I’ve been shooting with the Nikon V1 for a while now and am able to offer some more considered comments
I also recently picked up the 18.5mm f1.8 lens, which I highly recommend, and in many ways it’s brought out the best in the V1.
Visible in the photo in addition to the V1:
Nikon 1 Nikkor 18.5mm F1.8 lens.
Gariz soft-release: This simply sticks onto the shutter-release button. I use one on the NEX5n also. It makes the button easier to find, easier to use (you can use various parts of your finger to trigger it), and it can reduce vibration when you push to fire the shutter.
Richard Franiec grip: A usable grip was a serious omission from the V1 and it’s simply not comfortable to carry for long periods of time. The Franiec grip is not especially cheap but it’s made of aluminium alloy and nicely styled to match the camera. It’s held in place using VHB tape (yes, it’s simply taped on!) but mine appears to be stuck fast and it really does make carrying the V1 much easier. Available at www.kleptography.com/rf/
OP/TECH Cam Strap: A cheap and comfortable wrist strap. I generally use a wrist strap but it’s also a good idea when using the Franiec grip; VHB tape is very strong, but you never know.
The 18.5mm f1.8 lens
This is a really nice lens and I’ve been shooting with it a lot more than the 10mm lately. It provides a 50mm equivalent field of view and is very compact. It’s nicely sharp, even wide-open. The 18.5mm really shows how good the V1’s auto-focus is because on the V1’s small sensor the 10mm has so much depth of field that most things will be acceptably in focus anyway.
It’s a revelation and a pure joy, coming from the NEX5n, to be able to shoot a 50mm equivalent at f1.8 on a sunny day (here’s where the V1’s 1/16000 shutter speed comes in handy), with near-instantaneous auto-focus. I’ve also been surprised by how much background blur I can get if the subject is reasonably close. We’re not talking about a fully melted, creamy bokeh here but it does provide some pleasant subject-isolation.
The other huge benefit of the 18.5mm is that it keeps the ISO down when there’s less light. Although it may not give the same D.O.F as a 50mm f1.8 on full-frame it does provide the same light-gathering. This is important because the V1 introduces significant noise at higher ISO settings (I never use it above 800). It won’t make the V1 a first-choice for night-shooting but it certainly makes a difference to image quality in dimmer conditions and at higher shutter speeds.
The V1 after 2 months
If anything i like the V1 more now that at the beginning. I’ve got used to its quirks and weaknesses and discovered more of it’s strengths.
Focus: The auto-focus is simply wonderful. It’s pretty much instantaneous and very accurate. To be honest I’ve often been happy leaving it set to auto-area with face-recognition on. After the NEX5n, especially the painfully slow Sony 50mm F1.8, the AF is a pure joy. Every so often in poor light, or if presented with a very low contrast scene, it will hunt – but it’s rarely an issue.
Build quality: It’s built like a tank (and is almost as heavy). A few weeks ago I got the wrist strap caught while taking the V1 out of its case and as a result dropped it from waist height onto a tiled floor. There’s irony for you. Despite thinking that the V1 was done for, I can find no ill effects apart from a tiny dent on the lens, and it’s worked flawlessly ever since.
Image quality: IQ is surprisingly good. There’s a nice feel to the raw files and I think I am beginning to see the slight film-like quality that some people refer to. The colours are great and I also find that the V1 files make nice monochrome conversions. It’s not all good though; the dynamic range is not very wide, highlights are easy to blow and there’s the ever present noise. Cropping is pretty much out of the question too…at only 10 megapixels the files don’t leave much room for manoeuvre. It must also be said that at this resolution you’re probably not going to use the V1 on a fashion shoot for Vogue.
The forced image review is still a total pain, though I have since discovered that a quick half-press on the shutter will make it go away. Still ridiculous though.
Perhaps the most telling thing is the fact that I tend to pick up the V1 when leaving the house instead of the NEX5n. It’s just more fun to shoot at the moment. This is not always a good thing because although the V1 is great for street photography it’s not so good for other types of shot where resolution and IQ are paramount. Certainly I have ended up in situations where the NEX would have been better – but the V1 has generally done a reasonable job.
In the long-run I can’t say where the V1 will fit in to my photography. Some of the affection I have for it clearly stems from the failings of the NEX5n. It’s quite possible that I would prefer a Panasonic GX7 for example ( I would certainly hope so given that it would cost almost five times what the V1 cost me), but I enjoy shooting with the Nikon V1 and that’s got to be good for my photography.
(I may discuss the bewildering options for cameras in late 2013 in another post soon.)
photography by chris blaubac 