We’ve get used to seeing slow but sure progress from Nikon over the last few years, with new cameras staying relatively close to their predecessors … perhaps too much so. In the midst of these otherwise very calm waters, the Nikon 1 V—the firm’s highest-end mirrorless camera—seems to have been chosen as the model that breaks the mould. This third version of the 1 V makes a clean break from its predecessors, with stand-out changes including a viewfinder-free design and a sleeker grip handle. Â
As it stands, the Nikon 1 series is the only line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras to use a 1″ sensor (although it seems they could soon be joined by the upcoming Samsung NX Mini). The V1 came with 8 Megapixels, while the V2 upgraded to a 14-Mpx sensor, later seen in the J3, before the AW1 underwater lens-switcher scaled things back to 12Â Mpx. The freshly presented V3 therefore takes a big step forward with its 18-Megapixel 1″ CMOS sensor (160 to 12800Â ISO) and its 171 AF points (compared with 135 for the V2) including 105 phase-detection points. It also inherits the Expeed 4A image processor from the D4s and the D5300. With that kind of chip under the hood, the V3 promises seriously speedy performances, with burst speeds announced at 20 frames per second with continuous AF and 60 frames per second with no AF. Although we’ve already seen a similar calibre of performance from the J3, it’s still highly impressive, especially considering that the V3 has 28% more pixels to contend with.
The V3 has been totally reworked compared with the V2. For starters, the V3 gets a 3″ 1,037,000-dot tiltable touchscreen (-90° to +90°), which makes an excellent addition—check it out in the photo gallery above. Plus, the Playback, Menu, Disp and Delete buttons are mounted on the same tilting panel as the screen, so they’ll always be easily accessible when lining up shots from unusual angles. That’s a really clever touch! And, on top of that, the V3 has onboard Wi-Fi. Designed like a kind of mini Coolpix A (Nikon’s fixed-lens expert compact), the look, controls and layout have been totally redesigned here. And, at first glance, it looks like this camera should be better suited to advanced users than previous 1-series models. We can’t wait to get our hands on it!
However, the V3 isn’t all about new additions. As you may have noticed, this is the first Nikon 1 V camera to have no built-in viewfinder. Still, Nikon does sell a DF-N1000 plug-in EVF accessory, which no doubt uses the same 2,359,000-pixel display seen in plenty of competitors. The massive grip handle seen in the V2 has been trimmed down considerably too. But if chunky is your thing, an optional grip handle (GR-N1010) will be available, giving the V3 a slight resemblance to the OM-D E-M1 when viewed from above.
There’s no doubt that, on paper, the Nikon 1 V3 looks like the kind of DSLM we could really get excited about, even if it does seem to wantonly abandon all that made the V series different from the Nikon 1 J line. Still, what’s in a name? Beyond the V3, we’re hoping that this renewed taste for change is a sign that Nikon is springing into action and is ready to take more risks in a bid to shake off its recent taste for stagnation. In any case, the V3 looks like a promising start. We can only hope that it lives up to expectations!
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The Nikon 1 V3 will be out on 17 April for £800 with the VR 10–30 mm f/3.5–5.6 PD-zoom lens or for £1,050 in a bundle with the VR 10–30 mm f/3.5–5.6 PD-zoom lens plus EVF and grip accessories.
The 10–30mm f/3.5–5.6 PD-zoom compact-format lens for Nikon 1 cameras lens will be available separately for £250, alongside a new 70–300 mm f/4.5–5.6 lens selling for £1,030.
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Article source: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/07/nikon-expresses-concern-over-shrinking-compact-camera-market/
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