Snap released the second-generation Spectacles camera glasses in April 2018. But do they live up to the hype?Snap
When I got married, I wanted to capture every moment of our wedding week.
Not only the “Say cheese!” moments outside restaurants with our families, or the posed portraits with my now-husband. I wanted the silly, unexpected, and sometimes hopelessly romantic photos that a photojournalist’s candid camera can often bring.
So, I recently purchased two pairs of Spectacles 2, the second generation of Snap’s camera glasses, so I could record 10-second videos of what I was seeing. My husband and I wore them every day of our intimate wedding week in Maine. Here’s my review.
Dave Smith and Avery Hartmans contributed reporting.
They’re smaller, slimmer, and more comfortable to wear.
The second-generation Spectacles weigh 45.4 g, which makes them significantly lighter than the original pair, which clocked in at about 408 grams, or 14.4 ounces.
The most awkward part of the user experience is getting videos off Snap. Everything you film still needs to go through Snap’s app.
In other words, Snap didn’t make a separate app for Spectacles; everything you need for them to work lives in the Snapchat app. The glasses can physically store photos and videos, but none of it is actually usable until it reaches the Snapchat app.
Spectacles are a delightful treat if you’ve got money to burn.
They’re not a must-have gadget.
I think I could’ve saved $150 and captured higher quality video of my wedding week on my iPhone, with only a bit more hassle.
