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

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Dan
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Yes
Well, I know there are two of us on here.... Any more...? Bueller?..... Bueller?....

OK, well I'll kick off. This is a superb and underrated camera. Forums can be cruel places sometimes, and woe betide anyone who dares go beneath APS-C sensor size. Well, Nikon did and in doing so created a jekyll and hyde sensor. On the one hand, it is just 10MP so pixel pitch is pretty decent. Unlike the Fuji X10 or the G12, this is a sensor twice the size. Remember this comes with under half the pixels of the latest compacts available; and as a result the dynamic range and ISO capabilities are very good and a world away from compact cameras. Likewise, with a little work there is plenty of opportunity for depth of field to be SLR-like. On the other hand, it is a smaller sensor than even micro 4/3rds, but the overall box size is comparable. Its a 'tweener.


sunday best by danbroad1000, on Flickr

The 2.7 crop is a major blessing for telephoto users, and a curse for wide angle shooters. Nothing wider than 28mm at the moment. If you look at the 70-300 equivalent, though, its about the same size as the 50mm f/1.8G; tiny, riny lenses with a really very good reputation already.

However, it tightens the angle of view right up for longer lenses; a 300mm becomes an 810mm f/4 and even a 50mm f/1.4 becomes a fantastic 135mm/1.4. I promise there's very little depth of field available with such a fast telephoto prime, even on smaller sensors such as this! For some folks considering long fast primes, it might be a cheaper option to go with a V1 or J1 as an alternative. Having seen the results with a 300/4, I would personally use a V1+300/4 combo rather than spring for a 600/4, spending an extra £4000 in the process! You get the ability of PDAF at full speed, too, although be aware it's centre point only, and AF-S rather than AF-C.


Cat's Eye by danbroad1000, on Flickr

The real headline of the V1 for me, though, is the speed. I love compact cameras but hate the feeling or swimming through treacle that you get with their operation. This is a compact camera, but one with the best pixel pitch out there. And - here's the nitty gritty of it all - it's fast. PDAF in decent light, a buffer of 1GB that will shoot 30 RAW files at 10 fps before it fills, and a mechanical shutter that has no appreciable lag. That shutter is far quieter than the other CSC's around, though (ex G1, Nex5 owner) and far, far quieter than any SLR (even my D80, and certainly quieter than the machine gun that was the D700). It means unobtrusive shooting in quiet places.


grains by danbroad1000, on Flickr

If you want to shoot SLR speed, but like compacts because you don't get odd looks, here's the answer. If you want to shoot super telephoto but dont want to remortgage the house, or put up with the manual focus legacy lens options you have with micro 4/3rds, here's the answer.

Anyone else here?
 
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Hey Dan, been looking for a thread like this though I was the only one put there too. Well got me feather duster out clean away some of these cob webs.

I like what you have to say on this thread, good photos to. I also agree that the Nikon J1 is under rated because of it,s small sensor. Well I won't let that stop me :)
 
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Hello there! The echoes have stopped! I was starting to feel a little paranoid over here on my own....

Perhaps it's a secret society, the V1/J1 illuminati.... with our weird 2.7 crop symbols and our archaic gestures...

Anyway, welcome - there are now officially two people who own a 1 series on TP, folks! Read that and weep!

BTW, is it just me, or are there a whole load of SLR-toting, weight-hating, self-conscious-when-in-public, need-speed-but-compact photographers who'd be perfect for the 1 series but can't get past the irrational forum hysteria of smaller sensor cameras? For example, the D-Lux and X10 get much love around these parts, but offer up a camera that beats any compact for dynamic range and pixel pitch [with the exception of the GX and G1X] - not to mention beats most low-end SLR's for focus speed and buffer/FPS - and there's a stony silence?

I tried a G1X in warehouse express on Saturday. Nice form factor - owned a G12 briefly - but that... wait... for... the... lens... to... extend.... whilst.... the... camera... powers... on...., and the slow AF - everything I use an SLR to get away from.
 
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Hey did you get you get your FT1 adapter from Nikon or can you get cheaper versions else where?
 
Hey dan, I haven't seen the G1X up close but it doesn't have the same slick simplistic design of the J1/V1, i have a half leather case (not real leather) case that fits great and helps with grip. I find the manual zoom fantastic and the AF is also very quick when in reasonable light conditions. The pop up flash on the J1 did make me laugh the first time it ... well ... popped up like a periscope. But due to it's upside down 'L' shape it allows me to easily attach a little home made plastic mirror and white card to bounce the flash
 
Link some photos, folks! Let's put those other owner threads to shame, y'hear?!

