In summary
A compact system camera with a 2.7x crop factor, hybrid AF system and Full HD movie recording.The Nikon 1 V1 is the higher-specified model of two cameras introduced as a new interchangeable-lens digital camera system on 21 September, 2011. Based on a relatively small sensor (see below), these cameras have been designed for snapshooters who want better image quality than a small-sensor digicam provides but would never consider buying a DSLR. (They probably wouldn’t invest in additional lenses, either.) . . [more]
Full review
The Nikon 1 V1 is the higher-specified model of two cameras introduced as a new interchangeable-lens digital camera system on 21 September, 2011. Based on a relatively small sensor (see below), these cameras have been designed for snapshooters who want better image quality than a small-sensor digicam provides but would never consider buying a DSLR. (They probably wouldn’t invest in additional lenses, either.)
Featuring a mid-20th-century ‘industrial’ style body design, the V1 comes with plenty of controls serious photographers require, including P, A, S and M shooting modes. It also boasts the colour space settings, metering patterns and AF modes, noise-reduction, white balance, D-Lighting modes and Picture Controls provided in Nikon’s DSLRs. But you have to dive into the menu system to access them and a lot of toggling is required.
Nikon will release the new cameras with four lenses. The standard single-lens kit will bundle a camera body with the general-purpose 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. The Slim Lens Kit replaces it with the 1 Nikkor 10mm f/2.8 wide-angle ‘pancake’ lens.
The Nikon 1 V1 twin-lens kit in white. (Source: Nikon.)
We received one of the two Double Zoom Kits that will be offered, containing the 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 and 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 zoom. (Both lenses are reviewed separately.) The other has the 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 and 1 Nikkor 10mm f/2.8 lens. An extended-range zoom lens, the 1 Nikkor VR 10-100 f/4.5-5.6 PD Zoom will be available for movie shooters.
The Nikon 1 V1 in black, shown fitted with the Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 (top) and 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 (below) kit zoom lenses. (Source: Nikon.)
Future lenses include a wide-angle zoom, a super telephoto zoom, a macro lens, a portrait lens, a normal lens and an even smaller kit zoom lens, bringing the total to ten. Other accessories include a new SB-N5 Speedlight and a GPS unit.
An F-mount adapter has also been announced for fitting Nikkor lenses to the Nikon 1 bodies. However, although it might extend owners’ options, even the DX lenses are likely to be out-of-balance with the smaller camera bodies. And there’s that 2.7x crop factor to account for, which makes an 18-55mm DX Nikkor equivalent to 72.9-222.75mm in 35mm format.
That could be OK if you need a tele-zoom – but can’t replace a wide-angle lens. On the plus side, the 40mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor becomes equivalent to a 108mm macro on the V1 body, and it’s not out of proportion with the V1’s body. The smaller sensor should also provide greater depth-of-field at wider apertures, which may interest some potential buyers.
Unfortunately, due to the size of the Nikon 1 sensor, when you fit lenses designed for larger imager chips, the image characteristics won’t be the same as Nikon’s DX/APS-C counterparts. Depth of field in shots is likely to be noticeably wider than the selected aperture would indicate. Nikon’s FX Nikkor lenses will be even more out-of-whack.
Build and Ergonomics
The Nikon 1 V1 and both kit lenses carry ‘Made in China’ labels, indicating they are unlikely to be affected by the product supply problems impacting on Nikon’s DSLRs and lenses due to flooding in the factory in Thailand.
Measuring approximately 113 x 76 x 43.5 mm and with a fairly hefty body weight of 294 grams (without battery and card), it has a magnesium alloy top and front panel. The rest of the camera is made mainly from polycarbonate plastic. Colour options are matte black or high-gloss white.
The front panel of the Nikon 1 V1 in black, shown without a lens. (Source: Nikon.)
The front panel is flat, rounding off at the sides where the front and rear panels join. A small vertical moulding provides a linear rest for the user’s second finger roughly midway between the right side and the lens mount. The lens mount is quite close to the left hand side of the camera body.
Interestingly, the camera is configured to power-up when one of the retracting lenses is fitted and it’s extended for taking pictures. This can be convenient for snapshooters but is risky because the camera we used took almost a minute to switch off when the lens was retracted again.
The indicator LED beside the power switch continued to flash for several minutes thereafter until we got fed up with it and switched it off (but we had to press the power button twice to do so). This doesn’t happen if you press the power switch before retracting the lens.
