Nikon 1 Series (V1/ V2/ J1 etc) owners thread....

So, in theory at least, if the Nikkor's working with the camera settings, the Tamron should unless their reverse engineering's less than perfect? Looks like an 18-200 is on my shopping list!
Thanks for the help (from my GAS!!!)
 
No, it didn't fix the focus-point issue. The FT-1 is still single focus-point only.
 
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Not a problem for me, I use the centre point anyway.
 
Here I am again...so glad this is still going. Been so busy work wise I've little time to devote to photography as I would like. However, my work gets me around a bit!

Thailand this time, and I had time to visit the Death Railway - Bangkok to Burma - well, it used to get there.

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This last one was taken from a moving train!
 
Thanks. .. all 10-30 except the kids in the water, which was the 30-110
 
I keep thinking about selling my V1 kit but then you guys just add some superb images from this great little camera. I think my V1 will be getting a dusting down soon, plus I have a 6.7-13mm lens that hasn't been tested yet.
 
Nice shot Dave... keep the system alive! (And thread)
 
For anyone wanting to use other lenses on Nikon-1 cameras, ie Canon, Nikon etc via a manual adapter, this little chip restores AE functions and focus aids, including image magnification. I just got one for $40 plus shipping, works as advertised, easy to fit http://gfotostore.ru/?hash=page/nikon1

Some more info here http://forum.mflenses.com/af-exp-chip-for-nikon-1-t63897.html

Edit: Correction - not working 100%. I can't get the shutter speed to go longer than 1/1.3sec now... Weird. Will drop them an email.

Update: they are also getting the same problem with the current chip on a Nikon V1. Under investigation.
 
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And reds, which I think are/were Nikon's worst failings are out of this world! I posted this an item by itself last week but nobody seemed interested in it.

 
Hey all,

Can anyone tell me what settings they use for capturing images of children who don't stand still?

I'm getting ok shots with my v1 & 18.5mm but I'm not entirely happy with them.

Indoors I'm using ISO 800 or 1600 and usually use an aperture of 1.8 to. 2.8 to let the light in.

Now, I let have face detection on and let the camera choose the focus point so am wondering if this is where I am going wrong

Anyone have any tips?
 
For anyone wanting to use other lenses on Nikon-1 cameras, ie Canon, Nikon etc via a manual adapter, this little chip restores AE functions and focus aids, including image magnification. I just got one for $40 plus shipping, works as advertised, easy to fit http://gfotostore.ru/?hash=page/nikon1

Some more info here http://forum.mflenses.com/af-exp-chip-for-nikon-1-t63897.html

Edit: Correction - not working 100%. I can't get the shutter speed to go longer than 1/1.3sec now... Weird. Will drop them an email.

Update: they are also getting the same problem with the current chip on a Nikon V1. Under investigation.

Further update. The Nikon V1 chip I have works as well as it can. The problem with shutter speeds longer than 1/1.3sec is down to Nikon - even the Nikon FT-1 adapter has the same limitation. Strange but true.

But this chip will not work at all on my J3. The camera just says 'lens error' and shuts down. The chip manufacturers tell me they're now cracked this with firmware changes and a new chip will be on its way to me in a couple of weeks :)
 
And reds, which I think are/were Nikon's worst failings are out of this world! I posted this an item by itself last week but nobody seemed interested in it.

/quote]

That's something I've noticed, my old D90 and to some extent my D700 always used to overcharge the reds, especially when photographing flowers. My V1 doesn't, which is nice.
 
Hi Richard, what lenses are you using on the V1 with this chip?

Anything and everything, via manual adapters. I use the cameras for my lens testing work, as the V1 gives me the equivalent on 74mp on FF and the J3 has 105mp, and I can test all brands and fittings on the same camera.
 
Sounds like a very good idea, testing all lenses on the same body for consistency, although doesn't it stop you seeing what the edges are like? Do you have a single lens that you use to test bodies and if so, which do you use?
 
Sounds like a very good idea, testing all lenses on the same body for consistency, although doesn't it stop you seeing what the edges are like? Do you have a single lens that you use to test bodies and if so, which do you use?

No, my adapters are custom made, with a shift function so I can position any part of the image (edges or corners) over the middle of the Nikon's sensor.

