Nikon Mirrorless Cameras you probably didn't know about! Why Nikon 1 failed.
Vložit
- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- Nikon's Z Series mirrorless cameras have been a commercial success for the company. But did you know the Z series was preceded by another mirrorless camera series that wasn't anywhere near as successful?
The Nikon 1 series cameras were compact and pretty well specified but also expensive and pretty limited in lens choice.
So in this video we look at the Nikon 1 J1, J2, J3, J4 and J5 and also discuss the Nikon 1 V1, Nikon V2, Nikon V3, Nikon S1, Nikon S2 and AW1. That's every Nikon 1 mirrorless camera the company released.
I include a few sample images and also discuss how some features from the 1 series might have made their way to the Z series and perhaps where Nikon learned a lesson or two on what not to repeat.
Please click here to subscribe to my channel and show your support: / @hamerreviews
At this stage I would tell you that if you would like to purchase anything mentioned in this video, or indeed anything else off Amazon (and want to support me at the same time), please consider doing so from the following Amazon Associates link, it will cost you nothing but I will earn a little commission from any sales. However, in this case Amazon doesn't stock the products. As such, feel free to use any of the links below to help me out if you have any purchases to make on Amazon. You don't even need to buy the products but if you click on the link below and then search and buy different products, you'll still be supporting me!
Equipment used to film this video available on Amazon:
Nikon Z6 II: amzn.to/3NbSIWV
Nikon 14-30mm F/4 S: amzn.to/3w7SoBq
Nikon 24-70mm F/2.8 S: amzn.to/3ulwGbq
Manfrotto 055 CXPRO4: amzn.to/3iNIHBj
Tascam DR-701D Audio Recorder: amzn.to/3JD9EDt
Sennheiser XSW-D Lav Kit: amzn.to/3iwCcT3
Atomos Ninja V: amzn.to/3tBs0zb
Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress SE 512GB: amzn.to/3JNwyI4
Please click here to subscribe to my channel and show your support: / @hamerreviews
Video chapters:
0:00 - An introduction to Nikon 1
01:22 - The different Nikon 1 series cameras
01:37 - Nikon 1 V series overview
02:17 - Nikon S series overview
02:39 - Who was Nikon 1 for?
03:30 - Nikon 1 lenses were weird
04:05 - CX sensor overview
04:30 - Sample images
05:45 - Limited lens roadmap
07:20 - Why was Nikon 1 not a success?
08:10 - What Nikon got right!
09:30 - Nikon J series controls and overview
09:35 - Nikon J1
10:09 - Nikon J2
10:26 - Nikon J3
10:50 - Nikon J4
11:24 - Nikon J5 and the missing V4
13:50 - Nikon 1 lens overview
14:45 - The FT1 adapter
17:30 - Nikon 200-500mm lens on the J4
17:55 - 30-110mm lens overview
18:28 - Was Nikon 1 doomed to fail from the start?
20:05 - Should you buy one today and where can you get them?
20:48 - Any questions? - Věda a technologie
I own the entire line of lenses and the v1 and V3. And the aw1. To this day, this system is my favorite system to shoot. It’s just so fun and ergonomic. I own a bunch of Nikon equipment FF, apsc, m 4/3, sony gear, but nothing ever felt like this cool little system. Can fit and entire system in a little backpack. The aw1 is still unrivaled. I wish they had developed the system more and put ibis in it and developed the sensor. It could have been better for me than m 4/3.
The 32mm 1.2 Prime in this system is a gold ring lens. It’s optical quality is professional level. The lens sold for $800 new and it is TINY. 85mm equivalent at 2.4mm depth of field letting in 1.2 light. Only issue was no ibis in the V3. But, it’s an amazing portrait lens. You’d be shocked at the portraits I could take with this lens. Almost no one bought the lens.
The main reason I don’t shoot it today is no IBIS and lack of a 1.2 or 1.4 Primes other than the 32mm. If they had made a 18mm and 14MM 1.2 prime and a 12-32 MM 1.8 zoom - with ibis in a V4 with a bit more dynamic range, little better EVF and slight improvements to autofocus. I’d still be using it today
If they had taken the same approach with this system that they did with Z cameras, which is incredible value, they might have survived. If they had tried to sell them for 35% less it would have sparked some interest. Too much competition at that price point.
I love my 32mm even though it gets a lot less use than some of my other lenses. Amazing for night street photography.
I was a Nikon DLSR shooter when the 1 Series came out and got the V1 in 2013. By then the price had dropped and the camera with the 10mm f/2.8 and 10-30mm was only $500 after it launched for $800 in 2011. I think what really killed the 1 Series was strong competition from Sony and Nikon’s refusal to compete with themselves. Sony’s APS-C cameras at the time were similar in size and price to the 1 Series bodies but with image quality that was as good as Nikon’s DX DSLRs. Not to mention they had the RX100 series which also had a 1” sensor, but with a faster zoom than you could get with Nikon and in a more compact package. I think a DX/FX mirrorless camera from Nikon at the time would have been a smarter move and probably would have kept them in second place. By the time they put out a really competitive mirrorless camera in 2018 I had already moved to Sony.
