Brightly Coloured For Outdoors - The Nikon 1 J1

 

 

First Look

With the announcement of the Nikon 1 series of cameras, Nikon had stepped into a segment of cameras they had not ventured in before, the compact system camera range of cameras. This segment had been dominated by the likes of Olympus, Panasonic and a small handful of other manufacturers who were looking to change the game as far as photography is concerned. So when Nikon introduced their 1 series of interchangeable lens cameras, the brand did not just unveil one model, but instead released two compact system cameras, the Nikon 1 V1 and the Nikon 1 J1. We had recently reviewed the V1, and now we take a look at the J1, the more budget friendly option. Here is a look at how it did.

 

 

Review

The Nikon 1 J1 has a black back and the layout of the controls are similar to that of the V1. The only difference here is the camera does not feature the EVF, otherwise one would have difficulty telling the difference between the two options when viewed from the rear. The performance of the camera was tested on a number of factors. To begin this bit, the camera is light and can be used with a single hand. The display helps in this handling of the camera as well as one does not need to look through any viewfinder, as is the case with the V1. However, we strongly advise using a strap with the device as it has a really glossy finish and there is no grip at the front whatsoever. While capturing images outdoors, the camera's display handles sunlight really well and the images on screen did not appear washed out at all. With photographs captured during the day we observed that all colours appear accurate and there was minimum amount of colour fringing even when facing the sunlight directly. A lot of detail was visible throughout all the images captured. The focusing of this camera is really quick which is a great feature of this camera. During low light photography we observed that detail was present and image grain was a minimum as well. While using the camera for macro shots, we noticed that there was a significant amount of depth of field but there was some slight focusing issue. However, once in focus, the camera shot the images well.

 

Verdict

The Nikon 1 J1 is available in India at a street price of 29,050 for the model with the 10-30mm lens.  The Nikon 1 J1 is attractively priced in comparison to the V1 but the higher end model does offer a handful of added features. The style factor, attractive features and great performances definitely make the J1 a model worth considering. This camera is funky, stylish and chic and it is aptly designed as a camera meant for the entire family or even novice photographers interested in using a camera that will offer great quality shots throughout. If one wants a camera solely for casual photography and is on a tight budget, then there are plenty of other standard compact cameras available in the market that can provide similar features although image quality will not be as good.

 

DESIGN AND BUILD

The modern styling is not really associated with these kind of cameras but having it is a very refreshing look and hence it manages to distinguish itself from the others. The camera is available in traditional camera colours such as black, silver and red and also in funky options such as white and baby pink. These cameras really stand out and can really appeal to the audience because of its looks. All the J1 cameras have a glossy front while the back has a black finish making it one classy camera.

 

VIDEO RECORDING

When it comes to video recording, the camera shoots full HD 1080i videos at 60fps, full HD 1080p videos at 30fps and HD 720p clips at 60fps. A neat feature in the camera is that it records video in slow motion and these videos are recorded at a resolution of 640 x 240 at 400fps.

 

ELECTRONIC SHUTTER

The camera features only an electronic shutter as compared to the mechanical and electronic shutter found on the Nikon 1 V1. So by featuring this sort of shutter, one can expect fast continuous shooting.

 

Specifications

10MP with CCD Senor

3x Optical Zoom

3 inch LCD Screen

HD Video recording

 

Exhibit Rating: 4.5/5

 

Price: Rs. 29,050/-