The New Nikon 1 V2 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Nikon has just announced the latest advanced interchangeable-lens camera, the Nikon 1 V2 Mirrorless Digital Camera. Following up on the success of the Nikon 1 V1, the 1 V2 is equally compact with the same sized (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CX CMOS sensor, but has an increased resolution of 14.2MP effective pixels. Compatible with the growing list of Nikon 1-mount lenses, this camera provides a large 1,440K-dot electronic viewfinder with brightness adjustment, improved ergonomics, a built-in flash and a host of features that offer increased speed and image control. The Nikon 1 V2 is available in both a white body with gray grip, an all-black body, and in two distinct lens kits.

Let’s start with speed. The 1 V2 has been conceived and designed to make it almost impossible to miss the shot you want. Nikon’s Advanced Hybrid Autofocus System offers both 73-point Phase Detection AF and 135-point Contrast AF which provides accurate and very fast autofocus. It not only focuses fast but can shoot up to 15 frames per second at full resolution. Point and fire away at the action and the 1 V2 will capture it. In addition, the 1 V2 has two specific functions that will increase the odds of getting the shot you want, especially when the action is moving fast. Smart Photo Selector shoots 20 photos with a single press of the shutter and immediately and automatically picks out the best 5 for you, eliminating the rest. Also, the new Slow View Mode utilizes the electronic viewfinder to slow down the action you’re viewing so you can pick the perfect moment to shoot.

The mechanical shutter on the 1 V2 offers a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second, while the electronic shutter fires at an incredible 1/16,000 of a second, which allows you to freeze fast-moving action and minimize the effects of camera movement in low light. The ISO sensitivity ranges from 160-6400.

As with the 1 V1, the Nikon 1 V2 offers Motion Snapshot, which combines video, still photo and sound into a single compact document. With one touch of the shutter button, you’re able to capture the same action in a 10 second slow-motion movie and a single defining photo. Add sound and directly download this file for viewing and sharing the complete scene. Speaking of sharing, with the optional WU-1b Wireless adapter, all images from the 1 V2 can be wirelessly transferred to your Android or iOS device for immediate sharing and secure storage.

In terms of image control, Nikon understands that controlling your images means controlling your camera, and not only have they added a traditional DSLR-like grip to the 1 V2, but have placed the buttons and dials in spots that make image control more accessible. Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual and Video modes are adjusted on the easy-to-turn mode dial and denoted in bold lettering. When you are in a particular mode, the Command Dial allows for quick toggling between settings specific to that mode, and adjustments to White Balance and ISO are made with minimal button pushing. All of the adjustments can be seen in the viewfinder so there is no need to take your eye from your subject when changing settings. Needless to say, better control also leads to faster shooting.

RAW (12-bit NEF) and JPEG capture are both available and the 1 V2 is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.

For total control before you release the shutter, the 1 V2 offers Live Image Control, which will show you exactly how your final image will look as you frame it. Any adjustments, whether to contrast or even shutter speed, will be shown in a live preview on the LCD or in the viewfinder. When you see what you like (and how you like it), shoot it and it’s yours.

As mentioned, the viewfinder on the 1 V2 is a bright and comfortable EVF with brightness and diopter control. It provides 100% frame coverage and an eye sensor to immediately turn on (and turn off) the LCD when your eye is brought to the viewfinder. The LCD monitor is an ultra-high resolution 3.0” 921K-dot display also with 100% frame coverage and brightness adjustment. This is especially important when composing and viewing your video images in bright sunlight.

Improved control includes video mode as well. With 1080p Full HD capture, you can make movies, but with the full manual adjustment while shooting that the 1 V2 offers, you can make great movies. The 1 V2 has a hot shoe on which you can attach the Nikon 1 Speedlight or a GPS module, but you can also attach an external microphone for recording full stereo sound for your movies. A built-in stereo mic with adjustable sensitivity is also provided.

Although the 1 V2 comes with a built-in flash, Nikon has two flash units to go with their new camera: the White SB-N7 Speedlight and the Black SB-N7 Speedlight. These can be used when more light or more light control are needed. Designed compactly to fit the 1 V2 and i-TTL compatible, the SB-N7 offers surprising power and range with an 59'/18m Guide Number. A 120° tilting head directs light to the front, back or up for more refined control, and a built-in wide-angle panel spreads out the flash’s light coverage when shooting with wide-angle lenses.

Nikon has created two separate lens kits to go with the 1 V2. The first combines the V2 with a 10-30mm VR lens and the second bundles two lenses, the 10-30mm and a 30-110mm. Both kits are available in black or white with matching black or white lenses. The Nikon 1 V2 with 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens combines the camera with this CX format standard zoom lens with the 35mm equivalent of a 27-81mm zoom. It’s the perfect first lens for day-to-day shooting. Its Super Integrated Lens Coating and aspherical lens elements provide balanced colors and quality imaging with minimal aberrations and flare. Light passes through the lens evenly and reaches the sensor for which it was designed in uniform fashion. Internal focus technology means the lens does not extend when focusing, which keeps things compact and smooth and helps when shooting video. The lens also retracts when the camera is powered down, to maintain portability. The VR in the lens’s name stands for Vibration Reduction: this is Nikon’s image stabilization system, which compensates for camera movement, keeping the effects of camera shake out of your photos and videos. 

The other kit Nikon offers supplies two lenses and gives you a complete package for almost all shooting situations. The Nikon 1 V2 with NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 and NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 Lenses includes the above-mentioned 10-30mm lens but also the 30-110mm telephoto zoom lens. Similar in its design and construction, the 30-110mm also has Vibration Reduction, Internal Focusing and fine optics, but its reach is significantly longer. The 35mm format focal length equivalency on this lens is 81-297mm, which includes everything from what is considered an ideal portrait length to extreme telephoto, which will bring distant objects close and provide wide depth of field. The VR system on this lens is even more helpful as you extend your lens to shoot intimate portraits and long shots. Combining both lenses grants you the capacity to really take advantage of the 1 V2’s imaging qualities in both photo and video modes and sets you on your way to great comprehensive photography in a compact, state-of-the-art form.