Nikon 1 J4 Comparison Review

The Nikon 1 J4 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in April 2014 and is equipped with an one-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 18.2 megapixel.

Is the Nikon 1 J4 a good camera? The J4 has a Camera Elo of 1874. This rating puts the J4 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (one inch cameras), the J4 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Nikon 1 J4 is more than 10 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2014.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Nikon 1 J4 vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon 1 J4 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	EUR 589	ebay.com
2.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon 1 J5	98 mm	60 mm	32 mm	231 g	250	n	Apr 2015	EUR 449	ebay.com
6.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	EUR 619	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF7	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	266 g	230	n	Jan 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon 1 J4 was launched in the US market at a price of $549. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Check J4 offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Nikon 1 J4 features an one-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon 1 J4 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
2.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
3.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
4.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
5.		Nikon 1 J5	1-inch	20.7	5568	3712	4K/15p	21.1	12.0	479	65
6.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
7.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
8.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
9.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
10.		Panasonic GF7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.7	12.3	874	70
11.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The J4 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the J4 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon 1 J4 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon 1 J5	none	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GF7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	Y	n
11.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Nikon 1 J4 is flexibly attached to the body.

One convenient feature of the J4 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon 1 J4 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Nikon 1 J5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Panasonic GF7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the J4 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Further information on the features and operation of the J4 can be found in the free online Nikon 1 J4 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the J4 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	EUR 589	ebay.com
2.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon 1 J5	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	EUR 449	ebay.com
6.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	EUR 619	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF7	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check J4 offers at
ebay.com

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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