![]() My 70-200 f2.8, becomes an effective 190-540mm f2.8 lens, while my 300mm f2.8 becomes a mouth watering 810mm. ![]() The magnifying effect of the sensor is dramatic and, because VR and some auto focusing functions are retained with full size Nikon G series lenses when mounted on the FT-1, the camera could offer a lot to photographers who need reach more than anything – bird photographers for example. But for nature photographers there’s a good reason to do so – the small CX format sensor of the Nikon 1 – which gives the camera a 2.7x crop factor compared to a full-frame DSLR. So why would you want to do that? At first glance it seems ludicrous to want to mount a bulky DSLR lens on such a tiny camera and many commentators rushed to dismiss the FT-1 as little more than a novelty accessory. The reason is because the Nikon 1 cameras have a trick up their sleeves, the FT-1 adapter that allows them to mount full size Nikon F lenses. ![]() While I can’t see landscape photographers finding the Nikon 1 series very useful, wildlife photographers will certainly find these little cameras worth considering. Due to the 2.7x crop factor and compact design of the 300mm, the ease with which this can be handled and carried is, I hope, readily apparent – you can even hand-hold it. At first glance this looks quite a bulky set up until you remember what an equivalent DSLR rig would look like for an effective 1134mm f4 rig – much much larger and at least a kilo and a half heavier. Here’s the Nikon V1 mounted on the Nikon 300mm 2.8 VR AFS lens via the FT-1 adapter with 1.4x converter and lens hood attached. The lens options have gradually been fleshed out too, but is there anything here to appeal to landscape or nature photographer? The sensor is pretty remarkable too, holding its own with first generation micro four thirds cameras pretty well, in spite of being only about half their physical size. Gradually, however, the unique virtues of the Nikon 1 cameras have become more apparent: excellent auto focusing super fast continuous shooting a generous buffer outstanding data throughput a near silent shutter and, on the V1 and more recent V2, an excellent electronic viewfinder. The relatively small sensor of the new CX format and reliance on software menus to access key features were seen by many as limiting factors. Instead of the expected tools for keen enthusiasts, the new cameras were dismissed as merely competent and capable point and shoot cameras. So perhaps it wasn’t surprising that many reviewers found the cameras disappointing and slightly confusing. Now, in late 2013 the answer is probably “what fuss?” But back in 2012 the anticipation ahead of the announcement of Nikon’s first entries into the already-crowded mirrorless system camera market ran sky high. However, they are very lightweight and the crop factor means they are capable of providing extreme ‘reach’, so they are certainly worth considering when a lighter rig is required. ![]() This makes them potentially useful for long-lens photography for wildlife, although the system has a number of limitations when used in this way. The Nikon 1 series cameras provide a 2.7x crop factor and high pixel density when used with full size Nikon lenses via the FT-1 adapter. The review below was begun in 2012 when I was beginning to experiment with the then-new Nikon 1 V1 for bird and wildlife photography. ![]()
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