Nikon 1 V1/ J1 Review

• Tweet
• Pin It

So you are the shutterbug who’s done toying with compact cameras and flashy edits, but the DSLRs still manage to bully your artistic wit with their titanic size and complexity quotient! Worry not if you are feeling like an odd fish, caught in the twilight world between amateur and advanced photography – for there’s good news in form of Nikon’s new N1 twins: N1 V1 and N1 J1.

Thanks to a relatively hassle-free operating system, (in surprising synchronization with their high-performance design) you can now flaunt your camera and work it too!

Nikon 1 V1/ J1 Features & Specifications

As their Unique Selling Point, both Nikon V1 and J1 rely on their inter-convertible lens mount, which by the way comes without the average mirror-based view-spotter. Between its twin revelations, Nikon has successfully established an exclusive functioning system, built around a reduced sensor size – roughly 30% of the ones used in their DX-pattern SLRS.

While Nikon’s J1 is modeled with the ambitious but essentially untrained photography-enthusiasts as its target audience, its improvised counterpart, the V1, clearly looks to placate users who are relatively better-equipped. However, the ground idea remains the same: to provide its entire range of Non-pro users with a novel shooting experience – which ought to be an easy bet for the twins, what with their handy Autofocus and enduring shooting abilities.

Photo Credit: Nphotomag.com/tag/nikon-v1/

Their ‘Hybrid’ Autofocus setup conducts a grand wedding of the Phase and the Contrast Detection Methods, facilitating easy tracking-up of fast-moving subjects.

That apart, their outstanding optimum shooting speed of 60 frames/a second (at maximum resolution) puts the N1 kids right up in the big boy league of the venerable SLRs. What’s interesting is that the N/1-s utilizes the ‘EXPEED 3’ processingpowers of their dual-image processor to this effect.

Photo Credit: Produkt-suchmaschine.com/1/1-j1-kit-vr-1030mm-digitale-systemkamera-weiss-erg-21_3790767.html

A host of add-on accessories (including four ‘1 Nikkor’ reciprocal lenses with ‘pancake’ prime and power-zoom) exclusively fashioned for the Nikon V1, lends the series an edge of understated sophistication.

Specialties

We could baffle you with the breathless biography of N1-s special features, but let’s first elaborate on THE one element which is an absolute scream – the revolutionary 1 inch- sensor, suitably small in both its body and it’s recipe (read: resolution) – Its 1OMP sensor (13.2 x 8.8 mm) is substantially smaller than those found in all its mirror-less rivals (with the single exception of Pentax Q.)

Photo Credit: Fotografium.com/Nikon-1-V1-10-30mm-30-110mm-Double-Lensli-Dijital-Fotograf-Makinesi_4964.html

The cameras, in contrast, are effectively larger in built – almost reminiscent of a Sony Nex-7 or a Panasonic DMC-G3. Plus if you find a video option of 1080/60i tempting, Nikon’s V1/J1 series automatically becomes your uncontested list-topper.

Also Read

Nikon Cool Pix AW100 Price And Review
Nikon Coolpix S6200 Camera Review
Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera In Red Review

Built and Body

Even minus the projected head of its in-built electronic view-spotter, the V1 boasts of more length than its frailer twin. Both their Lens Mounts are additionally adorned with stereo microphones and illuminator Autofocus Lamps on the top. A shared feature in their near identical layout is the Infra-Red receiver, while the pop-up flash button on the J1sufficiently distinguishes it from the V1, removing the trace possibilities of confusion.

Photo Credit: Trendcrib.com/post/10480705780/nikon-v1-and-j1-cameras

The presence of a flash mode station (on the J1’s control dial) allows it further exclusivity – that in case of the V1 gets substituted by a mode-flipping Eye-Sensor which very intelligently auto-switches between the LCD and the EVF. V1, with its DSLR-like battery size and obtruding EVF housing, is easily the brawnier of the brothers.

The J1, on the other hand, can be looked at as the V1’s simpler, cheaper counterpart, but not without its multifunctional point and characteristic shoot operations.

Key Differences

The differences between Nikon V/1 and J/1 are few but significant. The built-in electronic viewfinder (1.4 m dot, LCD et all) is a novelty attributed to the V1 only, as are its 920K dot hind-LCD and it’s optional platter of Mechanical OR electronic shutters (The J1 swears by its Dot Panel of 460K and an electronic shutter.) But when it comes to the flash, the otherwise more basic J1 takes the medal with its inbred flash system. (Accessory flash is a possible option with the V1.)

Photo Credit: Jaideawmarket.com/nikon-1j1.html

On the other hand, the accessory port of the V1 offers attachment options of extrinsic Speed-light and GPS unit. Also, V1’s larger-bodied battery is by far more powerful, arguably of the same capacity as the ones in D7000 – this, we predict, could easily turn out to be the V1’s claim to fame.

However, in spite of V1’s super-resolution LCD and other such marginal advantages of features, the J1 is just as credible in its elementary design and performance, especially in the context of its substantially slashed price (Not to forget the handy flash!)

Performance

Both Nikon V1 and Nikon J1 were conceived as performance-oriented models, intended to be less unwieldy than the DSLRs in design and operation. An array of powerfully practical features and the characteristic ‘keep it simple’ mantra keeps the N1-twins high on utility quotient. And if the DSLR-patrons are heard complaining about the reduced sophistication of this N1 pair, it would be a proof of how the V1/J1 series has lived up to its original intention.

Conclusion

Nikon’s V1/J1 series is definite and decided in its niche-appeal, the catch being that this once-limited crowd of ambitious amateurs appears to be growing by the day. And if statistics hold true, then Nikon’s V1/J1 series has arrived just in time for exploiting the full market potential of rookie-equipment.

Related Posts

• 

  Nikon Coolpix S01 Compact Digital Camera Review
  Nikon Coolpix S01 Compact Digital Camera Review
• 

  Nikon Coolpix P7700 Digital Camera Review
  Nikon Coolpix P7700 Digital Camera Review
• 

  Nikon Coolpix L310 Superzoom Camera Review
  Nikon Coolpix L310 Superzoom Camera Review
• 

  Nikon D3200 DSLR Camera Price & Review
  Nikon D3200 DSLR Camera Price & Review