Deal of the Year: The Perfect Stocking Stuffer – Nikon V1 with 10-30 for $299, while stock lasts.
Deal of the Year: The Nikon V1 just went on sale at B&H Photo for $300 and this is for the superb V1 with 10-30 lens!!! It is going to sell out FAST so go HERE To get it or to even see if they still have stock. The V1 is a superb camera that I raved about when it was $900. At $300 it is a steal and could make for a perfect Xmas gift for someone who is into photography that wants something more than a standard P&S. My review is HERE and a great article is HERE as well but want to see how great this camera really is? The V1 has a pro build, external mic input, full HD video, amazing fast AF, accurate AF and not as bad as many say high ISO. It has a silent electronic shutter and a mechanical shutter. It has phase detect and contrast detect AF. It has a simple menu and simple controls and a built-in EVF. Seriously, at this price it is a steal. Trust me.
I love the V1 and just ordered another one at that price because hey..with the new lenses coming out it could come in handy one day 🙂 Go get it HERE because it will not last long. B&H Already doubled the cost of their ultimate V1 kit which was $799 last week and now it is at $1599. I am posting this deal because I know many of you will jump on this, especially with Christmas around the corner. My guess is that B&H has quite a few of these and they need to clear then out for the V2 which will be much more expensive (and ugly).
I get emails every day and I mean EVERY day from people asking me “what camera should I buy in the $500 price range”. Well, here you go. This is it. Good luck!
BTW, this is cheaper than the much more crippled J1 & J2 and they use the same sensor. Just sayin’!
I picked up the 10-30mm & 10mm prime kit from B&H. So far I’m quite impressed with the little guy. Absolute steal at the price. I appreciate the stand alone charger with support for international plugs / adapters with amazing battery life.
thanks for the head’s-up, Steve.
Too bad, V1 doesn’t have magnify assistant and focus peaking on manual focusing mode. So I missed a few shots when I had Leica R lens attached to V1. Another problem on the EVF, the color seems did not match the real objects occasionally. But the picture came out was OK. I don’t know what went wrong with the unit I had. So I returned the V1.
Just ordered the zoom kit along with the 18.5 mm prime through your link. Thanks again for turning me on to this awesome compact kit.
Its a steal! I bought another for me as well. 🙂
I would have loved to have gotten this deal, but unfortunately BH PhotoVideo won’t ship the camera to Australia for some reason! Oh well, it looks like eBay for me!
I just ordered one from your link. Hopefully my folk will like it. The EPL1 I bought earlier this year seems haven’t gotten enough attention.
I have the Nex-6/SEL1650/Zeiss but don’t always feel like taking it with me because it is expensive, worried i will break or lose it.
However at $299 the Nikon V1 is an fantastic deal. Thanks for the heads-up! I can just throw this little thing in my backpack and not worry about it. Picked up the 18.5mm f1.8 as well.
Initially very skeptical about the V1 IQ but after seeing sample images, super fast AF and really good video capability at this price it was a no brainer for me.
Forgot to mention, V1 = built-in evf, big-ass battery and FT-1 adapter for telephoto work with nikkor lenses.
Well Steve, no BH delivery to Europe. The deal is great but restricted to lucky ones in the USofA.
Steve,
i thank you for your efforts in maintaining this site. it is an absolute joy to browse and the articles (even from the guest authors) are simply delightful.
i have been planning to upgrade from a P&S for some time. i wanted to go for the sony nex 5(not the 5N as it is not available here) or the olympus e pl 3. but then my friend advised me to have a look at the Sony SLT a55, which, by the looks of it, seems an absolute cracker of a camera.
but size and portability matter to me.
i had decided to not even consider the 1 series, due to their small sensor. but your review has made me reconsider my hasty decision.
i prefer shooting stills, and street photography, and landscapes when i go home.
which one would you suggest? my options are the E PL 3 (600$), the V1/J1(650$), NEX 5(400$) or for th DSLRs: the SLT A55 (which i really really prefer over competing nikons and canons).
ps: even though the post is addressed to Steve, i would really appreciate advice from fellow commenters. please feel free to guide, ridicule, and scold me…
oh and i forgot to add…
i really enjoy framing my photos using a viewfinder. the 1 series and the Sony SLTs have one attached. which gets them bonus points, i guess.
and shooting videos isn’t something that i do a lot.
thank you.
Is there a cheaper flash alternative that can be used with this camera?
$525 for camera (includes: lens, flash, documents – all in original box), Lowepro bag, 16GB San Disk SD Card, and Sony LCD Protector (on camera).
Less than two months old. Barely used (like-new condition). Paid $650 for everything new.
Is it crazy to be contemplating this camera after the disappointment I had with my now for sale Sony Nex 5n?
For sale you say? Sorry to here you are disappointed I am not. How much?
follow the link if interested.
I see no Link but I clicked on your name seems to be what you meant?
$500 is a little much for me they had it on sale new for that not to long ago but good luck hope you sell it:)
Well, that’s kind of annoying, they only offer the V1 in black now, but they only offer the 18.5 1.8 in white or silver. Black is a “preorder” item. I know it doesn’t make that big of a difference obviously, but does anyone know when the black version of that lens will be available?
You are da man steve! Thanks for the link! Bought one for a gift. Tempted to buy one more because I have a funny feeling the gift will be for myself 😉
Wow, this looks tempting, USD 450 with both zooms. I had the V1 when it was launched into the market place and sold it after a few months. THe V1 still has a lot going for it, especially at this price. And as a travel and fun combo it’s a very capable and versatile system.
I see the kit with both zooms listed at $499. Where are you seeing it for $450?