An LED inset into the upper edge of the front panel serves as an AF-Assist illuminator, self-timer indicator and red-eye reduction lamp. Above and either side of the lens mount are a pair of stereo microphones, while the front IR receiver for the remote controller is located to the left and in line with the upper edge of the lens mount.
Covering most of the rear panel is a 3-inch TFT LCD monitor with 921,000 dots. Just above it sits a 0.47-inch, 144,000-dot TFT LCD colour viewfinder with a dioptre control screw on the right hand side. Both displays provide brightness adjustment.
Rear view of the Nikon 1 V1. (Source: Nikon.)
Just above the right hand edge of the monitor a small F (feature) button is inset into a bump on the camera body that also contains the playback zoom/thumbnail control lever. Below it is a ‘mode dial’ with four settings: Still, Smart, Movie and Motion Snapshot.
Further down is an arrow-pad-like ‘multi-selector’ with four directional buttons and a rotating dial. The buttons access the AE/AF lock settings, exposure compensation, focus and self-timer modes. Surrounding the multi-selector are four buttons for the Display, Playback, Delete and Menu settings.
The top panel is flat, save for a raised bump covering the viewfinder. Left of this bump and hidden beneath a slide-off plastic cover is the multi-accessory port for fitting the SB-N5 Speedlight flash or GP-N100 GPS Unit. There’s no built-in flash and the connector is Nikon-specific so you can’t use third-party flash guns.
The top panel of the Nikon 1 V1 without a lens. (Source: Nikon.)
To the right of the viewfinder bump is a speaker grille with seven tiny holes. The power on/off button lies flush with the top panel towards the rear edge of the top panel just right of the speaker grille. Further right is a reasonably large shutter button that sits proud of the top panel and to its right a Movie button with a red central dot is almost level with the panel’s surface.
Eyelets for the neck strap are located near the upper edges of the curved sides of the front panel. They have D-rings lined with plastic, rather than simple fixed loops. A lift-up cover on the rear of the left side panel hides the microphone, HDMI and USB/A-V ports.
The battery and memory card share a compartment in the base of the camera. Use of a large rechargeable battery supports up to 400 shots/charge, an advantage for travellers. The base plate also houses a metal-lined tripod socket located on the optical axis of the lens.
Sensor and Image Processing
Both Nikon 1 cameras have the same 13.2 x 8.8 mm CMOS sensor with 10.1-megapixel effective resolution. Coupled to the sensor is a new EXPEED 3 dual-core image processing chip that claims to be capable of processing at 600 megapixels/second, which represents better data handling than many Nikon DSLRs.
UPDATE 8/11/2011: Chipworks found an Aptina sensor in the Nikon 1 V1. It has 3.4 micron square photosites and a full die size of 16.9 mm x 17.9 mm. Details are available at http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/recent-teardowns/2011/11/teardown-of-the-nikon-v1-camera-%E2%80%93-aptina-found/
Surprisingly for its target market, as well as capturing JPEGs, the V1 provides settings for shooting NEF.RAW files and RAW+JPEG pairs. They’re located under Image Quality in the camera’s menu. Three JPEG compressions can be selected but RAW+JPEG files use only Fine compression for each image size. The table below shows typical file sizes and buffer capacities for recording continuous bursts of shots.
|
Image quality setting |
Image size |
File size |
Buffer capacity |
|
NEF.RAW |
3872 x 2592 |
17.1MB |
44 |
|
RAW+JPEG |
3872 x 2592 |
23.9MB |
42 |
|
2896 x 1944 |
21.4MB |
43 |
|
|
1936 x 1296 |
19.6MB |
44 |
|
|
JPEG Fine |
3872 x 2592 |
6.8MB |
58 |
|
2896 x 1944 |
4.3MB |
67 |
|
|
1936 x 1296 |
2.5MB |
87 |
|
|
JPEG Normal |
3872 x 2592 |
3.4MB |
74 |
|
2896 x 1944 |
2.2MB |
89 |
|
|
1936 x 1296 |
1.3MB |
100 |
|
|
JPEG Basic |
3872 x 2592 |
1.8MB |
99 |
|
2896 x 1944 |
1.1MB |
100 |
|
|
1936 x 1296 |
0.7MB |
100 |
It’s easy to shoot movie clips on the Nikon 1 V1 by simply rotating the mode dial to the movie setting. In this mode you can choose between HD and slow-motion video clips – but not standard-speed VGA and QVGA recording.
