Also if anyone does end up buying this camera and is surprised at how slow it is to shoot. Make sure you have a higher speed microSD card and that you turn off Image preview in settings. I remember seeing reviews for this years ago and reviewers were complaining about Burst shots taking forever to write to memory and slowing down the shooting process. They all had image preview on and the image doesn't leave your screen until all shots are processed. Also you can continue shooting while your camera is writing to memory so big heads up there.
@@TheAdimel 1000% a fantastic camera. I think the people that don't like it are being let down by the kit lenses it comes with. The prime lenses for the Nikon 1's really make these cameras shine ALOT. The 18.5mm is often reffered to the best lens for them after the highly rare 32mm and for good reason, its super versatile and gives you great images with little hassle. I love my 1 j5.
Glad to see this little guy get some love! I sold this camera back in 2018 and rebought it again last year. It's just such a pleasure to walk around with compared to the full frame z line for more casual shoots. While there are limitations (like low light noise performance), it's still a good deal of fun to use! I have found that the Nikon 10mm f2.8 (27mm ff equivalent), 18.5mm f 1.8 (50 mm ff equivalent) and the Meike 50mm f 1.7 (135mm ff equivalent) are my favorite, reasonably priced lenses native to the mount. These are so comically small compared the the full frame cameras that I find myself taking the camera more often and I have even produced images that have made it into my portfolio that otherwised wouldn't have happened. Thanks for the video and happy photo shooting all!
Im glad I got mine a few days ago from Japan. Its like I felt the disturbance in the force and my body knew that one of the photography vloggers was going to put out a video about it soon. Now to watch the prices skyrocket.
I had quite an extensive Nikon 1 system, with several bodies and quite a few lenses... and the aperture mechanism failed on two thirds of the lenses. I sold it all off before the rest failed. Such a disappointment.
The J5 is a killer camera, but the system had one serious problem that IMO killed it. It was the lens lineup and lack of reliability. The high quality lenses were expensive, and the 10-30 and 30-110 manual zoom lenses were pretty much guaranteed to fail. I owned the J1, J2, J3, S1, and J5 all at the the same time (I've got issues...) and went through a bunch of each kit lens. Ended up selling off everything but the J5, a 10-30mm power zoom, and the 18.5mm since those were the only reliable lenses I owned, and I still loved the system despite all it's issues. Recently picked up another 30-110mm and within a couple shoots it started to go bad. Of course it did... It's an awesome system, but anyone getting into it needs to keep in mind the lens reliability is horrific. You should expect to go through a few if sticking with the kit options, or pay a bundle to get one of the higher quality, reliable options.
Nikon 1 was a good idea in 2011 but in 2012 Sony launched the RX100: the same sensor, a much faster lens, IS and more compact. That really killed the Nikon 1. It had no chance between compacts like RX100 and larger sensor mirrorless using Micro 4/3 and APS-C. It was essentially the worst of the both. Sure it has telephoto option but many users already had their primary system for that.
@@okaro6595 Sony RX used Sony’s superior 1” image sensor. Whereas at least the early Nikon 1’s used an inferior Aptina sensor. There is no comparison in image quality, the Sony was/is so much better.
Even the expensive ones aren't that reliable. I've seen a few of the 32mm primes for sale with stuck apertures, and the ribbon cables in the 70-300mm zooms are prone break too. There's a guy in Taiwan that fixes them, making brass aperture gears that should last forever.
Great video. I use a J5 and V1, for me they are fine. I keep taking pictures I also can't afford to change with a young family. I'm out of the neverending camera race and will keep going with what I've got.😊
Definitely a favourite of mine, I had a J1 forced upon me by my Nikon rep when it was launched, took it with my on a trip next to my D700, and was convinced to keep it as a pocket camera. I ended up with a J5 (2020 FB marketplace purchase) and it really did illustrate how far this system had come. If you come across one, the 6.7-13mm is lots of fun, and the 10mm 2.8 keeps things very compact. Fast focus, good up to 1600 ISO and a pleasure to use (did you try the touch screen?). For those who have lens issues, have a dig around dpreview, there is someone who still services them (I am waiting on my 10mm to come back)
@@MrBaskins2010 M is hidden deep in a menu...but the controls are painfully small.... Rear dial + rocker switch in the top corner. I just use mine (and the J5) as aperture priority cameras
J1- J3: $150-200 J4-J5 :$250-$300 Nex 5r :$200-$300 IMO try to get the J3 for under $150 or just go ahead and get the NEX5r/t so you can get some glass more easily 😉
Thanks Gordon! I'll confess, I completely dismissed these cameras when they first came out. How wrong was I!? This J5 in particular I've grown very fond of.
@@TomCalton I think something that made no sense or didn't appeal at the time may feel very different now, especially at a low price. Pure nostalgia makes me love most of the retro stuff I buy now even if it was a bit poor in the day!
I bought an AW 1 shortly after its release specifically for water sports, snorkeling both in Aruba and Maui. After reading many horror stories about water leaks destroying the camera I chose not to risk it and it sort of sat unused for a few years. I then rediscovered as a great street camera with the 10mm lens, rugged and great for cold weather. It needs good outdoor light but fun to shoot with. Coincidently, after going down a Nikon 1 series rabbit hole last week, I purchased a J5 body 2 days ago intrigued by the articulating screen, spec bumps, and the good fortune that I already had 2 lenses to use with it. Arrives via Fed Ex tomorrow! If I love it I'll consider buying another lens for it>
I am what today is known as a boomer, I have been an Olympus user since 1975, in fact I still own my original OM 1, and still works fine. Recently I have become very fond of the Nikon 1 series I purchased a J3 & J4 second hand at a great price. I like the art decoish design, they are very good looking cameras, and work as well as described. They are beginning to become scarse, I truly enjoy the system carry one with me at all times.
