Nikon 1 J1 and V1 Review

Last week, we brought to you our first impressions of the Nikon 1 series of interchangeable lens cameras. After having them for a weekend and more thoroughly testing their capabilities, do our initial impressions still hold up? Read on to find out.

Most of this review will reference the Nikon 1 series of cameras, and will apply to both the V1 and J1; this is expected, as both cameras make use of the same new Nikon CX format sensor and hybrid autofocus technologies. Differences will be highlighted as needed, but the cameras are otherwise functionally similar.

General Use



Both Nikon 1 cameras - the V1 and J1 - are extremely intuitive to use, with simplified controls to get out of the way of shooting. It's lack of a mode dial is the biggest exemplification of this; unlike other interchangeable lens camera systems such as the Micro 4/3 standard, the Nikon 1 series eschews the P/A/S/M mode dial for a simple one that toggles between the Nikon 1's shooting modes: still photos, videos, motion snapshot, and smart photo selector. While P/A/S/M modes can still be selected by jumping into the camera's menus, we feel the simplified control layout of the Nikon 1 series really reflects Nikon's design philosophy in building this camera from the ground up.

Nikon 1 V1



As we mentioned in our first-impressions article, the key difference between the V1 and J1 is the former's built in electronic viewfinder (EVF). We found it to be especially useful when shooting in bright daylight, when LCD screens can become very difficult to view properly. The EVF becomes a great tool in such situations, as you're able to easily frame your photos. Also applicable are the other advantages of EVFs in general, such as immediately viewing the results of changing settings like exposure compensation.

The V1's viewfinder is one of the hightest resolution EVFs in the market today; at 1440k dots, it's very sharp and pleasing to use. With it's built-in colour filter system that prevents colour breakup and rainbow artifacts, we noticed no tearing in the EVF despite our best efforts.

The V1 is also equipped with a mechanical shutter. Users are able to choose between mechanical and electronic shutter speeds when taking still photos.

Nikon 1 J1



The J1 could be considered the 'junior' to the V1; it lacks its brother's EVF, mechanical shutter, and hot shoe accessory port. However, it is in all other respects identical to the J1; it has the exact same sensor and hybrid AF system, with the same features such as slow motion video, motion snapshot, and smart photo selection. However, the J1 has a LCD screen with a resolution of 460k dots, compared to the V1's 921k dot LCD screen and EVF.



The biggest distinction between the J1 and V1 is the J1's inclusion of a pop-up flash, which seems logical in light of it missing the Nikon 1 hotshoe accessory port. The pop-up flash has a guide number of 5 (at ISO100) and a built-in slow sync mode, allowing you to capture night shots at optimal exposure levels.

Noise Tests



One possible issue with small sensors is that they are, all else being equal, more susceptible to noise than their larger counterparts. The photo above shows the relative sensor size between the Nikon 1 series and the popular Micro Four Thirds standard, illustrated by an Olympus E-PL3. Nikon argues that at 10.1 megapixels, they have engineered an optimal balance between sensor size and noise performance.



We shot the above scene using the V1 set in aperture-priority mode, taking photos at every increment of ISO sensitivity allowed by the camera. Click the chart below for a full-sized look at how the Nikon 1 series performs at increasing ISO sensitivities.



The Nikon 1 series performs admirably despite it's smaller sensor; images taken at up to ISO 1600 are generally clean and don't lose detail in JPEGs taken out of camera. At ISO 3200 noise becomes more pronounced and you start to lose detail, and at ISO Hi1 (ISO 6400), noise is rather obvious. Small-sensor cameras are not known to be good for low-light photography, and the Nikon 1 series is no exception. Having the option for high ISO is always useful though, and the Nikon 1 cameras perform decently. In broad daylight, the smaller sensor is a non-issue noise-wise.

Lens Selection



One of the biggest challenges faced by a new interchangeable lens system is that competitors are already entrenched with a wide(r) selection of lenses. The Micro Four Thirds standard has been around for a few years now, and with it is a huge range of lenses from brands such as Olympus, Panasonic, even Leica and Voigtlander, from fast primes to zooms. Nikon on the other hand, launches the Nikon 1 series with only four lens choices: a pancake wide-angle prime, a standard zoom, a telephoto zoom, and a powered superzoom. Although they are all NIKKOR branded lenses, with an assurance of quality, the fact remains that the selection at launch is quite limited.