Since you ask :) there are lots of ways that make my lens testing regime better than any other I know of, many of which are frankly pretty poor with fundamental shortcomings. Not using the same camera for all brands makes meaningful comparisons simply impossible, and lower pixel density caps the lens' resolution potential (ie most full-frame cameras). Shooting flat targets is another problem unless centre and edges are focused and measured individually because of field curvature. And using small targets (most testers' targets are 3-5ft wide max) means wide-angles especially are tested at artificially close range, like under 3ft, whereas lenses are not designed to perform at their best this close; my super-wide target is effectively 24ft wide.
 
Thanks for the answer, Richard. I do sometimes wonder about the validity of some of the magazines' testing regimes, especially when they quote resolutions with differing lenses. As we all know, some kit lenses are less good than others and the same (probably) applies all the way up the ranges. Same with their lens tests, unless there's a constant factor, comparisons are fairly meaningless unless the test is a comparison of kits.

Do you get loaned review samples or do you pick one from a retailer's stock? I know that in some industries, review samples are sometimes more rigorously QC'ed than random samples... One would hope that all examples of a lens (or body) would be more or les the same but I'm pretty sure some are less good than others.
 
Thanks for the answer, Richard. I do sometimes wonder about the validity of some of the magazines' testing regimes, especially when they quote resolutions with differing lenses. As we all know, some kit lenses are less good than others and the same (probably) applies all the way up the ranges. Same with their lens tests, unless there's a constant factor, comparisons are fairly meaningless unless the test is a comparison of kits.

Do you get loaned review samples or do you pick one from a retailer's stock? I know that in some industries, review samples are sometimes more rigorously QC'ed than random samples... One would hope that all examples of a lens (or body) would be more or les the same but I'm pretty sure some are less good than others.

Lenses for review are generally supplied by the manufacturer. I only wish they'd check them and always send good copies, but I've had duffers from just about every brand and it's a major headache when deadlines are tight. Just this morning I've discovered the image stabilisation of one lens from a group test doesn't work, so that'll have to be replaced. Bugger.

However, even if review copies were hand picked, it's impossible to make a lens perform better than its design specification. I'd much rather have a really good sample to show what the lens can do, than a sub-standard copy that's been poorly assembled or more likely dropped by another tester and have to say this lens is rubbish but you might get a better one!
 
Again, thanks for the reply.

Indeed, it's impossible to make a lens perform better than its design spec BUT it IS possible to fine tune pretty much anything to deliver its very best possible performance when the reality is that products destined for public consumption will get whatever components are next on the rack and may well perform rather less well than the "blueprinted" sample.
 
Again, thanks for the reply.

Indeed, it's impossible to make a lens perform better than its design spec BUT it IS possible to fine tune pretty much anything to deliver its very best possible performance when the reality is that products destined for public consumption will get whatever components are next on the rack and may well perform rather less well than the "blueprinted" sample.

I know what you're saying, but if these super-samples exist I've never come across any, and I go back a while. And if they did, they'd soon get found out when normal retail copies didn't measure up. I also test enough of those.

I do find Roger Cicala's blog interesting, at Lens Rentals in the US http://www.lensrentals.com/blog Though I have my doubts about some aspects of his testing, he's in a unique position and tests multiple samples of everything. He finds some variables, and in the link above he mentions that of all the many hundreds of lenses they buy, 2% are out of spec from new. That sounds reasonable to me, though from reading some internet forums you'd think it was more like 20%. It's in nobody's best interests to sell sub-standard copies, least of all the manufacturers.
 
(Yet!) again, thanks. I'll have a look at the LR blog link, sounds like an interesting read.

I'm not sure if the super sample thing exists in the photographic world but I know it used to in the motor industry. I remember also reading a report about brand new cars post PDI (pre delivery inspection) failing to meet MoT test standards. It was some (20+) years ago and can't remember the percentage but I'm pretty sure it was over 10%! I've always taken most of the tales of (generally 3rd party) lens problems with a pinch of salt. I'm sure there are dodgy copies around but I'm equally sure that every tale is repeated as a first hand tale by several readers, especially on forums! (Then again, it wouldn't surprise me to discover that some retailers would take in a dodgy copy, hand over a fresh one and put the dodgy one back into stock, so a single iffy one could well have been knocked out several times...) Touch wood, I'm yet to get a truly terrible copy of anything, apart from a Kodak Disk camera many years ago which went back to a well known retailer (no names but Dock Green could be a clue!), got replaced with a second dodgy one and that was replaced with the original! A quiet word in the manager's ear got me a full refund and a roll of film as an apology. Needless to say, I didn't buy another disk camera (or any camera from them until very recently).
 
