Nikon 1 J1 [Review][HD]

Описание: Hardware

The J1 is cute. Like, fluffy white kitten cute. It brightens your day just by hanging around and being fun to play with, but you probably won't be impressed when it comes time to capture some serious photos (like trying to get that tiny kitty to snatch up a family of mice). The rounded edges, well-disguised components and overall clean finish make it clear that Nikon designers put a lot of care into this camera's physical appearance. It's just as much a fashion accessory as it is a relatively capable imaging device, and, depending on which color you choose, it's likely to make quite a statement.


There's no flip-up LCD, as there is on Sony's NEX series, so you'll be spending a lot of time holding the camera at eye level. Fortunately, the 460k-dot, three-inch LCD has a decent viewing angle, which will come in handy if shooting from below or above is an absolute must. The display occupies most of the two-tone plastic J1's rear, and is complemented by a healthy selection of dedicated controls. A mode dial lets you switch between Motion Snapshot, Smart Photo Selector, movie and still image modes (the latter of which enables exposure mode selections like the default Scene Auto Selector, programmed auto, shutter- and aperture-priority, along with the ever-so-critical manual). You'll find a playback zoom rocker above the main dial, which also doubles as the shutter speed control in manual mode. To the left is a function button, which serves a variety of purposes depending on your mode -- exactly what it controls is defined with a text overlay when you switch to a different mode.


Further down is a display button, playback button, a five-position wheel with dedicated self-timer, flash, exposure compensation and auto exposure/focus lock controls, along with an OK selector in the center. There are menu and trash can buttons at the bottom, and a physical flash slider, which releases the tiny (and rather bizarre looking) flash arm. On the colored top panel, a power button, a shutter release and a movie record button sit all to the right of the retractable flash. The video record button only works when the mode dial is set to video, so you can't simply press it to start recording in any mode. Some users may find the record button's positioning to be a bit awkward -- it's at the top right corner, where you'd normally find a power button or shutter release.


Up front there's a lens release button, which lets you swap out the included 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens for any of three other compatible 1-series optics, including a 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 ($250), 10mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens ($250), or a 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6, which would be our lens of choice if it cost, say, a third of its $750 MSRP. Oh, and don't be fooled by those focal lengths -- Nikon opted to avoid including the CX sensor's 2.7x multiplication factor, making that last lens comparable to another manufacturer's 27-270mm, for example.


The camera itself is constructed almost entirely of plastic, but it still feels quite sturdy. You probably won't want to drop it on the street or even a football field, as you may have managed to do with one of Nikon's pro-level DSLRs, but we don't see it falling apart or even chipping with heavy use. We tossed the camera in the main compartment of a messenger bag (with the tiny lens cap attached, of course), and didn't notice any markings. The J1 is small and light enough to wear comfortably around your neck, but we opted to keep it out of sight more often than not, if only to avoid the bright white finish attracting awkward stares.