Armanius
Bring Jack back!
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- Name
- Jack
I received my Nikon V1 from Amazon today along with the 10-30, 30-110, and 10mm lenses. Even though it was a "new" camera, the V1 was clearly a return given that all the previous user info/settings were still in the V1. Whoever returned the camera forgot to push "reset." The photo identifier number was on frame 166. Boohoo to Amazon. Otherwise, the camera looked new.
I'm going to focus just on the ergonomics/controls/quality of the camera and lenses in this first post, as I haven't really taken any photos with it yet, other than playing with it in the office.
The V1 is pretty solid, built like a brick. Although it has no grip, it's still fairly easy to hold, because it's relatively thick. For someone with medium sized hands with long skinny fingers, the V1 is nicer to hold than the EPM1, S90, and GF3.
The rear LCD is very very nice - bright, good color fidelity, and great resolution. I haven't been out with it under the bright sunlight yet though.
The EVF is also nice and bright. The GH2's EVF is better though, but not by much in my opinion. On the V1, the lag between the time the LCD first blacks out and the EVF starts up bothers me. It takes about 1 second after the rear LCD blacks out before the EVF comes on. The sensor is overly sensitive too, and has about a range of 1-1.5 inches. So the view can switch to the EVF quite inadvertently, which can be annoying if you don't want it to switch to EVF.
For an enthusiast, the user interface of the V1 is also annoying. Remember the interface of the Sony NEX when it was originally released? It's like that ... aargh. There's no direct control for ISO and metering, which are the two shooting parameters that I typically change the most. So to access ISO and metering, you have to push "menu" and then scroll through the list of options. Unlike Nikon DSLR's (and most other cameras including point and shoots like the Canon S90, Panasonic TZ5, Leica VLux 20), there's no one button press that shows all the settings that one can change, and then allows the user to change them. The only shooting parameters with dedicated direct buttons are for AEL/AFL, exposure compensation, AF mode, and self timer. All of these direct buttons are part of the jog dial. The V1 doesn't allow for customization of those direct buttons. Firmware update please?
There's also a "F" button. But the only function the F button serves when the V1 is set for taking still photos is to change the type of shutter - mechanical, electronic or electronic (HI). There's no way to customize the F button either. Firmware update please?
The shutter button is pretty flat and nearly flush with the top plate of the V1, requiring the use of the finger tip to press the shutter. I like to use the bottom part of my index finger right at the first bending section of the finger to press the shutter. The flat and flush button makes it more difficult (although not impossible). The installation of a soft release button would be nice. I have a couple of soft release buttons that I use with the X10/X100, but it's the screw in type. There's no hole on the V1's shutter button.
The build of all three of the lenses that I got (10, 10-30, 30-110) are all decent. They are probably about as good as the Panasonic 14-45 (m4/3 format). They all have metal mounts. The 10 pancake fits a little too tight on the V1, and requires some force to get it on. The other two mount fairly smoothly. The zoom ring on the 30-110 starts out pretty smoothly, and then gets tight towards the long end. I am not sure if Nikon did that on purpose.
The 10 pancake is about the same size of the Panasonic 14/2.5 thickness wise. The 10's diameter is slightly smaller though. Both lenses are super light.
Both the 10-30 and 30-110 are collapsible lenses. When collapsed, the 10-30 is about the same size as the Olympus 14-42 (m4/3) in its collapsed form (if I remember correctly).
The 30-110 is slightly longer than the Panasonic Leica 25/1.4 (m4/3), but smaller in diameter. However, the 30-110 is about 0.5 inches shorter than the Olympus 40-150 (m4/3) when collapsed. At full zoom, the 30-110 is about 1.5 inches shorter than the 40-150 at full zoom. So if there's any size advantage offered by the Nikon 1 system, it's in the 30-110 lens. Unlike the 40-150, the 30-110 has built-in image stabilization (although Oly m4/3 cameras don't require lenses with IS, because of the in-body IS).