They put a competitive camera out in 2018? Which one
@@buzzj89 The original Z6 and Z7. ("competitive" in that it was Nikon's attempt to compete, not competitive in the sense that they were comparable to Sony's cameras at that time)
Never heard of the 1 series until I found a 1J1 at a thrift store with a 10 and 18.5mm lens and battery for a great price. I bought it and use the the little camera much more than I ever thought I would. Great video nice work.
I actually bought my first Nikon. A used (bran new) j5 4 years ago for peanuts. With 3 lenses. It was bought for a vacation that didn’t happen. At 150$ cdn. I jumped on it. I’ve only started using it recently. I’m not a photographer but like shooting in nature. It’s small size fits well in my pocket. I’m enjoying it!
I now have the J5 which is produces sharp colourful pictures and so small and compact!!
Use it everyday!
I had a lot of fun using the 1 sytem and still own two V2 with the complete lens collection except the 32/1.2. Handling was great and it was perfect for wildlife photography as long as there was enough light. I also love the bokeh of the really small and lightweight 18/1.8 what made it a great nifty fifty street combo! Under low light conditions it even can’t compete to the results of modern smartphones with all the processing. 😁
thanks for making this video. very informative. Call me crazy but I'm looking to buy one of these in 2023 just for the hell of it. I love quirky weird and commercially failed cameras. I own pentax Q7 and the lenses and they're equally as quirky and weird.
Nice that the Nikon 1 series get some attention again. Got myself a V1 with 4x lenses voor around €100,00. Great minimalistic design en still fun to shoot with!
That was a proper bargain. You're lucky.
I have a J1 with several lenses setup and have used it hundreds of times (video/photos) and still working OK. Only once I broke a lens because I dropped. I am getting a V2 body soon due that has a microphone jack and hotshoe
I believe the J1 and J2 were aimed at a young and hip crowd, in a variety of attractive colors. The problem with the young and hip crowd is they are also generally broke and the cameras and lenses were very, very expensive. I am an Olympus user since 1973, yes I am old, but I really liked the design of these cameras when they were first issue, I just couldn't justify the price. I do own a 1 & a 3 which I purchased on the secondary market very inexpensively.
I truly enjoyed the presentation very entertaining, and informative, I will hit the subscribe button, thank you.
Nikon 1 system has not failed for me. I own two V1, a V3 and a J1. Have owned some time the J2, J3 and S1 which all was given away to friends and family. I work with Canon DSRL full frames and M system, but my favorite cameras for everyday use are the 1 system.
I still use my Nikon 1v3 left to use the adapter for the f mount lenses, especially the Sigma 18 to 35 f 1.8 APSC lens gives a nice balance of a weight and picture quality
just got one cheap and looking to use it when I travel for snaphots. thanks for the new memories
I have an AW-1. I bought it as something better than a phone cam or low end point-&-shoot, and less bulky than my D800 with its associated glass. GPS for geotagging was a definite plus (something that the D and Z series cameras are oddly lacking) as was the weather resistance. I travel primarily by motorcycle, and being able to keep the camera in the tankbag without worrying about the occasional rain storm was another big plus.
I got an Aw1 for use underwater recently, but damn, it’s not easy finding the stuff to take care of it.
I still have my J5. I don’t use it anymore, but I loved using it back in the day
Discovered the J series watching Steve Heise. Bought several and different lenses after suffering a bicep tendon rupture. The J4 and the 30-110 are my always with me camera in a small shouulder bag. I have added a small grip that screws into the tripod hole and a foldable hood for the lcd. With it's fabulous tracking it my butterfly and accidental bird in flight camera. I also shoot the OM-5, EM1 ii and K-50. If i could only keep one camera it would be the J4 !
I bought a J1 with 2 lenses at Costco when they came out, and its still one of my favorite cameras I have used. I was moving up from point-and-shoot cameras and I wanted the telephoto lens to take photos of kids on stage or on the soccer field, as well as basic travel and vacation photos. Autofocus was always spot-on, it took good photos in low light, and it was so small and easy to use. When I moved to a DSLR, it was more work and more frustration to get decent shots, and in some situations, it was useless. (Indoors, handheld, low light). Thinking about the J1 made me recently ditch my DSLR and go back to a mirrorless camera.
Would anyone know where else can you use old Nikon 1 lens? Is there an adapter to Z or F even if not made by Nikon?
