Well after a few days the furore on many Internet forums has started to calm down. People like Thom Hogan have written a number of good articles of where this camera system fits.
Nikon may have found a genuine gap in the Market place and some of the specs and sample photography’s that are starting to appear do seem to prove they have got the image quality right. The biggest issue now seems to be the price.
For not much more I can get a Sony Nex 7 which rivals all but the very best of the current SLR’s. The Nikon 1 seems more of a Fuji X10 or Panasonic LX5 beater. With the lower cost of the Fuji and the Panasonic, together with their more pocket friendliness, it’s difficult to justify the Nikon price.
We will have to wait and see, maybe there is a more enthusiasts model with good manual controls and overrides coming. Match that with some good fast glass and some nice pocket friendly pancake lens and they may have something.
Still before I judge fully, I will wait till I can examin some photographs I have taken myself with it, and seen what the handling is really like in my own hands, until then it goes on the list as a possible.
My small Camera Shortlist (If money was no option then I would add the Leica M9)!
- Sony NEX 7
- Olympus E-P3 (Pen 3)
- Panasonic GF1 (not the 2 or 3)
- Fuji X100
- Leica M8.2
- Nikon V1
- Panasonic LX5