Nikon J5 review

Nikon 1 cameras use a 1in sensor, the same size that’s used with great success in the Sony RX100 III and Canon G7 X. It’s a smaller sensor size than is used by most compact system cameras (CSCs), but this allows the camera and lens to be smaller too.

The J5 is smaller than most CSCs, but only marginally and it’s actually 64g heavier than the Panasonic GM5, which uses a sensor that’s almost twice the size by surface area. Meanwhile, both the Canon G7 X and Sony RX100 III are lighter and substantially slimmer than the J5 and they include wide-aperture lenses that give a significant boost to image quality in low light. The J5’s sensor size and aperture are equivalent to a f/9.4-15 aperture on a full-frame camera, which means less captured light than the Panasonic GM5 (f/7-11.2) and significantly less than the Sony RX100 III and Canon G7 X (both f/4.9-7.6).

Image quality

Specs don’t tell the whole story, though, and the J5 put in a solid performance in our image quality tests. Noise levels were only marginally higher than from the GM5 and lower than the G7 X and RX100 III for a given ISO speed. However, the latter two’s wider apertures meant they could easily beat the J5 for a given shutter speed, giving significantly better results in low light.

The 20-megapixel sensor and kit lens captured plenty of detail and colours were lifelike. Metering was generally well judged but the balance of shutter speed, ISO speed and aperture settings was a little odd at times. It used its widest available aperture even in bright light, and while focus was generally sharp across the frame, the depth of field was sometimes narrower than we’d ideally like. Meanwhile, low-light shots were mostly at a fixed 1/60s shutter speed, regardless of the zoom position or whether there was any movement in the scene. Other cameras’ automatic modes are more sophisticated and make better decisions to minimise noise and motion blur.

^ This high-contrast scene has been metered well and focus is sharp into the corners of frames. (1/640s, f/5.6, ISO 160, 81mm equivalent)

^ The sunlit grass in the foreground is razor sharp but we’d have preferred a slower shutter speed and narrower aperture to improve sharpness of the background. (1/250s, f/4.5, ISO 250, 45mm equivalent)

^ Again, this macro shot would have benefited from a narrower aperture to get the whole of the bee in sharp focus. (1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 200, 81mm equivalent)

^ The J5’s sensor and JPEG engine have no problem picking up the subtleties of skin textures in well-lit conditions. (1/320s, f/3.5, ISO 200, 27mm equivalent)

^ Image quality at ISO 800 is excellent. This is much closer to SLR than compact camera quality. (1/80s, f/5.6, ISO 800, 81mm equivalent)

^ Setting the shutter speed manually to 1/200s to avoid motion blur means a fast ISO speed. There’s not much sign of noise but noise reduction has given skin a plastic-like sheen. (1/200s, f/5.6, ISO 3200, 81mm equivalent)

Conclusion

We’ve grumbled quite a bit in this review, but the J5 is a perfectly respectable camera. It’s petite and comfortable to use, it has a solid collection of features and its photo and video quality are unlikely to disappoint. There’s no shortage of excellent cameras around the £400 mark, though, and the J5’s distinguishing features don’t lie in its favour. It makes the user choose between features that should be available simultaneously, such as image reviews and responsive performance. Image quality in low light is unexceptional and requires manual intervention for best results. Battery life is poor and the use of microSD cards is a bit annoying. Its competitive price keeps it in the running but we’d happily spend £395 on the Canon G7 X instead. If that doesn’t suit your needs either then check out our reguarly-updated Best cameras and buying guide.