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Nikonos reborn? Our first impressions review of the submersible Nikon AW1

Sep 19, 2013 at 04:00:00 GMT

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The Nikon 1 System has been around for a couple of years now, but the emergence of the AW1 signals a radical departure from what has been the norm. Functionally very similar to the 14MP J3 which Nikon announced earlier this year, the AW1 is waterproof to 15m (49ft), shockproof from 2m (6.6 ft), and freezeproof.

It's being announced alongside two equally rugged lenses, and a range of colorful silicone skins for underwater and wet weather use. We had the opportunity to use the new camera recently, and we've put together a first impressions review covering its design, operation and key features. Click the link below to read all about it.

Click here to read our First Impressions Review of the Nikon AW1

PREVIEW NIKON REVIEW WATERPROOF

Nikon 1 AW1

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Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof Mirrorless Camera Kit with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 and 10mm f/2.8 Lenses (Black)●	$996.95	Buy on GearShop
Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof Mirrorless Camera Kit with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)●	$796.95	Buy on GearShop
Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof Mirrorless Camera Kit with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Silver)●	$796.95	Buy on GearShop
Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof Mirrorless Camera Kit with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (White)●	$796.95	Buy on GearShop

Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 1 NIKKOR Lens (Black)	$796.95
Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 and AW 10mm 1 NIKKOR Lenses (Black)	$996.95
Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 1 NIKKOR Lens (Black)	$796.95
Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 1 NIKKOR Lens (White)	$796.95
Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 1 NIKKOR Lens (Silver)	$796.95
Nikon COOLPIX AW110 Wi-Fi and Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS (Orange)	Too low to display
Nikon COOLPIX AW110 Wi-Fi and Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS (Black)	Too low to display
Nikon COOLPIX AW110 Wi-Fi and Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS (Blue)	Too low to display
Nikon COOLPIX AW100 16 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS and Full HD 1080p Video (Orange)	$249.50
Nikon COOLPIX AW110 Wi-Fi and Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS (Camouflage)	Too low to display
Nikon COOLPIX L620 18.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 14x Zoom Lens and Full 1080p HD Video (Black) + 32GB Memory Card + Focus Memory Card Reader + Vivitar Small Camera Case + Kit	$239.95

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Comments

Total comments: 561

Price proof would have been more useful than water proof.

2 upvotes

15m is not enough for diving. A sport diver goes up to 30-40m deep.
I use an E-PL2 with Olympus housing that can go to 40m underwater.
I hope that in the future somebody will make a camera that goes to 40m without housing.
Anyway AW1 id a good start.

0 upvotes

99% of people get these cameras for snorkeling and playing in the swimming pool. Pro divers need something else, but this is very interesting (I am a certified scuba diver).

6 upvotes

You don't always have to go 30m deep. There are many places where you can see wonderful things even at 10m deep. (@rhlpetrus: me too)

2 upvotes

It's good enough for snorkelling and surf photography etc. I'd love to see some of the 4k, 60fps shots you can get out of these cameras of surfers (assuming this camera is also capable of that trick).

Also great for people like me who don't necessarily want to use it intentionally underwater, but do a lot of outdoor sports.

0 upvotes

To all :
A camera that can go to 40m also can go to 1m. I am not a "PRO" diver and not a PRO underwater photographer. I am sure that this camera can shoot magnificent photo up to 15m.
I don't believe that many people will buy this camera for snorkeling. There are less expensive camera for that.
Zeev

0 upvotes

I hope it takes better pictures than my 100AW.

0 upvotes

I'll definitely consider this the next time I go on a trip that involves snorkeling and the what not. I had to use a heavy duty ziplock style case for my X-E1 and it made me very nervous (though it worked well enough). Hopefully other camera makers do similar, as I'm not huge into the 1 series... but it certainly beats using sketchy underwater cases.

0 upvotes

Would love to know how many people who commented have used a V1 or V2.

I bought a V1 cheap and it has surprised the hell out of me with the PQ. It really is quite good. The build quality is excellent. Sensor size isn't everything and until you try one you should hold your tongues dissing the product.

As someone else said. This will be the king of point and shoot water proof cameras, The existing P&S cameras are just toys compared to the AW1

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

11 upvotes

I tried the V1 in the shop, a rather dark indoor shop. It indeed offered good picture quality. And it was obviously very well made.

In the end I bought an XE-1 though, which is something else still, but the V1 was a interesting camera at the discount price. This AW1 should be great.

