Nikon 1 J5 for Portrait Photography

Is the Nikon 1 J5 good for Portrait Photography?

Nikon 1 J5 Portrait Photography Score

AVERAGE

Nikon 1 J5 has a score of 41 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait Photography is important for you, we recommend you to check the Alternative cameras at the bottom of this page.
Read our detailed Nikon 1 J5 Review

Nikon 1 J5 Portrait Photography Detailed Analysis

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor

Even though Nikon 1 J5's sensor is significantly larger than a typical compact camera sensor, it is still hard to achieve that shallow depth of field and a blurry background for your portrait shots.

Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP

Nikon 1 J5's 21.0MP sensor will provide larger room for cropping, and you will be able print your portrait shots larger with more fine detail.

Average Ergonomics&Handling

Good handling and existence of well placed physical controls on the camera body is very important during portrait shooting. It is faster and more intuitive to change the camera settings with dedicated buttons and knobs instead delving into the menus on the LCD.

No Image Stabilization

Due to the lack of sensor based Image stabilization, Nikon 1 J5 users have to rely on lenses with optical IS in order to maximize the sharpness of their handheld portrait shots. Currently there are native Nikon 1 mount lenses with Image Stabilization for Nikon 1 J5.

No Built-in Viewfinder

In the lack of a a viewfinder, holding the camera away from the body while using live view is not very stable, especial with heavy camera bodies and lenses. Besides, LCD screens are very hard to read under bright sunlight.

You may also be interested in these reviews:

Nikon 1 J5 for Street Photography
Nikon 1 J5 for Sports Photography
Nikon 1 J5 for Carrying Everywhere
Nikon 1 J5 for Landscape Photography

Nikon 1 J5 Alternatives in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras for Portrait Photography

Hasselblad X1D Compare J5 vs X1D	51 MP \| Medium format CMOS Sensor Hasselblad X Mount	Rank in All Cameras: #18 Rank in Mirrorless Cameras: #18
	Imaging 93 Features Value for Money 100 Portability Overall Score	Portrait Street Sports Daily 100 Landscape

Fujifilm GFX 50R Compare J5 vs GFX 50R	51 MP \| Medium format CMOS Sensor Fujifilm G Mount	Rank in All Cameras: #3 Rank in Mirrorless Cameras: #5
	Imaging 100 Features Value for Money 97 Portability Overall Score 96	Portrait Street Sports Daily 99 Landscape

Sony A6500 Compare J5 vs A6500	24 MP \| APS-C CMOS Sensor Sony E Mount	Rank in All Cameras: #90 Rank in Mirrorless Cameras: #51
	Imaging Features Value for Money Portability Overall Score	Portrait Street 93 Sports Daily Landscape

Sony A6600 Compare J5 vs A6600	24 MP \| APS-C CMOS Sensor Sony E Mount	Rank in All Cameras: #52 Rank in Mirrorless Cameras: #31
	Imaging Features Value for Money Portability Overall Score	Portrait Street 92 Sports Daily Landscape

Panasonic GX85 Compare J5 vs GX85	16 MP \| Four Thirds CMOS Sensor Micro Four Thirds Mount	Rank in All Cameras: #85 Rank in Mirrorless Cameras: #46
	Imaging Features Value for Money Portability Overall Score	Portrait Street 90 Sports Daily Landscape

Hasselblad X1D

Fujifilm GFX 50R

Sony A6500

Sony A6600

Panasonic GX85