Nikon 1 J3 review

Can Nikon's smallest CSC deliver the goods?

Nikon 1 J3 review
The Nikon 1 J3 is a very small CSC

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Nikon 1 J3 review

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Even with the standard 10-30mm kit lens, with its maximum aperture of f/3, the Nikon 1 J3 is capable of producing attractive shallow depth of field effects.

Nikon 1 J3 review

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You can experiment with Picture Styles to get unusual colours by fiddling with the hue and saturation. This also has the benefit of being able to shoot in raw format should you prefer a 'clean' version of the image later down the line.

Nikon 1 J3 review

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The J3 has done a good job of producing an accurate exposure while set on Multi-purpose metering. Colours are also reproduced well.

Nikon 1 J3 review

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The Monochrome setting in Picture Styles is a particular favourite of ours. It pays to experiment with the Contrast settings to produce images with punch.

Nikon 1 J3 review

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You can choose from several different colour tones when in Monochrome. Using blue helps to recreate the effect of a Cyanotype image.

Nikon 1 J3 review

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Although not as wide as the range from competitors such as Panasonic and Olympus, the optics choice for Nikon 1 cameras is growing. This was shot using an 18.5mm f/1.8 lens, which gives an equivalent focal length of 50mm, making it useful for portraits.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar. 

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