I too was surprised this was not marketed to me… some of them seem like the precursor to the ZV1 but with changeable lenses
And did you know that they also do a waterproof version down to 50 ft no case! Which is freeze proof and drop proof within reason.. AW1
Thanks for this, I never new much about the line. Looking at the camera and understanding how popular the Fuji bodies became, I realized Nikon had the camera, before Fuji. They just needed a DX sensor and more focus on lineup. I find Nikon is doing this a second time, the ZFC is similar, almost what I am looking for, but with not much a dedicated lens lineup. I don't want an adapter or big Z lenses on a small carry round body.
Thanks :) :) :) Always enjoy the things that You discover and describe...... I am a Nikon Guy so that is interesting to me :) :)
15:27 - that hole is for the locking mechanism I think and is also present on F mount lenses
Thx. Thinking about getting a j5 with a zoom and 18.5mm to replace my LX10. One inch sensors are good enough for me but subject separation is a bug bear. I also have a fz1000 which is great when I bring it out, but may be I could get away with just the 30-110, all in a small bag
A worthwhile discussion reminicing on past variations of the Nikon lineage. Yes Nikon today is on the roll with each new introduction a success, but they’ve had their stumbles.
You might like to explore their Pronea line of APS film cameras. A concept that came too late but was attractive at the time nonetheless
Thanks for your comment 🙂 I think I just about remember the Pronea’s I’ll need to look into it 🙂
I own a J1 and J5, really happy with both, now want to find a manual adapter for manual nikon lenses (35mm, 50mm, ...)
I still use the J5 occasionally, it worked well for me as a lightweight camera to take hiking and I bought a few of the lenses, the 10-100 being the most used. I always found the lack of a viewfinder to be annoying though. You can get some decent shots out of the 1 inch sensor but forget it in less than optimal light. I mainly use the z50 now, but still love my J5 and its lenses. When it was discontinued I got a second body and some extra batteries to keep it going as long as possible.
Thank you for your video. I own and use a J5. I think your observations are spot on. In good lighting I've taken some decent photos that capture great memories. In low light situations the camera system performs poorly.
I purchased an adapter to use my Pentex lenses on this camera body in manual mode and have been working on taking a wider variety of photos. I'm aiming to find a lense to make better use of depth of field.
Thanks for sharing
I have two Nikon 1 AW 1 underwater cameras - there is nothing else like them on the market. A normal size camera body and with normal controls that could goto 15m deep. AF tracking that is still amazing over ten years later and shooting full size stills up to 60 fps. I wish they had made as a fixed lens to cut out the water leak risks around the changeable lens mount. Very expensive to repair as it is literally a J model camera encased in a metal cladding that has to removed to access the insides. Much better image quality and better controls than any action camera but no one looks to be making a "serious" tough compact camera. Pity.
Interesting to hear about the more specialist applications, a few people mentioned the AW1
I bought the Nikon 1 V1 with the 10mm 2.8 back in 2018, used , near mint, for about £180 altogether. I loved that camera and stupidily traded it later for a D7000. It was small and incospicuous, but solid, the menu system was great, it also had an electronic viewfinder. I loved the fact that I could load Nikon Picture control profiles to get the colours I wanted and also used the same battery as Nikon DSLRs like the D7000. That was hugely convenient. I'm getting another one from MPB now, they have gotten slightly up in price, though.
About 3 years ago I came across an interesting post for a use case with the J3/J4 in an underwater housing that could be put together very cheaply second hand (less than $100 for the housing, which is a screaming deal). And indeed, I've gotten some very nice shots diving with my rig, although it has its limitations mainly around shutter speed and flash observation. But, crazy good for what it does for the price,
As I was digging into the underwater photography use case for the N1, I was starting to get very tired of lugging a D750 and assorted kit around backpacking and hiking. Picked up a few different bodies and lenses and short story it's become my favorite walking around system.
First, I'm not a fan of the Js, even the J5. Just too little control. The V3, however, with a grip and electronic viewfinder is an absolute blast to shoot with. Trick is to shoot quite wide open and don't let Auto ISO get above 800. I shoot manual but mainly adjust shutter speed. Autofocus is incredibly quick and accurate. The camera is so small and light I handholding in low light works well--I never shoot with a flash on land.
I'm not a fan of any of the widely available lenses. The *NON-PD* 10-100 is a great walking around lens, and sits on my camera about 80 percent of the time. Complementing it for a travel kit, I have the 70-300, which is just an amazing lens, and the 6.7-13. That set of three lenses, my V3, two batteries, charging block, and a little carry case weighs in at 4.2 pounds. I also have the 32mm 1.2 which does just beautiful work for night street photography that I will bring along on some trips.
Be aware that there IS a lens breakage issue--there's a guy in Taiwan who can do a permanent fix when it happens.
I DON'T recommend getting the F mount converter. The point of this system is to have a ton of artistic capacity when weight/space constrained. Putting the big lenses on this thing really goes against that principle.
So, long story short, I sold off all my DX stuff and my D750 rig mainly gathers dust these days.
