Nikon J1 mirrorless camera test: white balance near the samovar was peusaect

The camera is designed for amateurs who want to go to the next level of image quality, but have a very compact unit. Camera was announced April 5, 2011.

Nikon J1 compact camera

Technical Specifications

Sensor type and size: CMOS, 13.2×8.8 mm, 10.1 million. pic.

Krop factor: 2.7

Frame/File Format: 3:2 3872×2592 , 16:9 3840×2160 , NEF RAW and JPEG

Viewfinder LCD : 7.5 cm TFT LCD monitor, resolution of about 460,000 dots

AF: Single point AF – 135 AF zones, AF zone auto selectable – 41 AF zones

Shutter: 30-1/16000sec

Continuous Shooting Speed: High Resolution Approx. 10, 30 or 60 fps

Exposure metering: Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot aligned with the focus point

Exposure programs: P, A, S, M, automatic scene selection

Flash: built-in, GN 5 ISO 100

Sensitivity range: auto, ISO 100-3200 extended up to 6400

Video: HD 1920×1080/60i, slow motion video, motion snapshot, MOV, H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding, AAC sound, built-in stereo microphone

Interfaces: high-speed USB, mini-HDMI Type C

Memory cards: SD, SDHC and SDXC

Power: Lithium-ion battery EN-EL20

Dimensions: 106×61×29.8 mm

Weight: 277g with battery and memory card

Approximate price: $630 with 1 Nikkor VR 10-30 mm lens

Introduction

Nikon presented a new interchangeable lens camera system – Nikon 1 on September 21, 2011. The system still includes two cameras, the V1 and J1, which can work with four lenses specially designed for the system.

The new lens series includes the super-compact wide-angle 1 Nikkor 10mm, the standard 3x zoom 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm, the telezoom 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm and the motorized variable speed zoom 1 Nikkor 10-100mm PD-ZOOM, designed for video shooting. This set covers all the needs of amateurs for the first time.

In addition, there is an adapter that allows you to attach Nikon SLR camera optics to the cameras new system. The systemf also includes an SB-N5 Speedlight miniature flash for the V1 camera, an external microphone, and a compact GP-N100 GPS module.

The V1 and J1 differ in functionality and price quite noticeably. The V1 has an optical EVF, instead of a built-in flash it has a slot for an external flash and other accessories, a more solid body and fewer colors black and white .

J1 is an easier camera because of its lower price, likely to be more popular. According to the designers, it is more suitable as a family and personal camera that can be constantly carried around.

Design, ergonomics and controls

The design of the camera is extremely ascetic. The simple smooth parallelepiped with rounded edges is distantly associated with rangefinder camera bodies. Front panel mount stopper, no other buttons.

The controls are mainly concentrated on the right side of the camera. On the top panel, flush with the surface, the video start button, camera shutter release button, and power button. On the back of the top and right of the monitor, a button to switch speed modes, taking the user to the menu, multi-function “rocker” to change settings.

Just below the mode dial, Disp button., view button. Next is a multi-function joystick dial and buttons for menu and delete pictures. Button at the top left to turn on the flash. The controls are quite small, but spaced well apart. The risk of accidental mode switching is minimized.

The camera connectors are covered with a small inconspicuous cover. Tripod socket and battery and memory card compartment cover on the bottom surface. The camera controls are extremely simple and intuitive to operate, even without reading the manual. Despite its smooth surface and lack of protrusions, the camera feels good in the hand.

Camera capabilities

Nikon’s long-awaited compact interchangeable lens system. There was a lot of speculation, but the Nikon 1 system concept surprised everyone. Unlike competitors, the designers of this novelty have decided not to compete with DSLR cameras, presenting a camera of the compact class in all respects , but with high-quality interchangeable optics. The new units feature a 10.1-megapixel CX-format high-speed CMOS sensor with real-time autofocus support.

This allowed unusually fast continuous shooting speeds of up to 60 fps in continuous bursts and up to 10 fps in tracking focus. The camera can take high resolution still photos while recording video without interrupting the recording. It has faster autofocus than many DSLRs, faster than any compact camera.

The autofocus sensitivity in low light is very good even without additional backlighting. Exposure modes are classic P/A/S/M and Scene mode. You have to go into the menu to change the mode, and with some skill this can be done fairly quickly. High resolution video allows you to create high-quality movies.

Video autofocus is stable and fast. A fun feature is the intelligent shot selection mode that takes 20 photos and automatically selects the top 5 to save the best one. Instant Motion Snapshot mode allows you to take a short video clip while taking a photo. Then these two actions combine to create a “live image.

I don’t really know what it does, but it looks interesting. This mode might come in handy for shooting children or wedding kisses.I was impressed with the camera’s display: clear and bright images with very vivid colors. The most interesting accessory for the J1 is the FT1 mount adapter which lets you attach both AF-S and AF-I lenses for SLR cameras. True, it’s hard to say about compactness in this case.

Test shooting

J1 comes in five colors: white, black, red, silver and pink. I got the pink camera for testing. This does not influence the result of the photography, but passers-by sometimes looked with interest at the gray-haired photographer with a fashionable device in his hands… The camera was tested with the stock 1 Nikkor VR 10-30 mm lens which corresponds to the focal length range of 27-81 mm for an equivalent 35 mm lens.

The focal length is sufficient for simple shootings, and the lens is as compact as possible to keep it handy. There is a button on the frame that locks the lens in the transportable position when turned on, the camera reminds you to unlock the lens .