1 upvote

I think the problem would be more that we would like to say " it offers pretty good quality for the price". That isn't true with the original non-sale price unfortunately.
If you got V1 on sale then yes, it become amazing camera but if you paid $800 there are far better buys IMHO.

3 upvotes

The V1 is an excellent compact camera, much better than anything one can get short of a m43, and better than m43 in terms of AF. This is an interesting addition, will certainly call attention to the 1 line.

1 upvote

true, but IQ wise i would go with m4/3 (love my V1 though)
but 1k for a V1? i would do E-M5 with a prime olympus.

0 upvotes

Perfect for snorkeling. On spec looks like a great camera.

0 upvotes

$800? Oh come on. Nikon has had a great opportunity with the 1 series but has squandered it at every opportunity by consistently overpricing the line.

3 upvotes

No stabilization. Underwater tripod anyone?

0 upvotes

You shouldn't need VR on an underwater camera used under water. The water damps movement quite well.

1 upvote

Not to mention, ideally, you'd be shooting at fairly high shutter speeds.

0 upvotes

It would be nice to have IS when it is cloudy or visibility is poor. You really easy end up with shutter speeds 1/30 and longer in those conditions. I can tell surrounding water doesn't do the job for you. Of course there is no such problem with strobes and my humble view is you don't want to shoot uw without.

2 upvotes

"You shouldn't need VR on an underwater camera used under water. The water damps movement quite well."

The handshake is too low-amplitude to be dumped, especially when there are waves/currents nearby. But even if it would magically work underwater - are you going to bring a second camera on vacation to shoot above water?

"Not to mention, ideally, you'd be shooting at fairly high shutter speeds."

Good luck with low light underwater and f/3.5-f/5.6 lens. Or in your hotel room or dim bar/restaurant.

0 upvotes

This is not a Nikonos. Not even close. I have a V1, and it's a great little camera and a useful adjunct to my D700s, but daring to compare this half-hearted attempt at an underwater camera to a Nikonos is tantamount to heresy. Wash your mouth out with silicone grease, you silly person, you.

3 upvotes

Except in dynamic range, it's almost certainly superiour to a Nikonos. Even then, I would have expected Nikonos users to use flash and/or slide-film much of the time.

0 upvotes

Yep, slide film was notorious for being low in exposure range. But we managed, regardless. And yes, us old Nikonos shooters used flash almost every time. :) (Although I could never afford a Nikonos, not even a salt-worn III - I had to make do with a Sea&Sea. But the thought was there. :) )

I'm sure the camera will be a bucketload of fun for snorkelling and jet-skiiing and such, but a Nikonos it ain't. Not even close. I'm not saying that the camera won't be good (within its limitations), I'm saying that DPR invoking the Nikonos myth burdens it with a heritage and expectation that it cannot live up to, which, I think, does the AW1 a great dis-service, before it even gets a chance to display what talents it may have. And I really hope that Nikon don't make the same mistake, as that will kill the whole concept before it even gets going.

3 upvotes

try to use flash on this one

0 upvotes

Another fine product from Nikon that can't replace my D300.

2 upvotes

If you are so happy with your D300, why replace it?

0 upvotes

Shutter speed 1/16000 wow! Is this a typo ?

0 upvotes

Its correct.

0 upvotes

It's electronic at any shutter speed, with some rolling shutter effect for quickly moving subjects (1/80s real readout speed, 1/60 flash sync, which is not bad for an electronic shutter, but about 4-5 times slower than modern mechanical shutters with 1/320s flash sync).

1 upvote

This will be a great system body!

0 upvotes

Yawn... The best Nikon can do is waterproof their latest camera? Their strategy and lineup needs a lot more work than that.

1 upvote

Yes mr the great marketeer, enlighten us with your brilliant insights.

0 upvotes

I can start by getting the capitals right in my copy. Next, I'd aim a camera at the price gap between Nikon 1s have been actually selling at and where DSLRs pick-up rather than trying to sell a $1,000 kit. But better yet, I'd be headed to where the bulk of revenue comes from existing customers and think what they'd like to buy next which comes out to something ahead of a D7100, not a waterproofed Nikon 1 they didn't buy two previous generations of. And your defence of this 'brilliant' innovation is?

0 upvotes

You're looking at this from the perspective of a couch potato Brit. People who are into any form of outdoor activity are going to love this camera.

3 upvotes

A great idea, but no hotshoe...that might be a problem. Its basically flashless, the built-in unit is puny, almost like those on smartphones.

