Nikon 1 impressions

I had the wonderful opportunity to try out Nikon's new 1 series cameras the other day.

OK, it wasn't anything official. I just picked them up in store and played with them.

Here are my impressions:

First, unlike what some people have been saying, I actually like the looks of the J1 and it's big viewfinder packing brother the V1. Yes, they both seem like Nikon borrowed heavily from Samsung's NX100 for design (which seems to borrow from the GF2). I usually prefer a nice grip on the front, but Nikon's 1 cams are both very easy to hold on to and (mostly) easy to use.

Now for the finer details. Nikon, you see, has gone ultra simple here. And this could be a deal breaker for some.

The mode dial has only 4 modes - still pics, smart photo (ie auto), movie, and motion snapshot. Yes, and they occupy about 40% of the physical space on said dial. Why they wouldn't even put PASM on it is beyond me - they had room. You can go into menus to switch to more manual shooting modes. Just like you can go into the menus to change ISO, WB or whatever... On cameras of this price I feel that an addition of quick function buttons for often accessed options is a no-brainer, but that's just me.

The Nikon J1 and V1 also have this odd toggly button on the top right corner that I find to be just plain odd. The bottom spinny dial is so nice and responsive, so what's the deal with this wonky sluggish thing? Why not just go with a simple jog dial as found on tons of other cameras in this or lower price ranges? Clicking it to move through apertures felt like a chore, and that's one place where you want a camera to work smoothly.

As for its ability to take pictures, it feels like the AF is fast and works well, and looking around online at samples it seems to be an easy competitor for the Olympus and Panasonic micro four-thirds cams or others of the same size and price range. So it seems like a decent entry into the field.

But if you look at features and usability compared to price, that becomes harder to say. It's similar in size to other entries into the field or slightly bigger, and lenses on the Nikon 1 system tend to be a bit slower (as in lower max aperture) than many of its competitors, and it's a bit on the pricey size. So what's there to set it apart, really?

If the 10mm pancake had been a bit faster, it would be a bit more compelling. Or if it had had more mode buttons. Or a fast long prime lens.

No, I'm not specifically looking for a new camera, but a piece of me was hoping the Nikon V1 (I want the viewfinder) would be so good I'd have to get it. But it isn't.

Maybe in 6 months or a year when new lenses or expanded functions in a firmware update come out, or when the price drops it might be what I am looking for.

Oh, and check this out. It's DigitalRev's Review of the V1. I agree with most of what Kai has to say here.