21 Sep 11 Nikon V1 Review

Sample images: although we’ve not however had the opportunity to shoot sample pictures with the Nikon V1, we have shot a choice of pictures with its closely-related sibling, the Nikon J1. equally cameras share exactly the same exact picture sensor and digesting engine, and accept exactly the same exact lenses, so the outcomes are likely to get relatively similar for both. To get an idea of the results, hold a examine our Nikon J1 gallery!

We have been quite pleasantly astonished by the results. With their more compact sensors, our very first concern to the Nikon1 models have been their picture quality, especially in comparison with that of its larger-sensor competition. last judgement will contact for to wait till we can operate the J1 by method of our full suite of laboratory tests, but we have been instead impressed by how clean up these evening shots were, even at ISOs of 1,600 and 3,200.

Nikon V1 Review

After weeks of rumors, Nikon as a last point stepped into the ring with its very first compact system cameras in September 2011, leaving conventional rival Canon since the only major, current maker of interchangeable-lens cameras to not offer a mirrorless model. The simultaneously-announced Nikon V1 and J1 models–which comprise the initial entries in what the business is calling the Nikon one System–together debut a brand-new lens mount, a brand new sensor and hybrid autofocus system, and an extra technology of its EXPEED picture digesting engine.

With its entry into the compact system digital camera market, Nikon has assumed the middle-ground in between its rivals in the mirrorless space. The Nikon one System cameras aren’t instead as small since the tiny Pentax Q, but when in comparison with that digital camera they offer a considerable motion upwards in sensor size and shooting performance. Nikon’s other main system digital camera competitors fall into two camps, with Olympus and Panasonic with one another providing a choice of Micro 4 Thirds cameras, although Samsung and Sony each have mirrorless models centered within exactly the same exact APS-C sensor size that dominates the digital SLR market. when in comparison with these cameras, Nikon’s new offerings possess a instead more modest sensor size, but they’re also just just a little smaller.

Of course, as well as delivering a feasible benefit toward customer in terms of digital camera and lens size and weight, the choice of the more compact sensor than many of its rivals likely gives Nikon an borders in terms of cost, as well as aids the business avoid cannibalizing lucrative product sales of its SLR cameras.

Of the two Nikon one System cameras, the Nikon V1 has the higher specification, creating a built-in electronic digital viewfinder, a a lot better LCD panel, a mechanised shutter, stereo microphone jack, and an accessory port that accepts either a proprietary flash strobe, or a GPS unit. It’s this digital camera which we’ll be discussing on this preview; data on its more affordable sibling, which lacks these features but adds a built-in popup flash, may well be present in our Nikon J1 preview.

Price and availability. The Nikon V1 is anticipated to ship in the US marketplace from October 2011. The V1 will be marketed in a kit including a 10-30mm zoom lens, and recommended retail pricing is set at around US$900. Unlike its more consumer-friendly sibling, the Nikon V1 will be marketed only in a black entire body color.

Optics. Nikon’s new one System cameras debut a brand new mount dubbed the 1-mount, designed to accomodate a CX-format picture sensor and the reduced backfocus range of the mirrorless design. As noted, the Nikon V1 will ship in a kit creating a 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 stabilized zoom lens. This lens will yield 35mm-equivalent focal lengths ranging from 27 to 81mm.

Three other 1-mount lenses take place to be announced alongside the Nikon V1: two stabilized zooms, and a pancake prime. Starting with the prime, the NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens offers a 27mm equivalent focal length, at a price tag of around US$250. to the zooms, the NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 lens will offer focal lengths from 81-297mm equivalents, and carries a pricetag of around US$250, although the NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 lens will offer an even wider 27-270mm equivalent range, at a price tag of around US$750.

The latter will be Nikon’s very first power-zoom lens model. energy zooms are some thing that’s appear back into style of late, many thanks toward rise of movie capture in interchangeable-lens cameras. (Pentax pioneered interchangeable energy zoom lenses in the movie days, but they never caught on in the time.) mechanised zooms make it tougher to adjust the focal duration without having shaking the digital camera through movie capture, specifically where a energy zoom will make it relatively less difficult to do so. Panasonic recently announced a choice of energy zoom lenses for its mirrorless cameras, and Nikon gets the second system digital camera manufacturer to recognize (and answer) videographers’ desires on this area.

In addition toward dedicated 1-mount optics, a Nikon FT-1 F-mount adaptor would be to get offered to the V1, permitting the digital camera to accept F-mount lenses. We don’t currently have data concerning whether this adapter supports autofocus, or can connect with the digital camera entire body or related lens in any way. Pricing and availability for this product have however to get disclosed, and we’re also awaiting data concerning availability of the non-kit lens models.

Sensor. The Nikon V1 is centered around a brand new CX-format picture sensor with an effective resolution of 10.1 megapixels. mentioned to take place to be produced in-house, the sensor has a 2.7x focal duration crop, for just about any diagonal of around 16mm. That equates to some 1″-type chip, using the arcane movie digital camera tube size system regularly referred to in compact digital camera spec sheets, although it in reality has someplace in the region of the 0.63-inch diagonal.

