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Underwhelmed by the new Nikon format
#1

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1109/110921...launch.asp

My take - the announcement has a lot of "revolutionary" in it, but I do not see it. It may be quick for sport shooters or movie buffs. Apparently the lenses are roughly the size of Sonny NEX (I do not know if that is true). Since i see Sony's lenses as big and they are working with an APS-C sensor (about 1.5x), they sure are big on new Nikon format (2.7x). Furthermore, the lenses announced are slow, compounding the issue of smaller sensor, so I am guessing you can forget about shallow DOF. There seem to be a lot of fancy electronics in the camera to handhold you (and perhaps other more useful features for serious hobbyist too - I was not sure). If I was abandoning APS-C Nikon for a smaller format, I would go with Panasonic/Olympus. Perhaps over time Nikon will introduce bodies and lenses that would be of more interest to me, but I frankly expected a less "me too" product given the slow entry into the market.

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or at http://www.flickr.com/photos/pavel_photophile2008/ (all photos)
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#2

Pavel Wrote:http://www.dpreview.com/news/1109/110921...launch.asp

My take - the announcement has a lot of "revolutionary" in it, but I do not see it.
Well, it is the first new lens mount from Nikon since the Nikonos was introduced in 1963, so with the 2.7x conversion factor, that's the digital equivalent of 129.6 years. Big Grin

DPReview points out that the 1" sensor size is half the size of 4/3 and twice the size of 1/2.7", which is the biggest sensor found in fixed-lens cameras with zooms. Continuing the thought, the 4/3 size is half that of the mis-named APS-C, and that size is half that of 'full frame' 135 format. So allowing for some approximation, the math is fairly elegant.

If there's a point to it is an entirely different question – but some people will buy it just because it says Nikon and they assume it will be good, just like with the Coolpix line.

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#3

LIke Sony, the final proof of how useful this system is will be in the lens lineup (or like Sony in the lack of a lineup). The idea of putting largish lenses on a miniature camera just doesn't work for me. Panny and Oly are at last starting to "get" that basic concept and release a series of very compact lenses. You don't just carry the camera body, you carry the body with lens attached. Both have to be small or the whole concept is flawed.
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#4

It's great to see the EVIL segment turn into a bit of a battleground. Nikon's first attempt seems... okay.
I am a bit disappointed with the small sensor size as the whole appeal of EVIL cameras to me is to have a DSLR-like sensor in a small body. But I guess it makes sense for them to make a camera that attempts to steal sales away from other EVIL cameras without stealing sales away from their own DSLRs.
And... pink? Really? Who buys these things? It looks naked. Big Grin

But I am very interested in the slow-motion video aspects of this camera. The 320x240@1200fps would be interesting if a bit of a novelty, and 640x240@400fps is nearly very useful but the 240 vertical res kills it. I wish they had a few more options, such as 640x480@200fps or 480x320@400fps which should be no more demanding than 640x240@400fps.

But despite the EVIL explosion, I still haven't found anything to tempt me away from the M4/3 format... so far. I might be tempted to lean more towards Olympus than Panasonic these days, but still within the M4/3 camp. I really think Olympus are on the right track these days, and although Panasonic got it spot on with the GF1 + 20mm prime combo, they are in danger of dropping the ball a bit now.

For someone like me who enjoys shooting fast primes but wants a compact and affordable travel kit, the combination of an Olympus E-P3 body with a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens on it (and an Olympus 12mm f/2 lens in one jacket pocket and 45mm f/1.8 lens in the other) seems unbeatable in today's market.

Adrian Broughton
My Website: www.BroughtonPhoto.com.au
My Blog: blog.BroughtonPhoto.com.au
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"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Einstein.
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#5

Kombisaurus Wrote:For someone like me who enjoys shooting fast primes but wants a compact and affordable travel kit, the combination of an Olympus E-P3 body with a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens on it (and an Olympus 12mm f/2 lens in one jacket pocket and 45mm f/1.8 lens in the other) seems unbeatable in today's market.
I almost agree with your dream rig there, but I would still want a real viewfinder. That's something that Nikon (and Fuji) have done right - as has Panasonic in their G and GH lines. So far Oly hasn't seen fit to release any m43 body with an integral viewfinder. I'm no fan of tack on external viewfinders - as this makes the body not only larger, but more awkward to store and draw quickly.
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#6

To update my earlier snark, I forgot about the APS Pronea cameras, so the correct time is about 76 digital year-equivalents since the last new lens mount.