I own J4, stopped using it when the aperture on my 10mm died. Nikon 1 system lenses are so unreliable, plagued with broken flex cables and aperture gears.
Careful with buying these, a lot of the Nikon 1 lenses have nowadays a cracked gear on the aperture control motor resulting in loss of aperture control.
It was an excellent system. The fastest autofocus and compact size. There was nothing better. But this system was criticized for the honest, unembellished image it produced. I still use the J1 and J5 as pocket cameras. No one has made anything better. It's a shame that Nikon stopped producing this system. And by the way, the prices for these cameras are rising year after year.
"No one has made anything better." The EOS-M lineup (M6 and M200 being particularly notable) with their APS-C sensors and similarly small size to the 1-Series just might challenge that statement. That, and I have access to a myriad of inexpensive (or what I already own) Canon EF-S glass that won't produce any crop when adapted. That's what pulled me over from the 1-Seires when I was heavily debating ~3 months ago. I'm satisfied I made the right choice after several local and long-distance travel shoots.
@@TheAdimel This is absolutely correct, which is why I said "similarly small size." By that, I meant the M6 is only marginally larger. The M200 even less so. IMHO not enough difference in size that it matters in the real world. It still easily fits in a normal sized purse or fanny-pack. And for that negligible size difference you gain: 146% larger sensor; 14% more MP; DOUBLE the ISO (not trivial for low-light capability); 10% more battery capacity/shots; auto exposure bracketing (great for landscape); and ability to adapt multiple lenses I and many others already own with NO CROP. I'm not disrespecting the 1 series in any way. I do think the OP's claim that "No one has made anything better" was/is a bit of a stretch.
@@ronaldb4885 yup I had xt100 with manual lens also and Canon eos r, but for easy of use and street thing I prefer the j5, I also had a6400 with sigma lens ,but still had love with j5 for the compact, the m6 had a nice optional evf that was a cool thing with 11fps for photo it's a good camera too
I was a lifelong Nikon fan and had the very first one of this series. And I was so disappointed got rid of it in first week of use. And switched over to Sony.
Back in 2018 I decided to upgrade from shooting DSLR to mirrorless, so I Picked up the Nikon 1 J5 with a 10-30mm power zoom kit lens for about $400. I absolutely hated how little its lens selection was back in the day. I stuck with it only for about a year before I finally switched to Sony A6500.
I like to combine my two hobbies: endurance training and photography. The Nikon 1 is great because I can put it in my backpocket on my cycling jersey. By the way, it is easy to use the 1 together with full frame lenses. Put a cheap, small,old manual 300mm lens on the Nikon 1 and you get a 810mm equivalent!
@@peterrichards3280 They've actually been like that for a while before this, actually. Someone else might've done a video on them recently, but it's been consistently around there for a good bit now. Been checking on other cameras, so I've spent quite a bit of time on all the sites and seeing these everywhere.
I have one of these and I love it because I have an F mount adapter so I can use even really old Nikkor lenses on it. They're not super contrasty but still fun since I have almost a dozen F mount lenses.
My first and still my own camera is a pentax k10d 😂 I’m gonna invest in a new one this summer but with the kit lens 18-55 I’ve been having a great time and while 10Mpx is ridiculously small, I’ve been capturing amazing shots with it 🎉
The original N1 with built in evf, full size sd card and huge battery (same as the battery found in all Nikon pro cameras off the time) is the one to go for. Pair it up with a 9mm (28mm equivalent) lens and you are set to go 👍🏻
Hello,Sir! I have one. That was a good camera for the beginner. I used it for many years. But, this J5 was show in 2015. It also as your say, it was 1 inch cmos. Everything were good as every famous nikon z serious camera. However, it just good for the very good condition day. If the cloudy day. You will meet some trouble. Nowaday, other nikon z serious cameras were going down. Such as Z5. You need to upgrade. Buy a new full frame such as Z5 or Z6. J5 was standby machine. I was planning to do it.
Want more out of the camera, nikon also made a fx to cx adapter. During the 2023 eclipse I used the adapter and my full frame 80-400 lens with my J5 to get a equivalent focal range of 1080mm. My J5 turned out to be a decent third camera during the event. The problems with the adapter is that you only get center point focus and constantly changing focus drains the tiny battery.
WiFi button issue, is there an airplane mode to essentially disable the button? I have recently got myself a V1 and the 18mm 1.8. Really impressive 10mp sensor working with the raw files.
I really enjoyed j5, sad that nikon was close to getting it right. Wished the continued the software support. Dji got it right. With the dlog and superior low light, and gimbal. Just dont crop both j5 and pocket 3 images
@@TomCalton Sometimes I use it, when I want to take casual photos on the street or on trips. It's small, focuses very quickly and feels better than a cell phone. I'd use it a lot more if there were more lenses. It kind of reminds me of the Samsung NX-Mini (Which I also have).
I'm still in love with the Nikon 1 V2, it is just so extra. I just wish the 32mm f/1.2 wasn't still $600 used. that's the one lens I really want but still don't have.
Own a J5. I love the sensor. Although not entirely clean at high ISO, the noise is quite pleasing (better than a7 II). The BW profile is amazing. Bad thing about Nikon is always the software. From the firmware on the camera itself to the supporting apps. What really stopping me from using it more: the camera firmware is so shitty; it refuses to aid you in any way (even a simple auto ISO or show magnifier mode to help focusing) when using non chip lenses. And their lenses start showing issues: small plastic (nylon) gear that driving the aperture blades broke.
