Melville, NY—The Nikon 1 AW1 is a waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof interchangeable-lens camera that is engineered to perform in harsh environments, whether shooting stills or Full HD video. The family-friendly camera is the newest addition to the Nikon 1 compact system camera line.
To complement the AW1, Nikon introduced two waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof lenses—the 1 Nikkor AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6 and 1 Nikkor AW 10mm f/2.8. Designed to strike a balance between portability and performance, the 11–27.5mm lens offers a 2.5x zoom range, and the wide-angle 10mm lens provides a fast f/2.8 aperture to help deliver a shallow depth of field and low-light performance.
“As the world’s first waterproof and shockproof advanced camera with interchangeable-lens system, the Nikon 1 AW1 offers an exciting new option for the family who seeks both exhilaration and a durable yet versatile camera to complement their active lifestyle,” said Masahiro Horie, director, Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “The Nikon 1 AW1 and the new 1 Nikkor lenses are always ready to capture the action with high-speed performance and incredible image quality that users have come to expect from the Nikon 1 system.”
Whether at the beach or on the mountain slopes, the Nikon 1 AW1 was created to be an accessory for any adventure: it’s waterproof to 49 feet, shockproof to withstand a 6.6-foot fall and freezeproof to 14° F. Additionally, Nikon gave it a feature set that adventurers can take advantage of, including built-in GPS technology to track travels and identify the longitude and latitude where an image or video was captured; an altimeter; a depth gauge; an electronic compass; and a virtual horizon indicator. Plus, its pop-up flash is waterproof, and there are several underwater controls, like an underwater white balance setting and the underwater distortion control, which corrects the effects of distortion caused by water. And when in underwater mode, users can choose from standard, scuba or close-up options, which automatically adjust settings to deliver optimal results for current conditions.
Boasting a 14.2 megapixel CX-format CMOS sensor and Nikon’s Expeed 3A image processor, the AW1 offers an ISO range from 160 to 6400, to aid shooters in capturing photos in a variety of lighting, even while handheld. It utilizes a responsive advanced hybrid autofocus (AF) system with a 73-point AF array said to lock on in 80 milliseconds. According to the specs, the AW1 has a continuous shooting frame rate of 15 frames per second (fps) with AF and continuous shooting at 60 fps when the focus is locked.
Other features include: action control, which lets users control certain functions of the camera by swinging it in the air; auto mode; live image control, with access to real-time adjustments of active D-lighting, background softening, motion control and brightness control, which are displayed on the AW1’s LCD prior to capture; a creative mode menu to select manual exposure controls (PSAM) as well as selective color, miniature, soft, night landscape, backlighting and night portrait modes; easy panorama; Full HD 1080p video capabilities with advanced movie mode that shoots video and stills simultaneously; slow motion movies that captures the action at 400 fps or 1,200 fps; and enhanced motion snapshot mode, with the option of capturing a quick passing moment with a short, slow-motion movie sequence in addition to a single photo.
Additionally, when best moment capture mode is selected, users have access to smart photo selector, where the AW1 captures up to 20 shots with a press of the shutter button and then selects the best shot. Or slow view mode, which is geared for extreme action sports; once focus is achieved and the shutter button is pressed halfway down, users capture 1.33 seconds of action while the subject is displayed in slow motion on the screen. A slowed-down view is then continuously looped over until the shutter is fully pressed.
The AW1 is compatible with Nikon’s optional WU-1b wireless mobile adapter, to enable image transfer to compatible smart devices wirelessly. If using the free Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility app for Android and iPhone/iPad mobile devices, AW1 users can remotely take photos with the camera from a smartphone or tablet.
New Lenses for the Nikon 1 AW1
When attached to the AW1, the 1 Nikkor AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6 and 1 Nikkor AW 10mm f/2.8 lenses can handle tough conditions; they, too, are waterproof to 49 feet, shockproof to 6.6 feet and freezeproof to 14° F. The compact 11-27.5mm uses a 2.5x zoom (30–74mm equivalent) suited for capturing landscapes and portraiture. The ultracompact 10mm, with an f/2.8 aperture, provides a wide angle of view to shoot everything from sweeping landscapes to close-up action that fills the frame.
New Nikon 1 Accessories
Nikon also introduced accessory skins for the Nikon 1 AW1 and the 1 Nikkor AW 11–27.5mm lens to provide more grip and comfort when shooting. The skins offer extra protection and will be available in black, khaki or orange for added visibility. SRP: $36.95.
For adventurers who want to swap lenses in environments with extreme temperature and humidity changes, Nikon developed a new filter attachment, the filter AW 40.5 NC, to effectively combat the common occurrence of condensation. Schedule for a spring 2014 release, pricing will be announced.
Slotted for October, the Nikon 1 AW1 compact system camera will be available as a one-lens kit with the 1 Nikkor AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6 lens for $799.95, and a two-lens kit with the 1 Nikkor AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6 and 1 Nikkor AW 10mm f/2.8 lenses for $999.95. The AW1 kits will come in three colors—black, silver and white. nikonusa.com
