KeyMission 360 price and specs appear on retailer’s website

03 Feb

The Nikon KeyMission 360 action camera was unveiled at an event in early January, and while Nikon offered some details about the model, it did not reveal the price. Now, nearly a month later, the camera has surfaced on German retailer Cyberport’s website with a list price of €499 and a features list.

The KeyMission 360 records 4K UHD video, is waterproof to depths of 30m/100ft, shockproof from heights up to 2m/6.6ft, and has electronic image stabilization, according to Nikon. The product listing includes some additional specs, including support for microSDHC/SDXC media cards, WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth, an integrated microphone, non-removable Li-Ion battery and USB 2.0.

Nikon said during its January event that it is aiming for a Spring 2016 release; it has not confirmed pricing.

Via: NikonRumors

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Nikon unveils KeyMission 360, a rugged 4K-capable action camera

06 Jan

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Nikon has announced a shockproof and waterproof spherical 360-degree action camera. Called KeyMission 360, it promises to ‘put 360 virtual reality in the hands of any enthusiast’ and offers 4K UHD recording. Shockproof to 2m / 6.6 ft and waterproof to 30m / 100 ft, the camera includes electronic VR stabilization and houses an image sensor and lens on opposite sides of the device to create immersive stills and video. No other firm specifications are available at this time; Nikon expects to officially release KeyMission 360 in Spring 2016.


Press release:

NIKON CHARGES INTO THE ACTION CAMERA MARKET WITH THE 360-DEGREE KEYMISSION 360

With the New KeyMission 360, Consumers Can Capture and Share an Exciting, Uniquely Immersive Perspective of Their Life and Passions

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 5, 2016) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced its entry into the action camera market with the development of an exciting lineup of products that build on Nikon’s legendary excellence in optical technology and imaging innovation. The first in the lineup will be the Nikon KeyMission 360 a rugged camera capable of recording true 360-degree video in 4K UHD allowing users to share new perspectives and explore imagery like never before. 

The Nikon KeyMission 360 features an image sensor and lens on opposite sides of the device, with images from each combining to create a single immersive, ultra-high-definition 360-degree video and still image. A terrific companion for a wide range of travel, sports or when an adventure takes a turn off the beaten path, the camera is designed to be easy to use and withstand the elements. Waterproof (approx. 100 ft./30m), and ready to stand up to dust, shock and low temperatures, the KeyMission 360 also features electronic Vibration Reduction (VR), enabled through applications during playback, that reduces the effects of camera shake to help produce sharp and crisp video quality.

Nikon will exhibit reference models of the KeyMission 360 at the Nikon booth at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from Wednesday, January 6 to Saturday, January 9, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The KeyMission 360, the first of Nikon’s lineup of action cameras, along with a variety of dedicated accessories, will officially be released in Spring 2016. For more information about the KeyMission 360 and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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