Just got a Nikon 1V1 with the 10-30 kit lens for a good price and I'm quite impressed with the image quality and color rendition. One dissapointement though, it does not work with non electronic lens adapters, so I'm not going to be able to use my M42 lenses on this camera.
My first removable lens camera was a nikon 1 j3, and then i replaced it with the j5. I enjoyed the hell out of it at the time, but i didnt use it its fullest at the time, did go to japan with me 3 times though. Ultimately it just wasnt as good as my a6400 that i replaced it with.
Unfortunately I've only ever tried it out with the 18.5mm so I wouldn't be qualified to say which lenses are the best. I'm sure there will be other videos on YT though which might answer this question. Sorry I can't be more help!
They're all pretty good while they work. The 30-110 was the one I used the most, 300mm field of view in a jacket pocket. Don't pay too much for a used one though, as they're prone to stuck apertures and focus cable breakages. Expect 3-5 years from a new one. I heard the PD zooms are pretty reliable as long as you don't drop them.
There are multiple versions of the 10-30, I think some are better than others. My early one is not that great. 18.5, 32 and 70-300 are apparently the better ones. Although apart from the 18.5 they are expensive. My 10 is also decent for the price, small too.
I turned one of those into a full-spectrum camera once. And I replaced the flash unit with a wired shutter release socket. Man it was a p.i.t.a. to micro solder wire leads to the actual shutter switch. Good times, fond memories! Actually I still have a stock one as it shoots 1200FPS video
It's a beautiful little camera. And yes, I remember the older soap bar ones that didn't look as nice. I really wish we still had someone putting out new 1" sensor cameras today.
The black V3 “Pro” model Nikon 1 has an 18.5MP chip not as nice as the 20.8 Sony chip in the J5 but still nice. A separate EVF that mates with the smart shoe is expensive but works well. Also can be fitted with a grip.
I use the v2 it could be better but this camera was not intended to be compared to 2024 models or the upcoming 25 models. Nikon V2 works as advertised every time if it starts getting Finicky in low light Soviet switch over to manual settings, and then continue. These cameras are actually pretty amazing based on my experience.😊
Bought a J1 at a thrift store with batteries, a 10mm and an 18.5mm lens for under $100 Canadian. Fun little camera that takes nice photos. I thought about getting more lenses for it but keep hearing about how unreliable they are so not bothering. I had some old film era Pentax K manual lenses ( 28mm 2.8 and a 50mm 1.7) and got an adaptor to fit them to the nikon J1. Get some interesting results from it and actually looks kind of cool with the old lenses on it.
I agree. I think m43 is the sweet spot for many applications. Small enough form-factor to be either a pocket-friendly camera to take everywhere or have a massive zoom range without looking like an idiot and dragging like a donkey, but large enough sensor to get professional-looking results with nice bokeh. And best of all, loads of great, affordable lenses out there!
@@VeitLehmann I just checked, but my GM5 is basically the same size, while having a biger sensor, an EVF and indeed a much wider range of lenses available.
The Nikon processing engine is great for landscapes because it can handle strong highlights and still produce amazing colours. These days though you should get the z30
I had the V1 and a couple 1-series primes when they came out. It was quiet, shot devilishly fast, and was really a joy. But IQ in anything other than bright light was sorely lacking. The 1-series couldn’t compete at all with Sony’s RX cameras at the time. Although some Nikon APS and full frame bodies used Sony sensors, the 1-series were hobbled by a mediocre 1” sensor from a relatively unknown supplier (Aptina). Excessive grain shooting handheld in low light. And a lot of light pooling around street lights at night as well. It did OK on long night exposures when a tripod allowed a long shutter speed and ISO 100, but for all’round daily/nightly carry it just didn’t deliver enough quality in enough lighting scenarios. But I still smile when thinking about how joyful it was for how fast, quiet, and small in hand it was.
I got a J2 after my Sony A55 succumbed to a cider-related inciident on a sunny afternoon after visiting Lullingstone in Kent. I needed something for the remaining 2/3 of my holiday. I loved the way I could fit it in a jacket pocket, and the 10MP images were quite adequate, particularly as I didn't want to crop very much. I followed it up with a V1, which was even better: a little bulkier in the body, but the EVF made a lot of difference. If you consider that Sony;s RX100 has been enormously popular with a 1" sensor, and a fixed 3x zoom lens, it makes sense that a camera like this with an effective 11x zoom range (10-30 and 30-110) plus the availability of several fixed focal length lenses could be an ideal travel camera. Apart from the physical problems (like the wifii button on yours, or the similarly problematic selector wheel under your thumb on earlier models) the earlier cameras really suffered from lack of a tilting/articulated screen, and horrubly unreliable lenses. You rightly say that you can often get the camera with a lens, but it's worth noting that what you often get is a camera body and a 30-110 lens because that's the one which gets less use and consequently is more likely to still be functioning. I think that, apart from its just being released before people got an idea of how such a camera could be any good, it also suffered from Nikon's policy of making multiple variants instead of doing one really well.
Such a great video series showcasing all of these old and forgotten cameras - it might put up their prices, but hopefully this also saves them from becoming e-waste. I’m glad I didn’t have money when all of these cameras were around as I would have bought most of these 😅
I have a Nikon 1 S2 and the only thing I felt bad about was that I did not get the 4K video. But then again that 4K video at 15 fps was a mistake anyway. Nikon should have pushed it to 16 fps. I think that if you start with 16 fps, a good programmer could have synthesized intermediate frames in post capable of being viewed at 24 fps. It still would not be wonderful video, but it would have been better. My Dad had an old 8mm film camera that used 16mm film which had to be flipped half way. It filmed at 16 fps, so I know what it's like.