Good video. Thanks. toronto canada
The problem is F3.5 on a 1 inch sensor. This camera can't take good photos except in the brightest of conditions. I had a V1 and just didn't have a good time with this. That is on top of the V1's issue of viewfinder staying on and refusing to go back to main screen, because the face proximity sensor is bugged. Just a very annoying camera to use even back in the day. I switches over to the Canon M1 eventually and never looked back.
I inherited a N1V1 and a few lenses when a relative died.
I think it is a fine little camera which I had never heard of, even though I have been shooting Nikon since the 60's. I like it for street photography as it is unobtrusive and still turns out acceptable results. Just a "tourist" shooting a toy camera.
I added a J3 just to have a 2nd body .... it turns out with the FT1 adapter and my F series 55MM Macro lens from the 70's it makes a nice small, but effective, macro rig - one of my fun activities. I can easily carry both N's with different lenses without looking like a "photographer".
I have a Z for more serious work, but the N's are my grab and go cameras .... good for scouting areas to return to with my big stuff.
21:23 actually my first camera was the nikon 1j1 and i still love it, interested abaut v2
I picked up a J2 in England in 2014 when my DSLR got a gutful of cider in a pub, and, when that died, I got a second hand V1. I found them great as a portable travel camera, but not very reliable. I had a friend, a professional photographer, who took an AW series camera on his morning beach walks, and had even more problems with reliability. I am currently not using the V1 because the 10-30 lens is dead -- a known fault: I should get it fixed.
It has to be treated as a 1" sensor camera, in a similar class to the Sony RX series -- of course not quite as advanced as cameras which weren't launched for several more years, though.
Low light performance wasn't at the APS-C standard, but was much better than pocket cameras. Before the J2 died, I often put it in my pocket if I were going out at night and took streetscapes by street lighting, some of which came out very nicely.
My sense -- and they were already a fading product when I came into it, is that Nikon priced them far too high and probably shouldn't have tried to build an entire 1" ecosystem at once.. When there are too many options, there are no options.
Had they stuck with an entry level J series and a more advanced V series, or even just made one or the other, and priced them above the better fixed lens pocket cameras but significantly below their APS-C units, they would probably have done better. There was a great range of lenses, but you can sell a camera with a 3 or 4x zoom and people buy it, and the 11-27 and 10-30 lenses were close enough that they probably should have settled on one and be done with it.
The features I missed were EVF (on the J2) and flip up viewfinder, though that wasn't all that common early this century. However, I had both on my DSLR and had had an EVF on two bridge cameras before the Nikons.
Something interesting I noticed was a slight and difficult to explain difference between the J2 and the V1. Before the J2 died and I got the V1, I only had the single 10-30 lens. So I got a screw in doubler, expecting to get poor results outside the centre of the frame. I was surprised that, though I could tell I was using the doubler at full telephoto, the results were quite acceptable in daylight.
After I got the V1 and a 30-100 lens as well, I searched the internet and eventually found a J2 main board, which I swapped into the J2. So then I had two little Nikons, with the same lenses switchable between the two.
One lunchtime I went for a walk around town and took a number of photographs using each lens on both bodies, the 10-30 on both bodies, the 30-100 on both bodies and both lenses on both bodies with the doubler. What I discovered was that the doubler wasn't worth bothering with on the 30-100, and, on the 10-30 it wasn't worth bothering with on the V1. However, it gave almost as good results as the 30-100 zoomed to around 60mm on both cameras, but significantly worse results on the 10-30 on the V1 than on the 10-30 on the J2.
Consequently it stayed in the J2's bag.
In lenses of this series, the aperture control gear often broke after a few shots taken.I got 4 lenses failed for this reason. Nikon hugely screw up with that. Nevertheless I like my V1, V2, V3 + 10-30PD, 30-110, 18.5/1.8. Ft1 adapter + 70-200VR gives an imbalanced but workable combination with these cameras. V3 + grip + viewfinder looks like a dwarf version of Z series cameras.
I think you were just un lucky I'm not having any problem at all although I shouldn't tempt Providence!!
I believe there was a product recall for the first 10-30 lenses.
I still own a Nikon V2 and love the small form factor and performance. With the VR 70-300 lens, it's ideal for wildlife and long distance shots without large heavy gear. Maybe not ideal for night photography, but quite capable and flexible for daytime, interior and street photography with the right lens.
Well first of all like previous commenter said, i see nothing wrong with this system just because Nikon didn't make lots of money off of it, or else they wouldn't ditch it. I still have my v2 paired up to a Nikkor 300mm F4e pf and its the smallest 800ish F/4 setup on planet earth! Not to mention that not everyone need a z9+800mm f6.3 for a hobby, but for professional i can understand the options are out there!
