Nikon 1 J1 10.1MP Digital Camera with 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Lens in Red (Refurbished) $199 + Free Shipping

I tried to get past auto...but as a regular non cameraphile or picture quality freak guy, i found it a waste of time.

Quote from yarnim : I tried to get past auto...but as a regular non cameraphile or picture quality freak guy, i found it a waste of time.

There's nothing wrong with using Auto mode 95% of the time - it's all about shooting great pictures.

Although 5% of the time you may have to play with the settings to squeeze an OK pictures (say, when it's too dark you have to dial down the exposure compensation and push the ISO up to get an acceptable shutter speed, then fix via Lightroom).

I read some reviews of the camera and they were not the best. Basically a camera that tries to appeal to "everyone" while filling no one in particulars needs.

If I recall them phrasing, "experienced photographers will be frustrated by a lack of features (or something along those lines), and novice photographers will end up being confused as to why their images show up blurry (due to the shutter speed or something).

I was REALLY interested in getting a J1 just so I could finally have 1 camera to do video and stills, but the reviews did not instill the confidence I need......

Source: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonv1j1/19

What do you guys think?


This concluding paragraph did it in for me, "The end result of this laudable design philosophy is a pair of rather curious cameras which have a lot to offer (we're hugely impressed by their phase-detection AF performance, and how many other cameras can you think of that allow 60 fps RAW+JPEG capture?) but which in our opinion, fail to wholly address the needs of any class of camera buyer. Obviously, enthusiasts will be disappointed by Nikon's focus on beginners, and that's fine - the 1 System really isn't designed for them. What worries us is that even genuine novices - those happy with point and shoot operation but who want a step up in terms of image quality and AF performance from their compact cameras - will find themselves poorly served by certain facets of the J1 and V1's design and performance.

If you shoot in the default Auto ISO mode for example (which we suspect most point-and-shoot photographers will) you'll be disappointed by how many of your pictures seem blurry, thanks to the long shutter speeds the J1 and V1 insist on using in marginal light when they could increase the ISO instead. This isn't an insurmountable problem of course; ISO can be set manually, but only via the main menu system. This is indicative of another problem: frustratingly, neither the J1 nor V1 offers a 'quick menu' for easy access to frequently-changed settings - a standard feature on virtually every other camera from mid-range compacts upwards."

I got this camera around xmas. I love it but I'm still figuring out what all it can do. If you're looking for video only, it can only do 20 minute videos and it will get warm if you use it that way for a couple hours. (I take video at band gigs with it sometimes). Mic isn't bad on it though.

Overall I like it and I think once I get some of the custom stuff figured out a bit better it will be great.

Quote from factory81 : What do you guys think?

I think it's a large sensor camera for $200. You could do so much worse. For that matter, finding a decent compact at $200 is difficult.

Quote from tommitls : cameta offers 1 year warranty on theirs for $218

Thanks for the info. Anyone have any feedback on them as a retailer? Looks like they stand behind what they sell anyway.

Cameta is well known and reputable

Quote from jimmyjames76 : Thanks for the info. Anyone have any feedback on them as a retailer? Looks like they stand behind what they sell anyway.

Cameta is top notch.

Quote from Promit : I think it's a large sensor camera for $200. You could do so much worse. For that matter, finding a decent compact at $200 is difficult.

Not anymore. There are a ton of great cameras for $200. If having a large sensor is all you want, check out the price of used GF2s in mint condition. They have sold for half this and have a larger sensor. The standout features of this camera are the high speed video modes.

How does this compare to a NEX?

How does this compare to a D3X?

Quote from sggrant323 : How does this compare to a NEX?

As a general camera, It doesn't.

Quote from travfar : Cameta is top notch.

Thanks and repped! Not a fan of Adorama, and Cameta seems to have a lot of good deals on refurb stuff.

Suckiest of all mirrorless..