Aside from the lack of SD recording modes, the V1’s video capabilities are equal to many DSLRs and mirrorless cameras – and better than some. Not only can it record Full HD and HD video clips, it also offers both interlaced and progressive scanning settings for the former.
In addition, high-speed video recording is available for ‘slow-motion’ movies with an aspect ratio of 8:3 at 640 x 240-pixel and 320 x 120-pixel resolution. The slow-motion settings are selected via the F button and the cropping is shown on the monitor and viewfinder, making shot composition straightforward. The table below shows the movie options available , the recording rates and maximum clip lengths.
|
Movie Setting |
Pixels |
Recording rate |
Bit rate |
Max. clip length |
|
1080/60i |
1920 x 1080 |
59.94 fields/sec |
24Mbps |
20 minutes |
|
1080/30p |
1920 x 1080 |
29.97 frames/sec |
24Mbps |
20 minutes |
|
720/60p |
1280 x 720 |
59.94 frames/sec |
16 Mbps |
29 minutes |
|
Slow Motion |
640 x 240 |
400 fps |
1.8 Mbps |
5 seconds |
|
320 x 120 |
1200 fps |
0.6 Mbps |
5 seconds |
By default, when the HD movie mode is selected the camera automatically selects an appropriate scene mode, based on the type of subject detected. For slow-motion movies, the camera defaults to Programmed AE and audio recording is disabled.
In exposure modes other than Scene auto selector, you can lock exposure by pressing the AE/AF-Lock button (arrow pad up). Depending on the capacity and speed of the memory card, users can record up to 20 minutes of video or 4GB in a single clip.
Recording is initiated and ended in both modes by pressing the movie button on the top panel. The menu includes settings for suppressing both wind noise and the flicker produced by fluorescent, mercury vapour and sodium lights.
Still pictures can be captured in JPEG format while recording a movie clip. The 16:9 aspect ratio of the video recording is retained but the image is recorded at the maximum pixel width so you end up with a file measuring 3840 x 2160 pixels.
The V1 supports high ISO and long-exposure noise reduction, although processing can only be switched on and off. Active D-Lighting processing is also available.
Autofocusing
One of the more interesting features of the Nikon 1 system is a new hybrid autofocusing system that combines a standard contrast-based system with phase detection similar to the systems used in DSLR cameras. In low light levels and with static subjects, the camera automatically employs 135-point contrast-detection autofocusing.
The phase detection system uses 73 sensors embedded in the surface of the image sensor. It’s available for both stills and movie recording and Nikon claims it as the fastest on the market.
When moving or highly-reflective subjects are detected, the camera switches from contrast-detection to phase detection. Unfortunately, there’s no way to select which system is used; you’re stuck with what the camera ‘decides’ is appropriate. The user manual warns ‘autofocus does not perform well’ under the following conditions:
1. When there is little or no contrast between the subject and the background.
2. When the subject contains areas of sharply contrasting brightness.
3. When the subject contains objects at different distances from the camera.
4. When background objects appear larger than the subject.
5. When the subject is dominated by regular geometric patterns.
6. When the subject contains many fine details or is made up of objects that are small or lack variation in brightness.
On the basis of our tests we can confirm these findings and add another: in low light levels. All told, that covers a lot of subject types that are popular with everyday snapshooters.
Five focusing modes are provided: AF-A (which automatically selects the focus area based on 41 focus points), AF-S (single-servo), AF-C (continuous), AF-F (full-time) and manual focus. Focus mode selection is not supported in Scene Auto Selection mode.
All modes except the AF-F mode are available for still image capture, although the use of the electronic shutter for high-speed recording applies some restrictions. Only the AF-A mode is usable for recording at 10 fps, while 30 fps and 60 fps capture is restricted to AF-S and focus is locked on the first frame in the burst.
In HD movie mode, AF-F is the default setting with AF-S also usable; for slow-motion movies, the default is AF-S. Manual focusing can be used in both modes and is driven by rotating the multi-selector dial. A distance indicator appears as a bar near the right side of the monitor screen. Up to 10x magnification is available for focus checking.