I agree that pricing and marketing were among the issues with the Nikon 1 system. Additionally, I would like to highlight the poor quality of the zoom lenses, specifically, the 10-30 and 30-110. They felt cheap and often encountered issues with the flex cables. This contrasted with the primes, like the 10mm and the 18.5mm, which felt more solid and were also quite bright at f/2.8 and f/1.8, respectively. I lack personal experience with the other lenses in the system.
Disagreeing with the point about sensor size and resolution, I believe it was more than sufficient for a camera from 2011. While DX sensors would have been preferable, creating a camera of this size with DX sensors and interchangeable lenses seemed impractical at that time. Moreover, leveraging that sensor would require at least DX lenses, making the entire setup bulkier.
I also disagree with the focus-related concern. In the V1 and J1, the focusing is very fast, even by current standards.
At the time, the N1 system presented an interesting option for having a Nikon camera-better than most Coolpix models (excluding perhaps the Coolpix A) and considerably smaller than any DSLR. It could serve as a secondary or travel camera for photography enthusiasts.
In my opinion, another problem with the system was that it was too casual for "serious" photographers and too complex for casual users who couldn't be bothered with carrying different lenses. This presented a challenge that the DL system aimed to solve, utilizing the same sensor size but with fixed lenses. Unfortunately, the DL system was abandoned before it materialized.
However, the Sony RX100 series, which adopted a similar approach, I believe, was quite successful.
Perhaps I'm biased in my love for the V1. It has become my go-to carry camera, remaining remarkably capable despite its quirks. Once accustomed to its unique controls, the camera's beauty truly shines. The autofocus speed is impressively fast, and the shutter reaches insanely high speeds. Utilizing the same battery as my D7200 is a practical advantage, and pairing it with a Fotodiox grip significantly improves handling. Moreover, its weight is a remarkable feature-it's so light!
Being from Argentina, it's interesting to note that Nikon doesn't even bother to bring the "V" series here, only some J models.
I acquired a barely used V1 in 2012, complete with the 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses, the tiny SB N5 flash (which pivots side to side and up and down, using the camera battery), and the FT1 adapter. During a trip to NYC, I purchased the grip and the 18.5mm lens new at B&H. Later, back in my country, I acquired the 10mm lens, unused, from someone whose grandparent mistakenly bought the lens, thinking it would fit his DX mount. Unfortunately, my 10-30mm broke twice, and the 30-110mm is already exhibiting weird connection issues. I hope the primes continue to work for a little bit longer.
I have all the V series in addition to the J5, and I actually like them. When I got my first Z camera, which was a Z fc, I immediately felt that the AF was very reminiscent if the 1 series. Moreover, they all have the great Nikon ergonomics and rugged body feel. As for the sensor, I believe Nikon should have opted for a MFT sensor instead, but I do not have a problem with the IQ I get from these smaller sensors.
Do you suggest purchasing Nikon f1.8 1 mount 18.5mm or should i go for nikon f mount 50mm f1.8 with ft1 adapter…?
a 50mm f1.8 would end up being a 135mm lens, idk what style photography u want to do but thee lenses perform very different functions when put on a nikon 1 camera.
@@legendarypot8oanimates160 I ordered 7artisan 25mm f1.8 manual lens instead. it will be around 60mm good for portrait and macro as well
The 18.5 is ok if you can get it cheap enough. The one series lenses are prone to failure though. With the FT1, the 35mm DX could be an ok portrait lens.
I think you are wrong to call it a flop. The J1 was the best selling mirrorless camera in Japan in 2012. I saw a lot of them about at the time (here in Japan.) I had a few of them (J1, V1, J5, also a J1 converted to ir)
The timing was hard, as mobile phones cannibalised a lot of sales and they were stuck in between two markets (the other being higher end prosumer/DSLR replacements.)
And I think you are a little unfair comparing them to the Z series, which of cause are much better with fewer compromises.. but much larger, more expensive and aimed at a different person (not to mention a few generations newer.)
A DX sensor would have removed most, if not all, of the benefits of the 1 system (a much larger size&weight, larger lenses, more expensive.) They were competing with the higher end point and shoots, and the lower end DSLRs (D3000 series etc) to which they compare far more favorably.
They got a lot right and I think the sensor size was a good trade off.. It was a shame they were discontinued, but inevitable given the rise of the iPhone.
I agree with this!
Thanks for your comment Martin, I am totally aware that my take, looking back on it historically will be at odds with what other people think - especially those who owned the cameras at the time.
In doing the research prior to buying the cameras and working on the video, my focus was on the fact the whole series was discontinued in what felt like mid-flow. You say you owned the J5 - do you get the same impression that I did that there could well have been a V4? It just feels like such a departure from the other J cameras that I can't see how it wasn't made up of the R&D for a V4.