Because a 1-inch sensor packs more pixels into a given area, attaching one of these Nikon 1 cameras to a telescope using a T-mount adapter might make a decent little astronomical camera.
Nikon is 1 is a good system, portable with good IQ and handling, cx 70-300 is my favorite lens, V3 my favorite body as it has a EVF and functional grip. J5 provides best IQ, my best choice for macro with FT1 adapted DX 40mm Macro, sadly the system discontinued. Would be a top choice for BIF and aviation show if there was a 100-500 VR native tele-lens.
Would be interesting to compare this with the V1 I picked up a couple months ago. Really dig that camera, and got it for $75. Even uses the same batteries as my D810, so I was set with that guy.
The Nikon 1 series was a total bomb - remember many of the 'I'm not paid, I'm an independent reviewers and I didn't get a free camera' pushing the format ? 60 FPS - YES - BUT they all have a TINY buffer....now it's a steal based current prices on the last models - just don't expect too much - have fun.
These are cool. But they all died because camera companies failed to understand that smartphone cameras were better everyday carry cameras. And they still are today.
Yeah, hard to believe this camera's photo and video capabilities (no bonifide 4K and I wonder about stabilization) could keep up with a modern high end smart phone. This is something fun and small to shoot with that people are going to appreciate the experience and cute factor of.
i see all of your videos bc im from argentina and im poor af. every day I try to save but here the cameras are twice or triple as expensive as outside. One day I will be able to buy one of these cameras that you show in your videos and I like them so much. more than anything the compact ones
The power lever return of my J5 went broken after 1 to 2 years of use, besides my V1 viewfinder and monitor switch did not function after around 1 year . According to my personal experience, the Nikon 1 series seems not as reliable as Nikon's DSLR. Beware!
Outrageously expensive in Australia and very rare. Lens failures make it a dodgy second hand proposition. And they make the camera junk when they fail.
This is great for street. Very unassuming and no one cares. It's hard to pick this up because there are so many other options, but I did take it to Europe with also good results.
As soon as a RUclipsr touts how little he paid for a camera on eBay the price immediately doubles for everybody else.
That’s kind of the point. Did you not notice that all these channels all bring up the same crap at the same time? Same with the Fuji 100v scam.
@@suluturnip that fuji shit got me so pissed off lmao
hardly haha hes only got 140k subs. and the prices of these are dirt cheap still
The price is already up. a Body is nolonger $180, its now like $230.
...and anything rated far too pricy -
only goes up to far more pricy...
ignoring this stuff -
gives peace of Mind and the precious Moneyyy$$$
Also if anyone does end up buying this camera and is surprised at how slow it is to shoot. Make sure you have a higher speed microSD card and that you turn off Image preview in settings. I remember seeing reviews for this years ago and reviewers were complaining about Burst shots taking forever to write to memory and slowing down the shooting process. They all had image preview on and the image doesn't leave your screen until all shots are processed. Also you can continue shooting while your camera is writing to memory so big heads up there.
You are 1000% right here - thanks for sharing!
But its a good camera and i still use it for street photography
@@TheAdimel 1000% a fantastic camera. I think the people that don't like it are being let down by the kit lenses it comes with. The prime lenses for the Nikon 1's really make these cameras shine ALOT. The 18.5mm is often reffered to the best lens for them after the highly rare 32mm and for good reason, its super versatile and gives you great images with little hassle. I love my 1 j5.
Glad to see this little guy get some love!
I sold this camera back in 2018 and rebought it again last year. It's just such a pleasure to walk around with compared to the full frame z line for more casual shoots. While there are limitations (like low light noise performance), it's still a good deal of fun to use!
I have found that the Nikon 10mm f2.8 (27mm ff equivalent), 18.5mm f 1.8 (50 mm ff equivalent) and the Meike 50mm f 1.7 (135mm ff equivalent) are my favorite, reasonably priced lenses native to the mount. These are so comically small compared the the full frame cameras that I find myself taking the camera more often and I have even produced images that have made it into my portfolio that otherwised wouldn't have happened.
Thanks for the video and happy photo shooting all!
And its unavailable
It's available in Indonesia. And we pay less than 250$. bcs no people paying attention of 1 inch sensor in here 😂
@@alfathsayyidina masih ada barunya gak sih ini bang? second beserakan sih di fb marketplace
@@alfathsayyidina yang trend sekarang ya kamera pocket
There's usually plenty available on eBay
There are literally tons of them on eBay right this second. Honestly, have you even tried looking? 😅
Im glad I got mine a few days ago from Japan. Its like I felt the disturbance in the force and my body knew that one of the photography vloggers was going to put out a video about it soon. Now to watch the prices skyrocket.
wanted my old E-PM1 from high school and then some dude made a video on it
"looks like a needle but works like a sewing machine" - write that down quick, boys
lmfao
Way ahead of you, pal!
5:40 Nice one! I may use it some time!
Nothing like having a view finder on bright days. Cameras without view finders look like toys to me.
I had quite an extensive Nikon 1 system, with several bodies and quite a few lenses... and the aperture mechanism failed on two thirds of the lenses. I sold it all off before the rest failed. Such a disappointment.
You're easily the funniest camera RUclipsr. And I like that you focus on older and exotic systems.
The J5 is a killer camera, but the system had one serious problem that IMO killed it. It was the lens lineup and lack of reliability. The high quality lenses were expensive, and the 10-30 and 30-110 manual zoom lenses were pretty much guaranteed to fail.
