Photographers: What do we think of the new Nikon 1 system?

So I’m guessing most interested folk have probably heard about Nikon’s new 1 series (inter-changable lens mirrorless compacts) announced on the 21st Sept.

http://www.nikon1.co.uk/en_GB_N1/
http://nikonrumors.com/2011/09/21/i-came-nikon-mirrorles-camera-announced.aspx/
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1109/11092120nikonlaunch.asp

What’s the first impressions from the hive mind?

It’s a fashion accessory for yummy-mummies and Japanese school-girls.

I bet it works fookin brilliantly though!

I want. I need.

Graham you bastard.

I want to like it I really do.. the sensor is just too small.

Small sensor tho Elf. CX format. Even smaller than DX.
But that full metal body is nice eh?

Yeah, it won’t be something I’ll actually be buying, but the concept is fantastic; proper tough, high quality little cam which you can bung in a pokkit. And which might actually produce decent results.

Want, always wantes something to replace my ME Super, i.e. not a full blown DSLR, better than but smaller than my bridge camera (fuji s9500, basicly an SLR sized body with a 18-300mm lebnse).

Simplicity = awesome

the sensor is just too small.

On the one hand I agree, on the other hand I’ve not tried it so can’t comment. It might be great in low light, and focal lengths are just numbers.

It does look pretty. And I see there’s an F mount adaptor so you can use any Nikon AF-S lens. I’m guessing that’s a hotshoe under that little slidey bit of plastic on the top too….

Tempting. Good job I’m skint 🙂

I’m guessing that’s a hotshoe under that little slidey bit of plastic on the top too….

It’s a new accessory port for these add-ons.

i would be tempted to get one as my preset POS is driving me up the wall with how slow it is, the only thing holding me back is i am waiting for low light review, if it can only shoot up to iso200 then becomes too noisy then i wont bother. but i am hoping there will be some clever electronic thingmajig that helps with low light performance.

any decent reviews out there yet?

Interesting but why the small sensor? It will be interesting if they manage to work some magic and get impressive high ISO performance. Even less potential for shallow DOF than M4/3 cameras though.

Not seen any full reviews yet but bear in mind that although folk are saying the sensor is small, it is still larger than the sensor in compacts so it should have better low light capabilities.

And Nikon have been leading the charge on low light stuff recently so here’s hoping.

Grum, i was thinking of the lack of DoF but then I suppose if i really want it i can always add it after in PS.

It’s a new accessory port for these add-ons.

Not being able to use existing flashguns or radio triggers would be a huge turn off for me… I know it’s really just a point ‘n’ shoot but seems a shame.

If you’re after a Nikon compact that has a hotshoe then check out the P7100:

GrahamS – that’s also very pretty and I see you can buy one for a shade under £400… What I’d really like is a compact camera with an F mount and a hotshoe 😉 But that P7100 would be a nice compromise, especially given that it has Manual, AP and SP modes.

Not seen any full reviews yet but bear in mind that although folk are saying the sensor is small, it is still larger than the sensor in compacts so it should have better low light capabilities.

At $900 it isn’t really competing with a compact is it?

What I’d really like is a compact camera with an F mount and a hotshoe

Agreed. A DX sensor and F mount on a tough mirrorless “rangefinder-style” body would be lovely.
I think a lot of people were hoping that’s what the Nikon 1 would be – hence disappointment in some areas.

the sensor is just too small.

Too small for what?

Too small for what?

Too small for a camera that big with lenses that big… that costs more than smaller cameras with bigger sensors and smaller lenses.

You’d have to not read the specs to buy one. It does come in pink though.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm

Too small for a camera that big with lenses that big

Are the lenses big? Look okay to me:

How do they compare to the equivalent lenses for m4/3rds?

You’d have to not read the specs to buy one.

I wouldn’t buy one because I don’t want one. It has a place in the market, though, whether you or I think so or not.

How do they compare to the equivalent lenses for m4/3rds?

Not well. The big zoom even compares poorly with nex lenses.

I can understand using a small sensor to get a small body and small lenses but they’ve achieved neither.

But, they’re not looking to take sales from their dslr division and they’ve done a good job of that.

I wouldn’t buy one because I don’t want one. It has a place in the market, though, whether you or I think so or not.

Yeah, I agree completely. They’ll sell boat loads. But not to photographers as such. They’ll read the spec. The pink ones will sell the best.

I take it the little viewfinder is going to be a lcd/digital and not an optical?

Looks awesome. Shame they put a small sensor in it. If it came with an aps-c size sensor I would buy one.

The nex7 will smash it to bits.

Not well. The big zoom even compares poorly with nex lenses

You mean the VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM ?

That appears to be geared towards shooting movies rather than stills (with PowerDrive zoom and ultra quiet focus motors), but it is 77×95mm. The roughly equivalent NEX is the SEL-18200, slightly larger at 75.5×99mm and doesn’t have in-lens VR.

So yeah, the biggest lens is about the same size but the NEX lens seems less featured (at first glance). Image quality remains to be seen.#

The standard 10-30mm kit lens looks about the right size to me, Any smaller than that would get fiddly.

I take it the little viewfinder is going to be a lcd/digital and not an optical?

Yep. It’s a mirrorless system with an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

If the AF performance, frame rate and video/still integration work as well as the specs suggest they will, it’s potentially very interesting in ways most people haven’t realised yet. There’s some clever stuff going in the sensor and processor 🙂

Needs some more interesting lenses, though…

Thom Hogan is predicting the following future lenses at some point:

14mm f/2.8 (~35mm equivalent)
18mm f/1.4 (~50mm equivalent)
32mm f/1.2 (~85mm equivalent)
40mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor (~105mm equivalent)
60mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor (162mm equivalent)
7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 (20-35mm equivalent)
9-43mm f/2.8-5.6 (24-120mm equivalent)

Guess it will depend how well it does.

So yeah, the biggest lens is about the same size but the NEX lens seems less featured (at first glance). Image quality remains to be seen.#

Wrong lens, that’s the a-mount dslr lens, not he e-mount nex lens (hence the lack of stabilisation as a-mount has in-body). The e-mount has stabilisation.

You’re on a loser if you think the nikon can compete with IQ with a nex I’m afraid. Which would be fine if the nikon was proportionally smaller to match the sensor size. Or even if it was proportionally cheaper.

Wrong lens, that’s the a-mount dslr lens, not he e-mount nex lens

Apologies I don’t know anything about NEX stuff and their website is very broken.

The link did say it was “Only compatible with E-mount cameras” though. ?

You’re on a loser if you think the nikon can compete with IQ with a nex I’m afraid

Wow, you’ve already tested both systems against each other? Do tell…

;P

Apologies I don’t know anything about NEX stuff and their website is very broken.

The link did say it was “Only compatible with E-mount cameras” though. ?
You’re right, that is the correct lens. It does have stabilisation and there is (or was) an 18-200 without so I assumed you meant that one.

Wow, you’ve already tested both systems against each other? Do tell…

Sensor size. You can’t beat physics.

as kudos said, isn’t the sony the boss in this area? (clicking video aside – new one)
proper big ccd

I’m amazed on-chip pdaf hasn’t come up. It’s the only feature that the nikon has going for it.

Sensor size. You can’t beat physics.

I’m aware of the size difference and the implications. I was just suggesting that pre-judging a new product’s performance arguably isn’t the most objective position to take.

And anyway, the NEX won’t do 10mp at 60fps, IIRC. Apples and oranges 😉

I’m amazed on-chip pdaf hasn’t come up

I hinted at it earlier, but everyone missed it.

It’s the only feature that the nikon has going for it.

That and full resolution stills during video capture. Oh, and stills at 60fps.

No, it’s not perfect. But it’s a very interesting take on a small system camera and I, for one, would like to try it before I judge it 🙂