$299 & $146 for both at B&H. Just klick on the link Steve provided on top of the page.
Damn! They don’t ship to Australia either…
Just use priceusa or something?
They won’t ship it to Canada!
Bah humbug!
What!? I’m living in Canada and most of my Pentax lenses come from B&H, is there something you don’t see/read correctly?
And the service and shipping (they also offer custom service) is top notch, never had any trouble with them.
Just seems strange…
That’s due to Nikon policy. Not all package is available in Canada or sometimes you cannot get a camera alone that’s on sale. US price can be applied to US residents only–this happens with other manufacturers as well, ie Canon.
Just used your link to pick one up! I have a Sony A57 and love it, but figure that either I can sell that or sell the V1 for a small profit. Looking forward to see what it’s like!
Wow how odd just sent your an email about this very camera! I paid a tad more two weeks ago, could be happier with choice.
Just bought one with your link Steve:) I bought it for my brother-inlaw for Christmas. I am so jonesing to get one for myself also at that price, It would make a great travel cam. I just can’t justify it though as I already have a Nex 5n with the kit, 50 and 16. I really would like that lightning quick focus!
Thanks Steve! Just ordered one. I’m also going to jump on that RX-1
Do you mean they also have the RX-1 for 299$? 😉
I just ordered one from B&H…don’t need another camera, but for $299 with free shipping…what the heck?!? I normally use a D600 & D7000 for my DSLR shooting and I have the Fuji X-Pro1 with the 35 & 60 Macro lenses, but this will be a camera that I can throw in my pocket or backpack and take with me everyday to work and not worry about banging it up or even if it gets stolen or something like that.
Thanks for the headsup Steve! I’ll keep my eyes open for some deals on 1 System lenses I guess now!
Follow-up… the best deal in raw image quality right now has to be the absurd Pentax K-01… which has amazing hardware–basically a K5 without a $100+ lcd viewfinder attachment, but is completely unusable outdoors.
should read… basically a K5 without a viewfinder, but without an additional $100+ lcd viewfinder attachment, is completely unusable outdoors.
K-01 completely unusable outdoors ? Are you Ray Charles ? Perhaps a bit compromised in direct sunlight but plenty usuable the majority of the time.
Thanks Steve. I just bought the B and H Photo kit last week and am very pleased with it. My elementary school aged son loves using it and I am having so much fun with the FT-1 adapter. Haven’t played with the flash yet, but that’s next. Sold the 10-100mm since I’m not a a video guy, and it easily payed for a large portion of the kit. Just ordered the 10mm today from B and H, through your link. Sure, I was skeptical about the tiny sensor, but hey, the images look pretty good and I’m getting compliments. I don’t tell anyone that I’m not shooting with my D700 work horse. And it’s super small comparatively. Starting to actually play around with the slow motion and other video settings, so it’s fun to have those options.
This is a great deal. You are getting a camera that outperforms a D200–a camera which is still more capable than the majority of photographers (except flash and shallow DOF), has a buffer that rivals current professional gear, one of the nicest EVF’s in any camera, near flawless exposure and Auto-WB, quiet operation, all in a durable magnesium shell. The hardware alone is easily worth the price of entry.
I do think it is worth it even with just the 10-30… it’s certainly a sharp lens and still better than most any point and shoot. Oh, and you can hand it to anyone and they can take a decent shot–something I certainly wouldn’t try with my beloved GXR.
Come to think of it, I cannot think of any NEW camera that is a better buy.
Compared to the Panasonic G3, I think it is personal preference. For me, I’m getting it as a second portable camera with long zoom capabilities (30-110 is smaller than m43 equiv), quick shooting, and video. It also has better images straight out of the camera. In these categories it beats the G3.
For handling, quick access to more advanced user functions, articulated lcd, and access to more m43 lenses–for $300, I think the G3 is the way to go.
Steve,
Do you think this is a good buy even if the user never intends to invest further in the Nikon 1 lens system, just keeping and using the 10-30?
I’m not Steve, but for me the question would be whether that kit meets the person’s needs. This is a small camera that has nice enough IQ for most general users, if not for most photography enthusiasts. Especially if the images are going to be viewed on a computer. I think it would be especially nice as a travel camera, with its compact dimensions and the evf for shooting in the sun. Note that you can add the 30-110 zoom to the order for $147. Also a steal.
B&H is also selling the Panasonic G3 and kit zoom for the same price. The JPEGs are uglier and the camera is bigger and not as quick as the V1, but it is a cheap way to get a capable Micro 4/3 camera with better controls and an articulated LCD.
Thanks for the feedback Mark and Randy. I am a fan of m43 but actually feel like if I were to get one, it’d be the V1. I am disappointed in the small selection of lenses, particularly fast ones. Only f1.8 at the widest? This is all a learning experience for me since I know practically nothing about the CX system.
Mark, Why do you think that the images from the 1 wouldn’t be nice enough to view on a computer. Or did you mean that they are good for viewing on a computer? The V1 Images look great on a 16×20 print AND on the computer screen. It is well worth double the current price.
No, I meant they are plenty good enough for posting on Flickr or Facebook. Sorry if that came across backwards. I remember all the family and vacation snapshots my father took decades ago and think a camera like this would have been perfect for him, with its speed and simplicity. The JPEGs look very nice, vivid and pretty, if not ultimately as sharp as those of some competitors.
With the Nikon FT-1 adapter, you can use Nikon Glass on it, with a huge magnification effect. I’m having fun with it, bought the V1 for my son, but borrowing it and playing with it with the FT-1. I did however, order the 10mm, because I have a weakness for prime pancakes.