I owned the J1, J2, J3, S1, and J5 all at the the same time (I've got issues...) and went through a bunch of each kit lens. Ended up selling off everything but the J5, a 10-30mm power zoom, and the 18.5mm since those were the only reliable lenses I owned, and I still loved the system despite all it's issues. Recently picked up another 30-110mm and within a couple shoots it started to go bad. Of course it did...
It's an awesome system, but anyone getting into it needs to keep in mind the lens reliability is horrific. You should expect to go through a few if sticking with the kit options, or pay a bundle to get one of the higher quality, reliable options.
Nikon 1 was a good idea in 2011 but in 2012 Sony launched the RX100: the same sensor, a much faster lens, IS and more compact. That really killed the Nikon 1. It had no chance between compacts like RX100 and larger sensor mirrorless using Micro 4/3 and APS-C. It was essentially the worst of the both. Sure it has telephoto option but many users already had their primary system for that.
@@okaro6595 Sony RX used Sony’s superior 1” image sensor. Whereas at least the early Nikon 1’s used an inferior Aptina sensor. There is no comparison in image quality, the Sony was/is so much better.
Even the expensive ones aren't that reliable. I've seen a few of the 32mm primes for sale with stuck apertures, and the ribbon cables in the 70-300mm zooms are prone break too. There's a guy in Taiwan that fixes them, making brass aperture gears that should last forever.
Reason enough not to buy into this discontinued system!
@@KOrnhOliO1 Yup. Not a camera system for the everyperson that's for sure.
Great video. I use a J5 and V1, for me they are fine. I keep taking pictures I also can't afford to change with a young family. I'm out of the neverending camera race and will keep going with what I've got.😊
Definitely a favourite of mine, I had a J1 forced upon me by my Nikon rep when it was launched, took it with my on a trip next to my D700, and was convinced to keep it as a pocket camera. I ended up with a J5 (2020 FB marketplace purchase) and it really did illustrate how far this system had come. If you come across one, the 6.7-13mm is lots of fun, and the 10mm 2.8 keeps things very compact. Fast focus, good up to 1600 ISO and a pleasure to use (did you try the touch screen?).
For those who have lens issues, have a dig around dpreview, there is someone who still services them (I am waiting on my 10mm to come back)
the J1 didnt have manual exposure settings which pissed me off
@@MrBaskins2010 M is hidden deep in a menu...but the controls are painfully small.... Rear dial + rocker switch in the top corner. I just use mine (and the J5) as aperture priority cameras
J1- J3: $150-200
J4-J5 :$250-$300
Nex 5r :$200-$300
IMO try to get the J3 for under $150 or just go ahead and get the NEX5r/t so you can get some glass more easily 😉
Nice video - I remember testing all the Nikon 1 products when they were first launched and really liked them.
Thanks Gordon! I'll confess, I completely dismissed these cameras when they first came out. How wrong was I!? This J5 in particular I've grown very fond of.
@@TomCalton I think something that made no sense or didn't appeal at the time may feel very different now, especially at a low price. Pure nostalgia makes me love most of the retro stuff I buy now even if it was a bit poor in the day!
I bought an AW 1 shortly after its release specifically for water sports, snorkeling both in Aruba and Maui. After reading many horror stories about water leaks destroying the camera I chose not to risk it and it sort of sat unused for a few years. I then rediscovered as a great street camera with the 10mm lens, rugged and great for cold weather. It needs good outdoor light but fun to shoot with. Coincidently, after going down a Nikon 1 series rabbit hole last week, I purchased a J5 body 2 days ago intrigued by the articulating screen, spec bumps, and the good fortune that I already had 2 lenses to use with it. Arrives via Fed Ex tomorrow! If I love it I'll consider buying another lens for it>
8:18 blimey! That was quick & quiet. But you know it’s not the size of the sensor if you know how to use it. (:
I am what today is known as a boomer, I have been an Olympus user since 1975, in fact I still own my original OM 1, and still works fine.
Recently I have become very fond of the Nikon 1 series I purchased a J3 & J4 second hand at a great price. I like the art decoish design, they are very good looking cameras, and work as well as described. They are beginning to become scarse, I truly enjoy the system carry one with me at all times.
Hi Tom. Of any of the Nikon 1 cameras you've tried do any have a screen that can flip up or even to the side ala selfie mode?
I own J4, stopped using it when the aperture on my 10mm died. Nikon 1 system lenses are so unreliable, plagued with broken flex cables and aperture gears.
Careful with buying these, a lot of the Nikon 1 lenses have nowadays a cracked gear on the aperture control motor resulting in loss of aperture control.
So, buy a new for next to nothing.
@@simenq Friend of mine bought 3 trying to get a working one and all 3 lenses were broken.
@@christophmuller3511 Sorry to hear that.
It was an excellent system. The fastest autofocus and compact size. There was nothing better. But this system was criticized for the honest, unembellished image it produced. I still use the J1 and J5 as pocket cameras. No one has made anything better. It's a shame that Nikon stopped producing this system. And by the way, the prices for these cameras are rising year after year.
"No one has made anything better." The EOS-M lineup (M6 and M200 being particularly notable) with their APS-C sensors and similarly small size to the 1-Series just might challenge that statement. That, and I have access to a myriad of inexpensive (or what I already own) Canon EF-S glass that won't produce any crop when adapted. That's what pulled me over from the 1-Seires when I was heavily debating ~3 months ago. I'm satisfied I made the right choice after several local and long-distance travel shoots.
