Nikon 1 J4 gets official in US: $650 kit, May ship

Editors' note, May 14, 2014: Nikon announced this product globally -- except in the US -- on April 3, 2014. We've updated this First Take with US pricing and availability; non-US pricing is still unknown.

The Nikon 1 J4, a modestly redesigned and updated version of the company's entry-level interchangeable-lens camera, debuted on April 3, 2014 in all markets except the US, along with a global rollout of the company's updated 18-300 f3.5-6.3 DX lens. As announced on May 14, the J4 will be available this month; the main single-lens kit will run $650 USD and a dual-lens kit option will be available for $850 USD.

The update to the DX AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm f3.5-6.3 G ED VR, an alternative general-pupose kit lens, is smaller (filter size dropped from 77mm to 67mm) and lighter by about 10 ounces (283.5 grams). It comes in cheaper than the older model at $799.95, but incorporates a 7-blade iris instead of 9-blade, doesn't upgrade to VR II, and doesn't bundle a case or lens hood.

The J4 features a slightly more angular design, along with a new (and presumably better) higher-resolution 18.4-megapixel sensor, and an upgrade to Nikon's Expeed 4A-generation of image processing for improved noise reduction. It also increases its continuous-shooting speed to 20fps, with autofocus, and gets an AF system update to the same version that's in the V3 . It also gains built-in Wi-Fi, a touch-screen display and On the downside, it now uses micro SD cards instead of the far-less-loseable full-size SD. It will come in black, white, silver, and orange, though not every color will be available everywhere; for instance, Singapore gets only the black or white.

Nikon will offer an underwater housing (WP-N3 Waterproof Case) and underwater flash (SB-N10 Underwater Speedlight) for the camera.

For comparison:

	Fujifilm X-A1	Nikon 1 J3	Nikon 1 J4	Samsung NX3000
Sensor (effective resolution)	16.3MP CMOS n/a	14.2MP CMOS	18.4MP CMOS	20.3MP CMOS
Sensor size	23.6 x 15.6mm	13.2 x 8.8mm	13.2 x 8.8mm	23.5mm x 15.7mm
Focal- length multiplier	1.5x	2.7x	2.7x	1.5x
Sensitivity range	ISO 100 (exp)/ ISO 200 - ISO 6400/ ISO 25600 (exp)	ISO 160 - ISO 6400	ISO 160 - ISO 6400/ ISO 12800 (exp)	ISO 100 - ISO 25600
Continuous shooting	5.6fps 30 JPEG	15fps n/a (60fps with fixed AF)	20fps n/a (60fps with fixed AF)	5fps (30fps at reduced resolution) n/a
Viewfinder	None	None	None	None
Hot shoe	Yes	No	No	Yes
Autofocus	49-area Contrast AF	73-point phase detection, 135-area contrast AF	105-point phase detection, 171-area contrast AF	21-area contrast AF
AF sensitivity range	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Shutter speed	30 - 1/4000 sec.; bulb to 60 min; 1/180 x-sync	1/3 - 1/16,000; bulb; 1/60 sec x-sync (electronic shutter)	n/a	30-1/4000 sec.; bulb to 4 minutes; 1/180 x-sync
Metering	256 zones	n/a	n/a	221 segment
Metering range	n/a	n/a	n/a	0 - 18 EV
Flash	Yes	Yes	Yes	Included optional
Wireless flash	n/a	No	n/a	n/a
IS	Optical	Optical	Optical	Optical
Best video	1080/30p H.264	1080/30p, 720/60p H.264 MPEG-4 QuickTime MOV	1080/60p H.264 MPEG-4 QuickTime MOV	1080/30p/25p H.264 MPEG-4
Audio	Stereo	Stereo	Stereo	Stereo
LCD size	3-inch/ 7.5 cm tilting 920,000 dots	3-inch/ 7.5 cm fixed 921,000 dots	3-inch/ 7.5 cm fixed touch screen 1.04 million dots	3-inch/7.5cm Tilting 460,000 dots
Wireless connection	Wi-Fi	With optional WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter	Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi, NFC
Battery life (CIPA rating)	350 shots	220 shots	n/a	370 shots
Dimensions (WHD)	116.9 x 66.5 x 39 mm 4.6 x 2.6 x 1.5 in	4.0 x 2.4 x 1.1 in 101 x 60.5 x 28.8 mm	3.9 x 2.4 x 1.1 in 99.5 x 60 x 28.5 mm	4.6 x 2.6 x 1.5 117.4 x 65.9 x 39.0 mm
Body operating weight	11.6 oz (est) 330 g (est)	9.7 oz (est) 201g (est)	6.6 oz (est) 232 g (est)	10 oz (est) 283 g (est)
Mfr. price (body only)	n/a	n/a	n/a £430 n/a	n/a
Primary kit	$600 USD £400 $600 (est) AUD (with 16-50mm lens)	$400 USD n/a $700 AUD (with 10-30mm lens)	$650 USD £500 n/a (with 10-30mm PD lens)	$530 USD tbd tbd (with 16-50mm PZ lens)
Alternate kit	n/a	$650 USD n/a n/a (with 10 - 30mm and 30 - 110mm lenses)	$850 USD n/a n/a (with 10-30mm and 30 - 110mm lenses)	n/a
Ship date	September 2013	February 2013	May 2014	June 2014