Photographers have been using camera glasses as a hack for behind-the-scenes footage to feed the social media algorithms – but Meta’s newest smart glasses have a key feature that may intrigue photographers: a viewfinder of sorts.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display levels up the brand’s smart glasses with a built-in display that enables users to preview photos and videos, along with other screen-based perks like viewing messages.
Meta announced the Meta Ray Ban Display this week, pairing the glasses not only with a built-in display but a wristband to adjust settings from the wrist instead of on the frames themselves.
The company also announced the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, which doubles the battery life and adds slow-motion and hyperlapse video to smart glasses that sit at a lower price point than the Display.
The built-in screen on the Display glasses isn’t on all the time, but the screen is designed for short interactions. For photography and videography, the in-lens display enables users to preview their photos and videos, a key feature for using the zoom on the built-in camera and still getting the framing right. The display will also support viewing the photos and videos in playback mode.
Along with bringing a viewfinder to Meta’s smart glasses, the display also supports visual answers from Meta AI, as well as previewing messages, taking two-way video calls and viewing turn-by-turn walking directions.
The new Meta Neural Band comes with the Ray-Ban Display, an EMG wristband that uses wrist movements to control the smart glasses. Those gesture controls include the ability to take a photo and even a pinch gesture to zoom in.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are expected to begin shipping on September 30 and retail for $799, paired with the wristband. International pricing has not yet been announced, but the smart glasses are expected to launch in Canada and the UK in early 2026. But if that’s too steep, Meta also updated its existing camera glasses as well, which are priced at $379 in the US.
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) has up to twice as much battery life as the previous version. The camera resolution more than doubles as well, supporting up to 3K Ultra HD video as well as ultra-wide HDR at up to 60 fps. Video capture will also get the option for hyperlapses (fast motion) and slow-motion, but those features are slated for a later release this fall with a software update.
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