The weather at the beginning of winter is not very nice on fine days, and when the sun does shine, the lighting is very harsh. However, for picky testing this is even a good thing, as it gives you the opportunity to see how the new camera behaves in such extreme conditions.

Primarily interested in the speed of the camera, as Nikon said that the Nikon 1 series cameras are now the fastest in their class. It turns out that the focusing is really very smooth and without any pauses, and the possible inaccuracy is easily disguised by the great depth of field even at an open aperture.

This shows one of the advantages of the small sensor that requires short lenses. The camera still managed to get unsharp shots, but I had to shoot moving objects at a very short distance where even professional cameras are helpless in most cases.

The dynamic range capabilities of the new sensor were very high, and it showed itself best in the dark areas of the image. Deep shadows retained maximum detail and lent themselves well to post-processing, losing only in saturation.

When setting the exposure to shadows, contrast-lit subjects can lose just in the highlights, which are more difficult to pull out. For example, the bright areas of the pre-sunset sky in the late afternoon light were barely made out. Nevertheless, the range of reproduction is impressive.

All scenes were shot with auto sensitivity setting in the 100-3200 ISO range. Camera tries to keep sensitivity to a minimum, even when there is a definite lack of light. On the whole, such an approach justified itself, allowing not to monitor this parameter. Shots taken individually showed that noise is almost imperceptible up to 800 ISO. The sensitivity of 1600 ISO has noise in the shadows, and at 3200 ISO and above it is noticeable enough in the whole image.

Photography under artificial light was taken at different locations, mostly under mixed lighting. Autobalancing hardly ever fails. The natural range of light is rendered well, without harsh coloring in any shade. Rather complex task for a compact camera! Even in an underground passage the colors of the picture look nice.

White balance in natural daylight looked flawless most of the time. Scenes shot under diffused light impressed me with the accuracy of the colors and the softness of the image with a high saturation of bright colors. The shots do not require any graphic editing and can almost always be used immediately.

The compact size of the camera makes it easy to do covert genre photography, but the range of the regular zoom in this case is still a bit small. For such shots, the telescope 1 Nikkor VR 30-110 mm, corresponding to 81-297 mm in 35 mm equivalent, is preferable.

Low light cameras are preferable for this type of photography. Taking pictures with a pink camera showed how much it the camera attracts attention. the camera’s small size helped: it was easy enough to hide in the palm of your hand.

In macro mode, the quality of the shots with this new camera rivals that of a DSLR, primarily due to its very large depth of field and complete absence of vibration. Fast autofocus tracking allows for good handheld shooting without worrying about easy distance changes.

Too bad the camera doesn’t have a swivel monitor: in spite of some increase in size the camera would have more opportunities to shoot.

Video quality is very good, but to achieve maximum results it makes sense to buy a motorized zoom with adjustable speed 1 Nikkor 10-100 mm PD-ZOOM, designed specifically for video. It could also be the prime lens for photography.

Full-resolution photos can be taken during filming without interrupting the process. Thanks to the silent autofocus sound recording quality is not burdened by camera noise.

Recommendations

Despite much speculation on sensor size in the new series and lots of doubt about the performance of the small sensor, the V1 performed very well. According to the test results, the image quality is good enough to meet the needs of a photographer who wants a very compact camera with high image quality and good response time.

The excellent internal zoom 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm is especially worth mentioning, featuring high resolution and very good geometry reproduction. The camera also has a great interface and extremely fast autofocus. The only thing that might make you hesitate to buy is the rather high price of the shooting kit.

We thank Nikon New York office for providing us with equipment for the test.

Test in pictures

Photo 1. Automobiles suddenly entering the frame were well captured by autofocus, and the fast shutter speed almost froze the movement f/5, 1/400s, ISO 100, focal length of 45mm .

Photo 2. Dramatic lighting conditions, yet all sections were well-defined. Even at long focus, the depth of field is sufficient for all scenes f/5.6, 1/250 seconds, ISO 100, 81mm .

Photo 3. Lens sharpness is superb throughout the frame. Shot from down position, so verticals are crooked, but all lines are straight. Exposure was corrected by shadows f/4, 1/320 seconds, ISO 100, focal length of 35 mm .

Photo 4. Early twilight. Shooting against the light and the highest light variations. Some parts of the sky didn’t look good f/4.8, 1/320 seconds, ISO 100, 51mm .

Photo 5. Indoor shot. Despite the difficult lighting conditions, the automatic white balance was perfect f/5.6, 1/40 sec., ISO 400, 81mm focal length .

Photo 6. Gallery on the second floor of GUM. Artificial lighting combined with translucent ceiling illumination. The bluish tint was corrected in the image editor f/5.6 1/30s, ISO 400, 81mm .

Photo 7. The most difficult object to light. Mixed lighting of shop windows and incandescent street lamps. Daylight also streamed in from the entrance. The picture looks prettier than in reality f/3.5, 1/30s, ISO 400, focal length of 27mm .

Photo 8. Picture was made intentionally to check the white balance. The silver color of the car was captured flawlessly f/5, 1/80 s, ISO 200, focal length 61 mm .

Photo 9. One of the genre shots we shot without being noticed. The others were waving hello f/5.6 1/60s, ISO 360, focal length 81mm .

Photo 10. Overcast and early evening. General atmosphere fully corresponds to reality. Excellent reproduction of the entire image f/3.5, 1/125 sec, ISO 100, focal length of 27mm .