@@ronaldb4885the m6 is bigger than j5
@@TheAdimel This is absolutely correct, which is why I said "similarly small size." By that, I meant the M6 is only marginally larger. The M200 even less so. IMHO not enough difference in size that it matters in the real world. It still easily fits in a normal sized purse or fanny-pack. And for that negligible size difference you gain: 146% larger sensor; 14% more MP; DOUBLE the ISO (not trivial for low-light capability); 10% more battery capacity/shots; auto exposure bracketing (great for landscape); and ability to adapt multiple lenses I and many others already own with NO CROP. I'm not disrespecting the 1 series in any way. I do think the OP's claim that "No one has made anything better" was/is a bit of a stretch.
@@ronaldb4885 yup I had xt100 with manual lens also and Canon eos r, but for easy of use and street thing I prefer the j5, I also had a6400 with sigma lens ,but still had love with j5 for the compact, the m6 had a nice optional evf that was a cool thing with 11fps for photo it's a good camera too
Idk If it were me, I would save an extra hundred for some Olympus E-M10 model. Way more robust and capable.
Yes I have 2 of these Js and an em10 mkiii and the Olympus blows the Nikons away and much better lenses available
Can you also review Pentax Qs1 series ? If you have one and its lens
It's definitely on my list 👌🏻
I was a lifelong Nikon fan and had the very first one of this series. And I was so disappointed got rid of it in first week of use. And switched over to Sony.
I have the white J1 and silver J5. I have all white matching lenses for the J1. They are both great street cameras.
Back in 2018 I decided to upgrade from shooting DSLR to mirrorless, so I Picked up the Nikon 1 J5 with a 10-30mm power zoom kit lens for about $400. I absolutely hated how little its lens selection was back in the day. I stuck with it only for about a year before I finally switched to Sony A6500.
I had the j1 when it first came out and loved it… this makes me want to pick up the 5. What a shame they were discontinued
I like to combine my two hobbies: endurance training and photography. The Nikon 1 is great because I can put it in my backpocket on my cycling jersey. By the way, it is easy to use the 1 together with full frame lenses. Put a cheap, small,old manual 300mm lens on the Nikon 1 and you get a 810mm equivalent!
I tried a V1 years ago and opted for a Panasonic Lx100MK1 over it. Much more capable camera camera and almost the same size.
Could it take a 1tb micro SD?
there goes the prices 🫡
$350+USD already on ebay...
@@peterrichards3280 They've actually been like that for a while before this, actually. Someone else might've done a video on them recently, but it's been consistently around there for a good bit now. Been checking on other cameras, so I've spent quite a bit of time on all the sites and seeing these everywhere.
@@peterrichards3280I own a couple of these Js not worth that much, better of with a m43 for that price like an Olympus omd-10 mkiii
Had mine since the J5 was available in the shops, love it's size and contro!s, use it regularly particularly for street photography.
I have one of these and I love it because I have an F mount adapter so I can use even really old Nikkor lenses on it. They're not super contrasty but still fun since I have almost a dozen F mount lenses.
1:51 is it safe to dip your camera to the water?
My first and still my own camera is a pentax k10d 😂 I’m gonna invest in a new one this summer but with the kit lens 18-55 I’ve been having a great time and while 10Mpx is ridiculously small, I’ve been capturing amazing shots with it 🎉
Question!!! What lenses works with this camera I found the body but I need to make sure about the lenses can you recommend me some please
The original N1 with built in evf, full size sd card and huge battery (same as the battery found in all Nikon pro cameras off the time) is the one to go for.
Pair it up with a 9mm (28mm equivalent) lens and you are set to go 👍🏻
I hated that button for wifi so much I 3d printed a cover and super glued it.
Hello,Sir! I have one. That was a good camera for the beginner. I used it for many years. But, this J5 was show in 2015. It also as your say, it was 1 inch cmos. Everything were good as every famous nikon z serious camera. However, it just good for the very good condition day. If the cloudy day. You will meet some trouble. Nowaday, other nikon z serious cameras were going down. Such as Z5. You need to upgrade. Buy a new full frame such as Z5 or Z6. J5 was standby machine. I was planning to do it.
Want more out of the camera, nikon also made a fx to cx adapter. During the 2023 eclipse I used the adapter and my full frame 80-400 lens with my J5 to get a equivalent focal range of 1080mm. My J5 turned out to be a decent third camera during the event.
The problems with the adapter is that you only get center point focus and constantly changing focus drains the tiny battery.
Interchangeable lens 1" cameras? I learn something new every day.
Check out the Samsung NX Mini too 😊
6:19 have you ever tried V30 MicroSDs?
WiFi button issue, is there an airplane mode to essentially disable the button? I have recently got myself a V1 and the 18mm 1.8. Really impressive 10mp sensor working with the raw files.
What lense mount it is compatible with??? Can it take manual lense?
It's a weird one, it's the "1-mount" or Nikkor 1-mount 🤷🏻♂️ there is an adapter for older Nikon glass from the film manual and AF days though
The CX line of lenses (“Nikon 1”). The FT1 adapter allows certain FX lenses.
which is the zoom lens compatible with this?
I gave up using my j5 as the on/off button spring broke, the screen popped off and it often overheated among other reasons.
I really enjoyed j5, sad that nikon was close to getting it right. Wished the continued the software support.
Dji got it right. With the dlog and superior low light, and gimbal.
Just dont crop both j5 and pocket 3 images
This has got me wanting to pull mine out of the cupboard! 😊😊
I have the Nikon 1 J4, got it for about $100 some years ago, it's a nice tiny camera but there are no lenses available at all.
Nice! Do you use it often?
@@TomCalton Sometimes I use it, when I want to take casual photos on the street or on trips. It's small, focuses very quickly and feels better than a cell phone.
I'd use it a lot more if there were more lenses. It kind of reminds me of the Samsung NX-Mini (Which I also have).