It’s instead a lot bigger compared to 1/2.3″ chip chosen for Pentax’s Q mount, which has a diagonal of just 7.7mm and a 5.6x focal duration crop. By contrast, though, the Micro 4 Thirds and APS-C compact system cameras from competitors for example Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung all have considerably bigger sensors. Micro 4 Thirds chips possess a 21.6mm diagonal and a 2.0x crop, although APS-C models possess a diagonal of slightly over 28mm, and a crop in the region of 1.5x.

Processor. Nikon couples its new CX-format imager creating a brand new technology of its EXPEED picture digesting engine. The Nikon V1 features a dual-core EXPEED 3 processor, which is mentioned to take place to be optimized for audio performance, pace (in terms of general operation, burst rate, and focusing), as well as battery life.

Sensitivity. The basic ISO-equivalent sensitivity range to the Nikon V1 is ISO 100 to 3,200, and a Hi-1 position enables this to get extended to some maximum of ISO 6,400 equivalent.

Performance. Burst shooting is feasible at a full 10 frames per second with autofocus enabled, extremely swift by compact system digital camera standards. although Sony’s NEX-7 can control exactly the same exact rate, it does so only with the concentrate and exposure locked from the very first frame. By contrast, if concentrate is locked from the very first frame in the Nikon V1, it’s capable of the whopping 60 frames per second.

Note that these speeds do rely on utilization of an electronic digital shutter, however. With the V1′s mechanised shutter in use, the burst shooting level falls to around five frames per second. At maximum resolution, buffer depth creating a mechanised shutter is rated at 42 frames in raw+JPEG Fine mode, 44 frames in raw mode, and 58 frames in JPEG mode. Buffer depths using the electronic digital shutter aren’t however available. (Note also that all figures are individuals supplied by Nikon; we’ve however to check overall performance ourselves.)

Autofocus. As you can inform from the burst shooting pace feasible with autofocus active, the Nikon V1′s AF system is swift indeed. The pace of the AF system arrives many thanks toward reality that, unlike competing mirrorless cameras which rely solely on contrast detection to determine focus, the Nikon V1 has a hybrid system that combines equally phase-detection and contrast-detection capability. The working mode is chosen instantly as appropriate toward shooting conditions, and a generous array of 73 phase detection AF points are available.

Since there’s no way to hook a separate autofocus sensor into the optical course in a mirrorless camera, Nikon has adopted a similar method to that used by Fujifilm in certain of its compact digital camera models last year. The phase detection autofocus points are positioned within the picture sensor itself, although it isn’t currently clear how the concentrate points are spaced with regards toward surrounding photodiodes.

To assistance with focusing on nearby subjects in reduced ambient lighting conditions, the V1 consists of an AF assist lamp.

Electronic viewfinder. between the main differentiators in between the Nikon V1 and J1 could be the former’s built-in electronic digital viewfinder. The V1′s EVF is built around a 0.47-inch diagonal, TFT LCD panel creating a complete resolution of 1,440,000 dots. Coverage is 100% equally horizontally and vertically, based on Nikon, and the eyepoint is specified as 17mm from the center of the eyepiece lens. A -3 to +1m-1 diopter correction is available, and the V1′s electronic digital viewfinder consists of a proximity sensor, permitting the digital camera to instantly change in between the EVF and LCD panel as appropriate.

LCD. as well as the electronic digital viewfinder, the Nikon V1 consists of a three-inch LCD panel. complete resolution of the V1′s LCD is around 307,000 pixels, or 921,000 dots, with separate red, eco-friendly and blue dots at each pixel location.

Exposure. The Nikon V1 also consists of an electronically-controlled vertical travel focal plane mechanised shutter, an extra important differentiator from the J1, which relies solely on an electronic digital shutter. (The V1 can, however, optionally be limited to using solely the electronic digital shutter, if preferred to acquire a higher shutter speed.) The fastest shutter pace offered with the V1′s mechanised shutter is 1/4,000 second, although it can achieve 1/16,000 second when using an electronic digital shutter.

Three metering modes are offered in the V1: either matrix, center-weighted (4.5mm circle in the center of the frame), or area (2mm circle in the chosen concentrate area). +/- 3.0 EV of exposure compensation is available, in 1/3 EV steps.

Flash. an extra considerable difference in between the Nikon V1 and its more compact sibling would be to get present within their provision for flash. maybe surprisingly, offered that it’s the bigger of the pair, the V1 lacks a built-in flash strobe, some thing offered by the J1. (With that said, Nikon is targeting the V1 at enthusiasts, who tend to look along on underpowered, popup flash strobes, so the omission is possibly not so surprising as it may very first seem.)

Instead, the Nikon V1 gives for an optional, proprietary SB-N5 external flash strobe which mates into its Multi-Accessory Port, just toward left of the electronic digital viewfinder (as observed from the rear). a little include should very first be eliminated before the accessory port may well be accessed, and certainly only just one accessory may well be used at any offered time, so utilization of flash precludes simultaneous utilization of any other accessory.