I agree that the J1 was a success, but to me, Nikon 1, as a whole, wasn't a success in the longer term. Don't get me wrong, the nature of CZcams means a bit of clickbait is built into the title, but I don't feel like later cameras enjoyed anywhere near the same levels of success. Again, as you say, the timing was hard, but ultimately it didn't feel like Nikon 1 was discontinued in favour of Z but instead that it was killed off - and you don't really do that if a product is a success.
@@HamerReviews Thanks, it is nice to hear other's perspectives.
I think it was killed off mostly because of the rise of iPhones and other smartphone cameras basically killed the market for these types of devices (and all point and shoots), which perhaps Nikon misjudged the speed at which this ultimately happened.
Again, I think if you compare it to the Coolpix lineup or even an iPhone 4 (rather than the higher end of things) it makes a bit more sense. There really isn't a market anymore for the series, maybe you are right to call it not a success. People's criticisms of the devices are certainly valid, but there is a lot to like about a capable device that fits in your pocket. It was fast, responsive and fun to use.
You are right about the V4, but I think it was even more in this no-mans land where it wasn't good enough for the people it would have been aimed at, and made less sense than the S and J lineup (although likely having fewer of the handling issues.)
Nikon wouldn't have made it so good that people don't buy DSLRs.. but needed it to be better than point-and-shoots, a tricky line to walk.
Maybe a product of it's time; there was a market in 2011, but there is not one now.
I never understood to whom this system was targetting. At that time of their release point and shoot was big. So I think Nikon was targetting a higher end point of shoot market. But at the same time the m43 system was also released which had bigger sensor so better low light but also compact, which many big DSLR user used as secondary system due his smaller size. Think that this Nikkon system was market to a non existing user due to his price. Social and casuals users buying point and shoot or entry level DSLR where very price sensitive as the camera will be most of the time siting around without being used. Enthusiast and professional user uses their camera the most for others is a simply tool to make some social photos, which should not be expensive.
I love my V1 although the dynamic range can be a hindrance imo 😊
The sensor size was fine. Nikon was the first to use a 1inch sensor. The small sensor allows them to create small lenses. Unfortunately they did not capitalize on this. I was always waiting (in vain) for some fast wide primes. The pricing was ridiculous (still is for used lenses), marketing was poor (typical Nikon) and they failed to leverage the intelligent adapter shoe. Plenty of blunders.
I had a j2 and a v1 with the 11-27 and 30-110 all on white. It was easy to take a v1 and the 30-110 into concerts as the security deemed it a point and shoot and not capable of decent pictures. I have some great shots of Fleetwood mac and Jean Michel jaree with this system. When they retired the system I went over to an olympus em10ii with a Panasonic 14-140 which done the same thing but with a little more headroom. Both miles better than phone cameras of the day.
Im still takin pictures with a J1 I got for cheap with 3 lenses, the performance indors is bad if you dont have lights, but outdoors is really good, I wish the lenses where cheaper, the 32mm one looks really nice.. but the price tag not so much. This being said, I got this camera because it was really really cheap, Im thinking of getting a v3 or j5 body now that I already have the lenses for it. T I take some toy photo but im making some steps into portraits.
In the UK it was horrendously overpriced for what it was. Another reason for failure was, I think, the lack of advertising and marketing effort put in to stimulate sales. Who can recall seeing an advert for the 1-series? I certainly do not ever remember seeing anything other than ads in photo magazines... nothing on the TV, nothing on "prime interest" channels such as CZcams. I was/am a Nikon DX shooter and the 1-series would have made an interesting companion for taking when travelling light. Instead I discovered Olympus and Micro Four Thirds..... daft name but a much better option than the 1-series
Interesting video, and I agree I think this line failed because of pricing. I actually "won" a J1 at a on-line auction and got that camera and the 10mm-30mm lens for $67. I was intrigued by it so I decided to pick up at V2, along with the 30mm-110mm , both relatively inexpensive, and both are in Near Mint condition and look brand new. The V2 is a pretty nice little camera, more tradiitonal with the PSAM dial. It focuses quickly and has some nice features. Photo quality is fine in normal or good light, and as you noted when paired with the FT1 and a lens like the 70mm-300mm AF-P, you have a camera and lens with outstanding reach (great for birds, especially if perched in a tree). The V2, along with the 30mm-110mm lens, easily fits in a jacket pocket. Although not wildly successful, the Nikon 1 series did help pave the way for the Z cameras, so they definitely served a purpose.
Well nikon hade one HUGE missed opportunity with the 1 series, and that is the AW1.
If they had taken the V1 and made that into the AW1 and renamed it to something like “Nikonos D1” it would have sold like hotcakes. Nikon was the number one maker of amphibious cameras scuba diving. But they ended it with the Nikonos RS. Eaven the SONY a6000 series have WB settings for underwater but the required housings are big, bulky and expensive.
If Nikon hade made the 1-seies into a new digital Nikonos branded interchangeable lens amphibious camera it would have bine brilliant.