BTW, I use a Billingham Hadley digital, which holds a V1 and both kit lenses, aswell as flash and a lenspen. Found myself a Hoya 40.5mm UV at warehouse express in the bargain bin, so that's now mounted on the 10-30.

love the V1 flash: its a proper little SB but powered through the camera, so I actually use it because it weighs nothing and I take it with me... Like the 180 degree swivel and bounce features aswell!
 
I took this photo on sunday morning of my fiance's niece in the kitchen with just the light coming from the window, i then applied a one of my standard develop preset to the RAW (NEF) file in adobe lightroom, a custom tone curve I call 'dark mood' a minus -20 vignette and then cropped it down to about 80% could have gotten closer if i had one of one of my kood close up lenses on, and wouldn't need to crop.

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Camera - Nikon J1
lens - 30.0-110.0mm f/3.8-5.6
1/100 sec at 30mm, f/3.8, ISO 800
 
Been useing my V1 for quite a while,have 10-30 & 30-110 and FT-1,as those I havnt had a chance to use it yet.

I also have the J1 body as well,long story how I ended up with both.

At the moment it's my take everywhere camera :)
 
more shots with the 300 f4 and the V1 combo... probably the cheapest and most effective way to get to 800mm.... try getting there with an SLR setup [I'm thinking Sigma 300-800 and a low end Canon/Nikon, still looking at £6000 plus.....]


Schoolmaster by danbroad1000, on Flickr

I'm a wildlife portrait kind of guy, as my flickr might suggest... here's one of those trendy high structure jobbies...


Ape, High Structure by danbroad1000, on Flickr

And I'm a sucker for vultures...


Ol' Blue Eyes by danbroad1000, on Flickr

C'mon folks, let's see your V1/J1 pictures!
 
Looks like I'll be joining the club this week following my flurry on the trading forum. Anyone tried the 7day EN EL20 replacements yet? £4.79 is tempting.
 
danbroad said:
I don't have a J1 myself, and the V1 uses the battery out of the D800/D7000, so at the moment unofficial replacements are hard to come by. Still, at under a fiver it'd have to be worth a punt!

That's what I thought, I'll order a couple.
 
I had a play with a V1 today and must say I was very impressed. And as already said the possibilities with the F mount adaptor for wildlife shooting seem very exciting...
 
Yes, it's definitely the mirrorless of choice for wildlife shooters...

By the way, I find the v1 viewfinder to be better than that of the g1 I owned, and superior to many of the lower end slr's. All that processing power makes for a really slick experience.
 
Received J1 yesterday, didn't have a chance to use it yet. 7day battery also incoming
 
Officially on holiday for the summer now. Had a first play with the J1. overall pretty happy with performance.





 
Still pleased with everything - the VR on the kit lenses is top notch, and fantastic for indoor shots as I can really keep the ISO down.

However, there are grumblings over on DPR about exposure issues [basically, longer-than-usual times to reset the meter moving across high contrast scenes.] I know what they mean, and I have taken plenty of shots where the exposure of the final image doesn't match the preview on either the screen or the viewfinder. It's as though the viewfinder is faster at metering than the camera, which is most odd..

Either that, or I'm frustrated with the V1's finder only insofar as it doesn't preview the shot to be taken, but the scene you're taking. It's a blessing and a curse.

So, the V1... the most frustrating camera in the world... beautiful form factor, well made, capable of amazing shots, but it feels as though you have to fight the camera to get them. I've shot plenty and I'm happy I know what I'm doing, but every shot I take I have to use my judgement and not the cameras. Thank goodness for chimping!

Interestingly, the easiest lens to use on the V1 is the 300/4 - fastest to focus, most reliable metering. Just an awesome combo and worth keeping the camera for that setup alone.
 
I think I might be about to sell my Panasonic and buy a J1 (hopefully the twin lens if I can stretch to it). It looks to be the right camera for a specific situation for me and reading about it on other places makes me quite keen. The issue with metering does seem a bit odd, I have read that the screen does not simulate exposure comp, is this true? It seems crazy if it is!

I'm surprised this thread isn't more active but I suspect Nikon may have come to the mirrorless party a bit too late. I just wish that Zcanon had launched a similar system as I already have a couple of Canon lens but no Nikon stuff!
 