0 upvotes

You could always use a slave flash.

0 upvotes

Note: A waterproof flash is now included in the system.

1 upvote

A waterproof flash is 'under development', but not expected to be released until next spring.

1 upvote

That is too bad only if you allready have sync cords and stobes wich don't take optical cables. In any other case optical cable does the job nicely even if you lose TTL wich you don't need anyway uw.

0 upvotes

"waterproof down to 15 meters (49 ft)"
Open water certification diving depth limit is 50ft.
Do you think by saying 49ft, Nikon means do not dive with it but just snorkel?
To keep the camera safe.

0 upvotes

Or use the camera for hundreds of other outdoor activities that involve taking it out into harsh conditions. This camera is of interest to people other than divers.

4 upvotes

Maybe it's because they designed the camera with 90% of the world in mind instead of the USA, so used meters as the primary measurement. 15m just happens to round to 49ft, they'd prob get moaned at for inaccurate conversion if they stated 50ft.

2 upvotes

Recommended maximum depth for OWD certification is 60' or 18 M.

1 upvote

Article author, you wrote:

" If you want more flash power, you're out of luck, as the AW1 lacks a hot shoe"

Perhaps it's worth a mention that according to Nikon website (http://www.nikon.com/news/2013/0919_nikon1_01.htm on the bottom) there is
a waterproof flash coming next year that will work with Nikon 1 AW1.

Best regards

1 upvote

Added, thanks

1 upvote

Whilst this is an interesting addition to the Nikon family I hardly think this will dig Nikon out of their lowly market share... Are there so many underwater snorkelers going to invest into this camera. I don't think so!
It may count as a go anywhere travel camera - but I find this as a very strange move by Nikon. To my mind Nikon have clearly lost their way.
Lets wait and see, I hope they have something up their sleeve for the next presentation, which will entice people to buy into or buy back into the Nikon line,
but, one thing's for sure I don't think it will be a D400!

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Lowly market share? You mean beating the pants off everyone but canon?

2 upvotes

No I mean lowly market share - at Nikon's admittance - in terms of mirrorless cameras. Nikon have got to check out the market mover and shakers like Sony Fuji Panasonic etc. Quality mirrorless cameras are the future and Nikon (and Canon for that fact) are not in the ball game!
This recent product shows me that there is no clear direction at Nikon and that they have lost their way...

0 upvotes

i had zero interest in the Nikon mirrorless system until today. This is a master stroke and I can't wait to see how it performs. Just in time for our summer.

10 upvotes

This interests me too. I do quite a bit of kayaking. None of the water proof P & S cameras currently available offer very good IQ. This I could strap around my neck and leave it out without worry. I'm at least going to give this a more in depth look.

3 upvotes

"I'm at least going to give this a more in depth look."

No pun intended!

0 upvotes

RX100+ underwater housing (50m rated) is still cost less, then this camera. And really can be used for diving.
Nikon 1 still heavy and not pocketable, hard to see it as "beach camera".
Picture quality will probably better the GoPro, but not nearly as handy. And costs many times more.

2 upvotes

The RX100 underwater housing is horrible and the RX100 doesn't do anywhere near 60fps. GoPro is great in good light but fails miserably in low light and only has a superwide lens.
For action photography in difficult conditions, this new Nikon 1 is unsurpassed.

3 upvotes

It was just announced... how can you already tell that's its "unsurpassed"...? Have you tested a preproduction unit as yet to make these claims...? Considering the AW1 sensor & AF module are imported from the J3 that doesn't exactly inspire great levels of confidence... because the J3 struggles a bit to acquire AF in low light...

Besides the RX100's underwater casing is great... would definitely trust Sony's offering as compared to this AW1

0 upvotes

I'm interested in this as a backpacking camera, not a diving camera. I cannot imagine hiking with an underwater housing.

0 upvotes

Looks like a killer travel camera.

5 upvotes

With a 15m rating I wouldn't take that thing into a puddle, let alone doing anything that could be considered "underwater". If you manage to drown it in a swimming pool, service will probably laugh you out too.

1 upvote

Yes those 50ft deep puddles are a real pain . I doubt it will be used by serious divers .However for the market it is aimed at 50ft it is more than good enough.There are lots of activities that involve submersion in water that isn't 50ft deep. Unless the swimming pool is more than 50ft deep you will be covered within the conditions of use.

5 upvotes

I consider myself a rather serious diver with 350+ dives with a camera. For my purposes this one could do fine with suitable optics. But that is still lacking. The zoom is not a wideangle really and definitelly no macro. I could do just fine with 70-100 mm equivivalent macro and fisheye.