Are you in Peterborough? If so im so close to you in spalding
I'm still in love with the Nikon 1 V2, it is just so extra. I just wish the 32mm f/1.2 wasn't still $600 used. that's the one lens I really want but still don't have.
Own a J5. I love the sensor. Although not entirely clean at high ISO, the noise is quite pleasing (better than a7 II). The BW profile is amazing. Bad thing about Nikon is always the software. From the firmware on the camera itself to the supporting apps. What really stopping me from using it more: the camera firmware is so shitty; it refuses to aid you in any way (even a simple auto ISO or show magnifier mode to help focusing) when using non chip lenses. And their lenses start showing issues: small plastic (nylon) gear that driving the aperture blades broke.
Just got a Nikon 1V1 with the 10-30 kit lens for a good price and I'm quite impressed with the image quality and color rendition. One dissapointement though, it does not work with non electronic lens adapters, so I'm not going to be able to use my M42 lenses on this camera.
2 months later I added the 1v2 to my collection, which really is an improvement to the 1v1 and a Panasonic G5 to play around with old glass 😊😊
Enjoy this camera every once a while I want to travel light...you reminded me to pull this out of the cupboard again 😊
My first removable lens camera was a nikon 1 j3, and then i replaced it with the j5. I enjoyed the hell out of it at the time, but i didnt use it its fullest at the time, did go to japan with me 3 times though. Ultimately it just wasnt as good as my a6400 that i replaced it with.
Tom, do you have any opinions on which lenses are the best? I have the 18.5mm and the 10-30 and I like them both.
Unfortunately I've only ever tried it out with the 18.5mm so I wouldn't be qualified to say which lenses are the best. I'm sure there will be other videos on YT though which might answer this question. Sorry I can't be more help!
They're all pretty good while they work. The 30-110 was the one I used the most, 300mm field of view in a jacket pocket. Don't pay too much for a used one though, as they're prone to stuck apertures and focus cable breakages. Expect 3-5 years from a new one. I heard the PD zooms are pretty reliable as long as you don't drop them.
There are multiple versions of the 10-30, I think some are better than others. My early one is not that great.
18.5, 32 and 70-300 are apparently the better ones. Although apart from the 18.5 they are expensive.
My 10 is also decent for the price, small too.
I turned one of those into a full-spectrum camera once. And I replaced the flash unit with a wired shutter release socket. Man it was a p.i.t.a. to micro solder wire leads to the actual shutter switch. Good times, fond memories!
Actually I still have a stock one as it shoots 1200FPS video
It's a beautiful little camera. And yes, I remember the older soap bar ones that didn't look as nice. I really wish we still had someone putting out new 1" sensor cameras today.
The black V3 “Pro” model Nikon 1 has an 18.5MP chip not as nice as the 20.8 Sony chip in the J5 but still nice. A separate EVF that mates with the smart shoe is expensive but works well. Also can be fitted with a grip.
I use the v2 it could be better but this camera was not intended to be compared to 2024 models or the upcoming 25 models. Nikon V2 works as advertised every time if it starts getting Finicky in low light Soviet switch over to manual settings, and then continue. These cameras are actually pretty amazing based on my experience.😊
I picked one up a few months ago for $150 with two lenses and it’s awesome
Nikon should bring back this design as the ZFC mini. There's something so cool about a Point and shoot that looks retro
Bought a J1 at a thrift store with batteries, a 10mm and an 18.5mm lens for under $100 Canadian. Fun little camera that takes nice photos. I thought about getting more lenses for it but keep hearing about how unreliable they are so not bothering. I had some old film era Pentax K manual lenses ( 28mm 2.8 and a 50mm 1.7) and got an adaptor to fit them to the nikon J1. Get some interesting results from it and actually looks kind of cool with the old lenses on it.
I see no reason at all to pick this over my tiny M43 Lumix camera.
I agree. I think m43 is the sweet spot for many applications. Small enough form-factor to be either a pocket-friendly camera to take everywhere or have a massive zoom range without looking like an idiot and dragging like a donkey, but large enough sensor to get professional-looking results with nice bokeh. And best of all, loads of great, affordable lenses out there!
@@VeitLehmann I just checked, but my GM5 is basically the same size, while having a biger sensor, an EVF and indeed a much wider range of lenses available.
The Nikon processing engine is great for landscapes because it can handle strong highlights and still produce amazing colours. These days though you should get the z30
And it is pretty much ok. Other people, MUCH more of them, see no reason why to pick M43 Lumix camera over Nikon.
It is called the freedom of choice.
6:04 60 fps burst shooting is pretty impressive.
Good video. Also: Is that a ULANZI Pixel clock in the back?
Watching this while holding my J5
Just bought one for about 300. I’ll also note that you can get some of the lenses cheaper by buying them with one of the older models in the line.
Great tip - thanks!
Those lenses are terribly unreliable. The aperture gear always fails on them.
I had no idea the 1 series was discontinued! Looks very interesting although I think I'll stick with my Micro Four Thirds.
5:40 😂 “wait, what did he say?”
I had the V1 and a couple 1-series primes when they came out. It was quiet, shot devilishly fast, and was really a joy. But IQ in anything other than bright light was sorely lacking. The 1-series couldn’t compete at all with Sony’s RX cameras at the time. Although some Nikon APS and full frame bodies used Sony sensors, the 1-series were hobbled by a mediocre 1” sensor from a relatively unknown supplier (Aptina). Excessive grain shooting handheld in low light. And a lot of light pooling around street lights at night as well. It did OK on long night exposures when a tripod allowed a long shutter speed and ISO 100, but for all’round daily/nightly carry it just didn’t deliver enough quality in enough lighting scenarios. But I still smile when thinking about how joyful it was for how fast, quiet, and small in hand it was.
