Anyone with the Nikon 1 AW1?

After having various levels of "point and shoot" since joining the digital age in 1999, it's time to go back to an interchangeable lens camera. (I've waffled between "high-ish-end" zoom digitals and pocket digitals over the years, currently on a Panasonic Lumix DSC-ZS3, AKA Lumix TZ7 outside the US.) I was holding out hope that the new Sony ILC "snap-on" QX1 would be made with the a5100 internals, but it isn't, so it's not as impressive as I had hoped it would be. So now it's down to deciding if I want the better quality of the a5100 or the beach-and-snow versatility of the AW1.

The 'professional' reviews of the AW1 all proclaim its excellence at its job, but I've yet to find a more long-term analysis of it from someone who has actually used it "in the field" for an extended period of time. I'm hoping someone here has one, and can give a long-term appraisal of it.

I'm a "high-end amateur" (owned an old film Canon AE-1 Program as my prime camera for years before switching to digital with the "very unconventional" Sony F-505 back in '99,) who likes to play with oddball settings, but also likes the ease of point-and-shoot when I want it. So I don't need an ultra-high end, but would like something I can get more creative with than my current one. (And the ability to take decent astrophotography would be nice.)

My thought is to get the AW1 kit with just the waterproof zoom lens (30-74mm equivalent) plus a fast prime and a longer zoom. (The 55mm-equivalent f/1.8 prime and the 82-300mm-equivalent zoom.)

Update: Just ordered it. Found it on clearance at BuyDig for $500 with the zoom lens. I'll give a report after I have some time with it.

Got it just over a week ago. Haven't had the chance to go anywhere particularly photogenic, but have played with it for the last week. Took it out in the rain to get a few pics, and slow-motion video of rain falling, pretty nice not having to worry about the heavy rain.

The stock lens (11-27.5mm) is a little slow for my tastes (f/3.5-5.6) but it does well in moderate light. Need to get the 18.5mm - f/1.8 for low-light and the 30-110mm zoom for distance. (Wish I could afford the 32mm - f/1.2 and the 70-300mm...)

admwright said:

Remember that only the lens you got with the AW1 and the "Nikon AW 1 NIKKOR 10mm f2.8" are waterproof lenses. All of the rest of the '1' lenses are just normal lenses and so you whoudl watch out to not get them too wet in the rain, and definatly are no good for underwater.

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Oh, yeah, that's something I know well. Will have to make sure when I go someplace possibly-wet to ONLY put the AW lens on, so the family doesn't accidentally think the other lens(es I have yet to get) are waterproof, too.

First major test.

Took a post-Christmas trip to the mountain (Mt. Bachelor in central Oregon.)

Tried snowboarding for the first time. My arms, shoulders, knees, and thighs are all really sore (Ibuprofen is my friend,) my glasses are broken, but the AW1 came through with flying colors. I wore it with the strap on the longest it felt secure, worn "cross-body". So I'd shoot either "blind" from mid-chest, or else held up a couple inches in front of my face.

I crashed more than a few times (breaking my glasses in one of them,) and only actively attempted to use the camera once while actually 'boarding, otherwise the camera was down at my side during my actual runs. Zero problems with the camera. Obviously only used the included AW 11-27.5 lens! Did pick up the other two lenses I really wanted as my "starter kit", the 18.5mm and the 30-110mm, but didn't use either of those during my main trips up to the slopes.

Also, just because I could, I did play with it in the hot tub after, just to test out the waterproofing. Didn't bring the silicone grease, so kept the lens at most *just* under the waterline (never fully submerged the entire camera,) so the full waterproofing test will come later. But it was good to know it could handle the cold (down to about 20°F / -7°C,) and the shocks of repeated bad landings. Had to brush snow off the lens repeatedly.

Indydenny said:

I'm not sure I like the "tilt to change settings" feature, but its great underwater or with gloves.

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Agreed - wonky to use in normal circumstances, but if you have your "two preferred" settings enabled, it is great with bulky winter gloves on. I had a hell of a time working the four-way controller with gloves on, but the tilt control worked well enough.