With a decent fisheye this camera would really shine. Fisheye domes cost 600-1500 EUR. The biggest advantage is you do not need to invest in ports anymore. They are not cheap I can tell.

I might be an exception but I really seldom go under 20 m neither here in Finland nor abroad. Simply because most interesting critters live above 20 m and the deeper you go the more limited you are with air and bottom time. In shallow waters you can spend at least double the time than down deep and still you pay the same. Things are also much more complicated the deeper you go.

Very interesting gadget from Nikon. What comes to lenses available right now, seems to me they are non divers.

1 upvote

Where in Finland do you dive?
I do/did mostly snorkeling in Oulu.

0 upvotes

Sounds like a very handy camera. Love it. Now if only I could swim. :)

2 upvotes

looks like a GF1 body styling...

0 upvotes

Just when you thought Nikon had run out of ideas, they come up with something really interesting and innovative.

By taking a niche product into a brand new niche, Nikon has transformed this Nikon 1 camera from being an also ran in the MILC market... to being King of the Rugged Cameras!

We now have a high end underwater P&S camera, that costs quite a bit more than an Olympus TG2.... but is an ILC, comes with two lenses, and should have much better IQ due to the much lager sensor.

They found a way to top Sony NEX, Fuji X and M4/3 at something, and considering how small this market probably is, they will own the top end of this rugged sub niche now.

Kudos to Nikon!

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

14 upvotes

Oly, Panny and Sony will have similar (better) offerings out within the year (maybe within a few weeks), this will not save the Nikon 1 system, the marketing message and the design of the AW1 is already mismanaged plus the Nikon 1 already left a bad taste in Nikon users mouths....

8 upvotes

Is that a FT5 ;) ? I suppose many m4/3 lenses ( primes and 12-50mm first come to mind ) could be easily reworked to become waterproof, compact bodies as well, but I just don't see it coming so soon...

Anyway, Nikon has already shot themselves in the foot by not putting IS in the zoom and by making a slow prime ( less than a stop faster than 11-27mm ) - even more important for an underwater camera, so it's not going to be hard to top AW1. But for the moment, they've taken everyone by surprise. This is the most capable underwater camera out there.

0 upvotes

Sure... someone could top them, but this market niche may be so small that no one will even try. And Nikon got there first.

I think the bigger MILC players have a more urgent need to fill the gaps in their above water systems first, so I think Nikon will own this sub market for a while.

Sometimes.... it pays to be first, and timing can work in your favor.

4 upvotes

I'm betting at least one of them will be bringing out similar (better) within a few weeks and Nikon knows this so they are rushing their announcement out the door...

It would be hard for Oly to trump the AW1 nor for Sony and Pany wouldn't be too far behind.

Oly, Pany and Sony are working on the above water gaps but I suspect they will also be tackling the rugged scene at the same time so Nikon won't be first for long enough for it to work in their favour and I can't see anyone who had their fingers burnt by the Nikon 1 system giving them a second chance...truth be told.

0 upvotes

It might be really interesting if Panasonic or Olympus were to aim really high.... and also waterproof those outstanding 45mm and 60mm macro lenses.

But I still think the potential market for this is incredibly small, and both companies have "bigger fish to fry."

1 upvote

Nice idea, small market. If - maybe when - a few of them start leaking and the shouting begins...

0 upvotes

Small market ?
Be one of these in every hot tub within a year.
You didn't think they'd be used for good, did you ?

1 upvote

I wish when I click on the 'read our first impressions' that it would go straight there and not pass through the annoying intermediate page.

19 upvotes

I'll bet this is so much fun to use :)

2 upvotes

Finally there is something in N1 that appears to make sense.
It's a first step of a longer process I guess. Nikonos RS was not build in a day...
Give that AW1 some more rugged construction (rated to 50m or so), add (right) lamps to the system and dive-friendly ergonomics and we'll have a worthy Nikonos descendant.
Let's wait for AW3 or so ;)

0 upvotes

Looks an excellent tool for snorkelers like me.

Bright skin useful for dry land protection in and around the beach and bar.

If it has decent IQ, I'll have one.

0 upvotes

Nikonos reborn? Not really.
It's not for scuba divers. Depth rate is only 15-20 m and there is no real wide-angle or macro option.
Can be good for snorkeling or other outdoor activities.

