Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black)

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

Have a Canon 60D but Canon doesn't make a mirrorless camera, yet. Tired of lugging heavy camera equipment around. This is great. Good autofocus, fast action pix, LIGHT WEIGHT--unbelievable. Still not up to all the features a full DSLR has but great and you probably won't miss what's lacking, depending on what you shoot.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I chose this camera to carry as a lightweight back-up body when I was out photographing. The compact nature of the camera, the large focal range covered by the lenses, and the battery compatibility with my D7000 all pushed me towards this camera.

I considered several other small mirrorless cameras, including the E-PEN series but fore the above reasons I elected to go with the V1.

Pros: Image quality is superb. I always get printable images during normal shooting conditions. In low light situations, I find up to ISO 800 the images are of a more than acceptable quality. I feel ISO 1600 stretches the limits of the camera's sensor, but the images it produces, with some post-processing, are still usable. I find the EVF very convenient, the auto-focus reliable, and the build quality good.

Cons: My main gripe with this camera rests upon three design decisions made by Nikon which I cannot understand. First, the lack of a dedicated PASM dial is annoying. Switching between modes int he menu does not take much time, and can be done with the camera up to the eye using the EVF to read the menu, but I still miss the function. Additionally, the dial on the camera is sometimes prone to change while being carried in my pouch, so I always need to check to make sure the camera is in picture mode and has not shifted to, say, video mode by mistake. Secondly, I wish there was a way to turn off the image preview. It appears in the EVF which may cause you to miss a follow-up shot if timing is critical. This image can be made to disappear by pressing the shutter release half-way or shooting in continuous mode. Finally, the lack of a customized function button. I would prefer to select what my function button does, the default selection is one I use rarely at best.

Overall, I am pleased with the camera. I occasionally wish a larger selection of lens existed, or a few convenience features were present, but otherwise I am genuinely happy with the purchase. Had the OM-D EM-5 been available, I might have considered the m4/3's format due to their mature lens selection, but when comparing the images between my V1 and an EM, I feel the Nikon images are superior with the kind of landscape and animal photography I enjoy.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

When I made plans to go overseas for a few weeks I started looking for a small camera system (Main camera Nikon D7000). After reading reviews I decided to try the Nikon 1 V1.

My first thought was this was a good looking camera that did not take great pictures but as I played with it more I started seeing the beauty in this little camera.

It focuses fast. It shoots fast. The quality in daylight is amazing. The quality in low light is pretty good.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a walk around camera. For me it does not replace my DSLR but it a welcome addition for day to day shooting.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

It take clear sharp pictures easily. wish it had more lenses. I think its for people who want more than a point and shoot and not as much as the D90. the video is great. I hope they make more lenses for it because I don't have a stock pile of lenses to use with the adaptor.

It's a little strange to get used to the settings if you have used a DSLR in the past.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I chose the Nikon 1 system specifically because it has DSLR like focus, something none of the other mirror less offerings can compete with. If capturing moving subjects is what you want, theree really is no other choice.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I've had the Nikon V1 for a couple of weeks and I find picture quality to be exceptional and impressive especially given the size of its sensor. This is in comparison to the Sony NEX 5n and the Canon G12. The Nikon V1 rendered a noticeably sharper image with better color (both in RAW) than the G12, and an impressively sharp and detailed image when compared to the NEX 5n. Don't misunderstand me, the APS-C sensor of the NEX-5n still has a substantial edge in fine detail with a lot less noise, but V1 puts in a very decent performance that is very acceptable for most consumers. Color quality of the Nikon V1 is closer to the Sony sensor with bluer blues and redder reds, rather than Canon or Panasonic. The colors have a punchy clean quality. And I like that it's a small compact system.
Pluses:
• camera: weighty, feels chunky, quality finish, feels well made
• lens quality feels good, not too loose or too cheap. Better or same as Lumix or Sony SAM
• impressive sharpness & color
• great EVF viewfinder & excellent LCD
• 30-110mm (81-297mm) a useful range!
• AF Adapter for Nikon F mount lenses available.
• fast AF
• great color quality
• excellent exposure accuracy
• silent shutter great for concerts
• easily reposition-able AF spot
• +/- exposure works well
• slow-mo movie mode
• aperture control in movie mode
• light-weight lenses but give a feeling of being well made. Quality finish.
• camera seems solid and well made

Shortcomings:
• front micro grip looks nice but useless. Look for a new grip coming from Richard Franiec
• AF/AE Lock is inconvenient. Only locks exposure or AF as long as you are holding it down. The moment you let go it loses the lock. It will not lock or hold on its own. Poor implementation.
• no auto-bracketing making it impossible for HAND-HELD HDR
• inability to re-assign F button. It's function is determined only by shooting modes.
• no tilt or swivel LCD

best: Excellent image quality for prints up to 11x16. Light, compact system approach

