Thoughts on the J1 .

[Desmond]

I imagine my observations are the same as we could expect from the V1 regarding exposure - but won't make any assumptions .
I got the J1 mainly for the high speed video to conduct my experiments with
But of course I am also interested in how it will behave under other conditions for normal photos.
I need to do more tests with the flash mode - in this image it chose F3.5 and 1/200th sec.





With the flash popped out it horribly overexposed with F7.1 and 1/60th .
The 'subject' requested that I don't include the facial expression at the time



It seems to do this excessively when there is any black on the subject .


I had it in matrix metering mode and it seems to follow the pattern of the D40's metering which favours shadow areas and what it deems to be the subject - often blowing highlights in the type of pictures I take .





As with any camera it is fine with an evenly lit scene





Fairly predictable for others







Don't expect sharpness regarding af/shutter speed choice in shade at 10 fps - for this series it stayed at F3.5 and 1/125th sec - I think I would use shutter priority more than usual with this camera - it tries hard to stay at base iso at the expense of motion blur .
1st image

5th image

10th image



Just remember these are not 'show-off' images , simply my observations and examples of how it reacts to different situations in its auto modes .














I'll add some more from a 'wedding shoot' after we move to page two with the comments






.

[mrfinster]

How do you find the focus works tracking moving subjects?

And have you tried any manual lenses on it? Do they work OK?

I had a play with a V1, was a bit underwhelmed to be honest, it was bulkier than my EP3, and didn't have many controls. Along with the price and smaller sensor, it didn't really make my tires squeal.

[Desmond]

How do you find the focus works tracking moving subjects?

And have you tried any manual lenses on it? Do they work OK?

I had a play with a V1, was a bit underwhelmed to be honest, it was bulkier than my EP3, and didn't have many controls. Along with the price and smaller sensor, it didn't really make my tires squeal.

Those three images of my wife walking were taken out of 10 that I took in one second - I think I need to try it in brighter light to have a more accurate opinion of it - have a look at the samples on the review of focus tracking in bright sunlight .
I haven't tried with any other lenses - don't have the FT-1 adapter and may not buy it for a while .

[mrfinster]

The AF system sounds interesting. Have to say tracking on my micro 4/3 is shite. I find it easier to manually focus than relying on the camera. Really good on something that's not moving though.

[mesodan]

Will be interesting to see what Canon brings to the table. Rumors that it will be a APS-C sensor, i.e. more sony/43rd's than J/V1.

I like the visible DOF with a larger sensor, which I guess is not really possible for a smaller sensor.

[mrfinster]

Bigger sensor means bigger lenses though, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Being able to get shallow DOF shots is nice, but being able to carry a body, 7 good quality lenses and a flash in a tiny bag is better IMO

Theres a couple of manual micro 4/3 lenses that go to 0.95 and a few AF ones of 1.7/1.4/1.8 but the effective depth of field doubles compared to a full frame sensor, and I guess even more on something like a J1.

[Desmond]

Will be interesting to see what Canon brings to the table. Rumors that it will be a APS-C sensor, i.e. more sony/43rd's than J/V1.

I like the visible DOF with a larger sensor, which I guess is not really possible for a smaller sensor.

I read a comment that Canon wasn't going to do mirrorless , maybe not yet but their thoughts are that canon stayed with fixed lenses - I hope I'm proved wrong and they add to the competition .

[Desmond]

Bigger sensor means bigger lenses though, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Being able to get shallow DOF shots is nice, but being able to carry a body, 7 good quality lenses and a flash in a tiny bag is better IMO

Theres a couple of manual micro 4/3 lenses that go to 0.95 and a few AF ones of 1.7/1.4/1.8 but the effective depth of field doubles compared to a full frame sensor, and I guess even more on something like a J1.

Then there are the landscape shooters who will welcome greater dof at wider apertures I suppose .

[rjd]

J1 seems to be a hit with the wildlife/bird crowd. Throw on a 70-200 and you have one amazingly goof AF camera with a lot of reach.

I think nikon missed a big trick by not putting on decent controls. If they'd put on a a few more buttons and dials it would sell like mad.

[Desmond]

J1 seems to be a hit with the wildlife/bird crowd. Throw on a 70-200 and you have one amazingly goof AF camera with a lot of reach.

I think nikon missed a big trick by not putting on decent controls. If they'd put on a a few more buttons and dials it would sell like mad.

Apparently af isn't all that fast with the adapter and bigger lenses .
I would have also liked to have seen more external controls - it is a bit fiddly to work with .

I've done some tests and in continuous mode - 5 fps , you can use shutter priority but in the electric-hi modes 10,30,60fps you have no choice in mode .
I took some pictures today to really challenge it - swung around in 10fps mode to see how it would focus ....
It couldn't focus fast enough on the plain background but as soon as it hit the high contrast scene it locked on .

[Desmond]

And one 'normal' picture before I head off to bed tonight

[Russ]

New firmware out for it I believe.

[Desmond]

New firmware out for it I believe.

I saw that - just something to do with it taking an extra frame here and there at 1200 fps .
Today I set it up on interval timer - got 186 pictures at 1 frame per minute before the battery ran down . Busy trying at 1 frame every 2 minutes to see if it is related to number of shots or total time .

[Russ]

Good to know!

[Desmond]

It's on one picture every 2 minutes with a fully charged battery and has been going for about 5 hours now .

[Jos]

I hope of something interesting.
:P


did you stich the ones of the truck together?

[Desmond]

I hope of something interesting.
:P


did you stich the ones of the truck together?

What truck ?
I pointed the camera up at the clouds this morning - nothing amazing to see but they did change a bit - I'll make them into a slideshow when this camera
has finished its run at 2minute intervals - it's still going pretty strong .

[Jos]

Apparently af isn't all that fast with the adapter and bigger lenses .
I would have also liked to have seen more external controls - it is a bit fiddly to work with .

I've done some tests and in continuous mode - 5 fps , you can use shutter priority but in the electric-hi modes 10,30,60fps you have no choice in mode .
I took some pictures today to really challenge it - swung around in 10fps mode to see how it would focus ....
It couldn't focus fast enough on the plain background but as soon as it hit the high contrast scene it locked on .

what truck did you say? do you close your eyes when you shoot?

[rjd]

Given what Desmond normally shoots he was probably hidden behind protective screens...

[Desmond]

Given what Desmond normally shoots he was probably hidden behind protective screens...

I had my steel-cap boots on

[Desmond]

I left it going last night on 5 minute intervals - woke up this morning and it was still going showing 2/3 battery life after 132 images - 11 hours of them. I'll do another test with a fully charged battery at work today - this time I have VR turned off and af assist along with manual focus .

[JED]

I left it going last night on 5 minute intervals - woke up this morning and it was still going showing 2/3 battery life after 132 images - 11 hours of them. I'll do another test with a fully charged battery at work today - this time I have VR turned off and af assist along with manual focus .

Keep in mind that a new battery will take a few recharge cycles before it reaches its normal capacity.

[Desmond]

Keep in mind that a new battery will take a few recharge cycles before it reaches its normal capacity.

Interesting to know - thanks for adding that

[Desmond]

Ok so my results so far are : 30 second intervals gives me just over two hours - the screen stays on all the time .
One minute intervals gives me 3 hours [ 180 images ] - screen turns on every 40[?] seconds .
Two minute intervals gives me over 7 hours .
Five minute intervals gave me 11 hours and when I stopped it the battery life still showed over half .