..yes, in fact I was in Warehouse Express today part-demonstrating it to one of the guys there with one of their own V1's. Metering is a little slow, but unless you're following fast action from light to dark shots it's likely you'll not notice.

The issue with the screen is a real pain in the posterior, though. Basically, the LCD or the viewfinder [whichever you use] 'gain up' to provide a clear view of the scene, even if this is completely different from the picture you're about to take. There's still a meter at the bottom of the screen - so you can see whether you're under or overexposing - but this can be a little misleading of the whole scene if you're spot metering. The number of times I've been in manual mode, and set up the shot.. then in the [forced, can't turn it off] image review screen the shot is completely different in its exposure to what I just saw on the LCD or viewfinder display....

Auto ISO is plain baffling. In low light, it maintains slow shutter speeds to keep low ISO. With flash on [the SB-N5, great little flash BTW] it chooses ISO 3200 at the drop of a hat. WTF?

The V1 is an excellent camera [focus speed, Nikon NEF files, skin tones, dynamic range from RAW, near-silent mechanical shutter], and capable of incredible shots. But, be clear, the user interface is terrible for certain things [Auto ISO, metering speed, LCD gaining, button customisation].

In fact, I'm convinced that the UI has been designed by Canon. Not because Canon UI's are bad - quite the opposite - but it's as though somebody at Nikon HQ sabotaged the V1 and J1 in order to make them fail.... You really couldn't make it up. Nikon, the kings of Auto-ISO implementation and flash, have released an amazing camera with the worst implementation of flash and Auto ISO I have ever used.

Don't let me put you off, though - look at my flickr www.flickr.com/photos/danbroad and see for yourself - when you get it right, there's no mirrorless camera that can touch it for telephoto.
 
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Hi :wave:

Been using a V1 for a while with the FT1 and it's a cracking camera (with a few annoying habits)

I tend to use it for wildlife with a 200-400 f4VR or 300 2.8 and for a nice light walk around a 70-200VR. For a nice light macro rig a Nikon 105 2.8 AIS works a treat.

I will post some snaps later as I am on an iPad at the moment. :)
 
yes, annoying habits.... a perfect summary of the V1. Still, I guess you - like me - love the 400mm end of the big guns on the V1 [lowly 300 owner with 1.4x TC here, though...]

be the 'pride of the hide'.... let those 600/4 boys weep when they see you have a 1080mm f/4!


Otter at work by danbroad1000, on Flickr


springtime blues by danbroad1000, on Flickr
 
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..btw, I was pondering away at WEX looking at cameras - considering the SLT stuff, but can't bear to lose my Nikon glass - so I tried a D5100. Terrible, terrible viewfinder after looking through the A77's - like looking down a dark tunnel.

The V1's finder is larger - much larger - and far more pleasant to use than the D5100's. Not quite as spacious as the Sony - what is? - but easy to perform manual focus and critical adjustment on. In fact, at 810mm plus, I often use manual focus to get it right with the V1, even though I have full speed AF-S.
 
Ok as promised some snaps taken with the V1 and various lenses and FT1 adapter. The exif data should be embedded in the pictures.

V1 with 105mm AIS macro

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V1 + 50mm 1.2 AIS

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V1 + 200-400VRII

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V1 + 70-200 VR1

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V1 + 400mm 2.8 with 2 X TC

Dan them 600mm boys were weeping as I attached the 2 X TC to the 400 the make 2160mm f5.6 :D
I was weeping trying to keep the bloody thing from shaking all over the place.

011012_7680.jpg


With the exception of a few odd quirks :bonk: its a very well built and responsive camera.

Looking forward to seeing more shots from either the V1 or J1 on this thread :)
 
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My girlfriend is considering the J1 but she wants a PINK one. They seem to be very rare though so any ideas where they can be bought from? How easy is it to compose photos that aren't just centre point on the J1? Also how does it perform for landscape photos?
 
Digitalrev managed to stock the pink ones after asking them on the sub forum on here :D Its been ordered and arrives in a few days!
 
Just to add another subject to the thread has any one else picked up on the rumours of new lenses for the Nikon one or are they just filed patents?

I use the 30-110mm a lot for portrait shots and the results a fantastic but I can't help thinking how I would love a faster 30mm (or there abouts) prime with wider aperture :)
 
there's always the 35mm f/1.8 and the ft-1 adapter, for now - but I agree - a fast standard and a fast portrait tele would be ideal.

