master test W
ith Nikon’s consumer DSLR lineup displaying increasing compe-
tence at ever decreasing prices, it seemed almost inevitable that something had to come out to fill in the gap between the high-end compacts and a reasonable, sustainable position for F-mount camera production. Nikon’s Coolpix P-series, whilst feature-rich and competent, has not earned the same reputation as other raw-capable models, and the once common “bridge” camera seems to be falling out of fashion. However, few could have predicted the details of how Nikon would fill this gap. With the success of Sony’s APS-C NEX models, the Micro Four- Thirds cornucopia of mirrorless compacts, and Ricoh’s M-mount equipped GXR, the announce- ment of Pentax’s Q system seemed strange enough. When Nikon stepped up with the 1 – currently two bodies and four lenses, with many more planned – the rumoured mirrorless solu- tion was not the obvious path, rejecting the APS-C format for a completely original design. The new CX mount is
designed around an 8 x 13mm CMOS sensor (as near as dam- mit, a 1” sensor in old money, in film terms, it’s comparable to Kodak’s short-lived Disc); the initial V1 and J1 offer 10Mp, 12-bit raw capture and a variety of shooting modes from an electronic shutter, high- frame rate 60fps burst, to HD video and a headline-grabbing 1200fps capture mode. Other features include pre-capture – first seen on Samsung’s TL350/WB200 compact – and a possibly prescient “Motion Snapshot” which creates a mini HD movie and single shot, and plays it with themed music. This is, undoubtedly, of little interest professionally at the moment – yet with the emerging market for digital albums as a pre- packaged, professional product, any device that can support
MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY 8
photography
Richard Kilpatrick is one of the first journalists to have used the Nikon 1 system – pocket rocket, or not?
prototypes were even more dra- matic), whereas the V1 comes in black or white only. Both cameras offer the same range of video and scene capabilities, though the J1’s lack of acces- sory shoe precludes the remark- able expansion that Nikon is considering for the V1. Proto- types of an on-camera projector, large and touch screen controls, dental macro equipment with LED lighting were on display at the launch last month.
V1 with built-in finder, top – and J1 with flash extended to avoid fingers and close-to-axis light
In terms of construction, im- age quality and features, Nikon’s 1 is hard to fault. The 10Mp sensor allows good ISO 3200 performance, and a reasonable dynamic range – unlike their P-series compacts, the raw files look much more like DSLR captures. The 1200 fps mode is a gimmick, at a resolution so low as to be unusable, yet it hints at future directions Nikon may take. The 400fps VGA cap- ture may have more real-world relevance. The current selection of lenses comprise a 10mm ƒ2.8 “Pancake” lens, the 10- 30mm ƒ3.5-5.6 and 30-110mm VR ƒ3.8-5.6 variable aperture zooms, and the premium 10- 100mm ƒ4.5-5.6 Power Zoom, which was not available for review.
these animated snapshots will appeal hugely to consumers. Nikon’s first CX sensor is one of the first on the market with on-sensor phase detect AF; of- fering 73 focus points alongside the “whole sensor” flexibility of contrast detect. This “Hybrid AF” allows 10fps whilst focusing, and quick, quiet corrections during video recording. Subject tracking, face recognition and the “Smart Photo Selector” make photography practically foolproof, the latter function buffering up to 20 images around the instant of the shut- ter button being pressed, then selecting the best, plus four ad- ditional candidates. In practice, at least with faces, it works remarkably well – skipping the frames with blinks or shake.
The £850 V1, their flagship model, is equipped with an ac- cessory port, focal plane shutter, an inherently 100% coverage, 1.4Mp EVF; this is one of the better electronic viewfinders and is equal to the capture resolution of the first “usable” digital still cameras. Refresh rate, brightness and clarity of the V1’s EVF impress – though it still seems to lag slightly behind the large rear LCD. The dioptre adjustment is one of the first I’ve managed to get comfortable without glasses.
The cheaper J1 model, at around £500, not only loses these feature – it’s also smaller, and lacks such obvious metal construction, though it appears to have a metal skin. There’s a range of colour options (and the
The lens mount is metal, solid and has a substantial inner face with forward-facing electrical connections. A Nikon F-mount adaptor, the FT-1, will provide compatibility with most lenses, and a resulting 2.7x focal length multiplier will certainly appeal to the wildlife photographers. Interestingly, the hot mirror is well ahead of the sensor. In theory, it’s an ideal candidate for infra-red conver- sions in the future; the V1’s mechanical shutter sits ahead of the filter, another unusual detail.
Physically the lenses are much larger than the glass and sensor area should dictate. The pancake lens’ depth would certainly justify the designation for a 35mm derived system, but
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44