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Nikon '1'



Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
Looks great, but its had s**t reviews.

GX1 is your best bet.
 
I don't really get it, the sensor is significantly smaller than Micro 4/3s yet the bodies are actually bigger (I think it's even bigger than a NEX body) and the lens don't appear as though they are going to be any smaller than M43 equivalents either. They have some clever tech mainly relating to focus speed etc, but I can't see any logical reason why the sensor isn't at least 25% bigger...presumably it's been done to create as much clear air between them and their entry-level DSLRs as possible.

I think M4/3 has hit the sweet spot of body/lens size. As impressive as the Sony NEX bodies are, the lens are DSLR sized so any size benefit immediately goes out of the window if you ever intend to own more than one lens.
 
I wouldn't be too harsh on the sensor whilst its smaller its certainty cutting edge.

Nikon.jpg
 
Scores and pixel peeping aside, the Lumix is going to give you more 'pro' looking images with the ability to produce shallower depth of field. Then you have the lenses; the Nikon doesn't appear to have anything available that can for instance touch the 20mm f/1.7.
 
The J1 is smaller than micro four thirds. As are the tiny lenses and flashes. Had a play whilst in Harrods! Not for me though.
 
  MX-5
I don't really see the point of these things. I think you get a proper SLR and something like a Canon S95 that is properly portable (fits in a trouser pocket), but allows you full manual control and RAW.
 
I don't really see the point of these things. I think you get a proper SLR and something like a Canon S95 that is properly portable (fits in a trouser pocket), but allows you full manual control and RAW.

I think the advantage of these and other mirrorless systems is their size in that you can pop them in a pocket and have in effect a dslr quality or in some cases, better than dslr quality. You can take them where you wouldn't take a dslr and the picture opportunities triple! To balance out that argument they don't have the amount of features/physical buttons as an slr and it can get annoying diving into a menu!

I have a compact that shoots raw and has full manual control. Its pointless however and I leave it on P&S mode. Pointless because the sensor is so small that changing the aperture does bugger all to depth of field and dynamic range is so limited that you just can't push a raw file like you can with a bigger sensor with more DR.
 
  MX-5
I take it you have large pockets. I appreciate that they're smaller than SLRs, but if you start taking accessories, different lenses etc, you're not gaining a huge amount in portability. I suppose if you don't ever want the size of an SLR, they might be the thing for you.
 
Having just sold my DSLR and lens collection to jump to m4/3 I can highly recommend the move.

A 40D + 10-22, 17-55 f/2.8 + 70-200 f4 was overkill for how I shoot these days and a DSLR is overkill for most people to be honest. My new GF3 + 20mm f/1.7 can do 95% of my shooting, infact I'll take it with me more places, its TINY compared with the 40D + 1755. Doesn't fit in my pocket but the shoulder bag is very small.

If I was still shooting landscape, sport or macro it would struggle but for travel, general shooting and social stuff, its fantastic & even better my mates can use it.

It's not cheap but give me a GX1 + 20mm f/1.7 any day over a bigger system.
 
I take it you have large pockets. I appreciate that they're smaller than SLRs, but if you start taking accessories, different lenses etc, you're not gaining a huge amount in portability. I suppose if you don't ever want the size of an SLR, they might be the thing for you.

From my experience it was actually when I started adding accessories, lenses etc that I really noticed how much smaller it all is. My fairly small Crumpler over the shoulder bag now holds two bodies, a 7mm 3.5, 14mm 2.5, 20mm 1.7, 45mm 1.8, 100-300mm, 7 batteries (they eat batteries!), and a Gorillapod SLR. In short, all of my equipment and a staggering 14-600mm range. Back in my Nikon days I always had to make a choice when packing that bag (one less body for a start), my 70-200 2.8 never left the country and the missus had to squeeze the Gorillapod in her bag.

Once the 35-100mm is released next year I will be laughing (speed not confirmed yet, but apparently f2.0 or 2.8), as that's by far my favourite focal range and I would never have even contemplated taking my Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR on holiday with me.

By the by, my E-PL2 and pancake (14mm or 20mm) fits in my pocket just fine (coat in winter or shorts in summer), in fact it goes out every single day with me when we go for our evening walk.
 
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Had a play with J1 - quite liked it TBH! Has a few gadgets that make it an interesting purchase for some!
 
So would all recommend a J1, pc world are doing on for 405 quid with an extra 50 quid off. 355 quid for what looks like a mint piece of kit. I also like the small size of the lens that comes with it, would like to keep the kit as small as possible.
 
Depends what you want mate. If you want a tiny camera with blazing fast phase detection autofocus then look no further. If you can see yourself getting into photography then the current lens choice is limited and the smaller sensor isn't going to give a shallow depth of field.

Also consider micro 4/3rds and Sony nex c3 for improved image
 
Iv had a d40 for a few years and tbh never used it as I can't be bothered carrying it about. I just want something small that is still decent, offering a bit more than a standard point and shoot. Would you recommend one of these over the others from samsung etc in this field.
 
If it were me I would get at least a micro four thirds model but you will get decent pics from the Nikon so If your minds made up it's not a mistake!
 
Can't go too wrong, the Nikons been getting good reviews to be fair. I'd still get a GX1+ pancake lens or or Nex5/7 if I didn't mind lens size.
 
nifty tool for comparing size; the Sony Nex is the same size if not smaller with a vastly bigger sensor.

Worth looking at the size of different lens as well though, NEX lens are pretty much standard DSLR size, which may or may not completely negate the point of owning one for some people (such as myself, being a lens *****)
 

ChrisR

ClioSport Club Member
I am buying one of these 'compact system' cameras in the next couple of weeks and can't make my mind up between the Sony of the GX1!
 


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