Vote - 2011 Camera Of The Year!

[OldClicker]

I can imagine that a bird photographer would be delighted to have the equivalent of a 540mm f2 lens with the excellent follow-focus on a 10MPix camera in a small package (J1 + 200mm f2).

Or how about the equivalent of a 65-190 f2.8 for racing cars? (24-70mm on a V1)

It's the result that counts.

I don't think that they would be very delighted once they figure out that they can get the same shot using the center crop of the image from the camera that the lens was designed for - plus have the full functionality. - Terry

[Anbesol]

I don't think that they would be very delighted once they figure out that they can get the same shot using the center crop of the image from the camera that the lens was designed for - plus have the full functionality. - Terry

Not to mention better subject tracking, the mirror based phase detect points with f/2.8 cross would make the AF, continuous and single, paired with those lens far superior on a Nikon DSLR body. Another obvious shortcoming with such a pair of lens adaptations is that the size-advantage of the J1 becomes moot attached to such monstrous lens. I think its safe to say that pairing the J1 with either of those lens is novel at best. Pure compromise, no advantage.

[Franglais]

Remember that most current Nikon FF DSLR's are only 12MPix. If they crop down to the size of the 1 series sensor that gives less than 3MPix against 10Mpix for the 1 series. Not at all the same thing.

The tests I've seen say that the 1 series autofocus is as good as a DSLR plus it's all over the frame.

I think it's worth trying.

[Anbesol]

Why does the relative pixel density suddenly become an issue? And you pick Nikons one huge pixel density body to compare it to. Thats a wild card to play, the pixel density of the J1 compared to the D700 means that the J1 has some merit? Relative pixel density doesn't qualify the Nikon 1 as a legitimate pairing to the 200 f/2. There are probably 150 D5100's, D90's, D300's and D7000's out there to every 1 D700.

Continuous AF works best and is most useful exclusively at the center point, makes things a lot easier and the continuous advance of focus is more accurate, better able to move with the subject in the frame. If you want it outside of the center of the frame, you'd only want to deviate outside the AF point slightly, and it will add difficulty in keeping the subject in the frame and tracking. But tracking a subject at the outer edges of a frame?! Who would want to do that? You are clutching for straws here, why do you keep insisting on overstating the Nikon 1's value? If tracking a subject on live-view is what you're after, Sony still does that better.

No, its not worth trying, perhaps for novelties sake, but that changes the definition of "worth". Its not going to do any favors for photographers pairing a 200 f/2 to a J1. The 200 f/2 is 6.5 pounds, the J1 is 0.8. If I saw those two together I think I'd fall down laughing. It would probably rip the mount off the J1.

[OldClicker]

Remember that most current Nikon FF DSLR's are only 12MPix. If they crop down to the size of the 1 series sensor that gives less than 3MPix against 10Mpix for the 1 series. Not at all the same thing.

The tests I've seen say that the 1 series autofocus is as good as a DSLR plus it's all over the frame.

I think it's worth trying.

"All over the frame"??? Unless I really don't understand what Nikon has done, the PDAF sites are at/near the center and in distinct locations just like a separate sensor. Am I missing something? - Terry

[Franglais]

"All over the frame"??? Unless I really don't understand what Nikon has done, the PDAF sites are at/near the center and in distinct locations just like a separate sensor. Am I missing something? - Terry

I believe that the autofocus sites are made up of distinct pairs of sites on the sensor. However they seem to be over almost all of the sensor. On p142 of the J1 manual (AF-Area mode) the subject tracking area goes almost to the borders of the frame

[Franglais]

Why does the relative pixel density suddenly become an issue? And you pick Nikons one huge pixel density body to compare it to. Thats a wild card to play, the pixel density of the J1 compared to the D700 means that the J1 has some merit? Relative pixel density doesn't qualify the Nikon 1 as a legitimate pairing to the 200 f/2. There are probably 150 D5100's, D90's, D300's and D7000's out there to every 1 D700.

Continuous AF works best and is most useful exclusively at the center point, makes things a lot easier and the continuous advance of focus is more accurate, better able to move with the subject in the frame. If you want it outside of the center of the frame, you'd only want to deviate outside the AF point slightly, and it will add difficulty in keeping the subject in the frame and tracking. But tracking a subject at the outer edges of a frame?! Who would want to do that? You are clutching for straws here, why do you keep insisting on overstating the Nikon 1's value? If tracking a subject on live-view is what you're after, Sony still does that better.

No, its not worth trying, perhaps for novelties sake, but that changes the definition of "worth". Its not going to do any favors for photographers pairing a 200 f/2 to a J1. The 200 f/2 is 6.5 pounds, the J1 is 0.8. If I saw those two together I think I'd fall down laughing. It would probably rip the mount off the J1.

We are not understanding one another.

