LAS VEGAS—Sony and GoPro better watch their backs, because at CES 2016, Nikon announced its first ever action cam, the Key Mission 360.
The name not only tells you how important this product is to Nikon, it also hints at its biggest feature: full 360-degree video capture in 4K (UHD) resolution. The Key Mission 360 is built tough too: Nikon claims it's shockproof up to 6.6 feet and waterproof down to 100 feet.
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While the full range of specs and pricing info is still forthcoming, one interesting tidbit came from action photographer Corey Rich, who Nikon tasked with testing out the Key Mission 360 prior to its launch this spring. He said that one of the Key Mission’s standout features was audio that was heads and shoulders above any other action cam on the market.
The Key Mission also has built-in electronic shake reduction, which the Nikon says can be enabled using apps even in the middle of recording.
Unfortunately, during the touch and see portion of the event, the Key Missions 360 was sealed under a clear box, so the only impressions I could get were from my eyes.
The first thing that jumped out was the Key Mission’s size. Design-wise, the Key Mission is most similar to Ricoh’s Theta 360 camera, although the Key Mission is significantly more durable. The small camera fits neatly into the palm of your hand, and is about the same size as GoPro’s Hero 4 Session camera, but with two bulbous lenses on either side of its body.
The Key Mission also has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC, which along with the app-enabled shake reduction, suggests that you will be able to connect the Key Mission to a nearby smart device.
