emraphoto
Veteran
in a short stint of down time i had the chance to sit down with a Nikon V1 system and man oh man Nikon, you are really close to a mighty fine photojournalism tool! really close.
one things that was becoming a problem with the X100 was the 'buttony' back. without fail, i found myself in situations where the X100 was another galaxy away from how i had set it up. i then started trying the 'tape it up' routine, only to make it more dysfunctional. a wickedly good camera, just sluggish. like it needs convincing some times to start up. the AF was not up to the job on a few occasions when i needed it to be. i will hang on too one, with a steel grip!
so without the boring details, i have a V1 and a few bobbles in my hands for the next few weeks, which should prove interesting.
aperture priority, center point focus, focus lock and aperture lock set and this camera is very, very fast. like 1dmkIII fast. fast is good in some scenarios. it is also very tight on all but the necessary controls up top. quite intuitively i will add. this is also good. there are times where i must trust the camera is how i left it 5 mins ago, after i had to jump a 12 foot wall and run. too many buttons... to great a chance you are gonna miss the photo that isn't going to happen again. ever. at least this is the case with the X100
it is also very small. i like small. there is a changing attitude towards photographers in areas of instability. looking like press can prove to be dangerous. big rigs are just not on the table for me. others? go for it
i am perfectly i fine with the sensor in that camera. i know it has been hotly debated for some time now. argue away. for me, not a problem.
so, super fast. super !Q. quiet. compact. well thought out control options. a flash with a head you can point in any direction you can think of. keep in mind i normally work within a 10 foot distance of my subject so flash power might concern some.
what's missing Nikon? a few more fast lenses. an f4 (constant) version of the 10-30 and seal everything up. perhaps a more powerful flash option? self powered? shazam! a stroke of genius. macbook air, 2 V1's and the bobbles... a video mic. i suspect some of you get this.
please Nikon, i hope you see the potential in this system and continue to explore it (the potential).
one things that was becoming a problem with the X100 was the 'buttony' back. without fail, i found myself in situations where the X100 was another galaxy away from how i had set it up. i then started trying the 'tape it up' routine, only to make it more dysfunctional. a wickedly good camera, just sluggish. like it needs convincing some times to start up. the AF was not up to the job on a few occasions when i needed it to be. i will hang on too one, with a steel grip!
so without the boring details, i have a V1 and a few bobbles in my hands for the next few weeks, which should prove interesting.
aperture priority, center point focus, focus lock and aperture lock set and this camera is very, very fast. like 1dmkIII fast. fast is good in some scenarios. it is also very tight on all but the necessary controls up top. quite intuitively i will add. this is also good. there are times where i must trust the camera is how i left it 5 mins ago, after i had to jump a 12 foot wall and run. too many buttons... to great a chance you are gonna miss the photo that isn't going to happen again. ever. at least this is the case with the X100
it is also very small. i like small. there is a changing attitude towards photographers in areas of instability. looking like press can prove to be dangerous. big rigs are just not on the table for me. others? go for it
i am perfectly i fine with the sensor in that camera. i know it has been hotly debated for some time now. argue away. for me, not a problem.
so, super fast. super !Q. quiet. compact. well thought out control options. a flash with a head you can point in any direction you can think of. keep in mind i normally work within a 10 foot distance of my subject so flash power might concern some.
what's missing Nikon? a few more fast lenses. an f4 (constant) version of the 10-30 and seal everything up. perhaps a more powerful flash option? self powered? shazam! a stroke of genius. macbook air, 2 V1's and the bobbles... a video mic. i suspect some of you get this.
please Nikon, i hope you see the potential in this system and continue to explore it (the potential).
Pablito
coco frío
Interesting. I never thought to take that camera seriously.
emraphoto
Veteran
nor did i really. all of a sudden, i had an epiphany.
i wonder if Nikon knows?
i wonder if Nikon knows?
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
I think you hit the nail on the head. With a little tweaking in the lens lineup and a few firmware fixes (being able to eliminate auto photo review) this little puppy could be quite the tool.
t.s.k.
Hooked on philm
Lots of under-appreciated systems out there, I think, due to the fact
that sensor wars have now replaced the MP war.
I'd be interested to see the buyer demographics for the Nikon though.
that sensor wars have now replaced the MP war.
I'd be interested to see the buyer demographics for the Nikon though.
gavinlg
Veteran
I saw Nikon applied for a patent for a f.07 prime lens in Japan a while back for this system... I agree the format has potential (and I wouldn't have said that originally). Photos from the camera seem to be really great too. Personally I'd want to see more manual control in a body
emraphoto
Veteran
Keep in mind I am not thinking of the golden grail when I say Nikon 1. I agree about manual controls however most of the time they aren't very well thought out in the smaller cameras. The exposure comp dial on the X100 is great to have. I use it quite a bit. Unfortunately it is way to easy to turn that thing when the environment gets bumpy. Same goes for the buttons on the back.
If the X100 was as fast as the V1 and these buttons/dials had a workaround or fix in place, it would be a no brainer. Use them all day, everyday.
Where the V1 is peaking my interest is the AF and responsiveness of the thing. I mean, it is FAST. Sometimes, not all the times, fast is what I need.
Sure, if you want to give up working with depth of field, thats a fine system. Just point and fire away with everything more or less in focus. Sort out the good ones later.
emraphoto
Veteran
Well, not quite. I still have it on single frame and I am far from a machine gunner. Fast does not equal toss all skills aside and drool on yourself.
As a working photojournalist I can also add that you do not want to be machine gunning an dealing with the aftermath very often. Once is usually a suitable learning experience.
As a working photojournalist I can also add that you do not want to be machine gunning an dealing with the aftermath very often. Once is usually a suitable learning experience.
bugmenot
Well-known
Nikon needs better lenses first. Then, they need a body that meets what the OP describes and then some. It is a good system, and there are some real innovations in it, but very very immature right now.
emraphoto
Veteran
well i am looking forward to the mature version.
bugmenot
Well-known
Nikon's silence is concerning though. They had commercials and advertisements all over the place when the system was announced and for the couple of months after it. Suddenly, total radio silence on the system. Not good. Not good at all.
RObert Budding
D'oh!
Nikon cameras always seem to be designed for photographers. I just wish they would have created a Sony NEX-type of camera. The NEX sensor is nice, but I hate the camera controls.
emraphoto
Veteran
thanx buddy. thanx for the new round of intel as well
emraphoto
Veteran
I am a few days shy of putting that V1 to work and I suspect it will work like a charm.
Seriously, a bit of focus on the lens lineup and it will be a staple for me.
Seriously, a bit of focus on the lens lineup and it will be a staple for me.
kzphoto
Well-known
The camera works well enough but that mode dial is way too loose. I have had it swap to photo+ or movie mode when it's around my neck. If Nikon can fix that and give me some better primes I may come back. If you shout street, the 28mm lens is great.