An abundance of mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses have hit the market lately. Every camera manufacturer, it seems, wants to get in on this new genre. Nikon is the latest company to create a mirrorless camera option. The Nikon 1 J1 is fun to look at and come with a few interesting features. On the flip side, this camera hasn’t been reviewed positively across the board.

Before we jump into the J1’s many details, I’ll tell you that the look of this camera is eye-catching. Nikon has created a series of pretty colors for consumers to choose from including a sleek white, black, grey, red, and pink. These colors shine thanks to a metallic coating, and they are lots of fun to look at. But don’t let these lovely colors fool you, the J1 is as good a camera as many others in its class.

J1 Features

The J1 has hybrid-autofocus and an electronic shutter. These two things may deter some serious camera enthusiasts, but for some the automated speed of this camera may be highly appealing. The J1 is limited to 10.1-megapixel stills, but this, again, may be enough for the amateur photographer. In fact, those who want a sturdy point-and-click camera are exactly who Nikon is targeting with the J1.

Of course, the J1 can also be fitted with many (sold separately) Nikon lenses. Some lenses to consider for this camera include a 30-110 mm, 10-30mm, 10mm, and 10-100mm. These lenses are priced accordingly with the cheapest being around $200+ and the most expensive being around $700+.

Other Details

It’s clear that Nikon isn’t aiming for the high-end serious shutterbug with the J1. But, this camera shouldn’t be tossed aside on account of its simplicity. The camera is easy to use, looks great, is lightweight, and comes with the option to change a lens or two if you get bored with the standard J1 lens offering.

In many ways, the J1 is an optimal camera for someone who’s looking to break into photography. This camera would also make an ideal gift for anyone who needs a good reliable camera. Is the J1 the best mirrorless lens option on the market right now? Maybe not, but it certainly compete with the best of them.

Availability and Pricing

Nikon likes to make their cameras easily available, which is why you’ll find the J1 in most electronics and camera stores. You can also purchase this camera directly from the Nikon site. J1 pricing tends to fluctuate depending on the lens kit that you decide to purchase with the camera body. The camera as-is will run you around $600+. If you add a two lens wide-angle kit to the camera, the price will jump to more than $900 (and so on).

All in all, the Nikon J1 isn’t overly priced, and it does come with the option of purchasing great lenses to use with the J1. As with any other camera, I recommend that you take the time to test out the J1 prior to purchase. There are lots of other mirrorless camera options on the market right now, and this is just one of the many great ones.