3 upvotes

Depth worries me less as I do almost everything under 12m, but I agree the lens ranges are far from ideal.

0 upvotes

adaptor for Nikonos lens for under water use? that would be GREAT!

0 upvotes

It exist already, but for nex-5.

1 upvote

Nikolausz--

Okay the adaptor exists for the Nex system, but the Nex system isn't waterproof.

0 upvotes

Not sure about this concept, but who knows, maybe it will work for Nikon...

0 upvotes

Good idea.

3 upvotes

I commented that I liked this camera, despite the 1" sensor, under the announcement comment page. I think it's probably still the best AW camera so far, but I'm feeling a bit more cautious having read more. I suspect that it's not quite as rugged as I first assumed. There are no real "o"rings - and those square gaskets on the doors have a terrible reputation across the net for leaking.

Yes the system needs a really wide prime lens. I can't see the point of offering a 10mm prime and a zoom that starts at 11mm. The prime should have been a 7mm or 8mm. And it needs a tele zoom.

No, it's not a Nikonos. And I don't really understand DPR's joy in finding that it doesn't feel like a rugged camera. Surely it would be better if it did?

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Let me order already :)

2 upvotes

Wow...the haters can sure hate. In abundance, it seems - each trying to outdo the other. I personally don't need this, but it's a cool idea. Why the nastiness?

14 upvotes

Because they have to make themselves feel bigger somehow! As a m43 user with no interest in this I still have to say kudos to Nikon for trying something new!

13 upvotes

Because for example a Sony RX100 plus underwater housing is more practical? Really pocketable on its own, really underwater with the housing (for scuba use not just snorkel), same size sensor, better quality (per DxO anyway), faster zoom... It's hard to see this Nikon competing against other cameras with underwater housings on one side and true compact weareable action cameras like the GoPro or the Panny HX-A100 on the other.

2 upvotes

Antonio Rojilla:

DXO sensor scores are even more useless than the lens scores.

0 upvotes

Gopro 4 with 4K video will destroy this joke
Nikon 1 need to die with respect

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

5 upvotes

Maybe there are people that still use cameras to take photos... if that's the case I bet the IQ of this one is way better than a GoPro.

29 upvotes

hm... an o-ring between the body and lens to keep it waterproof to a depth of 15m? All it takes is one tiny hair to bridge that and your nice 1000$ camera goes blub-blub... Even if all users take good care of that (e.g. keep it greased or something), o-rings tend to wear out after some time.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is an exciting camra, and very much needed as proven by the rugged camera group test showed - surely this one will blows those toys out of the water (haha) in terms of image quality! Yet, I'm sceptical about it remaining waterproof for a long time... A fixed-focal would stress me less, but then again, even that seems unfounded if what Michael She says below is true.

0 upvotes

That's the reason why you check the seals every time you open the doors (but I agree it is a hassle). I had no problem with my TG-1 so far. Of course you are advised to exchange the rubbers every year or so.
What I would prefer is a lens camera combination without doors and fixed lens, charged by induction, wireless file transfer and 32 GB internal memory.

Cheers

3 upvotes

Yep, that sounds like a much safer option to me too. Especially as I fear that most consumers won't take enough care when changing lenses, and will NOT be changing the rings every year either.

2 upvotes

1. change lens at the beach, while there's some wind blowing or people running nearby.
2. extreme closeups of sand grains

0 upvotes

I am mostly worried about battery lid and the side lid o-rings. Those don't look too sturdy. You really have to pay attention when you close this one and having killed two cameras under water I know something I'm talking about. The lens o-ring looks pretty ok.

But again really interesting gadget from Nikon.

0 upvotes

Much better as a water-fun camera than a diving camera, but I have a friend who is very much into, white-water river rafting, kayaking, canoeing, hiking etc. who would love this camera. He has a P&S waterproof now but has been disappointed in the image quality. Sure a APS-C or FF with a diving case would be better quality, but much heavier, much more expensive and much larger. Hopefully the depth ratings are more exact than the ones for watches. A 15m watch is one you can take in the shower, need at least a 50m rating to go swimming.

