Speaking of useful F-mount lenses on the Nikon 1 V1, I spent some time this weekend playing around with the 50mm f/1.4 on the V1. With an angle-of-view equivalent to a 135mm lens in 35mm terms, the 50mm is a fun focal length. It’s a good portrait lens, especially with the shallow depth-of-field the fast lens affords. The overall physical package is appealing too: it’s certainly bigger than you’d generally want for a compact set-up, but is still small for the reach and speed the combo provides. The extra glass feels pretty well-balanced as a whole, and I really like the way it feels in the hand.
The lens is a sharp one on an FX camera, and it’s also very good on a CX-sensor camera. The corners, which can get soft at f/1.4 on an FX camera, are no issue at all on the 1-series. With the camera set to use its electronic shutter and the sounds off, the 50mm did well for candid portraits that fill the frame well from across a table. The complete package is small and unassuming, especially from that distance, and the lack of sound really kept attention off of me while I shot.
I considered having an existing investment in Nikon lenses a minor plus in the Nikon 1 format’s favor when considering whether or not to buy it, but the FT-1 is turning out to be a real boon for me. The V1 is a really fun camera to shoot with in any case, and the different personality of each lens that was already in my bag is proving to be more than just a nice side-benefit of the Nikon 1.