Introduction and features
Nikon’s compact system camera (CSC) line-up seemed to start well when the Nikon 1 J1 and Nikon V1 were first announced back in September 2011. But after an initial flurry of impressive sales reports, the market seemed to lose interest. However, the changes brought by the latest introduction, the Nikon 1 J5, could see renewed interest from Nikon SLR lovers looking for a smaller alternative.
With its new 20.8 million pixel CX-format (one-inch) sensor, the J5 has the highest resolution of any Nikon 1 camera yet. What’s more, the new sensor is backside illuminated, which means that the circuitry is out of the way of the light receptors, allowing them to be larger than they would otherwise be. This should be good news for low light performance. Additionally, as with previous Nikon 1 cameras, the sensor has no anti-aliasing filter, which should make it good at resolving fine detail.
A new Expeed 5A processing engine makes the J5 faster, as well as enabling more movie options (the Nikon J4 and Nikon V3 use Expeed 4A). The J5’s sensitivity range also steps up to ISO 160-12,800, whereas the selectable options of the J4 topped out at ISO 6400.
In addition, the new processing engine enables a maximum continuous shooting rate of 60fps (frames per second) when the focus is fixed at the start of the sequence. That should be fast enough to record split-second moments such as a water splash or a dog shaking itself dry. In continuous autofocus mode, the maximum rate drops to a still impressive 20fps, a figure that SLR users can only dream about.
Quiet please
The shutter itself is electronic, and not mechanical like the shutter in the Nikon 1 V3. This has a few advantages. It allows the camera to be smaller, for a start. It also means that extremely fast shutter speeds can be achieved – the top rate offered by the J5 is 1/16,000 second, which is great for capturing fast moving action, or if you want to shoot at wide apertures in bright light. Lastly, an electronic shutter is completely silent, making it good for discreet photography.
Like the other cameras in the Nikon 1 line-up, the J5 has a hybrid AF system with 171 AF points, 105 of which are phase detection points, distributed across the imaging sensor.
On the back of the camera, the 3-inch 1,037,000-dot screen is touch sensitive and can be flipped through 180 degrees for shooting selfies. It can also be pulled out and tilted downwards, making it useful for shooting above your head – such as when standing in a crowd. By contrast, the J4 has a fixed screen. As soon as the screen is flipped to face forward, selfie mode and face detection is activated automatically.
There’s no viewfinder, and unlike with some of the other Nikon 1 models, there’s no hotshoe or accessory port to allow you to attach one either.
While the J5 is the first Nikon camera that’s capable of shooting 4K video, it is limited to shooting at 15fps at this resolution – so it is unlikely to prove a hugely popular option. However, full HD video recording is also possible at a range of frame rates up to 60fps. There’s also a 120fps option for 4x slow motion playback. In addition, up to 20 full resolution still images can be captured while shooting full HD footage with no interruption to video recording.
Time lapse movies can also be created in camera with up to 300 images and a range of time frames and intervals being available.
As you might expect, Wi-Fi connectivity is included in the J5, but there’s also NFC (near field communication) for connecting with an NFC device such as an Android phone. Once it’s connected by Wi-Fi it’s possible to control the J5 remotely using Nikon’s free app.
The J5 is available as a body-only kit, but most will probably buy it with the 10-30mm retractable kit lens. The CX-format sensor has a crop factor of 2.72x, making that equivalent to roughly 27-81mm in 35mm terms. You can attach existing Nikon F-mount lenses via an adaptor, but it’s worth remembering that these will also be subject to the same crop factor, making a 50mm lens equivalent to around 136mm. The range of Nikon 1 lenses is much more limited than those available for Micro Four Thirds cameras, but there are still 13 to choose from, covering a total focal range of 6.7-300mm (18-810mm effective).
Which cameras are the competition for the J5 is debatable. If you’re a Nikon fan, perhaps one of its DSLR owners, you may find the J5 a tempting purchase instead of buying a compact camera. It has the same size sensor as some of the premium compacts on the market, such as the Canon G7X and the Sony RX100 III. In terms of compact system cameras, if you have no loyalty to Nikon, you might want to consider the Panasonic GM5, which has a similar body size but has a larger sensor and a viewfinder.
Build and Handling
Nikon has opted for an attractive two-tone design for the J5 and it looks much smarter and more retro than the J4 it replaces. It looks much more like a Nikon camera than previous J-series Nikon 1 models.
