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Settled on Nikon 1 J4- my "Super Q"

raist3d

Well-known member
After a relatively recent quick trip through a 1 V3, Sony A6000 I settled on the 1 J4. Basically it's 1/2 the price of a Nikon 1 V3 with like 90% of its features and ironically to me a very Zen-like interface that thanks to the touchscreen and new "control panel" works pretty good. OH and a directional wheel that is not horrible (though I never like these wheels).

On the Sony I have to say it is indeed a fantastic camera. I would have gone that way if it wasn't for the fact I wanted the ability to be 100% silent and still like smaller if I can. I already shot the J4 in a situation that required silence so already proved that point for me. Sony please release an AAless A7000 with silent shutter! Please please :)

Anyhow, I have a backlog of photos to post here but may as well start with some recent shots.







And of the Pentax Q/Q7? I still love the Pentax Q! I asked/waited for a year for Pentax/Ricoh to announce development of a very fast prime (say the 01 lens released as an F1.0), and I would have gone that way. That would have been enough for it to shoot some interesting stuff at night in the edges of what I could do now with it.

But didn't happen. I never in a million years thought I would buy a Nikon, much less a 1 system camera, but by accident- not by design- Nikon made a camera I want for street life. It's as small as the Q pretty much and very small with the F1.8 18.5mm (50ishmm equivalent) lens.

If the Q ever gets super fast primes, I may sell it and go back there because the Q's is indeed a charm.

- Ricardo
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Yeah saw that. But the issue is the lenses - I want very fast primes. I don't think the new q-s1 will improve performance that much in iso if at all if its the same sensor.

I really like the new design I am seeing though.
 
At least the Nikon 1 V1, V2 and V3 have an EVF. I guess its too late to wish that the new Pentax QS1 might be able to accept an EVF.
The built in EVF of the Nikon 1 V1 still wins out over the cuteness of the Pentax.

Since I did not grow up making pictures with a camera held out at arms length, maybe its an age thing but I like to see what I'm composing..
Robert
 

raist3d

Well-known member
It all depends what you are trying to do. If you think about it looking at the LCD is like a medium format camera with glass that you look at. Not quite the same but in that direction.

And no, you don't have to hold at arms length. I am using a Nikon J4 and that has no viewfinder. If it wasn't for the faster prime issue I would pick the Q any day over any of the Nikon 1s. Its just much better photographically as a tool to me.

This should not read that I am shooting down your preference- I know quite a few photogs that must have a view finder. All cameras are good now and its just matching needs, wants, preferences and budget.
 

Oren Grad

Active member
Ricardo -

Thanks for sharing these, and all of your fun Q-pictures, too. One question if I may, with apologies if you've addressed this in one of your other picture threads: are you working with ooc jpgs, or converting from raw?
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Ricardo -

Thanks for sharing these, and all of your fun Q-pictures, too. One question if I may, with apologies if you've addressed this in one of your other picture threads: are you working with ooc jpgs, or converting from raw?
No worries. I am using RAW on the J4. I find the JPEG engine of Nikon improved for the Toy Camera mode (avoids posterization). I don't like in general the JPEG engine color of Nikon, the B&W is ok.

What Nikon does have that I like a lot is the ability to upload custom JPEG curves. For B&W this is great. If they allowed to modify the JPEG curve in the R, G or B when creating them it would allow for a wide range of expression but they don't go that far.

I would dare shoot in B&W JPEG, but color I rather use RAW. Ironically at night the color is decent, it's in daylight where I am not a huge fan of.

For conversion I am using LR 5.5 but also started to use sometimes Nikon's own Capture NX-D (a Silky Pix variant but apparently using their latest algorithms and not the usual Silky Pix Version 3.xx). I find sometimes the noise reduction and edges look somehow better along with some color.

But after doing a few comparisons sometimes LR is better, sometimes Capture NX-D is better... I am split. I like that I can convert RAWS from a connected memory card with Capture NX-D while LightRoom forces you to import them.

- Ricardo
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Fun images Ricardo. Nice variety. Just recommended the J4 to a friend.
The surprise to me of the J4 is just how much more usable (to me) it is than any J before it. Because the wheel is done right (as far as those wheels go), and the touch screen + new interface works great. The camera now having a metal case inspires a certain elegance along with a Zen with the minimalistic interface.

- Ricardo
 

Oren Grad

Active member
No worries. I am using RAW on the J4. I find the JPEG engine of Nikon improved for the Toy Camera mode (avoids posterization). I don't like in general the JPEG engine color of Nikon, the B&W is ok.

What Nikon does have that I like a lot is the ability to upload custom JPEG curves. For B&W this is great. If they allowed to modify the JPEG curve in the R, G or B when creating them it would allow for a wide range of expression but they don't go that far.

I would dare shoot in B&W JPEG, but color I rather use RAW. Ironically at night the color is decent, it's in daylight where I am not a huge fan of.

For conversion I am using LR 5.5 but also started to use sometimes Nikon's own Capture NX-D (a Silky Pix variant but apparently using their latest algorithms and not the usual Silky Pix Version 3.xx). I find sometimes the noise reduction and edges look somehow better along with some color.

But after doing a few comparisons sometimes LR is better, sometimes Capture NX-D is better... I am split. I like that I can convert RAWS from a connected memory card with Capture NX-D while LightRoom forces you to import them.
Thanks, that's very helpful!

The small size, responsiveness and quietness of the 1 series really appeal. I had a V1/10-30/10 outfit very briefly but returned it - couldn't quite get a handle on the body, so to speak, and my sample of the 10 turned out to be decentered enough to bother me. I do wish they had a 35mm-equivalent prime - the 10 is a bit too wide for me, the 18.5 a bit too long. But the basic attributes of the system are so appealing that I've kept an eye on it.

I was thinking about the custom-curve ability just last night, and especially for monochrome jpgs. Nikon's standard curves tend to be too steep in the highlights for me. I may experiment with that a bit with my D3200; if it works well it would add to the case for trying a "1" again.

I've been fiddling a bit with NX-D, too. Seems usable; the one thing I don't like so far is that even at minimum settings there seems to be some sharpening going on, and I often prefer to have none. But it's early days - perhaps I'm missing something. Or maybe I'll just get used to it.

EDIT: Or maybe not so fast re testing a custom Picture Control - seems as though the D3xxx cameras don't support uploaded Picture Controls... :(
 
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