New Shooting Modes
To meet the needs of everyday snapshooters, Nikon has equipped its new cameras with a suite of automated shooting modes that are designed to overcome common obstacles to effective picture-taking. The Smart Photo Selector (SPS) mode is used for hard-to-time occasions when you want to record a fleeting expression or action.
In this mode (which is selected via the mode dial), the camera records a burst of shots, starting when the shutter button is half-pressed and ending either 90 seconds later or when the shutter button is pressed all the way down. Focus is adjusted automatically if the subject moves during the burst.
The camera automatically chooses an appropriate scene pre-set (portrait, landscape or close-up) based on data collected from the subject. Once the burst is captured, it will compare shots recorded both before and after the shutter button was pressed and select five to copy to the memory card.
Two sequences of frames showing moving subjects recorded with the Smart Photo Selector (SPS) mode.
The best image is displayed on the monitor when processing is completed but the others can be viewed by toggling with the horizontal buttons on the arrow pad and subsequently saved. In this mode, movie capture is disabled. Users can delete selected images or all except the best shot (which can’t be deleted).
The Motion Snapshot (MSS) mode, which is also selected via the mode dial, simultaneously records a still image at the selected image size and quality accompanied by roughly a second of video at 1920 x 1080 pixels with a frame rate of about 60 fps. The total file size is limited to 17.7MB.
When the recording is played back on the camera’s monitor, it runs as a slow motion movie for roughly 2.5 seconds with the still image played at the end of the movie. It’s fun to use and looks good when played back on the camera’s monitor or a computer screen; but we found the still picture was often slightly soft.
Soundtracks are not recorded in MSS mode but users can choose from four ‘canned’ background music soundtracks: Beauty, Waves, Relaxation or Tenderness. (They’re all a bit ‘new age’.) The background track plays for approximately ten seconds.
The V1 provides three ‘Shutter Type’ settings: Mechanical, Electronic and Electronic (Hi). They’re accessible via the F button on the rear panel. The mechanical shutter suits most situations while selecting the electronic shutter setting enables the V1 to be operated noiselessly. This setting is ideal when taking candid shots and recording in places where shutter noise is unacceptable, such as during wedding ceremonies and baptisms.
The Electronic (Hi) mode supports three high-speed frame rates: 10 fps (the default), 30 fps and 60 fps. With the mechanical and normal electronic shutter settings, the frame rate is restricted to a maximum of five frames/second.
Shutter speeds with the mechanical shutter range between 1/4000 second and 30 seconds and flash synch is at 1/250 second (or slower). The electronic shutter can deliver shutter speeds as fast as 1/16,000 second but the top flash synch speed is 1/60 second.
Self-timer delays of two, five and ten seconds are selectable and the camera supports two remote control modes for use with the optional ML-L3 wireless controller. One delays the shutter release by two seconds, the other trips the shutter when the controller button is pressed.
Interval timer shooting is supported and users can select the number of shots and the intervals between them. Recording starts three seconds after Start has been selected in the menu. There appears to be no way to delay the start time in the camera.
The V1 comes with six Picture Control pre-sets: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape. Users can adjust brightness, contrast, sharpening in all modes. Saturation and hue are adjustable for the colour modes, while in the monochrome mode you can apply toning and add filter effects. In all, you can create thousands of different combinations and these Modified Picture Controls can be saved as Custom options.
Playback and Software
The Nikon 1 V1 provides all the usual playback functions: single and index (4, 9 or 72 thumbnails), calendar playback and playback zoom. Playback zoom is not available when displaying Motion Snapshots or movies. Users can rate images or mark them as candidates for later deletion.
Slideshows can be viewed on the basis of image type, scene type, rating or face priority and users can select from a range of intervals to set how long each image is displayed. Editing functions available in playback mode include cropping. re-sizing, D-Lighting adjustments and basic movie trimming.
The review camera was supplied with two disks, one containing the full user manual in PDF format and the other containing Nikon View NX2 Short Movie Creator plus QuickTime and Muvee players. View NX2, which is required to convert raw files from the camera into editable formats (TIFF or JPEG), can be downloaded free of charge from any Nikon website. (The current version of Adobe Camera Raw didn’t include support for the Nikon 1 cameras when this review was produced.)
Performance
Despite all the hype about the new autofocusing system, the review camera was only able to focus quickly and accurately when presented with subjects that were well lit and fairly high in contrast. When the system worked, it was very fast; when it didn’t, hunting continued for a couple of seconds until the camera either found focus somewhere in the frame or the user got fed up and switched to manual focusing.