But the forgettable nature of their last attempt at a smaller-format consumer-friendly camera might be telling.

The price is a little eye-watering; the Pentax Q system is looking a lot more reasonable these days. But once they have some time to let the prices drop and the system matures, it could be interesting. Actually, that goes for both of those new mirrorless systems.

I've seen someone compare the size and weight of the Tamron 18-270mm lens for 1.5 crop cameras to the new motorized 10-100mm "1 Nikkor". That's a reach of 27-405mm versus 27-270, and the Tamron lens is the smaller of the two. Yes, the Tamron is small for a superzoom, but it covers a much bigger sensor. Comparing the Panasonic 14-140 (28-280) with the Nikon 28-300mm shows a clear size advantage for the smaller sensor, which makes a lot more sense. I don't understand this new system.

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#7

Regarding lenses, the three mentioned are just the launch lineup - there are more down the track. There's more coverage here, and you can see in one of the photos, there are seven additional lenses, although I can't spot any markings on them.

http://www.photographyblog.com/news/niko...on_photos/

Oh yeah, and 16 colour variants for the J1... Rolleyes
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#8

Toad Wrote:The idea of putting largish lenses on a miniature camera just doesn't work for me. Panny and Oly are at last starting to "get" that basic concept and release a series of very compact lenses. You don't just carry the camera body, you carry the body with lens attached. Both have to be small or the whole concept is flawed.
I'm with you there... In my mind, there's a fundamental line in the sand for portability, and that's whether the whole thing can fit into a jacket pocket. Anything bigger and you end up having to carry a separate camera bag, and if you're going to bring a bag full of gear anyway then why not just bring your DSLR? That's why I "get" the Fuji X100 and the X10, I "get" the CSC and pancake lenses, everything else, not so much.

By the way there's a nice microsite here which has a good picture and description of each part of the new system here;
http://mynikonlife.com.au/gear/nikon-1
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#9

shuttertalk Wrote:That's why I "get" the Fuji X100 and the X10...
We agree on that. If I was looking at a pocket portable to complement the M9, the x10 would be the one getting my money right now...
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#10

More first impressions from dpreview, if you haven't seen it already.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3281713...mpressions

Good summary here:

Quote:Mr Suzuki explains that both models are aimed at compact camera upgraders, with the difference being down to shooting style. The J is aimed at users who want a compact camera experience (LCD only), while the V is aimed at the higher-level user - a delineation Nikon has made through the addition of the EVF. This also explains the single control dial on the J; making the operation less complex.
I also like the diagram showing the "data processing" speed, claiming the Nikon 1 system to be comparable to a SR71, outclassing even Nikon's own D3X flagship... haha the marketing people must have been smoking some funky stuff there... Big Grin
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#11

Another hands on from the press event.
http://www.photographyblog.com/news/niko...n_preview/

Quote:At the launch event, Nikon organised a greyhound racing demonstration for the assembled press, allowing us to put the cameras’ focus tracking ability to the test. Some of the dogs were capable of running at speeds of up to 60 km/h – a tough test for any AF system, especially at close distances. Despite the challenging circumstances, the cameras’ keeper rates were surprisingly high.
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#12

Dpreview have posted their preview of the V1 and J1, if you haven't seen it already.
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikon1system/

Edit: actually, not much there at the moment. Just some test shots and sample pics.
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#13

Photographyblog have done a double whammy and have posted their reviews of the 10-30mm kit lens (roughly 28-80mm equivalent) and the 30-110mm (roughly 80-300mm equivalent).

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/n...56_review/
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/n...56_review/

Both feature VR and one major point they make is the lack of a manual focus ring. Instead, it's accessed via the menu, and controlled electronically using the dial at the back of the camera.

IQ is good for the 10-30mm and surprisingly good for the 30-110mm.
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#14

I like Photography Blog; I appreciate their enduring love of just about everything they test.* That's what makes their occasional gems really stand out: "a perfectly OK lens for a kit zoom … entirely adequate at all focal lengths" doesn't really make me want to run out and grab the V1 with the 10-30. But I am looking forward to trying it out when I can.

* they called the Pentax Q 'commercial suicide', which was awesome.

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#15

Haha I suppose you need to read between the lines. I'd love to see anyone publish "perfectly horrible lens for a kit zoom" and see if any manufacturer will send them review units again... Big Grin
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#16

Review of the 10mm f/2.8 here:
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/n...28_review/
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