I got a J2 after my Sony A55 succumbed to a cider-related inciident on a sunny afternoon after visiting Lullingstone in Kent. I needed something for the remaining 2/3 of my holiday.
I loved the way I could fit it in a jacket pocket, and the 10MP images were quite adequate, particularly as I didn't want to crop very much.
I followed it up with a V1, which was even better: a little bulkier in the body, but the EVF made a lot of difference.
If you consider that Sony;s RX100 has been enormously popular with a 1" sensor, and a fixed 3x zoom lens, it makes sense that a camera like this with an effective 11x zoom range (10-30 and 30-110) plus the availability of several fixed focal length lenses could be an ideal travel camera.
Apart from the physical problems (like the wifii button on yours, or the similarly problematic selector wheel under your thumb on earlier models) the earlier cameras really suffered from lack of a tilting/articulated screen, and horrubly unreliable lenses. You rightly say that you can often get the camera with a lens, but it's worth noting that what you often get is a camera body and a 30-110 lens because that's the one which gets less use and consequently is more likely to still be functioning.
I think that, apart from its just being released before people got an idea of how such a camera could be any good, it also suffered from Nikon's policy of making multiple variants instead of doing one really well.
Such a great video series showcasing all of these old and forgotten cameras - it might put up their prices, but hopefully this also saves them from becoming e-waste. I’m glad I didn’t have money when all of these cameras were around as I would have bought most of these 😅
Takes great pictures judging from your presets. Found decent prices on Ebay. Then I read the comments regarding relibility
great quick video and interesting ! i wish that it had some film immulation built in
There is a way to set up film emulation, look up Nikon picture control.
I have a Nikon 1 S2 and the only thing I felt bad about was that I did not get the 4K video. But then again that 4K video at 15 fps was a mistake anyway. Nikon should have pushed it to 16 fps. I think that if you start with 16 fps, a good programmer could have synthesized intermediate frames in post capable of being viewed at 24 fps. It still would not be wonderful video, but it would have been better. My Dad had an old 8mm film camera that used 16mm film which had to be flipped half way. It filmed at 16 fps, so I know what it's like.
Because a 1-inch sensor packs more pixels into a given area, attaching one of these Nikon 1 cameras to a telescope using a T-mount adapter might make a decent little astronomical camera.
Canon m100 +22mm f2 is the king for small/good spec/cheap and best thing, its aps-c
Please review the Nikon 1 V3 next
Nikon is 1 is a good system, portable with good IQ and handling, cx 70-300 is my favorite lens, V3 my favorite body as it has a EVF and functional grip. J5 provides best IQ, my best choice for macro with FT1 adapted DX 40mm Macro, sadly the system discontinued. Would be a top choice for BIF and aviation show if there was a 100-500 VR native tele-lens.
would it be possible for you to review leica x2 or x series camera
Maybe. Leicas are very expensive 😅
every camera on this channel is the ULTIMATE POCKETABLE TRAVEL CAMERA. Cmon man.
Lol!
Would be interesting to compare this with the V1 I picked up a couple months ago. Really dig that camera, and got it for $75. Even uses the same batteries as my D810, so I was set with that guy.
The Nikon 1 series was a total bomb - remember many of the 'I'm not paid, I'm an independent reviewers and I didn't get a free camera' pushing the format ? 60 FPS - YES - BUT they all have a TINY buffer....now it's a steal based current prices on the last models - just don't expect too much - have fun.
These are cool. But they all died because camera companies failed to understand that smartphone cameras were better everyday carry cameras. And they still are today.
Yeah, hard to believe this camera's photo and video capabilities (no bonifide 4K and I wonder about stabilization) could keep up with a modern high end smart phone. This is something fun and small to shoot with that people are going to appreciate the experience and cute factor of.
i see all of your videos bc im from argentina and im poor af. every day I try to save but here the cameras are twice or triple as expensive as outside. One day I will be able to buy one of these cameras that you show in your videos and I like them so much. more than anything the compact ones
♥️
Almost got it as my first camera back in 2014. I’ve been tempted to get one.
IMO, for $500 you cannot beat the Olympus OM-D E-M1 - $350 + Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 for $150 - used off MPB - combo weighs less than 1lb.
The power lever return of my J5 went broken after 1 to 2 years of use, besides my V1 viewfinder and monitor switch did not function after around 1 year . According to my personal experience, the Nikon 1 series seems not as reliable as Nikon's DSLR. Beware!
Now compare it to any of the versions of the RX100
I had my eye on the AW1 , maybe it's a decent time to buy one for fun :)
05:36 "just like myself, this camera only has a one incher" 😳
Outrageously expensive in Australia and very rare. Lens failures make it a dodgy second hand proposition. And they make the camera junk when they fail.
Can you please do a video on the Canon Powershot A2500 please?
I have one I want to sell on eBay for way more than whats its worth.
If you look up to a photo of the backside of a canon sx740, is the same layout as of this nikon, kinda funny
Been looking at this baby for a while. Just need to find one with a decent lens bundled with it!
This is great for street. Very unassuming and no one cares. It's hard to pick this up because there are so many other options, but I did take it to Europe with also good results.
I totally agree! It's like photographing in stealth mode 😅
I’m surprised I didn’t know this camera, great video anyway!
Thank you 😊
The wifi button hack is a simple work around.
Just use super glue under the button. Then even if you press it it won’t work.
How about low light performance???
approx 300iso , compare to 4/3 Gm1 500. Or get the Olympus PEN E-PM2 with approx 900. The dynamic is approx 2 steps down , to compare 4/3 ...
4:50 Can't duct tape fix it?