Nikon 1 J1 Pro Reviews

Given the strong competition in the compact interchangeable lens category and the smaller sensor size, the Nikon 1 J1 may not hit a home run for all buyers. But it’s a fun camera to shoot with and, in many ways, the little J1 can hold its own, particularly when it comes to performance.

With solid construction and attractive styling, plus a very appealing range of video shooting modes, the Nikon 1 J1 brings something new to the mirrorless compact camp. The camera itself is less convincing and we’d sooner take the lighter and simpler Olympus PEN Mini on a trip where photos were our main focus.

The Nikon 1 J1 stakes its claim to be one of the finest compact system cameras on the market, thanks to the exceptional photo quality, ultra-fast AF and continuous shooting. This is all with fascinating ways to capture that special moment.

The J1 will reward point-and-shoot upgraders with a noticeable bump in image quality, but often fails to deliver acceptable results in lower-light settings when operated in its fully automated mode.

One more time – if image quality is your number one criterion for judging a camera, you’d best look elsewhere. Not to say the Nikon 1 image quality is bad – it’s not. Most of the other compact system cameras are better, though. Action is the number one priority for the Nikon 1 system. If you want a compact, interchangeable lens camera with revolutionary (that’s right – revolutionary) auto focus performance and speed, then the Nikon J1 and V1 are your only real choices. I was blown away by the action photography and video performance of the Nikon J1. It rivals, and even exceeds the auto focus and burst capabilities of Nikon’s $5000 D3s professional digital SLR. And for action video, the J1 – or better yet – the Nikon V1 paired with the 10-100mm Nikkor power zoom lens can’t be beat. I expect to see that kit showing up in the backpacks of lots of professional action sports videographers in the next year. I heartily recommend the J1 to families who want to take pictures and videos of their active kids and pets. I also recommend it to action sports photographers who want a small, capable camera they can throw in their hydration pack when they don’t want to carry the full DSLR rig. I’ve already been recommending the Nikon J1 and V1 to mountain biker friends who ask about a camera to carry on their bike. Right now there’s nothing that can compete for a compact, high-performance action sports camera kit.

The Nikon 1 J1 is fun and high-quality but less expensive rivals can do almost as well, making them better value.

Although the Nikon 1 J1 has a lot of pluses, we feel the negatives (and the competition) make it difficult to recommend unreservedly. It’s a good, but not great, camera.

Thanks to its interchangeable lenses and fast processing, the J1 is capable of taking the kind of shots that simply aren’t possible on a regular compact camera. It’s extremely fast and very easy to use. The multipoint autofocus is extremely quick and accurate and other than in low-light situations, the camera generally produces very pleasing images, provided you don’t peep too closely at the individual pixels. However, it’s priced at a level where only those who really care about photography would be willing to invest in such a camera system, yet its somewhat lacklustre image quality when compared to the competition, limited lens support and lack of dedicated control buttons serve only to put off such customers who would probably be better served with one of the many alternatives.

We really wanted to like the Nikon J1 -- we've certainly waited long enough for it. So can you blame us for building up some great expectations? Sadly, this isn't the camera we were hoping for. From a range of colorful body options to the cutesy marketing video playing at in-store displays, it's clear that the company is aiming to make the mirrorless category more mainstream, while perhaps overlooking the wants and needs of its loyal professional and advanced amateur customer base. That said, we can still see the J1 being a big hit, and would even consider recommending it to a few select friends and family members, if it weren't for that $650 price tag. This camera would be a more reasonable option at, say, $499 -- especially if Nikon opted to throw in two lenses -- but until that happens, it's difficult to suggest the J1 as a top pick even for beginners. For now, we're just going to have to accept that the Nikon ILC of our dreams has yet to arrive, as we hold on to our credit cards and keep on waiting.

Nikon's innovative CSC debut takes the growing convergence between still and video capture to the next level. The J1's minimalist design may not be to everyone's taste but its size and simplicity, along with its blistering speed, should chime with its intended audience. Its image quality is better than we have any right to expect from such a small sensor and good enough for most consumers, few of whom will ever make an A3 print and then scrutinise it with a magnifying glass. On the other hand the J1 is only marginally smaller than Micro Four Thirds cameras that have a sensor twice the size, and demanding users will notice the difference in image quality, especially at higher ISOs. A few aspects of the J1's operation are frustrating and the battery performance is frankly shocking, but overall Nikon deserves high praise for producing a camera that can take pictures that no other camera can, while its ability to shoot HD video and high-resolution stills simultaneously may be a clincher for young families.