I don't buy the "QC control" forum myth either, if you understand process control (or SPC to the statisticians amongst you) then you know a business can't operate like that (but also know that there will be SOME variation).

Evidence is with Sigma's new lenses - they are much better than the old ones but then they cost more, "QC" in itself doesn't cost more but something designed for better performance does. Ipso facto.
 
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I shoot a lot of (small) bird images with my D300/D7100 plus the Nikon AF-S 300mm f4 …..sometimes with the Nikon x 1.4 TC ll

I don't find the V1 particularly easy to use and hardly get any "keepers

The following is my "best" distance bird shot - a big crop

I reckon that the image is "acceptable" because of the lens, the stellar Nikon AFS 300mm f4, (with the FT1 adaptor)
so effectively at 820mm, (crop factor x 2.7), on a (poor) tripod - which is really why I bought the V1 when the prices were reduced because of the launch of the new model
the Bulbul was obviously some distance away but the shooting conditions were good - very good morning light, 06:30am at 1/2000 sec at f4 and ISO 200

Composition not great, leaves in the way

bird.jpg
 
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That's one thing that is clear, lenses have to be top notch to get the best out of the x2.7 crop factor - the sensor easily out resolves my 70-300VR.

I guess this is why Richard uses it for lens testing.
 
Here's the original image at 820mm post crop

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and another crop

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I recently joined the Nikon 1 V1 club. I just bought the FT1 adaptor and I tried it out today with my Nikon 300mm f4 attached. To be honest I deleted quite a few shots......and I wish I'd used a monopod instead of handholding, but I'm still pretty impressed. Definitely a relatively cheap way of getter a longer reach. Here are a few examples:

1.

Duckling.....in the swim!
par Keith Burton, on ipernity

2.

Trumpeter Swan Cygnets
par Keith Burton, on ipernity

3.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
par Keith Burton, on ipernity

4.

Magpie Goose
par Keith Burton, on ipernity

5.

Ducklings..........
par Keith Burton, on ipernity

6.

Blue Tit
par Keith Burton, on ipernity
 
Yes, impressive. These little numbers never cease to amaze me!
 
For anyone wanting to use other lenses on Nikon-1 cameras, ie Canon, Nikon etc via a manual adapter, this little chip restores AE functions and focus aids, including image magnification. I just got one for $40 plus shipping, works as advertised, easy to fit http://gfotostore.ru/?hash=page/nikon1
Some more info here http://forum.mflenses.com/af-exp-chip-for-nikon-1-t63897.html
Edit: Correction - not working 100%. I can't get the shutter speed to go longer than 1/1.3sec now... Weird. Will drop them an email.
Update: they are also getting the same problem with the current chip on a Nikon V1. Under investigation.

Further update. The Nikon V1 chip I have works as well as it can. The problem with shutter speeds longer than 1/1.3sec is down to Nikon - even the Nikon FT-1 adapter has the same limitation. Strange but true.

But this chip will not work at all on my J3. The camera just says 'lens error' and shuts down. The chip manufacturers tell me they're now cracked this with firmware changes and a new chip will be on its way to me in a couple of weeks :)

For anyone interested in this adapter chip, I've now received the updated version and can confirm that it works on both my V1 and J3 cameras (y)
 
I thought it was about time this thread was rejuvenated :) I've been trying out my V1 with the FT-1 adaptor and my Nikon 105mm f2.8 VR macro this week. Here are some of the results, all taken in natural light and hand held:


Gerbera
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Ladybird
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Clothes Peg
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Bluebell
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Dandelion seeds
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Dandelion Seed
par Keith Burton, on ipernity


Bluebell
par Keith Burton, on ipernity
 
None what so ever I am happy with my V1, I do however fancy the new 70-300 lens.
 
Those are very good Keith - I bought mine for "bird" photography - tried it with the Nikon 300mm f4 and 300mm f2.8VR - both on tripod - but ended up "binning" most images
I will keep trying
 
Thanks very much - appreciated.
V3 soon any interest ? :)
Not really..........although I do wish I could use my existing Nikon flash and macro flash set up with the V1. I believe the V3 will allow that.
None what so ever I am happy with my V1, I do however fancy the new 70-300 lens.
I fancy that lens as well...........wonder how much they'll be :)
Those are very good Keith - I bought mine for "bird" photography - tried it with the Nikon 300mm f4 and 300mm f2.8VR - both on tripod - but ended up "binning" most images
I will keep trying
Keep at it.......although tbh, I think you'll have to pick your subjects carefully. Probably OK for the bigger birds mostly!
 
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