Nikon V1 mirrorless camera

Nikon has decided to jump on the mirror-free bandwagon, with the launch of the Nikon V1.

The much-rumoured Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens (A-CIL) – Nikon's jargon – comes with a CX format 10.1-megapixel (13.2 x 8.8mm) CMOS sensor.

Alongside stills shooting – the camera can shoot continuous stills at 60fps – the Nikon V1 offers up Full HD shooting at 30- or 60fps.

Nikon is calling the launch of its mirrorless camera range the most significant announcement since it introduced its first digital camera 14 years ago, so it is definitely behind the idea of a compact system camera - alongside the likes of Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Pentax.

Surface

Mockup of the upcoming cameras

The sensor on the cameras are going to be 10.1MP but the size of the sensor is not known. The lens format may be called CX like the DX and FX series for full-sized DSLR models. The camera will have a 3-inch screen. The J1 model will have a built-in flash, but the V1 won’t. Full HD video recording is going to be supported, as well. Detachable lenses will be available for sale, too. The lens options are 10mm f/2.8, 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR, 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 VR and 30-110mm VR. It’s been a long time coming, but with Canon and Nikon entering the mirrorless camera market, things are likely to heat up.

Motion control

There are a number of new features that have been built into the Nikon V1. These include something called Motion Snapshot which gives you the strange effect of a moving still image, by combining a slow motion movie with a still.

There's also Smart Pro Selector, that allows you to take a 20 full-res images with one push of the button, at which point the camera automatically selects the five best shots based on facial expressions, composition and focus.

The V1 comes with a built-in LCD viewfinder that offers 100 per cent coverage.
When it comes to file formats, the Nikon V1 shoots in both RAW and JPG and has an ISO up to 3200. The Nikon V1 weighs in at 294g and has the following dimensions: 113mm x 76mm x 44mm.
The Nikon V1 UK release date is 20 October. As for the Nikon V1 price, you will be looking at paying around £880.