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It really is cute as a button, isn't it?
You might say that Rollers top-of the-line APS pointand-shoot, the Nano 80, breaks no new ground stylistically. It does, however, break considerable old ground: with its squarish contours, metal cladding, and understated detailing, it might almost be one of those little 35mm pocketables from days gone by. . . like maybe a Rollei 35.
We wouldn't go so far as calling the Nano retro, but certainly "classic" conveys some idea of its tasteful good looks.
Looks don't take pictures, of course, so we'll run down how this curie works as a camera. Distinctly cool to the touch (most of the exterior is covered in aluminum), the Nano is no bigger in width and height than a deck of bridge cards, and just a tad over an inch thick. Like many a tiny camera, the Nano thus doesn't provide a heck of a lot of grip space. You can get a pretty firm hold on it with your right hand, with shutter button and zoom toggle falling nicely underneath your index finger and thumb. You can then sort of pinch it with your left hand to steady it further. (And take care with your left-hand grip: it is a little too easy to put fingers over the flash tube.) We will say this: for the size of the package, the Nano is ergonomically pretty darn good, and a lot better than any number of APS minicams that may be pretty looking but ugly handling.
The view through the finder is clear and undistorted, but a small exit pupil in the real-image finder optics means you have to keep your...