The J5’s body is plastic but it looks like metal and feels nicely put together. The faux leather covering is also quite stylish and it gives the grips a little extra purchase.
Like the J4 and V3, there’s a mode dial on the top-plate of the J5. Unlike on the J4 however, this gives a direct route to the enthusiasts’ favourite exposure modes: shutter priority, aperture priority and manual, as well as the collection of scene modes and fully automatic options.
There is a smattering of direct control buttons, just like the J4, but there are also dual dials which make it easy to adjust key settings. The first dial, on top of the camera is used for altering shutter speed (in shutter priority and manual) as well as having some functionality when in playback. The second dial, a scrolling dial on the back of the camera is used for altering aperture (in aperture priority and manual).
For those who may be disappointed not to find a direct access button to ISO sensitivity, you can customise the new front Fn button to one of seven different functions – including sensitivity. Pressing the up directional key on the rear of the screen brings up a number of key settings for quick access and thus saving you from delving into the main menu. Unfortunately, this menu is not customisable, but it has just a few options so you shouldn’t be doing too much unnecessary scrolling.
Touch-screen control
You can use the touch screen to set a number of key settings, and it is nicely responsive. You can choose to set the autofocus point with the screen, simply by tapping the area you need on screen, or, if you prefer, have the camera focus and fire off the shutter release when you touch the screen. This can be especially useful if you’re using a tripod or shooting from an awkward angle and don’t want to have to use the shutter release button itself.
The touchscreen can also be used to make settings changes when using the function menu, or to scroll through pictures. The good thing here is that you don’t have to use the screen if you prefer the feel of real buttons. We’ve often found it to be beneficial to use a touch sensitive screen in tandem with physical buttons for the best experience.
Like other Nikon 1 models, the Nikon J5 uses Micro SD cards, which is a little annoying for those who have collected a number of full-size SD cards but, on the plus side, it helps to keep the overall size of the camera down.
Focus features
You have a few different focus options to choose from. These are auto-area, single point and subject tracking focus. There are 171 focus points, with the centre being 105 phase detection points. There’s no way to choose for yourself whether contrast or phase detection focusing is deployed, since the camera will choose for itself depending on the lighting conditions.
Using manual focus with the J5 is not quite as nice an experience as with some other cameras currently on the market. Once you’ve selected Manual Focus from the function menu, you press the OK button to see a magnified view of the scene. You then use the scrolling dial on the back of the camera to adjust focus. If you’re using the kit lens, there’s no focusing ring on the lens itself, so this is the only way to achieve focus. It’s also worth noting that the J5 doesn’t offer focus peaking to emphasis object outlines when they’re sharp.
Connecting to a smartphone via Wi-Fi is pretty easy. There’s a dedicated button on the back of the camera which you can press either in shooting or playback modes. You’ll then be prompted to connect to the camera’s Wi-Fi from your phone or tablet. Once connected, you need to launch the Nikon Wireless Utility app. This app is used with a wide range of Wi-Fi enabled Nikon cameras, but it remains disappointingly limited. You can only fire off the shutter release – and while that is useful for group shots and perhaps selfies, the more serious photographer would probably appreciate being able to change other key settings.
If you have an NFC enabled device, you simply hold the two together to form a connection and automatically load the WMU app (once it’s already installed).
Performance
It’s clear that the improvements Nikon has made to the J5’s sensor has had a significant impact on the camera’s performance.
As there’s no anti-aliasing filter, the amount of detail resolved by the camera should be pretty good. Overall, it’s fair to say, the impression of detail when viewing a (JPEG) image at normal printing or web sizes is fantastic. If you examine at 100% however, it is possible to see some degree of image smoothing even at the lower end of the sensitivity scale (such as ISO 200).
This kind of image smoothing isn’t really problematic, however, throughout the sensitivity range you’re likely to be using for the majority of situations. Even at ISO 6400, there’s a decent overall impression of detail. Images taken at ISO 12800, the maximum setting, are useable too, if not quite up to close scrutiny.
Click here for a full size version.
Click here for a full size version.
By looking at the equivalent raw format files (in Nikon’s Capture NX-D), we can see how much noise reduction is applied to the JPEG files created in the camera – but this gives you good scope for applying your own preferred amount of noise reduction, which is especially useful if you’re photographing something with a large amount of detail that you want to preserve.
Putting the J5 through our labs tests reveals some interesting results. In terms of signal to noise ratio, it is beaten by other cameras which also have a one-inch sensor, such as the Sony RX100 III and the Samsung NX Mini. We can also compare it against the Panasonic GM5 since its competes in the same market, even though the Panasonic’s sensor is much larger. The Panasonic wins out here, by quite a significant margin for both raw format and JPEG images.