AF performance with moving subjects was variable and depended on how well the subject were lit and whether they stood out against their backgrounds. When the system worked, shots were nice and sharp, although the point of focus wasn’t always where you wanted when Auto Area was selected.
For our test shots after dark, we had to resort to manual exposure, which is seldom necessary, even with small-sensor digicams. We also had to switch to the manual shooting mode and apply between +0.7 and +1.3EV of exposure compensation the overcome the tendency of the metering system to under-expose in low light levels (see below).
The review camera’s metering accuracy was somewhat variable, particularly with the Matrix (multi-pattern) mode. This mode has usually delivered natural-looking exposures in our tests of Nikon’s DSLR cameras so it’s odd to see it producing shots that are sometimes a stop or more under-exposed or (less frequently) slightly over-exposed.
When both focus and metering were spot-on, shots from the review camera were fairly sharp, regardless of which lens was used. Unprocessed images straight out of the camera benefited from a little post-capture sharpening.
Colour reproduction in JPEGs appeared slightly muted when test shots were examined on a computer monitor – and also when shots were printed. However, Imatest showed saturation to be as high as we used to see in point-and-shoot digicams, particularly in the warmer hues.
Both JPEGs and NEF.RAW files were affected, the latter to a lesser degree. In JPEG files, skin hues were slightly warmer than the ideal hues. NEF.RAW files converted with Nikon’s View NX2 showed colour shifts in yellow-greens and purples.
Imatest also showed neither JPEG nor NEF.RAW files reached the theoretical expectations for the sensor’s resolution, although both came close, with the raw files only marginally below expectations. Resolution remained relatively high up to ISO 400 before beginning a gradual decline. JPEGs were quite a bit lower than raw files at ISO 3200 and ISO 6400, as shown in the graph below.
Long exposures after dark showed little evidence of noise up to ISO 3200, although slight softening began to be visible at ISO 1600 and some posterisation was observed in exposures longer than 15 seconds. Shots in this test sequence had a slight magenta bias, which was easily removed by post-capture editing.
Auto white balance performance was similar to many digicams. The review camera failed to suppress the colour cast of incandescent or fluorescent lighting, although it came fairly close with the latter. Both presets over-corrected slightly for their respective lighting types. Manual measurement delivered neutral colour rendition.
The multi-shot SPS and MSS modes worked as specified and could prove handy for users with minimal understanding of camera controls. Snapshooters will be tempted to stick with these modes because all the settings serious photographers require are locked away in the camera’s menu system, which is less frustrating to use than some but still requires a fair bit of time-consuming toggling.
Video quality was good but not outstanding. HD clips were quite detailed but playback was often slightly jerky and erratic. It was impossible to grab sharp frames from the clips shot with the interlaced mode, although we had no problems with the other modes.
The quality of the soundtracks was also adequate but not outstandingly clear and engaging. Unfortunately, the built-in microphones were quite susceptible to wind noise and the wind cut filter merely lowered its intensity a little.
The two slow motion modes were fun to use but their resolution is only just large enough for playback on a computer screen and even then not at full screen size.
We’ve reviewed the two kit lenses separately and the results of our Imatest tests on the 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 can be found here, while the 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 review is posted here.
For our timing tests we used a Verbatim 16GB Class 6 SDHC card, which meets the camera’s requirements for video recording. It took just over a second to power-up the camera by extending the lens. Starting the camera after it has shut down can take several seconds. Shot-to-shot times in single-shot mode averaged 1.56 seconds.
Regardless of which shutter was used, the average processing time for a JPEG file was 2.15 seconds, while NEF.RAW files averaged 2.3 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs 3.5 seconds. In the normal continuous shooting mode, the review camera captured 10 frames in 2.9 seconds, regardless of the file format. It took 18.1 seconds to process a burst of JPEGs, 23.2 seconds for the NEF.RAW files and 37.8 seconds for the RAW+JPEG pairs.
When the electronic shutter was used in the 60 frames/second burst mode, the review camera performed to specifications, recording 30 frames at a resolution of 3872 x 2592 pixels in half a second. The camera provided no indication of how long it took to process frames in this mode.
