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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Comparison

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Nikon 1 J4

18 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon 1 J4
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Olympus E-1

5 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CCD Sensor

Olympus E-1
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon 1 J4, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 18.0MP 1" sensor whereas Olympus E-1, which was introduced in November 2003 is a Pro DSLR camera with a 5.0MP Four Thirds sensor. As you can see, E-1 is 11 years older than 1 J4. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-10
  • 18MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 60 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1,200 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 232g. 100 x 60 x 29 mm
  • Replaced Nikon 1 J3 Compare

Olympus E-1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2003-11-29
  • 5MP - Four Thirds CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Four Thirds Mount
  • 1.8" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 735g. 141 x 104 x 81 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Olympus E-1 was replaced by Olympus E-3. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-1
Olympus E-3 vs Nikon 1 J4

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 J4 over Olympus E-1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 5 MP 260% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 3.200 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
171 vs 3 168 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 1.8" 1.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 134k dots 673% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 3.0fps 57 fps faster
Weight
232 g vs 735 g 503 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Olympus E-1 over Nikon 1 J4
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Sensor Pixel Area
45.71µm2 vs 6.36µm2 618% larger pixel area
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash

Common Strengths of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 1.8" Small display
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
New4
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon 1 J4 has external dimensions of 100 x 60 x 29 mm (3.92 x 2.36 x 1.12″) and weighs 232 g (0.51 lb / 8.18 oz) (including batteries). Olympus E-1 has external dimensions of 141 x 104 x 81 mm (5.55 x 4.09 x 3.19″) and weighs 735 g (1.62 lb / 25.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 41mm narrower, 44mm shorter and 52mm thinner than Olympus E-1.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 J4 is significantly lighter (503g ) than the Olympus E-1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1 J4
E-1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1 J4
E-1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of E-1, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to 1 J4.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon 1 J4's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus E-1's 1.8" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1: Sensor Comparison

Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Olympus E-1 has a 5.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Nikon 1 J4's sensor provides 13MP more than Olympus E-1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the 1 J4 and E-1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 Cameras


As seen above, Olympus E-1 has a 1.9x Larger sensor area than Nikon 1 J4. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Olympus E-1 has an advantage over Nikon 1 J4 There are 45 lenses for Olympus E-1's Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 13 lenses for Nikon 1 J4's Nikon 1 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 7 lenses for Nikon 1 mount and 3 lenses for Four Thirds mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon 1 J4 Lenses # of Olympus E-1 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 8
Standard Prime 2 4
Wideangle Zoom 1 4
Wideangle Prime 2 9
Telephoto Zoom 2 6
Telephoto Prime n/a 4
SuperZoom 2 2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a 3
Macro Prime n/a 4
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 13 45

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon 1 J4 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus E-1 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-1 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
105 Cross Type Focus sensors
171 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
3 Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-1 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
232g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
735g
Body Thickness 81mm
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-1 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Live-view
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-1: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-1 scores compare:

Nikon 1 J4
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #70 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #327 out of 1221 in all Cameras
Olympus E-1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #856 out of 1221 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 J4 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus E-1 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon 1 J4
Nikon 1 J4
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Olympus E-1
Olympus E-1
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Olympus E-1 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Olympus E-1
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2014-04-10 2003-11-29
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Large SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size 1" Four Thirds
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 116.16mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 5 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 2560 x 1920
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 171 3
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 13 45
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 1.8"
Resolution 1,037k dots 134k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.48x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 232g 735g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 141 x 104 x 81mm
Battery Life 300 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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