Nocs Provisions Debuts Portal AFN7, a Screen-Free Compact Camera Built for Hikers
Nocs Provisions has launched the Portal AFN7, a 140g weather-sealed compact camera that mounts onto its binoculars and monoculars, priced at $179.95 and shipping internationally.
The camera weighs 140g and carries IP56-level weather sealing, which the company says makes it suitable for rain and wind but not for submersion in water. It uses a 16MP 1/3.06-inch CMOS sensor and shoots 4K video, with a fixed-focus 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens. Its body uses the same rubberized armor as Nocs Provisions' binoculars and monoculars, and a dedicated grip is intended to make it easier to hold on the trail than a typical low-cost compact or a phone.
The feature Nocs Provisions is emphasizing most is a mounting system: with the included NocDoc accessory, the camera can be attached to any binocular or monocular the company makes, allowing users to capture close-up imagery over long distances. TechRadar noted that a binocular or monocular will not match a dedicated telephoto lens for image quality.
Like other screen-free compacts, the Portal AFN7 includes built-in digital filters intended to give photographs a film-style look. TechRadar reported that the camera is not entirely free of screens: a small LCD on the front appears to be used for settings readout and menu navigation. The camera also has a digital viewfinder that shows a through-the-lens view of the composition rather than the approximate view offered by the optical viewfinders on most cheap compacts, and it previews the selected filter while providing framing lines.
Nocs Provisions lists a 4GB card and a rechargeable 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery rated for about 2,000 shots, a combination TechRadar described as sufficient for a full day's hike. The camera is available in three colorways: Galapagos Grey, Moonwalk White and Lassen Black. It ships internationally.
TechRadar reported the model name inconsistently, using "Portal ADN7" in its headline and "Portal AFN7" throughout the body of the article; the company's own product line uses the AFN7 spelling in the material reviewed.
TechRadar framed the release as a departure from a crowded market of screen-free compacts that have followed the Camp Snap format in recent years, citing its form and its ability to pair with optics as points of difference.