The NEW Nikon and the OLD Nikon (Video)

The NEW Nikon and the OLD Nikon (Video)

A new video I made today to talk about the just teased new NIKON “pro” Mirrorless camera. I talk about what I think it is, what I hope it is, and what it needs to be to go against Sony. I also talk about an “old” Nikon, well, seven years old. A camera that I loved and used for a solid year everywhere I went. After reviewing my memories from that “old” camera, I searched to see if I could still buy one new or lightly used, and well, I CAN and for almost nothing! I am speaking of the old Nikon V1 and that was really a fantastic camera, and I show why in this video below with many samples. Oh, and tw, B&H has a mint V1 with two lenses for under $350 HERE. Enjoy!

Video Below…

30 Comments

  1. Oh man, I remember some of those pics and reviews. Those shots still hold up… and then some.

  2. I have to read reviews with a grain a salt….. however your’s and others comments about the Nikon V1 prompted me to do a little additional research… and… I purchased a clean one with a couple basic lenses and the little flash… this is actually a very practical system for a new project upon which I am embarking… doing a little news letter for a social group I am affiliated with….
    1) the camera is actually small enough as to not intimidate persons when I sit down with them to interview.
    2) the battery is the large and very available Nikon ..15 used in so many other Nikon products.
    3) the camera/flash combo works flawlessly for synchro-sun fill flash so the people photographed are nice and clear for the newsletter and the background is well exposed, too… avoiding post processing….
    4) the Jpegs are good but a run through Lightroom or Capture One is quick and the raw files are recognized by either software.
    5) price was nice and clean ones are very available.
    So .. Thanks for the heads up on a very useful tool..

    Stuart

  3. Just getting ready to leave on a photo tour of Shikoku in Japan by bicycle. In my camera bag is a Leica M6TTL for film and a Nikon V1 with two zooms. I have had unbelievably sharp and colorful results from the Nikon and i love the simplicity of the menus which I can actually read and operate. without my glasses! A rarity on any digital camera. V1 is great camera. It was so misunderstood and underrated. The small sensor proves beyond any doubt that small can be beautiful. Excited about this new mystery Nikon.

  4. steve, I sold my sony full frame and omd camera and got back to Nikon V1. I love the size, performance, hybrid PDAF/CDAF, Mechanical+eshutter, huge buffer, manual focus override during continuous shooting (not possible with OMD) , the cute SB-N5, big battery, pleasant EVF.

  5. Great Steve very informative and interesting the look of V1 was great hope the new Nikon will possess same look or better …..thanks

  6. You should go to Thomas Stir’s website and see the remarkable job he has done with the Nikon 1 systtem

  7. If the record of handling the change in other industries is a valid precedent, the odds are against Nikon & Canon.
    The “do not canibalize our milk cow” strategy has eventually led to failure to Sears, Harley Davidson, RCA, Xerox, Kodak…
    Notably IBM maneuvered the disruptive change introducing the PC – but they handled it from outside their own corporate environment.
    Nikon, I wish you good luck: you’re gonna need it.

  8. Steve, I wholeheartedly agree on the Nikon V1. I had one as well and those images do have an organic, film look to them. Also the frame rate and continuous AF was well ahead of anything of it’s time. I loved the 10mm f/2.8 and the 18.5mm f/1.8 lenses.

  9. Great video. A very nice reminder of your Nikon V1 phase. After reading your original reviews I bought a V1 (the one and only time I’ve bought something as a direct result of a web review) and don’t regret it for one moment. I used it to shoot candids at my niece’s wedding last month and took it as my only camera on a family holiday in the Greek islands last week. The V1 has captured almost all our family memories for the last 6 years. It’s a very capable little camera and as you say, both the colour and B&W output is superb. Put the raw files through a decent converter and it’s possible to make lovely big prints. I look forward to the lemmings dumping their Nikon V kit now the line has been discontinued so I can pick up some bargains. A reputable UK site has 7 V1s for sale at the moment for around £100 (US$135 equivalent). Crazy!

  10. Oohh, a reminder of your Nikon V1 phase! Your original reviews convinced me to buy one (the one and only time I’ve bought a camera after reading a web review) and I never regretted it. Used it last month to shoot candids at my niece’s wedding and then took it as my only camera on a family holiday in the Greek islands last week. Was and still is a wonderful camera that has captured most of our family memories over the last 6 years. Can’t wait for the lemmings to start dumping their V series kit now it’s been discontinued. Bargains ahoy! Great video by the way.

  11. I am shure the Nikon FF mirrorless camera will be fantastic. What will set it apart from the Sony offerings will be handling, ergonomics, menues, etc. what will make it more enjoyable to use. Even though it will be their first entry but the first V1 was an awesome camera and is still fun to use today, so i think Nikon has good experience to get this new model right.

    • Much too late for Nikon and Canon…
      I used to have Canon and Nikon gear
      Now I use A7rii and a7riii and will never return the sleeping Giants of photography
      The train has left and luckyly I could sell my old gear last year for a good price
      Just kept my fantastic Canon 70~200 2.8 that works nicely on my a7riii

      • I hope Nikon and Canon will remain an ‘enemy’ of Sony just to prevent Sony from ‘sleeping’, just like them… But Nikon is just… Lazy!

    • Sony has already great ergonomics and menus. Nikon can set apart from Sony ONLY with price and number of lenses.

      • I disagree. Sony menus are probably the worse out there. I love my Sony’s as you guys know but the menus need serious improvement. Best menus/UI out there are Hasselblad X1D and Leica SL. Sony has a ways to go in the menu dept.

  12. Looking forward to seeing a production model FF mirrorless from NIkon. I was an early 1V1 user and thought it a fun camera to use. I was a bit sad to see it discontinued.

  13. Small sensor, low ISO, and two weak lenses, not worth the price. Nikon continues to lose time and market, this way bankruptcy becomes fate. The competition has better options and unlike the Nikon I do not have the time to waste on it.

    • I am sooo sad about this… I had great memories with Nikon all these years, and I literally cried when I said goodbye to my last Nikon camera and switched to Sony… Nikon has a TON of potential but until now they just stop innovating. As a Sony fan, I would love to see Nikon evolving and offering a compelling alternative, just to keep Sony from leaving the guard down. Good luck Nikon! Stay competitive (with the prices)!

  14. I’m buying one the second its out. I currently shoot D850 and love it but looking for something a bit lighter to use with a 35 or 50.

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