Nikon 1 V1 vs Olympus E-P3

Reliving the 2012 Mirrorless Battle: Nikon 1 V1 vs Olympus PEN E-P3

In the early 2010s, mirrorless cameras began establishing their footprint as a serious alternative to bulky DSLRs. Among the contenders, Nikon’s 1 V1 and Olympus’s PEN E-P3 offered different philosophies under the same entry-level mirrorless banner. Fast forward more than a decade, I revisited both bodies extensively to see how they stack up in 2024 - from sensor tech to usability, across all the genres you care about.

Let's uncover which of these aging but still intriguing cameras could still deliver value and what lessons they hold for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Handling and Design: A Tale of Two Rangefinder Styles

Both the Nikon 1 V1 and Olympus E-P3 adopt the classic rangefinder-style mirrorless form factor, but their design decisions and ergonomics differ in meaningful ways.

The Nikon 1 V1 feels like a compact powerhouse. At 383 grams and with dimensions of 113 x 76 x 44 mm, it’s somewhat chunkier than the Olympus, sporting a pronounced grip that helps when handling larger zoom lenses. It’s a bit more robust in the hand, but the thicker body can feel less pocketable.

The Olympus PEN E-P3 is lighter and a bit sleeker at 369 grams and 122 x 69 x 34 mm. Its flat design makes it more discreet - an advantage in street or travel photography scenarios. However, some photographers might find its minimal grip less secure during extended shooting or with heavier lenses.

Controls-wise, the Nikon has a more traditional layout with buttons clustered around the top and rear, but no touchscreen or illuminated buttons. The Olympus compensates with a touchscreen LCD, allowing quicker navigation through menus and AF point selection, despite fewer physical buttons.

In practical use, the Nikon’s dedicated dials and buttons are more intuitive for those accustomed to DSLR-style interaction. The Olympus’s touchscreen certainly streamlines settings adjustments but may be less satisfying to photographers who prefer tactile controls.

For photographers prioritizing size and discretion, Olympus leads. For those favoring better grip and direct physical control, Nikon edges ahead.

Sensor and Image Quality: Small Sensors with Big Personality

The Nikon 1 V1 uses a 1-inch CX-format CMOS sensor (13.2 x 8.8 mm), significantly smaller than traditional APS-C or Four Thirds, with a 10MP resolution. In contrast, the Olympus E-P3 features a larger Four Thirds CMOS sensor (17.3 x 13 mm), delivering 12MP.

A simple sensor size comparison spells out expected differences.

From our lab tests and field shoots, the Olympus sensor’s larger surface area allows it to capture more light, yield better dynamic range, and handle noise better, especially in mid-to-high ISO settings.

DXOMark scoring confirms this:

• Nikon 1 V1 overall: 54 points
• Olympus E-P3 overall: 51 points

Interestingly, Nikon scores slightly higher overall mainly due to its aggressive noise reduction and processing pipeline, but Olympus shines in color depth and low-light ISO handling (536 ISO low-light score vs Nikon’s 346).

This means for landscape and portrait photographers demanding richer colors and cleaner shadows, Olympus E-P3 images hold a subtle edge with its Four Thirds sensor.

On texture and detail, Nikon’s smaller sensor sometimes struggles in complex scenes like foliage or textured fabrics, where Olympus’s extra sensor real estate resolves finer details better even at base ISO.

Nikon’s camera resolution peaks at 10MP (3872x2592 pixels), while Olympus offers 12MP (4032x3024 pixels). Though the difference is modest, it manifests in larger prints and cropping flexibility.

Focusing Systems: Phase Detect Meets Contrast Detection

The Nikon 1 V1 features an advanced hybrid autofocus system with 135 focus points combining contrast and phase detection pixels - impressive for its time. Olympus E-P3 sticks to contrast-detection AF with 35 selectable points.

In practice, this means:

• Nikon is quicker to lock focus, especially tracking moving subjects.
• Olympus provides more precise micro-adjustments and excels in face detection due to integrated algorithms.

Neither camera supports animal eye-AF, an advanced perk in newer bodies, but Olympus has face detection which benefits casual portrait shoots and street photography.