That's it for now.
@retow (and others with the J1/V1) - feel free to add to this thread.
And to everyone else, please feel free to chime-in and ask questions as well.
Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone!
I'm going to focus just on the ergonomics/controls/quality of the camera and lenses in this first post, as I haven't really taken any photos with it yet, other than playing with it in the office.
The V1 is pretty solid, built like a brick. Although it has no grip, it's still fairly easy to hold, because it's relatively thick. For someone with medium sized hands with long skinny fingers, the V1 is nicer to hold than the EPM1, S90, and GF3.
The rear LCD is very very nice - bright, good color fidelity, and great resolution. I haven't been out with it under the bright sunlight yet though.
The EVF is also nice and bright. The GH2's EVF is better though, but not by much in my opinion. On the V1, the lag between the time the LCD first blacks out and the EVF starts up bothers me. It takes about 1 second after the rear LCD blacks out before the EVF comes on. The sensor is overly sensitive too, and has about a range of 1-1.5 inches. So the view can switch to the EVF quite inadvertently, which can be annoying if you don't want it to switch to EVF.
For an enthusiast, the user interface of the V1 is also annoying. Remember the interface of the Sony NEX when it was originally released? It's like that ... aargh. There's no direct control for ISO and metering, which are the two shooting parameters that I typically change the most. So to access ISO and metering, you have to push "menu" and then scroll through the list of options. Unlike Nikon DSLR's (and most other cameras including point and shoots like the Canon S90, Panasonic TZ5, Leica VLux 20), there's no one button press that shows all the settings that one can change, and then allows the user to change them. The only shooting parameters with dedicated direct buttons are for AEL/AFL, exposure compensation, AF mode, and self timer. All of these direct buttons are part of the jog dial. The V1 doesn't allow for customization of those direct buttons. Firmware update please?
There's also a "F" button. But the only function the F button serves when the V1 is set for taking still photos is to change the type of shutter - mechanical, electronic or electronic (HI). There's no way to customize the F button either. Firmware update please?
The shutter button is pretty flat and nearly flush with the top plate of the V1, requiring the use of the finger tip to press the shutter. I like to use the bottom part of my index finger right at the first bending section of the finger to press the shutter. The flat and flush button makes it more difficult (although not impossible). The installation of a soft release button would be nice. I have a couple of soft release buttons that I use with the X10/X100, but it's the screw in type. There's no hole on the V1's shutter button.
The build of all three of the lenses that I got (10, 10-30, 30-110) are all decent. They are probably about as good as the Panasonic 14-45 (m4/3 format). They all have metal mounts. The 10 pancake fits a little too tight on the V1, and requires some force to get it on. The other two mount fairly smoothly. The zoom ring on the 30-110 starts out pretty smoothly, and then gets tight towards the long end. I am not sure if Nikon did that on purpose.
The 10 pancake is about the same size of the Panasonic 14/2.5 thickness wise. The 10's diameter is slightly smaller though. Both lenses are super light.
Both the 10-30 and 30-110 are collapsible lenses. When collapsed, the 10-30 is about the same size as the Olympus 14-42 (m4/3) in its collapsed form (if I remember correctly).
The 30-110 is slightly longer than the Panasonic Leica 25/1.4 (m4/3), but smaller in diameter. However, the 30-110 is about 0.5 inches shorter than the Olympus 40-150 (m4/3) when collapsed. At full zoom, the 30-110 is about 1.5 inches shorter than the 40-150 at full zoom. So if there's any size advantage offered by the Nikon 1 system, it's in the 30-110 lens. Unlike the 40-150, the 30-110 has built-in image stabilization (although Oly m4/3 cameras don't require lenses with IS, because of the in-body IS).
That's it for now.
@retow (and others with the J1/V1) - feel free to add to this thread.
And to everyone else, please feel free to chime-in and ask questions as well.
Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone!