Nikon V1 and J1 reviewed - DPReview.com

[Bruce]

I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
Conclusions page:

<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>

Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

[Rich]

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

I think the scores reflect the fact their sensor size and resolution
solidly places them on a tier below all the other mirrorless cameras,
except for the Pentax Q. I fully understand Nikon's decision to stick at
a rather conservative 10 megapixels, there is no way they could have
pushed 14 or 16 megapixels through that sensor size and not have
suffered.

[Rich]

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

I'd just like to add that all those pretending the Nikon high ISO
performance was as good as the m4/3's were deluded fanboys.

[Bruce]

Post by Rich

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

I'd just like to add that all those pretending the Nikon high ISO
performance was as good as the m4/3's were deluded fanboys.

Absolutely. I feel sure there will be at least one Nikon fanboy along
in a minute to tell us about the marvellous video performance.

Here in Europe, Nikon's advertising of the 1 System has been nowhere
near as extensive (or expensive) in the USA. The cameras and lenses
are proving very difficult to sell. The result is that major
retailers are offering discounts of up to 25%, which is unprecedented
for a new model.

The discounting started with the coloured versions, which are
particularly slow sellers, but has now extended across the range.

[Kenneth Scharf]

Post by Bruce

Post by Rich

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

I'd just like to add that all those pretending the Nikon high ISO
performance was as good as the m4/3's were deluded fanboys.

Absolutely. I feel sure there will be at least one Nikon fanboy along
in a minute to tell us about the marvellous video performance.
Here in Europe, Nikon's advertising of the 1 System has been nowhere
near as extensive (or expensive) in the USA. The cameras and lenses
are proving very difficult to sell. The result is that major
retailers are offering discounts of up to 25%, which is unprecedented
for a new model.
The discounting started with the coloured versions, which are
particularly slow sellers, but has now extended across the range.

Indeed, even with Nikon's brand name these cameras are not worth what
they are selling for. If the J1 with the flash and kit lens sold for
what the Lumix G3 kit cost I might have been interested in it.

[Bruce]

Post by Kenneth Scharf

Post by Bruce
Here in Europe, Nikon's advertising of the 1 System has been nowhere
near as extensive (or expensive) in the USA. The cameras and lenses
are proving very difficult to sell. The result is that major
retailers are offering discounts of up to 25%, which is unprecedented
for a new model.
The discounting started with the coloured versions, which are
particularly slow sellers, but has now extended across the range.

Indeed, even with Nikon's brand name these cameras are not worth what
they are selling for. If the J1 with the flash and kit lens sold for
what the Lumix G3 kit cost I might have been interested in it.

I suppose Nikon needs to pay for all that expensive advertising. ;-)

[Bowser]

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

I think these cameras reflect Nikon's desire to do two things:

1. Enter the mirrorless market
2. Protect their DSLR line.

The camreas aren't bad, but they shouldn't worry about their DSLR
line. If they don't cannabalize it, someone else will. What they, and
Canon should worry about is getting on a trend that will not die, and
will only speed up, eventually crushing their DSLR sales.

Can't believe neither of these companies has a serious EVIL line yet.
The Nikons are OK, but why such a small sensor in such a large package
at such a high price?

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Post by Bowser

Post by Bruce
I have nothing to add to this, except that I will point out the very
low overall scores (V1 69%; J1 67%) while linking only to the
<http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/page19.asp>
Aficionados may want to look at other parts of the review too.

1. Enter the mirrorless market
2. Protect their DSLR line.
The camreas aren't bad, but they shouldn't worry about their DSLR
line. If they don't cannabalize it, someone else will. What they, and
Canon should worry about is getting on a trend that will not die, and
will only speed up, eventually crushing their DSLR sales.

Yes, this is the way big companies die. They refuse to cannabalize
their existing product lines, so somebody else does it for them.

(Kodak actually tried harder than many to get it right, and still died
of it. DEC fought being sensible to the end, and went from
second-largest computer company on the planet to being sold off in, oh,
say 4 years.)

Post by Bowser
Can't believe neither of these companies has a serious EVIL line yet.
The Nikons are OK, but why such a small sensor in such a large package
at such a high price?

The results are what count. It's the first one that does
responsiveness -- which is what most people want from their camera (for
children and pets).

[Bowser]

Post by David Dyer-Bennet

Post by Bowser
1. Enter the mirrorless market
2. Protect their DSLR line.
The camreas aren't bad, but they shouldn't worry about their DSLR
line. If they don't cannabalize it, someone else will. What they, and
Canon should worry about is getting on a trend that will not die, and
will only speed up, eventually crushing their DSLR sales.

Yes, this is the way big companies die. They refuse to cannabalize
their existing product lines, so somebody else does it for them.

Except Apple, who won't hesitate to cannibalize their own product
lines. But, as they've successfully shown, all you do is create new
product lines. The old ones never go away, just shrink a little. In
the case of Canon and Nikon their existing lines will fade and they'll
have nothing to replace them because they're too busy trying to
protect them. Really, really stupid.

Post by David Dyer-Bennet
(Kodak actually tried harder than many to get it right, and still died
of it. DEC fought being sensible to the end, and went from
second-largest computer company on the planet to being sold off in, oh,
say 4 years.)

Post by Bowser
Can't believe neither of these companies has a serious EVIL line yet.
The Nikons are OK, but why such a small sensor in such a large package
at such a high price?

The results are what count. It's the first one that does
responsiveness -- which is what most people want from their camera (for
children and pets).

True, it's responsive and not a bad camera, but clearly a compromise
when Nikon should have either introduced an APS-C EVIL with the same
speed. They have missed an opportunity to shift their low end SLR
sales to their own mirrorless cams instead of m4/3 or someone else's
APS-C line. I think the 1-series cams are a mistake. Just my own
guess, so we'll see.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Post by Bowser

Post by David Dyer-Bennet

Post by Bowser
1. Enter the mirrorless market
2. Protect their DSLR line.
The camreas aren't bad, but they shouldn't worry about their DSLR
line. If they don't cannabalize it, someone else will. What they, and
Canon should worry about is getting on a trend that will not die, and
will only speed up, eventually crushing their DSLR sales.

Yes, this is the way big companies die. They refuse to cannabalize
their existing product lines, so somebody else does it for them.

Except Apple, who won't hesitate to cannibalize their own product
lines. But, as they've successfully shown, all you do is create new
product lines. The old ones never go away, just shrink a little. In
the case of Canon and Nikon their existing lines will fade and they'll
have nothing to replace them because they're too busy trying to
protect them. Really, really stupid.

Yeah, the Mac vs the old machines, and arguably the iPad vs. the Mac,
are both cases of cannabalizing their own markets.

Post by Bowser

Post by David Dyer-Bennet
(Kodak actually tried harder than many to get it right, and still died
of it. DEC fought being sensible to the end, and went from
second-largest computer company on the planet to being sold off in, oh,
say 4 years.)

Post by Bowser
Can't believe neither of these companies has a serious EVIL line yet.
The Nikons are OK, but why such a small sensor in such a large package
at such a high price?

The results are what count. It's the first one that does
responsiveness -- which is what most people want from their camera (for
children and pets).

True, it's responsive and not a bad camera, but clearly a compromise
when Nikon should have either introduced an APS-C EVIL with the same
speed. They have missed an opportunity to shift their low end SLR
sales to their own mirrorless cams instead of m4/3 or someone else's
APS-C line. I think the 1-series cams are a mistake. Just my own
guess, so we'll see.

I dunno, they may well shift the low-end users to the Nikon 1. The
low-end users aren't mostly photographers, they're people who want
better snapshots than they can get with a P&S, and the Nikon 1 may be
perfect for them.