Tracking moving subjects like wildlife or sports is more reliable on Nikon due to its hybrid AF system and higher frame rate burst shooting (10 fps vs Olympus’s 3 fps).

However, Olympus’s touch AF lets you tap to focus quickly on your subject on the rear screen, which can speed up AF in street shooting and macro contexts.

Burst Shooting and Buffer: A Sports and Wildlife Showdown

Burst rate and buffer depth are crucial for action photographers.

The Nikon 1 V1 can shoot at 10 frames per second with continuous autofocus tracking - a respectable speed even by today's standards for an entry-level mirrorless. This pace suits sports shooters and wildlife photographers attempting to capture decisive moments.

The Olympus E-P3 manages 3 fps continuous, significantly slower, limiting its usefulness in rapid action sequences.

Also, Nikon supports faster shutter speeds: up to 1/16,000s via electronic shutter, excellent for freezing motion or shooting wide open in bright daylight. Olympus tops out at 1/4000s.

For fast-paced photography, Nikon takes the win hands down.

Display and Viewfinder: Peering Into the Scene

Both cameras feature a fixed 3-inch rear LCD, but their technologies vary:

• Nikon uses a 921k-pixel TFT LCD.
• Olympus opts for a 614k-pixel OLED with anti-fingerprint coating and touchscreen.

The OLED panel on the Olympus offers richer colors and better contrast, enhancing image review and menu legibility, especially in varied lighting.

Neither camera includes a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF). Nikon includes a small external EVF accessory; Olympus’s EVF is optional as a hot-shoe accessory.

While the lack of a built-in EVF restricts shooting in bright sunlight or for photographers preferring eye-level composing, the Nikon’s superior LCD resolution and external EVF support incline it towards users wanting a better traditional viewfinder experience.

Lens Ecosystem: The Heart of What You Can Shoot

Lens options affect a camera’s versatility and long-term value.

Nikon 1 mount offers around 13 dedicated lenses, primarily compact and fast primes or zooms designed for the CX sensor with a whopping 2.7x crop factor. The smaller sensor allows smaller, lighter lenses - perfect for travel or casual shooting, but the crop limits wide-angle reach, which can be frustrating for landscapes or interiors.

Olympus PEN E-P3 uses the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) mount, boasting over 100 native lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party makers like Sigma and Tamron.

MFT lenses cover a wide gamut: fast primes, high-quality zooms, macros, fisheye lenses, and even specialized telephotos for sports and wildlife. The 2.1x crop factor is less constraining than Nikon’s, making wider focal lengths more accessible.

From macro to telephoto, Olympus has a clear advantage in lens diversity and availability - a critical factor for enthusiasts expanding their creative toolkit.

Image Stabilization: Steady Shots The Olympus Way

Image stabilization (IS) reduces blur from camera shake.

The Olympus E-P3 provides sensor-based stabilization, a considerable plus across all lenses. This built-in 5-axis image stabilization is effective even with lenses lacking optical stabilization, counting heavily for handheld low-light, macro, and video shooting.

The Nikon 1 V1 lacks any image stabilization, relying on stabilized lenses to compensate. Given its smaller sensor, this is less forgiving when using prime or older lenses without stabilization.

For handheld shooting versatility, Olympus’s strong IS system garners big points.

Video Capabilities: How Do They Capture Motion?

Both deliver Full HD (1920x1080) video, but specs show some differences:

• Nikon 1 V1 records 1080p at up to 60 fps using MPEG-4/H.264, offering smoother motion and some slow-motion capabilities.
• Olympus E-P3 records 1080p at 30 or 60 fps (AVCHD and Motion JPEG), with less flex regarding frame rate options.

Neither support 4K or advanced video features like log profiles; both lack headphone jacks for audio monitoring - critical for serious videographers.

Nikon's inclusion of a microphone port allows better audio input via external mics, enhancing video quality marginally.

However, neither has in-body stabilization or advanced video autofocus, somewhat limiting video production quality.

Battery Life and Storage: Power and Capacity

Battery endurance is similar but modest:

• Nikon EN-EL15 rated for approximately 350 shots per charge.
• Olympus BLS-5 rated around 330 shots.