Is there a major drawback to the Nikon v1? Not really except for the lack of fast aperture lenses (shallow depth of field), which will be addressed in the near future. Fast aperture primes are inherently bigger, bulkier, and limit you to a single focal length (because the don't zoom). Tetsuya Yamamoto of Nikon is on the record in the January interview as having fast small lenses as a priority for the Nikon 1 system. See steve huff photo's excellent opinionated write up.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

Great if you are advancing from a point and shoot
crystal clear to about 8x10
flimsy build

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

The camera is automatic enough to make it the ultimate point and shoot. It also allows you to customize shots to your hearts content. There's a lot to learn about the camera and I've just started the journey.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

The Nikon V1 is just a fun and surprisingly powerful camera to use. The CX sensor allows the lenses to be small yet with very good quality. You may also benefit from the 2.7x crop factor when combined with the FT1 adapter. This allows you to use F mount lenses at 2.7 times their full frame equivalent focal length (300mm becomes 810mm, etc). A couple of other features worth mentioning are the very good EVF and the 921k LCD screen. But the real strength of the system and the one that sets the V1 apart is the autofocus performance and the buffer - great for action, kids, animals, sports, etc.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I am using this camera for kids sporting events & home pics.
Love that I can take continuous pics, along with filming events and taking pics while filming.
The tab that covers the flash unit on the camera comes off without even touching it. I have already lost that part on a soccer field!
Also, Nikon truly needs a lens that is from 110 mm-250+mm.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

This is an excellent walk around camera that is a complement to your DSLR system rather than a replacement for it. It is also a great upgrade from pocketable systems.
I bought it primarily for its touted DSLR like autofocus, lack of shutter lag and spot on matrix metering system and it delivers on all accounts. It's the camera I now pick up especially when I don't want to carry a DSLR.
Like all new systems, it won't have every feature that you want. It will however deliver great images with relative ease. Your dog running at you at high speed, no problem. Sports, no problem. Its only real limitation is in very low light. The add on flash addresses those instances.
There are those who say the camera was disappointing because it didn't have feature A or feature B. I say you should have read the spec sheet before buying.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I knew I would be making a shift towards a smaller ,lighter camera for family and everyday needs and the Nikon 1 system seemed like the perfect fit. Yet the system is even smaller than expected and therefore much more likely to be brought around. It's barely bigger than the point and shoot I was using before. The versatility of both lenses - which are incredibly sharp - is unbeatable as well.

The use of either the viewfinder or the LCD for composition works for the whole family.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I have a M9-P and a D700 as my setup. I've tried the Olympus EP3 and Nex-5. I bought this V1 just for kicks. I primarly shoot in Apeture or Shutter mode and I find the V1 easy to adjust using menus. Sure, it is slower to adjust than if you ahd manual dials but I ahve to say that switching between modes is about the same effort as wehen using my D700.

The autofocus is surprisingly fast - so fast in fact that I actually use this camera now to shoot my kids sports events. It is MUCH faster than a D700 with a 70-300 VRII lens.

The downside is definitely the photo quality in terms of pixels relative to full sensor cameras but all in all I am pretty impressed and plan to keep this as my daily shooter. It's defintely a step up from the M4/3s format. Bokeh is not very good but that is also a factor of the lens. An experienced photographer will be able to overcome the bokeh issue once Nikon brings some faster primes to the V1 family.

If you're just shooting for your computer and 4x6 prints, the photo quality is fine. It's when you are blowing up images that you really begin to notice the difference. By the way, the image stabilizatin is excellent! ISO is good up to 1600.

I hope they are working on an firmware update - I think folks below call out appropriately below some of the shortcomings of the curent firmware - custom menue, customization of function button etc.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

This Nikon 1 camera is my "in pocket" walkaround camera when I don't want to get out the DSLR. It is not perfect by any means but it is a good little camera system and I am very impressed with the image quality.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

Based on the V1 camera I would probably have given 4 stars based on a few minor issues, however, the overall system and future potential deserve 5 stars. This is a camera that is surprisingly easy to use and Nikon got all of the major things right - autofocus speed, build quality, design, EVF, LCD, metering, color accuracy, and ease of use. A few minor improvements are needed - bracketing, min shutter speed when using AutoISO in Aperture mode, make the function button programmable, allow the EVF sensor to be turned off and the image review to be turned off. I believe some if not all of these could be addressed in a firmware upgrade. The lenses are really good but the system is missing a selection of fast primes. Resolve a few of the minor issues and add a fast prime or two and this system is easily 5 stars!