Conclusion
With Nikon being one of the last of the major manufacturers to enter the mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera market, many photographers were expecting something that would – at the very least – provide a smaller, lighter second or third camera option. Unfortunately, all Nikon has done is introduced yet another sensor and lens format into an already crowded arena. That’s the last thing anyone wanted.
Serious photographers are likely to be disappointed by the V1, particularly when it is compared with the larger-sensor offerings from other manufacturers. Whereas Sony’s NEX-7 has the same APS-C sized sensor as the SLT-A77, the Nikon 1’s sensor roughly half the size of a Micro 4/3 chip. This imposes a number of design limitations that will be difficult to overcome, particularly with respect to wide-angle lenses.
There are also issues with the V1’s user interface, which doesn’t even match the functionality of Nikon’s flagship Coolpix P7100. It’s very clear that, like its sibling, the V1 has been designed for snapshooters and, while both cameras may provide some interesting features, their user interfaces are more attuned to full auto operation than manual control.
Furthermore, the 1 Nikkor lenses are large compared with some of the Micro 4/3 lenses produced by Olympus and Panasonic. Even though the two kit lenses are retracting models, without a lens fitted, the V1 is barely smaller than the Coolpix P7100, which boasts a 7.1x zoom lens.
Add the 10-30mm kit lens to the V1 and you increase its depth to roughly 90 mm – when the lens is retracted. The overall weight goes up by 115 grams, putting it well above the digicam’s 395 grams. Even with the 10mm ‘pancake’ lens this camera isn’t pocketable.
The 1 Nikkor lenses are also relatively slow. With maximum apertures of f/3.5, they don’t compete with many small-sensor digicams, some of which have f/1.8 lenses. Olympus and Panasonic have f/1.8 and f/1.7 primes already and there are even faster Micro 4/3 lenses offered by third-party manufacturers.
Even for its target market there’s another deficiency that is already addressed by both Olympus and Panasonic with varying degrees of success: social networking. Nikon’s myPicturetown is way too limited and not connected with popular services like FaceBook and Twitter. And it’s only accessible to registered users.
Buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a well-built snapshooter’s camera with interchangeable lenses and HD video recording.
– You want an optical viewfinder.
– You have Nikkor lenses that wouldn’t be out of balance on the smaller body but could provide benefits through longer effective focal lengths.
Don’t buy this camera if:
– You require a pocketable camera (it’s barely pocketable without a lens).
– You enjoy full manual control over key camera functions.
IMATEST GRAPHS
JPEG images
NEF.RAW images converted with Nikon View NX2.
SAMPLE IMAGES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
ISO 100; 20-second exposure at f/4; 14mm focal length.
ISO 800; 10-second exposure at f/5.6; 14mm focal length.
ISO 3200; 5-second exposure at f/11; 14mm focal length.
ISO 6400; 5-second exposure at f/14; 14mm focal length.
Close-up; ISO 100, 30mm focal length,1/125 second at f/5.6.
A subject that caused the AF system to hunt for several seconds;60mm focal length, ISO 200; 1/400 second at f/5.6.
Active D-Lighting in use; 10mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/100 second at f/4.5.
Scene Auto Select mode; ISO 400, 10mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/3.5.
P mode, 110mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/5.6.
Blown-out highlights in a shot taken with the Smart Photo Selector (SPS) mode; 110mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/200 second at f/5.6.
Frame from Motion Snapshot (MSS) mode; 110mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/800 second at f/5.6.
Frame from Motion Snapshot (MSS) mode; 59mm focal length, ISO 125, 1/100 second at f/16.
Picture Control – Neutral setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/5.
Picture Control – Standard setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/640 second at f/5.
Picture Control – Vivid setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/5.
Picture Control – Monochrome setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/800 second at f/5.
Picture Control – Portrait setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/800 second at f/5.
Picture Control – Landscape setting: 83mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/5.
Still frame from video clip recorded in the 1080p Full HD video mode.
Still frame from video clip recorded in the 720p HD video mode.
Still frame from video clip recorded in slow motion at 400 frames/second.
Still frame from video clip recorded in slow motion at 1200 frames/second.
More sample images can be found with the reviews of the 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 and 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 zoom lenses.
