Since I posted my first batch of photos taken with the brand new Olympus OM-D EM-10, I’ve had more time to study the camera and to take some additional photos. I must say, as much as I enjoy having the IBIS and the flexibility which the larger m4/3 sensor and the Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 and Olympus 45mm f/1.8 provide in terms of low light performance and DOF control, almost equally I hate the color rendition, seemingly random auto white balance and “dark” metering of the E-M10. The Nikon V1 with the Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 (you can read my review of the lens here) still have some advantages which make the setup very fun to use. For example, the V1 has extremely precise metering and Auto WB, vastly superior to the both systems the E-M10 employs. I find that with the latter I’m constantly correcting exposure by +0.3-0.7 stops to get the result I’m used to with the V1. And even then, some work in Lightroom is needed to make the highlights “roll off” as smoothly as with the V1. The reason for this is no doubt the fact that the E-M10, while having greater dynamic range overall, has less highlight headroom and a steeper curve in the highlight region (but more shadow headroom) than the V1, thus underexposing constantly to protect those highlights.
Category: Nikon 1
After releasing the Nikon 1 J4, WP-N3 waterproof case and SB-N10 underwater flash last month in Europe and Asia, Nikon is now making these products available in the USA as well. This is a particularly interesting move, considering that some recent rumors have suggested that because of poor sales Nikon will not be releasing the J4 in US. The price of the camera with the kit zoom will be $596.95/£499.99/€549. Read on for pre-order options and additional information on the WP-N3 underwater case and SB-N10 underwater speedlight:
Today Nikon has announced the successor to last year’s lowest-end S1 mirrorless camera, the Nikon 1 S2. It will feature the same 14MP sensor as the V2 and J3 and the same processor as the V3 and J4, allowing for 20fps burst shooting and 1080p 60fps video. Unlike the J4 it lacks a touchscreen and 720p@120fps slow-mo. For more detailed analysis of the S2’s feature set, head over to imaging-resource.com. Nikon’s official info:
Today Nikon has released new firmwares for all of its Nikon 1 mirrorless cameras. Besides some minor bug fixes support for the FULL/LIMIT focus limit switch on the 1 NIKKOR VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 has been added and in the case of the AW1 an underwater option for the underwater Speedlight SB-N10 has been added. To read the change logs and download the firmware updates, follow the links below:
Sufficient time since the release of the Nikon 1 V3 has passed and there are now enough reviews, samples and videos to make one’s mind about the camera. I’ve added all the worthwhile material to the link collection you see below. Hope that helps you reach a decision whether to upgrade, switch to a new system or stick to your V1/V2 and wait for the eventual V4. 😉
For more than a month I’ve been teaching my girlfriend Sani how to take photos consciously by using a “serious” camera, like the Nikon V1. Being someone who wasn’t interested in photography in the past, her experience is limited to taking snapshots with smartphones and full auto compact cameras. Using a camera with manual controls, like aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings, is a totally new experience to her. Nevertheless she enjoyed using the Nikon V1, Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 (check out my Review of the lens here) and 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6. I’m guessing it’s the fast AF, operational speed, accurate metering and WB what she’s liking about it. Lacking experience, she can’t put into words what it is that she finds enjoyable about using the gear. We have undertaken several photo walkabouts since I started teaching her. The first time she wasn’t exactly thrilled (I had to twist her arm a bit…), but once we got home, and I deleted the vast majority of rejects and shown her the strongest photos, some of which you can see below, she was very excited. After that it took some time until I finally got to post processing her shots, which was done under her guidance and to her taste. She doesn’t know how to use Lightroom yet, but knows what she likes and how the shots should look.
For a long time I wanted to introduce myself and my family with pictures. Not just any pictures, but those taken with the Nikon V1, 1 Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8, 50m f/1.4 C-Mount and 25mm f/1.4 C-Mount. Let’s begin with me, the admin of this blog. My name is Ivan.
Phantomas, a Rangefinderforum.com regular, has posted the first user impressions and sample images here. He goes on to conclude that:
Nikon 1’s were never cameras for me, but V3 suddenly opened up potentials. If 35mm equivalent (preferably f/1.2) was to come out I would have no reservations about using it on the street, sensor size shyness would then fly to hell. It is true that this camera is the most “enthusiast”-ready in Nikon 1 line-up.
To summarise my sudden fondness of it, disregarding the feel and solidity, I would say it comes down to how I see using it, especially on the street, with the combination of tilting touchscreen and instant AF point selection. Viewfinder certainly makes this camera “serious” and for me it’s a much, but I’m not going to dismiss additional opportunity given by the above combo. And of course- the right move in the GUI improvements suddenly made this camera usable.
It’s been more than a month since the last time I’ve posted some photos taken with the cheap 25mm f/1.4 C-Mount lens on the V1. I was quite busy shooting with the 18.5mm f/1.8 (my review) and reporting on all the new 1” releases, like the Nikon V3 and Samsung NX mini. But finally here are half a dozen photos I’ve shot since last time. I hope you like them. 🙂
At the time of writing there are a couple of very cheap Nikkor 10-100mm f/4.-5.6 non-PD lenses being offered over on AmazonDE. With the price of around €385 they are well below regular street price of €440. So act fast if you want to grab one of these. 😉