- If someone needed to do a shot with the equivalent a 570mm f2 (in 24x36 terms) then doing it on a D3S and cropping would produce a 3Mpix image which is unsellable. If he did it on a J1 then he would get a 10Mpix image which is sellable. I certainly don't need to do it but someone might

- On the occasions that I use continuous focus - lets take the example of a racing car - I choose a focus point (usually off-center), depress the shutter release half way to activate the autofocus then keep on zooming and reframing all the time the car is coming towards me and going past. It's the camera that follows the subject and switches from one autofocus point to another automatically. My D300 has 51 autofocus points spread over most of the frame (15 are cross type). I thought this was obvious, it's the Nikon autofocus system (Canon works pretty much the same - the 1DX has 61 autofocus points with 45 cross type..). Are you used to something else?

[OldClicker]

That is correct with off brand adapters,
AF works when using the FT1 Nikon adapter on the V1 ( I presume also on the J1)
apparently it only supports the central focus spot
and AF speed is still excellent

VR also works when using the FT1 adapter

I saw his reported on a nikongear forum

You're right.

Here is one being used with a 600mm f/4. :-)

Terry

[OldClicker]

I believe that the autofocus sites are made up of distinct pairs of sites on the sensor. However they seem to be over almost all of the sensor. On p142 of the J1 manual (AF-Area mode) the subject tracking area goes almost to the borders of the frame

In the picture I see, it is barely off center, but maybe you are referring to the printable manual that I cannot see.

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/..._ENnoprint.pdf

When it reverts to Contrast Focus, it can be anywhere, but the discussion is about PDAF.

Terry

[Franglais]

No we got the same version of the manual.

I see what you mean about it reverting to normal contrast focus, good point. The focussing zone is small but you can choose an off-center spot. Somebody needs to go out and buy one and try it but it's not going to be me.

[Anbesol]

- If someone needed to do a shot with the equivalent a 570mm f2 (in 24x36 terms) then doing it on a D3S and cropping would produce a 3Mpix image which is unsellable. If he did it on a J1 then he would get a 10Mpix image which is sellable. I certainly don't need to do it but someone might

This is quite the stretch. We could also say "If someone trips and falls and lands on his D3S, then he can use his lens on the J1" Better yet, he should get a D90, or a D80, or a D70, or a D200, or a D300, or a D7000, or a D5100 as an alternative, etc. Its still no good reason to get a J1. You don't need it but "someone might", I very seriously doubt that such a pairing will ever happen, at least not for anything beyond humor/novelty.

On the occasions that I use continuous focus - lets take the example of a racing car - I choose a focus point (usually off-center), depress the shutter release half way to activate the autofocus then keep on zooming and reframing all the time the car is coming towards me and going past. It's the camera that follows the subject and switches from one autofocus point to another automatically. My D300 has 51 autofocus points spread over most of the frame (15 are cross type). I thought this was obvious, it's the Nikon autofocus system (Canon works pretty much the same - the 1DX has 61 autofocus points with 45 cross type..). Are you used to something else?

When I stick with continuous I choose the center point, tracking whatever. Yes, I'm aware that occasionally using another AF point is helpful, but choosing an AF point near the edge of the frame is never a good idea.

*edit - The poll has been screwed up now and the results are invalid, an even bigger bummer than Nikon taking the win. I wonder if Nikons big boost early on was only because of the pictureline poll link, or if the general audience would have still voted for that. Either way, disappointing that people vote for brand instead of technological merit. Because clearly there is no other reason to pick the Nikon 1 than brand favoritism.

[Photo-John]

clearly there is no other reason to pick the Nikon 1 than brand favoritism.

This statement is illogical and clearly shows your anti-Nikon bias. Although I agree that there are better camera choices for many photographers, that doesn't change the fact that the Nikon 1 system brings something significant and new to the arena. It's also a great camera choice for sports photographers and videographers who want a good backpack camera and for families with kids and pets who will also benefit from the continuous auto focus performance.

[Anbesol]

This statement is illogical and clearly shows your anti-Nikon bias.

I've met Nikon DSLR users who are every bit as critical of this new machine as I am. Thankfully many of us were braced for the disappointment of the 1 with the slightly earlier announcement of the Q.

I could be railing against the Q, but nobody is putting it up on a pedestal and offering it doses of undeserved praises and voting it COTY. If it were up in the poll and people were voting for it in huge numbers, rationalizing it in this thread, I would have the same feelings. Does that mean I am also anti-Pentax? Of course not, both Nikon and Pentax have excellent DSLR systems that would certainly satisfy all of my own DSLR needs and then some. I'm not dogging on Nikon, I'm dogging on The Nikon 1 system.

[ggadget]

I vote for the Nikon D300 because it takes incredible photos.

[Anbesol]

lol here here! D300 it is!

Except it was released in 2007, and while awesome, was not anything new.

The D300S was released in 2009 as well. So, not COTY material by default.