Nikon made a splash back in September 2011 when it decided to jump into the mirrorless camera industry with its J1 and V1 cameras. Since then, Nikon has expanded and updated the line to consist of the AW1, V3, J5, and S2. But now there are murmurings that Nikon has ended the development of its 1 Series line of mirrorless cameras.
Just when we started to think the big two had given up on making mirrorless cameras for the US market, Nikon goes and changes our mind. After announcing the Nikon 1 J4 for Asia and Europe in early April, the Japanese company has announced that the mirrorless shooter will come to the US after all, and it will be joined by a new entry-level Nikon 1 S2.
Following hot on the heels of the Nikon 1 V3 announcement is another 1-series that is targeted more at the consumer market: the much-improved Nikon 1 J4. Compared to the J3, the newly announced 1-series boasts a new sensor, new processor and, due in large part to the latter, much faster burst mode capability as well.
DxOMark is certainly not the be-all-end-all of camera sensor testing outfits, but what it has going for it is consistency and a whole lot of experience. So while you might not put much stock in their sensor scores, DxO is a great resource for comparing sensor performance between models.
We say all this because there are some Nikon fanboys who will immediately be upset by the news that DxOMark claims the new Nikon 1 V3 might not live up to its price tag.
Nikon has unveiled the newest camera in the Nikon 1 line, an ultra-fast mirrorless shooter that brings the company closer to the competition and lends credence to Nikon's recent promise that it is still committed to the compact system camera (CSC) market.
It's not uncommon for cameras to look similar in this day and age. Even the Sony A7 and A7r, which haven't even been released yet, are being described as "OM-D-like" by rumor sites. But at what point does "similarity" cross the line to "infringement."
Well, if you need an example, just take a look at Polaroid's iM1836, because Nikon is filing a lawsuit against the company and camera manufacturer Sakar International over just that.
We told you yesterday to watch out for a "rugged" Nikon 1 announcement in the next 24-hours, and lo and behold, it happened. Introducing the Nikon 1 AW1, a camera Nikon is calling "the world's first waterproof and shockproof interchangeable lens camera," with a convenient asterisk added in for those of us who remember the Nikonos system.
Digiscoping is when a photographer attaches an optical telescope to a digital camera and uses it as a super-telephoto lens. Although the image quality isn't as good as an actual camera lens with the same focal length, it's a much cheaper option for people who already own high-powered telescopes -- bird photographers, for example. Nikon is no stranger to the digiscoping game, having released adapters for its DSLRs and compact cameras, but today it announced new accessories that bring digiscoping to the 1 Series mirrorless lineup.