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Nikon 1 System First Impressions

Andy Westlake | Product Reviews & Previews | Published Sep 21, 2011

Nikon 1 V1 with 10-30mm, SB-N5 compact Speedlight, 10-100mm video-optimized powerzoom, 10mm and 30-110mm lenses

Over the course of the last year or two, mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera systems have gone from being interesting portents of things to come to distinctly mainstream products. And with the likes of the Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and Samsung all building up their systems into very credible alternatives to DSLR outfits, Nikon has now decided the time has come to show its hand. The result is the 'Nikon 1' system, initially two cameras and four lenses (plus a smattering of accessories) built around a new sensor format that the company calls 'CX'. At 13.2 x 8.8mm in size, the 1 system's brand-new Nikon-designed CMOS sensor is about a third of the area of the DX sensor used in the company's mainstream SLRs.

Nikon's Masahiro Suzuki, General Manager, R&D Department, Development HQ, says there were three factors in choosing the sensor size: image quality, responsiveness and ease of use (specifically in terms of portability). He says the sensor was both designed and engineered by Nikon and stressed it is 'not built by Sony.'

Initial attention has focused on the relatively small size of this sensor compared to other mirrorless systems, and this is a pity as it risks overlooking the impressive technology Nikon has designed into it. Not only is it capable of extraordinary shooting speeds (full resolution images can be captured at an astonishing 60 frames per second), it also incorporates a 'Hybrid' autofocus system that employs both Phase and Contrast Detection focus methods. The result is, according to Nikon, the fastest autofocus of any camera the company has ever made - including its professional flagship DSLR, the D3S. Not only that, the 1 system cameras can shoot at 10 frames per second while maintaining focus on a moving subject.

The system can choose from 135 points when utilizing contrast-detection AF and 73 when using phase-detection AF, and will automatically select what it thinks is the most appropriate method.

We have seen on-sensor phase-detection systems before but Suzuki says the Nikon 1's system is 'much more advanced than the Fuji sensor.' Indeed, he says the system is the fastest of any Nikon camera 'in terms of speed and responsiveness.'

The camera's shooting speed is supported by an all-new image processor, branded as EXPEED 3. This allows the camera to achieve a remarkable data throughput of 600 MP/sec, which Nikon claims is the 'fastest in the world'. A slide at the press launch event graphically made this point - in terms of sheer data processing speed, the Nikon 1 system cameras outpace the D3S by a considerable margin.

A slide from Nikon UK's launch presentation, illustrating the high-speed data throughput of the 1 system compared to other cameras on the market, including Nikon's own flagship D3X. 

This being 2011, the sensor also has serious video capabilities. It's capable of recording Full HD movies (1920 x 1080 resolution) at 60i or 30p, and full-resolution stills can be captured at a press of the shutter button without interrupting recording. This is the first camera we can think of that gives the user the choice of how the video output is packaged (60i and 30p are essentially the same data presented differently), depending on whether you want to just view the footage or edit it. The phase-detection AF system means the cameras can also track a moving subject during video shooting. All-in-all the 1 system represents an impressive convergance of stills and video capabilities into a single camera.

Who's it for?

Perhaps the most important point to understand about the 1 system is the type of customer Nikon is aiming for. It's most certainly not designed as a second camera for SLR users, but rather as an entirely different type of system that users intimidated by the size and perceived complexity of SLRs can upgrade to when they outgrow their compacts. Nikon says that its customer surveys worldwide reveal that such users value small size, ease of use, and operational speed as much as outright image quality - and the 1 system aims to strike a specific balance between these demands.

The DSLR market is still growing, says Suzuki, but equally the mirrorless market it growing as well. 'We learned from our mirrorless competitors' he says, about how to distinguish the '1' system from F-mount. He considers the Nikon 1 to be different from the existing offerings, instead describing it as 'a new class of camera.'

In fact, the company has even coined a new acronym to match: A-CIL, for 'Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lenses'. We're not sure quite how far this idea holds up in reality, but the point is clear. The 1 system is supposed to sit between compact cameras and SLRs, and not directly compete with either. And, if the company's market research is correct, there's every chance this market sector's expectations are very different from those of the enthusiast photographers who are currently scratching their heads and expressing their dissatisfaction about the new product.

