The Urge To Share Just Got A Little Stronger - Nikon KeyMission 170

Weblog columnists are a bit of a menace - I know - I write three of these things every day and I would shy away from myself at cocktail parties. I'd be afraid that I would either start riding a hobby horse to dominate conversation or that I would be secretly watching me to see if I could get some copy for the column...

It's not bad character - it's the desire to share that does it. And this desire to share is the basis of the action-camera photographer's work. They want you to see what they are doing. And to be fair, sometimes it is worth looking at.

If you are an action person you now have the new option of the Nikon system action cameras. Today's blog is for the Nikon Key Mission 170. Make what you will of the name, the actual camera is a remarkable thing. And that said at a point where we have seen action cameras for years by other makers.

The Key Mission 170 is basically box-shaped, but does not need an additional bulky housing to waterproof it down to 10 metres. It is good to go out of the box. The makers do provide an protection lens for underwater hazards, though, so they may know more about the dangers you are going to get into than you do...

The camera is remarkably easy to use in the field. Two buttons on top - one for stills and one for video. three buttons at the back to navigate the menu system. And a separate hand controller to let you separate yourself from the device if you are at another point of the surfboard, yacht, or sailplane.

The necessary waterproof door with big yellow seal has twin locks clearly defined by orange warning panels - you should not be able to mistake what is happening and open the back at the wrong time.

There is a dedicated ball head mount and a snap-off release that glues to flat surfaces. I should not wonder if there were not other mounts in the offing - these sort of cameras generate ideas.

There is an integral LCD screen on the back you can see your results while you are still out there and make sure that you are bringing back the footage you need.

You'll be able to do real-time seamless sharing of your experiences too, with the Nikon SnapBridge 360/170 app that will be available for iOS and Android. The camera does a variety of video types, including 4K.

Note that the case construction of these little cameras is superb, as is the quality of the optics.

Now there are more new Nikon action devices in our stores. We'll be featuring the next one soon. In the meantime come on down and see what they look like - summer is coming fast and the water calls...

Nikon KeyMission 170 is at both Camera Electronic stores. 230 Stirling St and 2/324 Murray St, Perth. See our extended December trading hours here

See the Nikon KeyMission 170 on our online store 

At The Risk Of Seeming Paranoid...

Have you ever seen the look on your face when you need to appear in a family photo and don't have a tripod to prop up your camera? What do you do? You pick the least important of the rellies to take a picture of the group. You set it carefully for them and caution them not to change anything...

But you are acutely aware all the time that they have the thing in hand of just how many function buttons, adjustment wheels, and optional switches exist on your camera. Let's face it - you bought it for YOURSELF and you enjoy changing settings.

There is also the added factor that no matter who you select to take the picture, they go from being a normal human to a space monster with slime-coated fingers on the end of tentacles that go everywhere...and clumsy? Oh goodness - your $3000 DSLR with the lens that is so expensive that you burned the receipt before the wife saw it is a safe in the hands of The Mangler as if it was a ball of wadded up tissue.

This is why your eyes in the picture have that Mr. Bean look.

Well do yourself a favour and get a Nikon Coolpix AW 130. It's not just an underwater camera - you could use this on the Simpson Desert. It is a shock-proof camera - Nikon state that it will survive falls up to 2.1 metres.

The lens is protected by a frontispiece of armoured glass - pressure resistant to 30 metres. The battery/card/USB socket door is sealed with a rubber plate and a two-part rotary lock - it can't pop open suddenly in the hands of The Mangler.

It has 16 megapixels built in, a world map to identify where you have taken your pictures, and there is WiFi connection to iOS or Android OS to let you shoot with it, see images, and transfer them to your smart device.

It has an easy-to-use shutter button and the kind of ergonomics that even a squid can master. And the squid can take video with it. It could very well be the camera for the holiday season as well as for the holiday - you cannot improve your relatives at the party but you can take precautions against them. And the relief on the eyestrain is tremendous...

Note the little brush in the picture of he camera with the battery/card/USB hatch open. That's to make sure you are never going to trap sand grains in the seal and compromise the integrity of the water seal.

Space Invader

Bom. Bom. Bom. Bom. Bom...

Well it's not that bad. I came upon this Pelican case in the shop today. It is the 1690 case and it is the biggest thing you have ever seen that was never a Queensland road minister. It is so big that there are expensive Parisian apartments in a good arrondissement that have less interior space. It is so big that you need council permission to keep it on the front lawn.

In short, it holds a lot of gear.

The actual interior capacity is quoted as .191 cu metre or 6.73 cu ft. It has enough capacity to take far too much gear. If you are addicted to loading everything you own into one box, this is the box.

It has all the usual Pelican waterproof construction - O rings and latches and well-spaced hinges. The length of the box is such that Pelican have included a supplementary tongue and socket to prevent the case wall and channel from moving sideways.

The carriage side is also extremely strong - note the cast polypropylene feet to keep the retractable handle mechanism out of the dirt. Also please note that the end handles are made with recognition that this will be a four-handed lift once full.

You may be forgiven for thinking that it looks a little like the black monolith in " 2001 - A Space Odyssey "...

And finally the interior contents. That is a great deal of Pick and Pack cubed foam - configuring this one will take a couple of days of planning before you start digging out the space for your gear. It pays to make paper templates and to think in 3D like a Tetris game before you start. You can get replacement panels for the three foam levels but if you plan ahead you will be happier.

Pelicans can withstand the toughest treatment while protecting the equipment entrusted to them. What is really needed with this one is a Model A luggage rack to strap it to - ask the staff to order one for you. The 1929 sedan model is very popular in Chicago. Doesn't show bullet holes...

www.cameraelectronic.com.au 

Show And Tell - What I Did On Your Holidays

I came along with you on your holidays. It was quite an experience. Being packed into a small bag together with a passport, spare credit card, and a half-chewed roll of mints. Then pushed through an X-ray machine. Then jammed into the overhead locker under a 1.5 litre bottle of gin.

The holiday itself was nice - out in the hot sun all day, covered in suntan oil, sand, bits of seashell, and what appeared to be some sort of chili gravy. The dip in the sea was refreshing, as was the dip in the wash basin afterward, and the toilet as well. ( Perhaps don't let your toddler play with me next time...)

The drop down the rock cave was a bit of a shock. I expect it was the suntan oil that was on your fingers or the neck oil that you bought at the beach bar...whatever, at least no harm was done. I bear my scars with dignity - hope your knee recovers. Pity about losing your wallet, but at least no-one will be able to access your cards now - that cave is 1000 metres deep.

Funny how holidays are so intense while we are doing them but how quickly we forget. At least you do. I don't. I am going to tell my friend Mac as soon as we get home and show all the images that you took. Including THAT one. Talk about raw...but it was a holiday and far away and what the heck. The rest will make a nice album for the coffee table and Facebook.

As for me, I look forward to the next adventure. I don't suppose you would consider a trip to Antarctica? I'm up for it. I can work down below zero. And it will make a nice change from selfies in bikini bottoms...