Is it possible to compare a Nikon 1 camera with the full frame Nikons? Most people will say they are not comparable. So here we go.
I have been using a Nikon D700 camera for a number of years and have been very happy with the performance of the camera, however recently I purchased a Nikon 1 camera for my wife as she wanted something very light, previously she had been using an old Nikon D2H which is a very heavy camera. She now loves the Nikon 1 mainly due to its weight and small size.
The following are some of the main points summarising these cameras.
- As can be seen from the above image the Nikon 1 camera is very much smaller than the full frame D700, for portability this can be a great advantage and is one of the main reasons why my wife loves it so much. It is a take anywhere camera. Many times I have wished I had my full frame D700 with me when there was a good photographic opportunity but alas, many times the camera is at home when I need it. The Nikon 1 camera together with its 10-30mm and 30-110mm zoom lenses, forms a tiny package and the complete outfit can be carried in a tiny camera bag.
- Along with its small size the Nikon 1 is also a very light weight camera, another aspect my wife really loves.
- What about image quality? This is where the larger full frame camera really shines, the imaging sensor in the Nikon 1 is very much smaller than in a full frame camera and consequently the camera is nowhere near as good at high ISO settings, due to the noise from the Nikon 1 sensor at high ISO settings. Here is a Blog I did some time ago which indicates the capability of the Nikon 1 camera for capturing some bird images.
- If your need is for print sizes up to 1 meter wide then use a DX or FX full frame camera but if you need web size or prints up to around 30cm wide then a Nikon 1 type camera will be quite adequate to produce nice prints.
- Price wise the Nikon 1 camera is around 1/3 the price of the full frame camera.
- Compared to a traditional and cheaper point and shoot camera a Nikon 1 type camera will perform much better and will also offer system expansion in terms of interchangeable lenses.
- The traditional Digital SLR has an internal mirror which moves up and down with each image capture and this action creates noise, thus this type of camera can produce objectionable noise in a quiet environment. The Nikon 1 type camera is mirrorless and produces no noise, thus can be suitable for use in quiet environments such as shows.
- The Nikon 1 mirrorless camera can also fire very rapid sequences of images, much faster than most Digital SLR cameras.
From my perspective I really like the Nikon 1 format and it really performs in a big way, but in my bag it will never replace any full frame FX or even DX camera BUT it is a great camera to have as a second or even a third camera so that you always have the availability of a camera with you at all times. Any camera you have with you at all times is better the the camera that you have left at home, which has happened to me many times before having the availability of the great Nikon 1 camera.
The following outlines the Nikon 1 Cameras
The following outlines some of the Nikon 1 Lenses.