3 upvotes

lol, the waterproof watch reference is very true indeed. In tiny letters it probably says somewhere that it can go down to 15-20m, but not for more than one minute before water seeps in... But yeah, as a camera for people into outdoor activities this is definitely a nice option. I'd consider it myself, if it was no more than 400$... (i.e. next year when the mark 2 is announced and prices for this one are halved)

0 upvotes

For your information the Nikon 1 AW1 mounted with one of the two new AW lenses, has a specification of JIS/IEC Class 8 (IPX8) waterproof performance; can be used at depths of up to 15 m (49 ft) for up to 60 minutes, according to Nikon's website http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/acil/bodies/aw1/spec.htm
This of course requires an intact O-ring.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Wow- ever hear about the idea that as the operator of a piece of equipment you take some responsibility to learn how it works and prepare it for use? Your "objections" are so typical of the lazy, do-everything-for-me attitude - maybe owning a camera is too much of a challenge for you - a paperweight might be more in your level of operational skills ...

0 upvotes

Nice plan for scavenging the 1 system. So Nikon has managed to add 2m-shockproof to a J3 without too much size increase. Is J3 designed for further customization? Or is there so much empty space inside J3?

0 upvotes

This is bound to be a niche product. A good niche product, for sure, but this isn't going to be a "regular camera" for many people when they could get the same thing for $300-400 less without the waterproofing.

2 upvotes

Okay, certainly a possibility, but here's Nikon announcing a good still and video camera that one can simply use in pouring rain without any worries. And it's good in lowlight, so you can use it in the pouring rain at night. You can't do that with say a Sony RX100.

(Yes, I know that video shooting purists use a separate audio recorder.)

This has real appeal way beyond underwater shooting.

0 upvotes

And a good choice for those who don't want to be forced to stop shooting because of some rain, sand, snow or dust

1 upvote

I wonder if they'll make a fast wide waterproof prime? Oh look, they have.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Talking about gaskets. How much for a set? Are they user changeable ? If not how long is thier service life and how much cash to get them replaced ?

1 upvote

I hope it's more waterproof than the AW110 ... AW110 has horrible reviews of it leaking like a siv.

1 upvote

If they bring out a macro lens for this (and/or a wireless flash unit), I'd get one for sure. Just what I need for tadpole photography.

1 upvote

Nikon just ate the lunch Pentax left sitting on its plate practically untouched for a decade. Hope it tasted good!

Comment edited 24 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

Interesting that they managed to keep the Nikon 1 lens mount AND make it waterproof to 15m.

1 upvote

You don't know that for sure ;) A Nikonos you could take to 50m no problem. This looks more like splash-proof to me...

0 upvotes

How do you figure I don't know for sure (15m)? That is what Nikon is specing it at.

This is obviously NOT a dive camera (Nikonos), but a beach/snorkeling camera, that can go down to 15m.

I would like to see Nikon do a true dive camera. Maybe a later model. But they will need to put O rings on those access doors, not gaskets.

1 upvote

Presumably there are differences in the lens mount which are exploited by the AW lenses, and which account for the AW lenses not being able to fit on the other (non-AW) 1 cameras. However I understand that the otherway around does work, albeit that you have to remember not to jump in a lake.

1 upvote

Even it may look attractive and "waterproof" I wouldn't dive with it.

For that, I think one would need a real underwater housing. What we see now cannot be that rugged for diving.

1 upvote

Yes, yes, yes. Somebody listened to my thoughts apparently ... RAW, larger sensor and interchangeable lenses, (probably) near perfect. As much as I love my TG-1 for underwater, I will be curious to get my hands on the AW1.

Now it just needs a wide-angle zoom.

The next season of snorkeling awaits ;-)

Cheers

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

9 upvotes

Well done, Nikon.
Hope you sell a squillion.

3 upvotes

Finally! Some might say. Anyway, it is a clear indication of that the is system not doing that bad at all. Good luck Nikon with the first underwater mirrorless camera. In terms of IQ, it will definitely beat the small P&S cameras that there are many of out there and will probably be popular among divers and snorkels.

While I will not be interested in this camera, I am glad that they released this body with two lenses. It would have been pointless without a lens and I guess Nikon knew that as well. Now it's time for one with an EVF also.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 6 minutes after posting

1 upvote

FINALLY... A rugged camera that shoots RAW.

Plus it has a large sensor AND interchangeable lenses.

Nikon, you just made my day. :-)

14 upvotes

Agreed this looks like an interesting camera and ticks a lot of everyones wish list boxes if comments in the recent rugged camera reviews are anything to go by...

...but "large sensor"?

0 upvotes

Larger than any other rugged camera :-)

9 upvotes

... it depends on how you define rugged! ;)
There's already a lot of weather resistant cameras with big sensors.

0 upvotes

@GodSpeaks

fair point :-)

Comment edited 29 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Total comments: 561

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