Nikon 1 AW1 Unveiled As First Rugged Waterproof Camera With Interchangeable Lenses
Nikon has announced what it says is the first-ever interchangeable lens camera that is also waterproof, able to be taken to depths of 15 meters. In addition, the camera has a rugged quality to it, being shockproof to drops from up to 2 meters, giving it an IPX8 equivalent rating. In the same vein, the camera also support what Nikon says is the fastest continuous shooting speed available at about 15 frames-per-second.
The Nikon 1 AW1 works with both a 1 NIKKOR AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5 – 5.6 and a 1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f/2.8 lens. For those who want to use it for "everyday" tasks, there's also an optional Mount Adapter FT1 to use a variety of F-mount NIKKOR lenses, as well as 1 NIKKOR lenses. The waterproofing, meanwhile, is delivered via rubber seals and an O-ring on the lens mount.
Due to the rugged nature of the device, Nikon equipped the back with a non-slip material for better grip to reduce the odds of dropping the camera. The buttons are also large and spaced a decent distance from each other, making it easier to toggle between different functions. Those two aside, the chassis itself is made of stainless steel for both appearance and to prevent rust issues.
As far as specifications go, in addition to the lenses detailed above, the camera is equipped with a super-high-speed AF CX-format sensor, which brings 73-point phase-detection auto focus. There is also 135-point contrast-detect auto focus, and an ISO range from 160 – 6400. On the continuous shooting spectrum, there's also a 60 frames-per-second option for those who use locked-focus.
Image processing comes from an EXPEED 3A engine, an image processor optimized for the Nikon 1 line of cameras. With this engine, users can capture still images at high-quality rates while recording videos in 1080p Full HD mode. Flash comes via an integrated unit with i-TTL control, with use being possible under water. The flash is mounted on a rotating head on two axes for more shooting options.
The camera will be available in October starting at $800 USD.