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

Great camera, light, price is OK.. and the quality is fabulous

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

Great companion to my D700. Can go everywhere and has decent lens selection with more to come.I have the 30-110,10-100 and 10 2.8,with the small portable flash. The pictures that I get from this camera are great. Hey every camera has something that could be better, and this one is no exception, but the pros out number the cons.Very fast and has great video. If you can't get great pictures from this camera, it is not because of the camera!

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I USED THIS CAMERA YESTERDAY INSIDE A LARGE CONVENTION CENTER WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT A SHOW CALLED FESTIVAL OF THE TREES. BECAUSE OF THE VERY DIFFICULT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, OUTSIDE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT, INSIDE FLUORESCENT BRIGHT LIGHTS AND THOUSANDS OF CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS, I DECIDED TO TEST THIS CAMER AGAIN WITH NO FLASH.

I WAS SHOCKED BY THE RESULTS. SHARP EXCELLENT COLORS AND PICTURE DETAIL. SHOT RAW IN AP MODE AT 3.8-5.6. CAMERA OUTPERFORMED MY CAN GS 12 BY A WIDE MARGIN.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I bought the Nikon 1 v1 to supplement my nikon 7000 and 700 DSLRs. Previously i used a Canon GS 12, which was adequate but at times left me wishing for a flexible compact camera with adjustable lenses.

The new Nikon 1 V1 seemed perfect in reviewing the sales literature and watching several Nikon sales videos.

But unfortunately the camera has major shortcomings.
1. Picture quality is average not good to excellent.
2. No flash internally leaves many shots too dark even with the improved Nikon sensor.
3. When using the new external flash, the camera overexposes too often.
4. The camera and lenses feel cheap. I had purchased all three of the lenses offered.
5. The camera menu leaves out many options particularly when I try the advanced shooting modes(S) and (A).

I would wait for Nikon to make improvements in the future before buying.

The only positive surprise has been the relatively low noise at higher iso"s, which unfortunately are required for low light shooting.
Maybe i have been spoiled by the excellent results from my Nikon DSLRs.
but i believe the Canon GS12 is a more solid camera and delivers the right menu options for good pictures.

Comments about Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black):

I thought I would use this as backup for my D7000, but this camera is more geared towards a point & shoot method of photography.
Good points about the camera are that the camera is light, picture quality and low light performance is good for the size of the sensor better than a compact but it is not near the performance of a APS sized sensor IMHO. Build quality is excellent, handling is good but you do have to go into the menu a lot if you change exposure modes, metering methods, or AF point selections, if you leave everything on auto this camera will work well for you. AF performance is fast but still lacks for moving objects such as birds, over time as I get used to operating the AF in the tracking mode I may change my mind on this.
The bad, the features are lacking, given the price you are paying for the camera. There is no programmable function button, there is an a "F" button but you cannot change its function. This causes you to have go into the menu to change your exposure, metering, and AF area modes which can lead to missed shots. There is no auto exposure bracketing; I tend to shoot a lot of high contrast pictures so HDR is important to me. Without auto exposure bracketing it makes it a lot harder to do HDR. If do not use HDR this feature will not be missed as much. The picture preview cannot be turned off; this gets downright annoying when trying to take action shots. As soon as you release the shutter button the last picture pops up on the LCD or the EVF for a few seconds. I can understand that this could be useful, but us the ability to turn it off. The camera does not come with a standard hotshoe for flash. This means you have to buy the Nikon dedicated flash which eats up your camera battery and costs about $150 extra. It sure would have been nice to put an SB400 on this camera, but in keeping with the small size of the camera I guess Nikon wanted to keep the flash small, so no speedlights with batteries. It would be nice in the future for Nikon to offer a adapter to fit the accessory shoe on the camera to fit a standard Nikon speedlight. The camera will only display a luminous histogram, or I cannot figure out how to display the RGB channels. I guess we have returned to the days of the D70 only it is worse. At least the D70 had a yellow outline so that it is crystal clear when highlights or shadows were blown out. The V1 is white outline with a white graph which makes it difficult at times to see if highlights or shadows are blown out. Again for the price of the camera Nikon should have given us RGB histograms. The "best shot" and "still motion" shooting modes are a total waste IMHO. But you may care for them, but I would rather have the above features added rather than this fluff.
I was going to return the camera but my wife seems to like it so it solved my problem on what to get her for X-Mas. This camera is not for me but it might be what you are looking for. If the price were about $300 dollars cheaper for the kit I may have thought it was a better value. I guess I expected more from Nikon.