Specifications
Image sensor: 13.2 x 8.8 mm CMOS sensor with 12 million photosites (10.1 megapixels effective)
Image processor: EXPEED 3
A/D processing: 12-bit
Lens mount: Nikon 1 (CX format)
Focal length crop factor: 2.7x
Image formats: Stills -NEF.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; Movies – MOV (H.264/MPEG-4 plus AAC audio)
Image Sizes: Stills – 3:2 aspect: 3872 x 2592, 2896 x 1944, 1936 x 1296; 16:9 aspect: 3840 x 2160; Movies: 1920 x 1080 at 50i/25 fps; 1280 x 720, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 at 30 or 15 fps
Image Stabilisation: Lens-based
Dust removal: Yes
Shutter speed range: 30 to 1/4000 second (up to 1/16000 sec with electronic shutter) plus Bulb and Time (requires optional ML-L3 remote control); flash synch at 1/250 sec with mechanical shutter, 1/60 sec with electronic shutter
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3EV in 1/3EV steps
Self-timer: 2, 5 or 10 seconds delay selectable
Focus system: Hybrid phase-detect/contrast-detect AF with 135 sensor points and single-point (all points), auto area (41 points) and subject tracking modes
Focus modes: Single AF (AF-S); continuous AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); fulltime AF (AF-F); manual focus
Exposure metering: TTL metering using image sensor with Matrix, Centre-weighted (4.5 mm circle) and Spot (2 mm circle) modes
Shooting modes on mode dial: Photo, Smart Photo Selector, Movie, Motion Snapshot
Picture Style/Control settings: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape (all adjustable); storage for custom Picture Controls
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
ISO range: Auto, ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, Hi 1 (ISO 6400 equiv)
White balance: Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Preset manual; fine-tuning available for all presets
Flash: External only
Flash exposure adjustment: i-TTL flash control with optional SB-N5 flash gun; -3 to +1 EV adjustments in 1/3 EV steps
Sequence shooting: up to 5 fps with mechanical shutter; up to 60 fps with electronic shutter
Storage Media: Single slot for SD, SDHC or SDXC memory cards
Viewfinder: 0.47-inch EVF with approx. 1.44 million dots, 100% FOV coverage; 17 mm eyepoint; auto switch sensor
LCD monitor: 3-inch TFT LCD with 921,000 dots
Playback functions: Single-frame, Index (4 or 9 frames), Enlarge (7.2x to 14x), Slideshow, Picture rotation (auto mode available), Histogram (independent luminance/RGB available), Shooting information
Interface terminals: USO 2.0, HDMI (Type C Mini), DC-IN, combined A/V and USB, multi-accessory port
Power supply: EN-EL15 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 400 shots/charge without flash
Dimensions (wxhxd): 113 x 76 x 43.5 mm
Weight: 294 grams (without battery and card)
Retailers
CamBuy
www.cambuy.com.au
Digital cameras, lenses and accessories with 100% genuine Australian manufacturer’s warranties.
Ph: (02) 9029 2219
Camera House
www.camerahouse.com.au
Ph: 133 686
The largest speciality photographic retail chain in Australia.
Camera Pro
www.camerapro.net.au
CameraPro Pty Ltd
Suite 607, 180 Queen St, Brisbane 4000
Tel: 07 3333 2900
Australian owned and run company based in Brisbane.
Camerasdirect
www.camerasdirect.com.au
Retailer of digital camera equipment and more.
Secure online shopping and delivery across Australia.
Ph: 1300 727 056
Camerastore.com.au
Camerastore.com.au
Ph: 1800 155 067
Camera-Warehouse
www.camera-warehouse.com.au
Comprehensive range of digital cameras and accessories online (www.camera-warehouse.com.au) and an online print service (www.royalexpress.com.au).
Digital Camera Warehouse
www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au
174 Canterbury Road 367 High Street
Canterbury Northcote
NSW 2193 VIC 3070
Ph: 1300 365 220
Electronics Warehouse
www.electronicswarehouse.com.au
1300 801 885
Australian retailer of Vapex rechargeable batteries offering factory direct prices and fast, free shipping Australia wide.
Photographic Equipment & Supplies – Retail & Repairs. Click here for list of stores.
Ted’s Cameras
1800 186 895
Big range of cameras and photographic products with stores in most states and online.
Rating
RRP: $1399 (Twin Zoom kit, as reviewed)
Rating (out of 10):
- Build: 8.5
- Ease of use: 8.5
- Autofocusing: 7.5
- Image quality: 8.5
- Video quality: 8.5
- OVERALL: 8.0