The J5 fares better for dynamic range, being a close competitor for the GM5 and Samsung NX Mini, and beating the Sony RX100 III quite comfortably – again both for JPEGs and raw format files.
Unsurprisingly, the Panasonic GM5 is better equipped for resolving detail at the higher end of the sensitivity scale, but the J5 compares well with other cameras at the lower end of the scale, and throughout the range for those equipped with the same size sensor.
Click here for a full size version.
Click here for a full size version.
Overall, the camera’s matrix (general-purpose) metering system does a good job of producing accurate exposures; however, there are some cases where a touch of positive exposure compensation is needed to help to brighten up the scene a little.
Under artificial lighting, the camera’s automatic white balance setting tends to err a little towards unnaturally warm tones, but it’s not too bad. If you’re finding it to be problematic, you can always switch to a more appropriate white balance setting, such as Tungsten.
Nikon is very keen to boast about the J5’s autofocusing speeds, and in good light the lens is able to snap to focus incredibly quickly. In lower light conditions, the lens will tend to hunt around a little, but it’s still pretty good in all but the very darkest of conditions – there’s also a focusing assist lamp to help in these situations.
Switching to tracking focus allows you to keep focus on a moving subject. Once you’ve set the subject to be tracked, the camera will carry on tracking it until you tell it to stop. This works quite well, but it can fall down when another subject enters the frame and confuses the camera – which could be problematic when you’re photographing team sports.
Another headline specification of this camera is its 60fps shooting capability, which is way above and beyond the realms that DSLRs can achieve. However, this is limited by the camera’s buffer size – it can only hold around 20 (raw or JPEG) files before it will stop shooting, so while shooting at this speed is useful for capturing very fast action, only being able to shoot for less than a second at a time requires your timing to be pretty accurate.
The 10-30mm kit lens is a decent performer to get you started with, or as a walk around lens. When using it at the full 30mm reach, there is some softness in some areas of the image if you examine closely, but it doesn’t have too negative an effect on the overall image.
Click here for a full size version.
Click here for a full size version.
I’ve already mentioned the buffer’s effect on fast continuous shooting, but general operational speeds of the J5 can be frustratingly slow – once a shot’s been taken, it takes a between half a second and a second for it to be displayed in preview, and the same time again before the camera is ready for next shot, thus making the shot to shot time distinctly slow. This is annoying if you’re trying to take a series of photos in relatively quick succession.
Although I haven’t tested the video capability of the J5 in extreme depth, it is capable of recording high quality video footage. While it can shoot in 4K, it’s unlikely many will take it up at just 15fps – it seems more like a marketing gimmick at this stage rather than a useful addition, since the video playback won’t be as smooth. Those who are serious about video will also likely be disappointed by the fact that there’s no external microphone or headphone ports, too.
Lab tests: Resolution
We’ve carried out lab tests on the Nikon 1 J5 across its full ISO range for resolution, noise (including signal to noise ratio) and dynamic range. We test the JPEGs shot by the camera, but we also check the performance with raw files. Most enthusiasts and pros prefer to shoot raw, and the results can often be quite different.
We’ve also picked out three of its chief rivals so that you can compare their performance directly.
• Panasonic GM5: Another tiny compact system camera, but this one has a much larger Micro Four Thirds sensor and a built in electronic viewfinder.
• Samsung NX Mini: Samsung’s baby compact system camera uses a 1-inch sensor, just like the Nikon 1 J5.
• Sony RX100 III: The Nikon 1 J5 is also competing with high-end compacts like the Sony, which also has a 1-inch sensor.
We test camera resolution using an industry-standard ISO test chart that allows precise visual comparisons. This gives us numerical values for resolution in line widths/picture height, and you can see how the Nikon 1 J5 compares with its rivals in the charts below.
Nikon 1 J5 resolution
JPEG analysis: All of these cameras offer broadly similar detail resolution at low-medium ISO settings, though the Sony is sharper than the rest up to ISO 400, and the Panasonic, with its bigger sensor, performs better at high ISOs. The Nikon 1 J5, however, produces the least sharp JPEGs.
Raw analysis: The performance of these four cameras is much closer when comparing raw files, though the Nikon 1 J5 is, again, the weakest. Its results are far better than you’d expect from a regular compact camera, but the Panasonic, Samsung and Sony are all a little bit sharper.
