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Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2

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Nikon 1 V3

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

Nikon 1 V3
$996.95

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Nikon 1 V2

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

Nikon 1 V2
$599.00

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Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Mirrorless cameras by Nikon. Nikon 1 V3 was introduced to market in March 2014 and Nikon 1 V2 was launched in October 2012. As you can see, 1 V2 is 2 years older than 1 V3. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 1" sensors but Nikon 1 V3 has a 18.0 MP and Nikon 1 V2 has a 14.0 MP resolution.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon 1 V3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-03-13
  • 18MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • 60 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1,200 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 381g. 111 x 65 x 33 mm
  • Replaced Nikon 1 V2 Compare

Nikon 1 V2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-10-24
  • 14MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 6400
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1440k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 15 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 278g. 109 x 82 x 46 mm
  • Replaced Nikon 1 V1 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 V3 over Nikon 1 V2
Wireless Connection Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution 18 MP vs 14 MP 28% more pixels
Max ISO 12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 171 vs 73 98 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution 1.037k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 60.0fps vs 15.0fps 45 fps faster
Microphone Port Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dot vs 1440k dot 63% higher resolution
Color Depth 20.8 vs 20.2 higher color depth
Reasons to choose Nikon 1 V2 over Nikon 1 V3
Viewfinder Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Weight 278 g vs 381 g 103 g lighter
Dynamic Range 10.8 vs 10.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO 403 vs 384 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 8.20µm2 vs 6.36µm2 28% larger pixel area
Common Strengths of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Continuous Shooting 60.0fps vs 15.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2
Image Stabilization No vs Unknown No Built-in stabilization
Environmental Sealing No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
New
Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2: 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 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2. Nikon 1 V3 is 17mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Nikon 1 V2 but it is also 2mm wider.

Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2.

Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2.
Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 V2 is significantly lighter (103g ) than the Nikon 1 V3 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. Since both Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 have the same 1" sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 V3
1 V2
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 V3
1 V2
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 V3 nor Nikon 1 V2 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Nikon 1 V3 features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Nikon 1 V2 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to 1 V3.
Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2: Sensor Comparison

Nikon 1 V3 has a 18.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4A processor. On the other hand, Nikon 1 V2 has a 14.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3A processor.

Below you can see the 1 V3 and 1 V2 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2 Sensor Size Comparison


Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Nikon 1 V2 has 28% larger pixel area (8.20µm2 vs 6.36µm2) compared to Nikon 1 V3, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 1 V3 has scored 52, 2 points higher than 1 V2.

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 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 V3 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon 1 V2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon 1 V3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon 1 V2 for Street Photography

GOOD
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon 1 V3 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon 1 V2 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
171 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 15.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
73 Focus Points
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon 1 V3 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon 1 V2 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
381g
Read the details
278g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Body Thickness 46mm
Read the details

Nikon 1 V3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon 1 V2 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
Live-view
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details


Nikon 1 V2 vs Nikon 1 V3 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Nikon 1 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 have the same Nikon 1 lens mount and currently there are 13 native lenses available for these cameras.

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 with Image stabilization for Nikon 1 mount.

Lens Type # of Nikon 1 V3 Lenses # of Nikon 1 V2 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 4
Standard Prime 2 2
Wideangle Zoom 1 1
Wideangle Prime 2 2
Telephoto Zoom 2 2
Telephoto Prime n/a n/a
SuperZoom 2 2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a n/a
Macro Prime n/a n/a
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 13 13
Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon 1 V2: 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 V3 and Nikon 1 V2, 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 V3 and Nikon 1 V2 scores compare:

Nikon 1 V3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #16 out of 124 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #122 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Nikon 1 V2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #56 out of 68 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #254 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 V3 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon 1 V2 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Nikon 1 V3.

Nikon 1 V3
Nikon 1 V3
$996.95

Nikon 1 V2
Nikon 1 V2
$599.00

Nikon 1 V2 vs Nikon 1 V3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 V3 Nikon 1 V2
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2014-03-13 2012-10-24
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1" 1"
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 116.16mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 4608 x 3072
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 160 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 73
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Nikon 1
Number of Available Lenses 13 13
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,037k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 1,440k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Unknown
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (ISO 100) n/a
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 15.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 381g 278g
Dimensions 111 x 65 x 33mm 109 x 82 x 46mm
Battery Life 310 shots 310 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 52 50
DxO Color Depth 20.8 20.2
DxO Dynamic Range 10.7 10.8
DxO Low Light ISO 384 403
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