Opticallimits

First impression (as you can read almost anywhere else, too): larger than expected. Personally, I find it a bit uncomfortable to hold. I'll try Nikon's own optional grip as soon as I can find it anywhere.



Build quality is very good.



I can already add two annoyances <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> First: the lens rear caps only fit in exactly one orientation. So, unlike on F-mount lenses, you really need to look at what you're doing to mount the cap on the lens. Second: manual focus is done through the camera (I already knew that), but the smallest steps seem too huge for testing.



Looks like I'll need to get a macro focusing rail or something like that to cover the area between two focus steps.



I also got the 10-100mm super zoom today, which is HUGE. It's currently sitting on my desk next to a Sigma EX 10-20/3.5 and doesn't look smaller in comparison. To be operational, the lens needs to extend its inner tube, which makes it even larger.



The motor zoom works quite well, though.



-- Markus

Another annoyance: if there is a way to display a live histogram, I haven't found it, yet.



-- Markus

The reason for using a small sensor is size. Well, that is the reason I can think of. So I do find the size of the lenses a let down... Especially the lots of real estate used AROUND the glass... the glass elements themselves are indeed small.



You comment about the MF steps that are too big, dpreview comments about the magnification on the display to just make things unsharp. That is two big drawbacks for MF.. luckily the camera/lenses will give a big DOF.

[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1319710010' post='12518']

The reason for using a small sensor is size. Well, that is the reason I can think of. So I do find the size of the lenses a let down... Especially the lots of real estate used AROUND the glass... the glass elements themselves are indeed small. [/quote]



Yep. This is especially true for the superzoom, but also for the kit lens. Lenses of this size would certainly have allowed for a larger sensor.



[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1319710010' post='12518']

You comment about the MF steps that are too big, dpreview comments about the magnification on the display to just make things unsharp.

[/quote]



Magnification is almost useless, indeed. At least maximum magnification.



The MF steps are too large for our review procedure, but most likely not for general and intended use.



-- Markus

Today the 30-110mm zoom lens arrived and suddenly the small sensor makes a lot more sense. That lens is quite small for its (equivalent) focal range.



However, I have more things to add to the list of annoyances: the tele- and superzoom come with a hood, the normal zoom and the pancake don't. Dedicated hoods for these two lenses are announced, but not available, yet. None of the lenses comes with a pouch.



Even quite affordable DX lenses (like the 18-105 VR, which costs less than any of the Nikon 1 lenses) come with both.



-- Markus

For their primary purpose of flare prevention, I'm not a fan on hoods on wide angle capable zoom lenses since their benefit is minimal especially at the long end. And a hood on a pancake rather eliminates the size benefit. Even adding a protection filter was too thick for me. I have a habit of sticking my finger on the front of pancake lenses for some reason...



And does anyone really use pouches? I think I only ever use them for long term storage. They just get in the way for normal use.



Anyway, if I can ask, how do you find the AF speed? Particularly for tracking in a direction towards/away from camera. I think that is the biggest reason over the alternatives I might consider looking at this as a smaller backup system in future.

[quote name='popo' timestamp='1319821541' post='12545']

I have a habit of sticking my finger on the front of pancake lenses for some reason...[/quote]



Same here ... most of the Pancakes I used were manual lenses and I often tried to adjust focus with the air in front of the lens ...



Anyway: for those who prefer to use hoods, it's certainly annoying that they are not included.



[quote name='popo' timestamp='1319821541' post='12545']

And does anyone really use pouches? [/quote]



Well, not for my SLR gear, but the M lenses are rather small and I prefer to carry them in pouches, so I can store several in a single compartment of my shoulder bag. For the same reason, I'd prefer to have pouches with the Nikkor 1 lenses.



However, for now there aren't more lenses than my smallest bag has compartments <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> And at least they are available optionally. Of course I could also re-use some of the many SLR pouches I have. The ones included with the TCs should work well.



[quote name='popo' timestamp='1319821541' post='12545']

Anyway, if I can ask, how do you find the AF speed? Particularly for tracking in a direction towards/away from camera. I think that is the biggest reason over the alternatives I might consider looking at this as a smaller backup system in future.

[/quote]



Unfortunately, I still don't have any field experience with the camera, yet. Weather would have been fine today, unfortunately that wasn't true for myself ... I spent most of the day in bed feeling a little sick. But I'm already better now.



AF struggles in low light (like I have it in my office now... let's call it "ISO 3200 light"). Certainly worse than the D7000's AF in this regard, but I guess no one would expect it to shine in this discipline anyway. Given its high ISO performance, it doesn't really matter IMO.



VR seems to work exceptionally well. Have handheld a few 1/6s shots with the superzoom at the long end. Not all of them, but quite a few were almost free of blur. Given we're talking about the equivalent of a 270mm lens, I find this quite remarkable.



For anyone used to adjust most settings with a dedicated button, it's also a bit tiresome to enter the menu for many things (changing ISO for example).



-- Markus

[quote name='mst' timestamp='1319827010' post='12549']

AF struggles in low light (like I have it in my office now... let's call it "ISO 3200 light"). Certainly worse than the D7000's AF in this regard, but I guess no one would expect it to shine in this discipline anyway. Given its high ISO performance, it doesn't really matter IMO.

[/quote]

The AF is the one big selling point of this 1 mount system, isn't it?



Even my 450D with Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 (non-"macro") AF's fast in "ISO 3200 light" (without AF help light), so that really is a let down for that 1-series in my opinion...

The "phase" AF on the sensor is a selling point, but I see that more for better AF in normal light, particularly for tracking moving targets. DRTV just put up their review of the V1, and in small part they did say the AF was "fast" although it was lacking detail.

Got the macro rail today, so the review setup is almost complete (except for the pancake). Even got RAW software yesterday, Brian at Iridient Digital, developer of Mac software RAW Developer, kindly provided a beta of their next release which includes V1 support.



To give you an idea of how large that superzoom is:







This is the same ballhead used [url="http://www.opticallimits.com/nikon_ff/499-nikkorafs200f2vrff"]here[/url] and [url="http://www.opticallimits.com/nikon_ff/511-nikkorafs7020028vr2ff"]here[/url].



Weather still doesn't cooperate... *sigh*



-- Markus