Test chart samples
Click here for a full size version.
Click here for a full size version.
Lab tests: Dynamic range
Dynamic range is a measure of the range of tones the sensor can capture. Cameras with low dynamic range will often show ‘blown’ highlights or blocked-in shadows. This test is carried out in controlled conditions using DxO hardware and analysis tools.
Dynamic range is measured in exposure values (EV). The higher the number the wider the range of brightness levels the camera can capture. This falls off with increasing ISO settings because the camera is having to amplify a weaker signal. Raw files capture a higher dynamic range because the image data is unprocessed.
Nikon 1 J5 dynamic range
JPEG analysis: The dynamic range of all four cameras is quite close, with the Nikon 1 J5 just edging ahead of the rest right up to ISO 800. At ISO 6400 and 12800, though, it’s clearly worse than the others.
Raw analysis: When the raw files are compared the Nikon 1 J5 does well again, but this time it’s overshadowed by the Panasonic GM5 and its larger sensor. The Sony RX100 III’s low figures are unexpected.
Lab tests: Signal to noise ratio (noise)
This is a test of the camera’s noise levels. The higher the signal to noise ratio, the greater the difference in strength between the real image data and random background noise, so the ‘cleaner’ the image will look. The higher the signal to noise ratio, the better.
Nikon 1 J5 signal to noise ratio
JPEG analysis: The Nikon 1 J5’s signal to noise ratio is significantly worse than the rest – you can expect its JPEG images to show more noise than those from the rival cameras in this group.
Raw analysis: When the raw files are compared, though, the situation is turned around completely. Now, the J5 is one of the best in the group.
Test scene samples
We also carry out real-world noise tests across the camera’s ISO range with a specially set-up studio test scene. You can see two of the results below:
Click here for a full size version.
Click here for a full size version.
Verdict
By revamping the design of the J range to give it a classy, retro look, and including more and improved dials, Nikon has widened the appeal of its mid-range compact system camera.
It’s easy to like this camera, and especially if you’re firmly in the Nikon camp, you may see this as a great walk around camera as an alternative to a standard compact camera. The fact that you can use your existing F-mount lenses (via an adapter) is an appealing prospect if you have a large collection, but with a 2.7x crop factor to consider, you may not find this useful very often.
JPEG images direct from the camera are great, and while they don’t quite stand up to those from CSCs with larger sensors when you examine them at 100%, the overall impression is great. The increase in pixel count doesn’t appear to have had a negative impression on image quality, and even those taken at high sensitivities in low light conditions are good.
Although there are extra dials and options on this body when compared with the J4, if like even more control, you’ll probably want to consider the V3 instead. The same is true if you like to work with a viewfinder.
That said, the camera’s screen is excellent, offering plenty of flexibility both in terms of the fact that it’s hinged so it can face forwards and downwards, and because its touch sensitivity allows you to control certain aspects of the camera shooting.
There are some great specifications which are unique to the Nikon 1 series which should be appreciated both by those looking for an alternative to a compact camera, but also for those with a little more experience. Things like Best Moment Capture and the range of digital filters add a little fun into the mix, too.
We liked
Nikon’s engineers have done a cracking job with the redesign of the J5. Its retro look and feel, coupled with an improvement to some of the dials and controls, give it a more serious and classy look, as well as improving the usability and functionality of the camera. Those who are Nikon fans may finally have a Nikon 1 camera to get excited about.
We disliked
Despite the fact that the J5 has the latest image processing engine, operational speeds could be better. Shot to shot times are a little slow, which can be frustrating at times, and it’s worth considering that despite an advertised 60fps shooting speed, the camera’s buffer can only hold 20 frames before you need to wait for that to clear, making it a little less impressive than it sounds.
Final Verdict
Nikon has once again produced a very capable camera for its compact system camera range. Lots of people criticise the Nikon 1 system for having a much smaller sensor than most of the other compact system cameras on the market. However, this makes it a much smaller camera, so it’s a bit of a trade off.
It’s also perhaps not surprising to see Nikon shying away from creating a direct alternative to a DSLR, as it probably doesn’t want to cannibalise its own market. However, the J series remains a very real alternative to something else – a compact camera. And, if you happen to be a Nikon user already, switching to the J5 will feel very familiar.
If you’re not so loyal to the Nikon brand, or perhaps are looking for something to be your only camera, the Panasonic GM5 remains king of the small format compact system cameras, so make sure to check that out too.
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