I strill have a j1 and love it, because it's so small, but it was too expensive that was the probolem
Nice retrospective although I think that you are a bit hard on the IQ from these: they are not stellar but they are, for a casual photographer mostly useable unless you are doing something stupid like trying to use them for moving subjects in low light.
I have a several V1's, V2's and a V3 and J5 together with many lenses. You probably haven't found out that most of the N1 lenses are prone to failure ( stuck apertures ) but they can be refurbished by a guy in Taiwan - then they seem to be robust. This was a major design issue with the aperture pinion that Nikon probably knew about and I guess were very very happy when they retired the 1 series. Fortunately the Z lenses seem OK - they learned...
The other thing is that, yes the small sensor needs understanding to get the best out of it - noise thresholds are about half that of even m43. But: it can be done and judicious use of AI helps a lot ( as it does with m43 ).
The lenses to look for that don't seem to have the design issue are the 10-30 PD, 6.7-13 and, possibly, the 18.5/1.8 ( 50mm EFL ).
The 70-300 CX is a star ( I have 2 ) and you can see what can be done with it if you look for Thomas Stirr's early work.
It can suffer from flex cable failure - again upgradeable.
I bought all my stuff cheaply off eBay and dealers and would have baulked at the new prices for these..
I don't really use subject detection/tracking on any camera: D500, Z6 or N1 but I did find, just playing around, that the tracking on a V3 was better than my Z6 ( early F/W ).
One thing that the small 1 inch and some m43 sensors share is that the sensor read out rates are 1/80 to 1/100 sec - and although you still get rolling shutter effects, at least you can sync flash in ES albeit at a fairly slow shutter speed - unlike the 1/15 to 1/30 sec readout on the Z6/7 I or ii or the A7.x where there is no flash in ES mode and rolling shutter effects can be dire.
Is the J5 still a good camera?
I mean in its own way sure, I wouldn’t choose it as my main camera but it can still create a decent image
I feel that Nikon learnt a lot from that long term project, glad I missed out and joined the Z family.
I think you’re spot on there, there were a lot of elements carried over the Z - and thankfully also a lot of improvements!
I am still using a J5 when i travel around
have a J4 and a V2, use mostly the V2 and a full set of lenses: 6.7-13mm, 10-30mm, 30-110mm, 10-100mm, 70-300mm and the 18.5/1.8
I like the small size and weight together with the fast AF. And the best is the 70-300mm lens for wildlife shots and all without a tripod.
I have also a Sony Alpha 7 with the 24-105/4 zoom lens, but most of the time I take the nikon 1 V2
Hi, I actually was watching this video because I want to buy a V2 to my fiveteen years old Son that is beginning to love abaut fotography, thanks
Failed? Well I'm out and about right now with my N1 S2 quite happy.
Wish Nikon would bring something like this back we can't all afford telephoto lenses for the z mount and a phone still can't compete
Micro four thirds is a good alternative.
Gimme a J5 with the 6.7-13mm & 32mm f1.2! Edit: it's a digital 110 camera with a flange distance compatible with c-mount.
Fair, I'm sure there are people that have had success with the setup :)
Having only a small 1 inch sensor for Nikon 1 was its biggest problem. M43 is bigger. APS-C is bigger and better image quality in the small Canon M series, and I bought the Canon M6. Also having a micro SD card made Nikon 1 seem not for professionals at least in my eyes. Should have been SD instead. Nikon 1 only had a relatively low price for the camera and lens. Sony also had the APS-C A series like 5100 and 6000 pocket cameras. The image quality of Nikon 1 was not good enough due to the small sensor in low light. Hobby camera only. Body design too simple and not interesting.
Basically Nikon1 is wannabe PentaxQ which didn't offer as much Fun as the Q, a wannabe MFT that isn't as small and versatile and a small body with Sony A5100 / A6000 AF performance in it....and a 4k camera that couldn't do 4k properly. The colour science of the N1 is strange, the JPG quality is strange but excel at doing B&W photography. The N1 is a novelty of its time though not commercial success. It is its stuck in limbo status makes it appealing to enthusiasts. As you said it is a stepstone of Nikon ambition.
I never used a proper Nikon camera system before Nikon1 and has no plan to migrate to Nikon DSLR / Z Mount. I feel Nikon1 is what it is, a very unique camera system of its own to enjoy and you don't even need to be a Nikon Fans to enjoy it.
A couple of points:
The sensor is a so-called one inch sensor, hence the name Nikon 1, the mount is CX.
It wasn’t the sensor size that was a problem, since Sony’s RX-100 also has a one inch sensor yet has good image quality. Unfortunately, Nikon used a sensor made by Aptina (possibly the Sony wasn’t available to them) and it lacked dynamic range, etc. Yet there are many people who consider that it produces images with a desirable “filmic” quality.
The purpose of the motorized zoom, which you find odd, is to facilitate smooth zooming in movie mode.