This targeting, plus the sensor's high speed capabilities, results in a very different look to the camera's interface, exemplified by its mode dial. Gone are the scene and PASM modes familiar to SLR users (although these can still be selected through the menu), replaced by four positions which represent different applications of high speed stills and movie recording. The 'Motion Snapshot' mode combines a slow-motion movie with a simultaneously-recorded still image, while the 'Smart Photo Selector' mode takes 20 full-resolution images from a single shutter-button press (including some captured before the button is fully depressed), then analyses them,saving what it judges to be the best five (even recommending the very best of the bunch). There's just a single position to cover all aspects of conventional stills shooting, plus one more for movies. 

Nikon 1 V1 vs J1 - What's the difference?

The two cameras Nikon has initially launched are very similar in size, and share the same sensor and many key specifications. But dig a little deeper and there are a fair few differences between them, helping underline the different types of users Nikon is hoping to reach:

Mr Suzuki explains that both models are aimed at compact camera upgraders, with the difference being down to shooting style. The J is aimed at users who want a compact camera experience (LCD only), while the V is aimed at the higher-level user - a delineation Nikon has made through the addition of the EVF. This also explains the single control dial on the J; making the operation less complex.

For now, the company will focus on compact camera users as the target for its mirrorless cameras. Luxury ILCs (such as Sony's NEX-7) represent a very small niche. Nikon, he says sees 'much greater potential' at the lower end of the market.

Body design and features

In this section we're not aiming to provide an exhaustive view of the camera's design (we'll do that in our upcoming preview), but instead highlight some design elements that aren't obvious from simply looking at pictures of the cameras.

Camera body elements

The mode dial makes clear the cameras' intended audience. Instead of the range of exposure modes familiar to SLR users, it has four positions for Motion Snapshot, Smart Photo Selector, Still and Movie modes.
Most settings are changed using a standard rear dial / 4-way controller. The options on here are much the same between the J1 (shown here) and the V1, except that the latter replaces flash mode with focus mode.
Both cameras feature a rocker-lever on the shoulder. While it's only marked as a zoom control in playback, it has other functions too - for example it's used to change aperture in A and M modes. The 'F' button beside it brings a context-sensitive menu containing what the camera considers to be the most relevant options. Sadly, though, this isn't customizable in any way - you get what you're given.
The tripod mount is positioned centrally to the lens, close to the battery and SD card compartment.
The J1 model, which is the simpler of the two, has a built-in flash that pops up on a stalk. It's released manually using a slider on the back of the camera.
The V1, meanwhile, uses compact Speedlight that slides into the camera's accessory port. Uniquely, its head both tilts and swivels, meaning you can use bounced flash techniques in both portrait and landscape formats - a really nice touch. The unit also has a built-in LED light for video work.
Here's the flash unit itself, showing the contacts on its slide-in connector shoe. It draws its power from the camera, so doesn't use a separate battery.
This is the V1's accessory port, with the contacts clearly visible. It's normally hidden by a slide-on plastic cover. The accessory port is compatible with a range of other accessories, including a GPS unit. At launch Nikon was also showing a range of other concept products, including an add-on LCD panel for video and an LED ringlight for Macro work.

Nikon 1 Lens System

The Nikon 1 system uses an all-new lens mount, which the company has unsurprisingly decided to call the 'Nikon 1 mount'. Communication between the lens and camera body is fully electronic. In this picture you can see the J1's protective glass screen in front of the sensor which prevents dust ingress.

Mr Suzuki says that the system does include software correction of distortion, to give the best balance of image quality and system portability. But, he says: 'these lenses do not require much correction.'

All of the zoom lenses retract to more-compact forms for carrying. From left to right, the 10-30mm, 30-100mm, and 10-100mm. Here are the same lenses, extended to their shortest focal lengths for use. The 10-100mm is motorized, extending when you turn the camera on and retracting when you turn the camera off (you can't do this manually). It zooms and focuses fully internally.
The 10-100mm's zoom is controlled by a rocker switch on the side of the barrel. Its operation is proportional (push it a little and the lens zooms slowly, push it fully and the lens zooms quickly), allowing fine control over composition. The 10-30 and 30-100mm zooms, meanwhile, have locking buttons on the zoom ring to prevent you from retracting them accidentally. Unlocking the lens will also switch the camera on if the power has been turned off.

Summary

The philosophy behind the 1 system is clearly to deliver the goods without concerning the user about the process used along the way, for both stills and movies. And, crucially, to do so in a package sufficiently small that it won't get left at home all the time. As such, it's clear that it isn't a camera aimed at this site's core readership.

If it turns out to be capable of producing good results where existing cameras can often fail - school sports, for example - then it could easily turn out to be the long sought-after 'family camera' for users who want memorable pictures but have no interest in learning the technical minutiae of camera operation.