October 2011 - "On the 21st September 2011, Nikon launched their first range of mirror-less Interchangeable Lens Cameras (ILC), the Nikon 1 series, which include the Nikon J1 and the Nikon V1.This week, we were lucky enough to get a hands-on preview with the J1" Read more about the Nikon J1 here...
The Nikon 1 V1 and J1 low down
The V1 is slightly more advanced than the J1, aimed mainly for enthusiasts who want to take their photography to the next level and make the most of the new technology that is available in this series. The body is built with a tougher overall construction with the addition of magnesium alloy re-enforced parts which provides a much heavier feel in the hands. Another impressive feature of the V1 is its bright high-resolution electronic viewfinder which fits seemingly into the cameras compact body. The electronic viewfinder helps to frame your shots in bright sunlight delivering a clear, stable view and 100% frame coverage. The V1 is also equipped with a Dust-reduction system to help ensure stills and movies are speck free. With the V1 a Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5mm) is incorporated allowing you to add the Nikon ME-1 Stereo Microphone. A perfect accessory for those looking to be the next Spielberg or Aronofsky.
The J1 is very similar to the V1 in technical specs, however, it is aimed more at the novice photographer who wants to explore the world of interchangeable lenses for the first time. The key differences here are that the J1 doesn’t include the Stereo Jack, the electronic viewfinder nor the ability to add an external flashgun. The screen resolution is slightly lower too at 460K dots per inch versus 921K in the V1 model. That said this shouldn’t deter you from buying the J1 as it includes the same amount of megapixels, fast auto focus and frames per second of the V1 model.
Check out our Flickr photos taken on the Nikon 1 J1
Key Features of the Nikon 1 J1
- Nikon 1: An intelligent and ultra-portable camera system. Boasts a dedicated range of compact 1 NIKKOR interchangeable lenses. Crafted to bring new levels of speed, simplicity and enjoyment to the way you capture your world.
- CX-format CMOS image sensor: delivers the performance you need for stunning photos and movies. Offers the ideal balance between system size, speed, light sensitivity, resolution and depth-of-field. Enables beautifully detailed 10.1 megapixel images of even fast-moving subjects in any light.
- EXPEED 3 image processor: engineered to deliver unparalleled levels of speed and performance in any situation. Equipped with two powerful engines that can process images at an incredible 600 megapixels a second. Offers superior noise reduction and enables the camera’s groundbreaking shooting modes.
- Blazingly fast continuous shot: delivers full-resolution images at up to 60 frames per second, so practically no movement is too fast to capture. When you want to focus tightly on one subject – say a child or pet - the camera can track them and capture full-resolution images at 10 fps*3.
- Motion Snapshot: brings your stills to life in a click. Harnesses the camera’s processing speed to simultaneously record a slow motion movie and a still image. As soon as you’ve taken your shot it instantly combines the two to create a ‘living image’ and capture a moment in time as never before.
- Smart Photo Selector: always gets the best shot. Shoots 20 high-resolution images before and after you release the shutter, then saves your ‘best’ five for you to choose from. Images are recommended based on facial expression, composition and focus.
- Advanced movie recording: lets you take a full-resolution*1 photo while filming, without interrupting recording, and you can film in extreme slow motion for dramatic effect. Movies can be recorded in full HD and the Phase-detection autofocus system makes it easy to capture great action scenes.
- Striking, minimalist camera design at its best: boasts a strong yet lightweight body available in a range of colors. Packs a 7.5 cm (3-in.), 460k-dot LCD monitor with wide viewing angle and protective glass.
- Intuitive operation: with clear menus, a minimum number of buttons, a built-in flash and an easy-to-reach mode dial for quick access to shooting modes. When you don’t want to think about a thing, you can shoot in auto mode and let scene auto selector choose the best camera settings for you.
- Built-in flash: offers extra light when you need it. Handy for indoor shots or to soften images when the sun is behind your subject. Designed alongside the camera, it offers perfectly exposed results.
- Expandable system: the family of 1 NIKKOR interchangeable lenses cover practically every type of scene, are all optimized for movie recording and boast a compact design for superior portability.
- Mount Adapter FT1: attaches to the camera’s 1-mount to let you use any NIKKOR SLR lens. Trying out different lenses is a great way to experiment with how you shoot a scene, and if you use AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR lenses you can still make full use of the incredible Nikon 1 autofocus system*2.
- Nikon 1 Short Movie Creator: automatically creates short films from your photos and movies. Incredibly easy-to-use, it preserves the quality of every photo or frame of footage you shoot. Movies can be up to 30 minutes long and there is a range of styles to choose from.
*1 Full resolution images in movie mode (aspect ratio 16:9) 3,840 x 2,160 (1,080/60i).
*2 For accurate information about compatibility with F-mount NIKKOR lenses, please refer to the manual.
*3 With default settings, you can shoot at a high speed of 10fps by pressing the shutter-release button down all the way. While shooting, the camera will focus on the subject within the AF area in the center of the screen. Face-priority AF is not available. You can adjust the shooting speed to 30 fps and 60 fps by changing the camera settings in the menu.