The world of the action camera is already compact, but one of the world’s leading drone makers thinks it can still be smaller, as DJI reveals the Nano.
If you’re someone who loves to capture your exploits on camera, you probably know that size makes a different. The bigger the camera, the more awkward the adventure and experience may be, and it’s why compact action cameras have made such a difference in the world.
With just one small box of a camera, you can capture what you’re doing, often with excellent camera quality. Devices like the GoPro have set a standard for what the action camera can do, but it’s not just GoPro making these gadgets.
Drone maker DJI has been dabbling, and its latest effort pushes the action camera to be even smaller yet again.
In the Osmo Nano, DJI is trying something different. Instead of bundling in the LCD screen — which is often the largest part of the action camera — the company is separating the hardware, building a compact camera with a clip and magnetic mounting options that includes a 4K capable sensor and can operate without the LCD screen.
The lens is 143 degrees wide and the sensor can handle 4K at 60 frames per second for standard video, while also covering 4K at 120 fps for slow motion, and there’s also a night mode that uses low light algorithms to deal with noise.
But that’s just the camera, which looks to be almost half the size of your standard compact action camera, thanks to that lack of a screen.
If you want the screen, that’s an accessory you can clip on that comes with the camera, the Osmo Nano Multifunctional Vision Dock, another way of saying “compact touchscreen with controls.
The Osmo Nano also comes with storage inside, either 64 or 128GB, though it also supports microSD, so it’s basically both ready to be captured on and ready to be upgraded should you need more space.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the camera is just how small it is, and how you don’t need the screen to use it. If you just need to capture and can come back to the playback later, the DJI Osmo Nano looks to impress with its properly pint-sized approach.
Australians will find it in stores now, priced from $529 for the 64GB model, while the 128GB option will cost $589, both of which arrive with the screen. There are other optional accessories on the way, including a magnetic headband and an ND filter set.
