Nikon 1 J5 review

We've carried out lab tests on the Nikon 1 J5 across its full ISO range for resolution, noise (including signal to noise ratio) and dynamic range. We test the JPEGs shot by the camera, but we also check the performance with raw files. Most enthusiasts and pros prefer to shoot raw, and the results can often be quite different.

We've also picked out three of its chief rivals so that you can compare their performance directly.

• Panasonic GM5: Another tiny compact system camera, but this one has a much larger Micro Four Thirds sensor and a built in electronic viewfinder.

• Samsung NX Mini: Samsung's baby compact system camera uses a 1-inch sensor, just like the Nikon 1 J5.

• Sony RX100 III: The Nikon 1 J5 is also competing with high-end compacts like the Sony, which also has a 1-inch sensor.

We test camera resolution using an industry-standard ISO test chart that allows precise visual comparisons. This gives us numerical values for resolution in line widths/picture height, and you can see how the Nikon 1 J5 compares with its rivals in the charts below.

Nikon 1 J5 resolution

JPEG analysis: All of these cameras offer broadly similar detail resolution at low-medium ISO settings, though the Sony is sharper than the rest up to ISO 400, and the Panasonic, with its bigger sensor, performs better at high ISOs. The Nikon 1 J5, however, produces the least sharp JPEGs.

Raw analysis: The performance of these four cameras is much closer when comparing raw files, though the Nikon 1 J5 is, again, the weakest. Its results are far better than you'd expect from a regular compact camera, but the Panasonic, Samsung and Sony are all a little bit sharper.

Test chart samples

Click here for a full size version.

Click here for a full size version.