The J1 is expensive, coming in at the price of an entry-level DSLR with kit lens, and at present, $150 above another competitor in the class offering more resolution on a larger sensor. The rated battery life of 230 shots is on the low end of that performance totem pole, and the absence of a viewfinder can make image composition and capture difficult on bright outdoor days. But, if you're in the market for a mirrorless interchangeable lens digital and would prefer the name on the front read "Nikon," then your ship has come in.

While the Nikon 1 J1 is a good camera for beginners, it's not so well-suited to serious amateurs. The J1 is a very small, high-quality, discreet and generally fast camera but its interface is quite clearly not geared toward users who like to take full control of the picture-taking process. Most of the features these photographers want are there, but too many of them are buried within the menu, which is bound to be a source of frustration to any power user. Small firmware changes, such as making the "F" button customisable and/or the self-timer button reprogrammable could make the Nikon J1 more appealing to this group, but the J1 will never be able to overcome its reliance on the LCD screen for image composition or the lack of an accessory port for some of the more interesting extras like a powerful external flash or the GPS unit.

The Nikon J1's new sensor size was controversial even before it was announced, with most wondering why the company would produce a smaller sensor compact when the race is more toward greater quality at higher ISO. It's no secret that Micro Four Thirds cameras have struggled to compete with the high ISO image quality available from companies making mirrorless cameras with APS-C sized sensors. The new Nikon 1 sensor, though, is even smaller than the Four Thirds Sensor, so it's understandable that people would wonder. The practical answer is that the aim was smaller optics, a goal they achieved. Just as was the case with the Pentax Q, if you want to build smaller optics, you're stuck reducing sensor size. That doesn't diminish the concern about high ISO performance, but it explains why Nikon chose a smaller sensor. Major companies have to figure out how they'll differentiate themselves in the marketplace, and even the mighty Nikon would likely struggle to make a smaller set of lenses with an APS-C sensor, leaving them with lenses about as big and long as Sony's NEX system, for example. That's not bad, but it's not different. Nikon has thus differentiated its mirrorless line by reducing size and weight.

A gorgeous design and stunning videos are the highlights, but photo quality is up to scratch too. Despite some reservations, this is an excellent debut for the Nikon 1 system

The Nikon J1 is a stylish looking compact system camera that delivers class-leading shooting speeds, super-efficient AF performance and vibrant, punchy images. However, given the highly competitive nature of the CSC market this isn’t really enough to elevate it above its peers and many rival CSCs offer richer feature sets and better value for money. It’s good to finally see Nikon in the CSC market, and the J1 certainly shows some promise, but it’s not quite the all-conquering model we’d hoped for.

Calling the J1 a high-end camera is like putting a Honda engine into a Ferrari's body, and calling it a Ferrari. The Nikon J1 looks and feels like the expensive camera it is (except for that flash), but if you peek under the hood you'll find a sub-par engine (the sensor, in this case). Like a Honda, the J1 works pretty well, and even has some clever features baked in -- but if you're paying for a Ferrari you expect a Ferrari, and that's just not what the Nikon J1 is. It's a high-end point and shoot priced like a low-end DSLR, and the addition of interchangeable lenses doesn't make up for the small sensor inside. At a lower price it could be compelling, but at $650 it's firmly in the price range of cameras like the Sony NEX-C3 and the Olympus E-PL3, both of which produce better images in more situations than the Nikon J1.

While the Nikon J1 is easy to get to grips with, a high-quality touchscreen would make its handling a little slicker and speed AF point selection. An articulated screen would make composing from unusual angles easier as well. Image quality from the Nikon J1 is good, competing well with the average compact camera and approaching that of entry-level DSLRs. In summary, the J1 provides a good introduction to interchangeable lens cameras, although it lacks some of the fun features such as in-camera filter effects seen on other offerings.

The Nikon 1 J1 is a great point and shoot system camera providing ease of use, image quality in a compact body and as with the V1, it represents a bold and brave step by Nikon into the compact, mirrorless system camera market. And yet, the camera does what it is designed to do very well and so, while this might not be a camera for everyone, or for those with an understanding bank manager, it’s a viable alternative to the larger system cameras and the other compact system cameras from Olympus and Panasonic offering ease of use and image quality at its heart.

The Nikon 1 J1 delivers one of the more compact mirrorless camera systems available, thanks to the compact kits lenses available so far being very compact thanks to the pancake design and collapsible zooms. The Nikon 1 J1 has a solid, stylish metal body, and will even fit in baggy trouser pockets, with the lens on!

The Nikon 1 J1 is a fine camera, but there's nothing here that screams out "buy it" over similar competitors. It's also on the expensive side for a point-and-shoot upgrader, but has drawbacks for the more advanced user.