I feel you omit certain features of the cameras. The V1 has a huge battery (same as the D7000), and it can shoot at up to 60 frames per second. There is also their smart photo selector mode.
A negative point is that the lenses have proven to have poor longevity, with many ceasing to operate due to a ribbon cable detaching or a plastic cog breaking.
Incidentally, there are a number of Facebook groups for fans of the Nikon 1 cameras.
high iso about Eight hundred thousand,balance pixel like thirty million，FF sencer or 1.14/1 ff.this is the future.
Just Got a aw1. Just For the Underwater Capacity// scuba diving so we will see
Good luck, hope you get some great use out of it!
It's my number one camera on holidays at the beach
The lenses are simply not very good (look at the dxomark ratings). They basically throw away half of the resolution of the sensor. They did not make a single high quality lens. On the plus side, they have totally silent operation if you like, and that can be useful. To be fair, Canon made no great lenses for their M series cameras, but the Sigma contemporary lenses filled that gap.
And yes there is a flash believe SB5 that runs off the battery power of the actual camera so no batteries needed
The issue is Nikon hamstrung their own product so it wouldn’t compete with their Dslr systems. Much like Canon did with their bridge cameras. The fact that a Sony RX100 can produce wonderful looking shots with a 1 inch sensor compared to the Nikon 1 was the nail in the coffin.
A mio modesto parere l'errore più grande della Nikon è l'aver abbandonato questo prodotto. Poteva sviluppare la Nikon1 v3 dandole il valore giusto. Nikon 1 v3 possiamo paragonarla per assurdo alla ACTION CAM INSTA360 RS la quale è scomponibile e la usi in base alle esigenze del momento. Hanno sbagliato abbandonarla e puntare solo solo serie Z, come se tutti avessero milioni di euro, di sterline o di dollari da spendere e da buttare nel WC.
if they used MFT sensor probably the cost of R&D will be alot cheaper.
panasonic GM1 and GM5 is about the same size with J5.
nikon 1 failed because of phone camera, because the quality or the advantage for having a small camera sensor vs a phone is not that much anymore.
focal length can be crop, bokeh relatively the same and there also apps for this, so the whole system just doesnt make sense.
even some of the MFT cameras doesnt make sense because the body is bigger then sony a5100 or fuji xt20, but they stay relevant because MFT got the right size, weight, and image quality.
if nikon join the MFT alliance, this series probably could sells more.
interesting points about the ft1/ftz adapter! the Nikon1 often gets seen as (Nikon's first attempt of a) Nikon's mirrorless system, but to me its a beautiful attempt to make compact camera with interchangeable lenses, not as a proper alternative to DSLR ::: the V3 and J5 are in my humble opinion very capable cameras, even today - of course lowlight performance not the best ::: I own the Z system, but I go for long walks, wich I sometimes do, I really like to bring a Nikon1 camera with some primes and the amazing 70-300
I wouldnt say the system failed, it was overpriced and unable to survive due to mobile phones and a very competitive market
cheers for an informative video
by the way in 2021 Nikon announced the production of a 1-Inch Sensor That Can Shoot 1,000 FPS in 4K - I was hoping for a J6 or V4, but no haha 😀
I agree with you too.
The primes were great.
I liked the tiny 10/2.8 and lightweight 18/1.8 but sadly never got to try the (very pricey but) very well reviewed 32/1.2.
The kit lenses were mostly average at best, and maybe that contributed to the sometimes negative sentiment.
@@Martin_Edmondson yeah, I was thrilled I found one one MPB some time ago, its not cheap, but the lens is amazing!
Loved the size, hated the tiny sensor.
I think that’s a great way of summing them up. If they’d had DX sensors I think they’d have been a fascinating proposition!
@@HamerReviews otherwise I loved the camera when I did not take my dslrs
Sony NEX 5 16mm
My mom put it away within the first year and just used the iPhone.
Don't agree. About to buy my third one!
Nah, the real reason they killed Nikon 1 is not it's not good. But because it could destroy the whole regime of Nikon full frame ecosystem especially the highly regard "pro area" such sports and wildlife photography without make much profit to Nikon. So they killed it.
Trust me, if you are a wildlife photographer, get a hold of this one V1 V2 J5 if you can with a decent 300mm-ish lens would turn it into an awesome wildlife shooter with a weight quarter of the traditional system. Warning though, the flash system is awkward.
Ok im not a
Pro tog i bought a preowned nikon 1
Dueto health limitaionsi really w
Ish i had donemlre research yes it takes good shot but what lets it down i addoj or the severe lack ofa hot woulda been gonalo lenses are ott pricey
Replaced by phone, simple
The small sensor was it's Achilles' heel. The image quality was waaay too poor for the size and price. Complete flop, poorly designed from the start. Deserved to die and good riddance. I still have it somewhere and hate it.