The 50/1.4 on the FT1 makes a 135mm f/1.4 - and the depth of field is absolutely tiny, even on the smaller sensor, almost macro thin.
 
I don't any other glass apart from the two zooms that came with my j1, so I would rather hold off for a bit in hope they do, plus native lenses would be inline with the compactness of this little beauty. If Nikon take too long I will probably bite the bullet and invest the FT1 as I have been impressed with the shots others like your self has taken.
 
Hi

I have been taking a look at the V1 as prices seem to have dropped and there is a cash back available.

My concern(as I guess with most people) is the sensor size and resolution.

I have used so many different cameras over the years it's embarrassing but I now know I definitely don't want to go down the DSLR route ever again. The reality is I enjoy photography but I don't need (as I have had in the past) and all singing, top of the range set up. I currently have a Canon G1X and the results from that are superb but it is limiting in terms of lens range and the AF takes some getting used to (especially close up).

I have tried MFT (several times!) but something about it just doesn't click with me although the new Olympus primes are fantastic.

The two lens kit with the V1 looks very appealing where two compact lenses cover a big range - reviews of the lenses look positive too.

Despite not being a 'serious photographer' I have a certain level of expectation around image quality. I always like Steve Huff's reviews and he rates the Nikon 1 system very highly.

I would really welcome some views from photographers who use more 'high end' systems but have this as a second system. Accepting the limitations in some areas how does it stack up in terms of image quality and could you see yourself choosing it if you could only have one outfit?

Thanks
 
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Hello, bought my j1 by accident on saturday.....and really pleased. Only had the 10-30 lens, but looking to get the 30-110, anfd the ft adapter.....will be looking at a normal nikon lens, probably 55-200 for wildlife. Any suggestions or comments? also, I usually shoot with a canon slr, and have a nikon p5100, which came with a nikon scope. The trouble with the p5100 is the shutter lag, hence the j1. Can I fit this to my scope?
 
Hi

I have been taking a look at the V1 as prices seem to have dropped and there is a cash back available.

My concern(as I guess with most people) is the sensor size and resolution.

I have used so many different cameras over the years it's embarrassing but I now know I definitely don't want to go down the DSLR route ever again. The reality is I enjoy photography but I don't need (as I have had in the past) and all singing, top of the range set up. I currently have a Canon G1X and the results from that are superb but it is limiting in terms of lens range and the AF takes some getting used to (especially close up).

I have tried MFT (several times!) but something about it just doesn't click with me although the new Olympus primes are fantastic.

The two lens kit with the V1 looks very appealing where two compact lenses cover a big range - reviews of the lenses look positive too.

Despite not being a 'serious photographer' I have a certain level of expectation around image quality. I always like Steve Huff's reviews and he rates the Nikon 1 system very highly.

I would really welcome some views from photographers who use more 'high end' systems but have this as a second system. Accepting the limitations in some areas how does it stack up in terms of image quality and could you see yourself choosing it if you could only have one outfit?

Thanks

Nikon V1 defies most preconceptions we have about sensor sizes. You have to see it to believe it, but try this review from Rob Galbraith if you've not read it already http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-11666-11988
 
Superb camera, which I would have kept aside from two annoying flaws, both the fault of Nikon. The first is the auto ISO cockup, and the second is the auto-gain of the screen which doesn't allow final image preview if you have applied exposure compensation.

However, you can shoot at 3200 ISo with impunity, and get shallow depth of field agogo with the 30-110. The lenses are every bit as good - and, in the case of the 30-110, better - than their full size SLR equivalents optically. The build is better than my new 3100, and the package represents the most compact and highest performing travel kit out on the market today, in my opinion.

I sold mine only because I prefer to only own one camera, and I specifically wanted the fast 35 equivalent, which is the main area the 1 series lenses are presently lacking (fast, shallow wides). Through all of this, I have not had to relinquish any of my Nikkor glass - it works perfectly on the V1 just as it does and did on my SLRs.

If I were a regular traveller needing lightweight, tough-love performance and owned a collection of Nikkor glass, then I'd buy the V1 again like a shot.
 
A couple of photos with my new 1V1, courtesy of Dan above (thanks (y)). Taking a fair few zoo photos these days (due to 2 very young children needing exercising) this gives me a lot of reach when I can't get closer due to enclosures.

These were taken with a 70-200 and a 1.7 tele convertor which I think gives me the equivalent of F4.8 at 900mm :D

1.
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2.
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3.
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4. 100% crop of 1

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