The SB-N5 Speedlight flash strobe has a guide quantity of 8.5 meters (27.9 feet) at ISO 100, which makes it around 70% more potent compared to built-in flash on its sibling. It supports equally i-TTL flash exposure metering and handbook exposure control, has a bounce mind and a locking shoe, doesn’t contact for just about any separate energy supply, and consists of an illuminator which could offer six-second bursts of gentle through smart Photo Selector or Motion Snapshot-mode capture. Pricing for this accessory is set at around US$150, with availability currently unknown.

X-sync is at 1/60 second when using the electronic digital shutter, and 1/250 second creating a mechanised shutter. (The J1, by contrast, is limited to 1/60th second X-sync in any way times, offered that it lacks a bodily shutter mechanism.)

Accessories. Only just one other accessory has therefore much been announced which could hold benefit of the Nikon V1′s Multi-Accessory Port: the GP-N100 GPS unit. Priced at around US$150, this accessory enables automatic geotagging of pictures with latitude, longitude, altitude, and UTC timestamp, as they’re captured. The GP-N100 GPS device can obtain ephemeris data by method of USB from an related computer, permitting for faster location fixes till the data expires, at which point the obtain procedure should be repeated. A two-color LED within the GP-N100 is used to offer status information, and the accessory can also be used to instantly update the camera’s inner clock, should really it stray from the appropriate time. Again, availability for this accessory hasn’t however been announced.

While Nikon has however to announce any other elements to the V1, several prototype / mockup equipment have been verified in the camera’s ny launch event. These enclosed an external microphone, external LCD viewfinder, grip with movie light, bracketed movie light, and a projector accessory. We’d caution readers that there’s no guarantee all of those elements will make it to market, however.

The Nikon V1 is also compatible with Nikon’s optional ML-L3 infrared remote deal with unit, basic 3.5mm stereo microphones including Nikon’s Stereo Microphone ME-1, several different AC adapter models, and the TA-N100 tripod adapter (which increases separation in between the lens mount and tripod plate).

Movies. as well as nevertheless imaging, the Nikon V1 also offers high-definition Full HD movie capture capability. The V1 can report at up to 1080p resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), creating a level of either 30 progressive-scan frames per second or 60 interlaced fields per second, derived from 60 frames-per-second sensor output. MPEG-4 / H.264 AVC compression is used, and the V1 can also shoot 720p (1,280 x 720 pixel) clips at 60 frames per second.

Unlike some competitors, the Nikon V1 doesn’t offer standard-definition movie capture at common shooting rates. However, if the resolution is dropped to VGA (640 x 480) pixels, the recording level may well be multiplied to 400 frames per second, which plays back at 30 frames per second to slow the motion along by just a little over 13x. At QVGA resolution (320 x 240 pixels), the recording level increases nevertheless even more to 1,200 frames per second, for just about any 40x slo-mo. The maximum capture duration in either slow-motion mode is five seconds, for just about any maximum clip duration of 66 seconds in VGA resolution, or 200 seconds in QVGA.

There’s also an unusual Motion Snapshot mode, which creates a brief slow-motion clip in high definition, and follows the clip creating a nevertheless frame from the action, all instantly set to some built-in music selection. The clip begins buffering when the shutter key is half-pressed in the Motion Snapshot mode, with buffering continuing for as long as 90 seconds. When the shutter key is completely pressed, the nevertheless frame is captured, and the V1 then selects and saves a two-second movie clip centered around this moment. The movie file is then appended with several seconds of the nevertheless frame captured in the instant the shutter key was completely pressed, with the musical accompaniment continuing throughout. 4 background music choices are available: Beauty, Waves, Relaxation, and Tenderness.

Power. The Nikon V1 draws energy from the proprietary EN-EL15 lithium ion battery pack. Battery life is rated to CIPA screening standards at around 400 shots without having the optional flash accessory, or 350 shots with 50% flash usage. Nikon also prices the V1 as capable of 120 minutes of 1080i movie capture on the charge. An MH-25 wall charger is enclosed in the product or service bundle.

The V1 can also receive energy from the Nikon EH-5, EH-5a, or EH-5b AC adapters courtesy of the EP-5b energy connector, which utilizes a dummy battery to mate the adapter toward camera.

Storage. offered its impressive burst speed, the Nikon V1 benefits from utilization of the undoubtedly quick flash card. It supports safe Digital cards, including not only the higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC types, but also the newest high-speed UHS-I cards. Nikon recommends utilization of the at lowest of the school six card through movie capture.

Images are stored in either NEF raw or JPEG compressed formats, and equally sorts may well be composed simultaneously. films are saved using H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC compression, in a .MOV container, and consist of AAC audio.

Connectivity. The Nikon V1 consists of equally USB 2.0 High pace data connectivity, and a choice of equally standard-definition and high-definition movie outputs. The standard-def output supports equally NTSC and PAL standards, and the appropriate cable tv is enclosed in the product or service bundle, as may well be considered a USB cable. The high-def output requires an optional HDMI cable tv with Type-C mini connector.

Other connections consist of the Multi-Accessory Port, and the 3.5mm stereo microphone jack, as pointed out previously.