When a camera giant like Nikon joins the selfie craze, you know things have gotten way out of hand.
But we kid you not – the Japanese company has just announced its very own selfie stick, the perhaps not-so-brilliantly-named N-MP001 (Selfie Stick).
Compatible with its range of compact Coolpix cameras, though presumably usable with all similar-sized shooters via the tripod mount, Nikon’s stick extends from a highly portable 7.28 inches all the way to a far-reaching 28.54 inches, guaranteeing that everyone will be able to get in the frame (as long as you’re not on an outing with several hundred friends, that is).
Looking at the details, it appears to be more monopod than selfie stick, as there’s no way of remotely triggering the camera’s shutter as you can with smartphone-oriented sticks. Instead, you’ll have to set the camera’s timer to get your shot.
So what, exactly, allows Nikon to classify it as a selfie stick? Possibly its tilting top, which lets you point the camera’s lens in any direction you like.
While selfie sticks are largely the domain of smartphones, Nikon’s stick, and another launched last week that lets you attach a whopping great tablet, show that companies are now looking beyond the diminutive handset in an effort to cash in on the growing popularity of the extendable metal pole.
Light (and pricey)
Nikon’s first selfie stick weighs only 6.56 ounces (186 grams) and is recommended for cameras weighing a maximum of 14.08 ounces (400 grams).
The N-MP001 (Selfie Stick) is up for pre-order at B&H and Adorama for a fairly steep $60. A specific shipping date is yet to be announced.
If you’re interested in nabbing one, you might want to consider that an increasing number of public places around the world are starting to ban their use, citing safety concerns. Museums and art galleries, for example, fear that an over exuberant selfie-stick handler, or one that’s just plain clumsy, might accidentally wreck a valuable exhibit or worse, poke an innocent bystander in the eye.
