Review :Nikon 1 J4

PROS: Small, light and attractive design; Near-instantaneous autofocus, even in low light; Touch-screen controls make good use of limited space; Crazy continuous shooting up to 60 fps

CONS: Notable loss of detail above ISO 800; Tiny, slick body hard to hold comfortably; Limited dynamic range in high-contrast settings

VERDICT : Nikon's 1 J4 is superportable and insanely fast to focus and shoot, but it doesn't shine in low light.

Who it's for: People who love taking action photos but hate lugging around a big camera.

Design

The J4 comes in four finish options: black, silver, orange and white. The smooth white version I tested looked attractive, but it was also pretty slippery. This mirrorless camera lacks any textured surfaces or contours for a handgrip.

When holding the Nikon 1 J4 with two hands, I instinctively put my left thumb under the camera body and my index finger on the top corner of the camera — exactly over one of the two microphones and the retracted pop-up flash. Tip: Get in the habit of placing your left palm under the camera, with the lens between your left thumb and index finger.

Bright-Light Image Quality

We try not to get hung up on specs for their own sake, but one of them, the J4's sensor, seems to have an important effect on performance. Nikon gets the J4 close to pocket-size by using a 1-inch sensor, which is just 35 percent the size of the APS-C sensor in the Nikon D3300 (review) and most mainstream DSLR and mirrorless cameras. A small sensor is often a warning sign for lower performance, but the recent Samsung NX Mini mirrorless camera ($550 with 3X zoom kit lens) and Sony RX100 III compact ($800 with fixed 2.9X zoom), wring fantastic quality from a 1-inch sensor. So how does the Nikon 1 J4 do?

Video Quality

Video is one of the areas where the J4 shows off the impressive power of its high-speed image chip and Xpeed 4A processor. These components allow this little camera to capture full-HD video at up to 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second

Autofocus and Speed

The J4 is a powerhouse, starting with an image sensor that combines both DSLR-grade phase-detection (using 105 points) and the contrast detection AF found in lower-end cameras (41 points) to refine adjustments. Translation: This camera can lock on and stay with a moving subject, even in low light. Cameras with only contrast detection, such as the NX Mini and RX100 III, struggle under similar conditions.

Specs table

Model name: Nikon 1 J4

Megapixels: 18.4 

Type: Mirrorless

Price: $600, with 3X zoom (other kits offered)

Shots per sec: 20 with continuous AF, 60 with single AF

Sensor type: 1-inch CMOS

Kit lens if applicable: 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom

AF points and type: 105 phase-detect, 41 contrast-detect

Shutter speed range: 30 - 1/16,000 sec.

ISO range: 160-12800

Main video resolutions/frame rates: 1080p and 720p at 60fps or 30fps

Video file format: MOV (H.264/MPEG-4)

Built-in flash: Yes

Hot shoe: No

Card type: microSD/SDHC/SDXC

Ports: HDMI, USB

Shots per charge 300 (CIPA)

Wireless capabilities: Wi-Fi

Image stabilization: kit and other select lenses

Dimensions and weight: 3.9 x 2.4 x 1.1 inches, 6.8 ounces (body only)