With a small sensor, lenses can be designed to produce a smaller image circle, leading to smaller, lighter, and more compact lens designs. Below we show you the sizes of the lenses mounted to the camera bodies. With the exception of the telephoto zoom (which we did not have) and the powered superzoom, the lenses are nicely-sized, proportionate and comfortable to hold and shoot with.


With 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8, what many might consider a perfect size for a travel camera.


With 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6. The lens extends from its unlocked position for use.


With 1 NIKKOR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM. This lens is the same size as a DSLR lens, and quite unwieldly on the Nikon 1 series cameras. It has a powered zoom mechanism though, which should be useful for video.

Video Recording

Despite its dimunitive size, the Nikon 1 series offers HD video recording at 1080i, 60fps. But where the Nikon 1 series really innovates is its addition of slow-motion movie capture and Motion Snapshots.





The videos above demonstrates the Nikon 1 series' slow-motion capabilities; note that the videos are taken straight out of camera, with no post-production whatsoever done to increase/decrease framerates or playback speeds. This is a first for a camera of this size and for a camera in the consumer market.

Motion Snapshots integrate slow-motion video-recording with stills imaging; it's designed to allow users to capture decisive moments as well as the contexts surrounding them. In motion snapshot mode, holding the shutter at a half-pressed position autofocuses as well as records slow-motion video. When the shutter is finally depressed fully, about 2.5s of video immediately before the shutter is combined with the still image into a dramatic 10s-long slow-motion movie clip ending with the final still image.

Additional Features

Nikon 1 series cameras also come with a feature called the Smart Photo Selector. Like the Motion Snapshot feature, it makes use of the shutter half-press to begin buffering up to 20 still images. When the shutter is finally depressed, the camera intelligently compares images from before and after the shutter press to select 5 of the best images to record to the memory card, ensuring that you don't miss the perfect shot.



The V1 is also equipped with a hotshoe accessory port to accomodate additional peripherals; at launch, Nikon has announced the SB-N5 flash, a speedlight with full bounce capabilities (90 deg up/down, 180 degrees left and right) and an AF assist illuminator, as well as the GP-N100 assisted-GPS unit to allow automatic geotagging of photos.



Also available for both the Nikon 1 V1 and J1 is the FT1 F-mount Adaptor, which allows users to use their existing F-mount lenses on their Nikon 1. In this way, many of the wide range of NIKKOR lenses can be made compatible with the new Nikon 1 series.

Conclusion: who should buy this?



Nikon has designed a new system of cameras from the ground up in order to bring innovations to the camera industry - their slow-motion video, Smart Photo Selector, and Motion Snapshot features reflect Nikon's perception of where the future of photography lies and how camera technology can enable that vision. But where does that put the Nikon 1 today?

Nikon 1 represents a new market for Nikon; its CX-format sensor sits nicely above the COOLPIX line of compact cameras and below the DX- and FX-format DSLRs. It's got advanced features like hybrid phase- and contras-detect autofocus, but lacks dedicated manual controls. As with many of the interchangeable lens camereas in the market today, the Nikon 1 series targets users who want better image quality than what compact cameras offer but don't want the size and weight of a DSLR, much less the technical know-how related to using them. Where the Nikon 1 differentiates itself are its additional features - slow-motion video, motion snapshots - which add a new dimension to photography that Nikon's competitors don't seem to have.

Whether the Nikon 1 series truly represents the future of photography remains to be seen. In the meantime, there is sure to be a market for a camera that puts fun features in a compact package. And even if the additional features don't mean anything to you, it's Nikon and Nikkor badges of quality may just convince you to get a Nikon 1 as a travel or walkabout camera.

As mentioned in our first-impressions article, concrete ocal pricing and availability have yet to be announced. We expect Nikon 1 cameras to be available in time for Christmas, with prices starting from S$800 for the J1 and S$1100 for the V1.

Sample Gallery


Shot with Nikon 1 V1, 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8. 10mm, f/2.8, 1/125s, ISO 1600. Virtually no noise at ISO 1600, and despite the small sensor you still get some nice out-of-focus effects at f/2.8.


Shot with the Nikon 1 V1, 1 NIKKOR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6. 10mm, f/3.5, 1/60s, ISO 3200. Some noise is visible at 100% if you're looking out for it, but for normal viewing on the web the image is just fine.


Nikon 1 J1, 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8. 10mm, f/5.6, 1/500s, ISO 100.