Lens Cap Loc: The Cold North Coast

I'm looking for a compact camera that will capture raw files and has removable lenses/or a good optical zoom. I've considered the Nikon 1 J3. I'm just wondering if anybody else has used or experienced such a camera? I look forward to your knowledge on this subject.

illininitt

Get a Canon T7I from Greentoe.com. Bet set for life! Get a Canon 10-18/Sigma 18-250 and be the talk of your neighborhood!

JPL

I have a Nikon 1 J2 and J5. Like them both. The J5 delivers better colors. If you need a compact gear nothing will beat a Nikon 1 and the glass of your choice. I often travel with the J5 and the kit lens in my jacket pocket and another lens in another pocket. No need for a camera bag for a body and 2-3 lenses if you have a Nikon 1 gear. If you are tight on budget go with the J3, if you can afford more get the J5.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

So, you only have the cap left?

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I have the j5, although that wasn't my first choice for a mirror less camera, (my son had already ordered the Nikon for me) my first choice would have been either a fujifilm or olympus, they have been in the mirror less business a lot longer than Nikon. Nikon went out of their way to make this camera as tiny as possible using the micro card instead of a regular size one. It has very good color reproduction, and with it's 20 mp sensor, the photo's are well detailed and it has a burst mode of 20 fps. In some ways the j5 outperforms Nikon's flagship V3 mirror less camera although Nikon is supposed to revamp their mirror less line. Good luck.

twr25 Loc: New Jersey

Check out the Sony camera line of mirrorless cameras

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I got a used J1 a couple of years ago on ebay for $80. Nice camera. The only downside is the widest angle you can get with the 10mm lens is 30mm eq. focal length. I use it with a 300mm zoom and get an 810mm eq focal length for telephoto shots, and have gotten many good bird shots with that camera and lens. According to snapsort, the J1 gets a slightly higher score on dynamic range and color depth than the J2, but both score considerably lower than the J5.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I have always been in awe of people who carry a camera with no lens attached, and carry lens(es) in another location. To decide the proper lens, retrieve it, remove the body cap (WHAT? You don't use one?), remove the rear lens cap, mount the lens, remove the front lens cap, maybe mount a lens hood, set the exposure and take a picture of an ever-changing street scene, a BIF, a passing train, a cloud pattern over a landscape scene, etc., is beyond remarkable; in is truly incredible. Such a person is to be exalted - just as long as he/she doesn't drop one the three caps being juggled on the mud, gutter, or down a storm drain. What a remarkable feat of dexterity!

davyboy Loc: Anoka Mn.

Exactly what part of compact don’t you understand?

tomad Loc: North Carolina

Panasonic ZS100 bridge camera my work for you. No interchangeable lenses and a 1" sensor, but it is small, has good glass, a 250mm zoom, and does RAW.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

Look at an Olympus PEN EPL-8 (or the more expensive PEN F or just being released EPL-9) if you want something light with interchangeable lenses. Compact and will not break the bank, plus a micro fours thirds larger sensor. I picked one up used, in excellent condition, for $250. It can travel with me everywhere I go when I don’t want to take the larger gear I own. Also, can capture raw images.

jmizera Loc: Austin Texas

I owned a Panasonic G7, and then upgraded to the G85. I also ended up buying a GH5 for video production work. These are fantastic cameras, and have a wealth of great lenses available from Pana, Olympus, and Leica.

billnourse Loc: Bloomfield, NM

I have a Sony A6000 and 2 lenses for the motorcycle. Everything is compact enough to fit in a saddle bag with lots of room to spare.

If I were to get a new compact it would be the Sony A6300 or 6500 with a Ziess 16-70 f4.

Bill

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The Nikon 1 series is nice and small, and it performs about as well as anything with that size sensor. BUT, there are much better small mirrorless cameras available. They just aren't THAT small.

I encourage you to look at the "big four brands of mirrorless cameras" — Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic Lumix, and Sony. These four manufacturers are not burdened by ancient SLR/dSLR lens lines, so they have been free to develop their own new mirrorless technologies. Most of the better ideas in camera design are showing up in that space now.

Olympus and Panasonic share the Micro 4/3 lens line. They use a smaller sensor than the others, and their lenses are optimized precisely for that size sensor. That means they have the smallest lenses of any system larger than the Nikon 1. Of the two, Olympus gets points for style, JPEG color, and lenses. Panasonic gets points for video capabilities, lenses, menus, and ergonomics. Both brands use similar Sony sensors, so in raw mode, results from both brands are about the same when you compare equivalent levels of camera.

Fujifilm makes APS-C size mirrorless cameras. They handle well, with classic physical controls and decent menus. JPEG color is probably the best on the market. Lenses are excellent... Fujinon took their time on each one of them!

Sony makes both full frame and APS-C size mirrorless cameras. The full frame bodies are slightly lighter than dSLRs, but the full frame lenses, although mostly excellent, are among the heaviest on the market. Full frame image quality rivals full frame dSLRs, and in some cases exceeds the best from Nikon and Canon. The a6xxx series is smaller and lighter. Most lenses are still larger than Micro 4/3 and Nikon 1 lenses, but they are also excellent.

Nearly all of us here on UHH who have switched from big, heavy dSLR systems are quite happy with our choices, no matter what we have. I'm a Panasonic user, because I record equal measures of stills and video, and the GH4 (and now the GH5) does that supremely well for me. But you'll find lots of Sony, Olympus, and Fujifilm camera users here, too, along with the occasional Nikon 1 or Canon M system user.

Mirrorless cameras had distinct drawbacks about five years ago. Most of those drawbacks have diminished or been eliminated now. As electronics get faster and more capable, mirrorless gear gets closer to the performance of the very best dSLRs.

Check out reviews of nearly all the available choices online, whether at sites such as http://www.dpreview.com, or http://www.YouTube.com.

timcc Loc: Virginia

I suggest either Sony or Fuji -- both make excellent APS-C cameras, and are way ahead of the current Canon and Nikon mirrorless offerings. Canon and Nikon are behind the curve and will need a few more years to make their mirrorless lineups competitive. The Sony a6xxx series is compact and now has a strong line of lenses to choose from, albeit they can get pricey. I have enjoyed my a6000 for several years -- it is perfect for travel -- but if I were to get a new mirrorless camera today, I would choose the a6500 for its additional features (IBIS, more focus points, etc.). Olympus and Panasonic make good micro 4/3 cameras, which are lighter but have smaller sensors.

You really can't go wrong with any of the established four (Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Panasonic). Go to your local camera store and see how they feel in your hands. Good luck!