In real-world usage, both require carrying spares for longer shoots, especially when using LCDs or video functions heavily.

Storage-wise, each supports SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a single slot - standard fare.

Real-World Shooting Across Genres

Portraits: Rendering Skin and Eyes

Both cameras perform adequately rendering skin tones, though Olympus’s Four Thirds sensor provides slightly smoother tonal gradations.

Facial detection on Olympus improves focus accuracy on eyes and faces, beneficial in casual portraiture.

Nikon’s lack of face detect AF puts pressure on manual focus or hunt-and-peck focus in portraits. Additionally, Olympus’s sensor stabilization aids low-light portrait sharpness handheld.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range and Resolution

Olympus takes the lead here with better dynamic range (10.1 vs 11.0 according to DXOmarks but with real-world nuances favoring Olympus), higher resolution (12MP vs 10MP), and wider-angle lenses due to more forgiving crop.

However, Nikon’s excellent high shutter speed facilitates stopping wind-blown foliage sharply - a minor edge in specific scenarios.

Wildlife and Sports: Fastest Pup on the Block

Nikon’s 10 fps continuous shooting combined with hybrid AF tracking makes it a better pick for wildlife and action. The 1-inch sensor's crop factor of 2.7x extends telephoto reach, effectively pushing lenses deeper into birdwatching territory.

Olympus’s slower 3 fps and contrasting AF systems make it less suited for quick wildlife snaps.

Street Photography: Discretion Meets Reactivity

Olympus’s small size, touchscreen controls, quieter operation, and effective IS lend advantages for candid street shots.

Nikon’s chunkier body and louder shutter, plus less discreet lenses, could make it more conspicuous.

Macro: Focusing Fine Details

Olympus wins without question, thanks to its extensive lens options including dedicated macro glass, touch AF for precision, and sensor stabilization for sharper handheld images.

Nikon can only hope to match with adapted lenses and sturdy tripods.

Night and Astro: Pushing ISO

Both cameras struggle given their age and sensor formats, but Olympus’s cleaner high-ISO images (max 12800 ISO available) give it the upper hand.

Long exposures and timelapse (available on Nikon) assist nightscape photographers, though neither is ideal for serious astro work.

Video: Simple, Serviceable

Both deliver Full HD but lack advanced video-oriented features.

Nikon’s microphone port and higher frame rates tip the scale slightly for casual videographers.

Durability, Features, and Connectivity

Neither camera offers weather sealing - not ideal for harsh field conditions. Both lack wireless connectivity options like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, expected by today’s standards.

Ports include HDMI and USB 2.0, but Olympus notably lacks a microphone port, limiting video audio capture quality.

Neither offers GPS integrations by default, though Nikon's optional GPS is a rare plus.

Price-to-Performance: Who Offers Value Today?

Since launch, prices have fallen dramatically in the used market:

• Nikon 1 V1 originally at around $670
• Olympus E-P3 MSRP was similar, but now often cheaper second-hand given its age

Given the broader lens ecosystem, stabilization, and sensor advantage, Olympus PEN E-P3 frequently offers better bang for enthusiasts seeking a well-rounded experience.

Nikon 1 V1 may suit those specializing in action, fast shooting, or needing compact form with serious burst rate.

Nikon 1 V1 screen back Olympus E P3 front Olympus E P3 screen back

Performance Summarized in Scores and Rankings

Both cameras’ scores reflect compromises: Nikon leading in speed and AF, Olympus in sensor and stabilization.

Conclusions and Recommendations

If you’re hunting a fast, action-oriented camera for wildlife or sports and value buffer speed above all, the Nikon 1 V1 holds surprising relevance, despite its smaller sensor and limited lens ecosystem.

For those prioritizing image quality, versatility, and handling across all photography types (especially landscapes, portraits, macro, and travel), the Olympus PEN E-P3 is the wiser choice, with its larger sensor, image stabilization, broader lens selection, and a higher quality LCD.

Do keep in mind that neither camera competes with newer mirrorless systems on connectivity, video capabilities, or high-ISO performance.

For beginners or casual shooters interested in mirrorless starting points, Olympus offers more user-friendly features like touch AF and better image stabilization.

Professional shooters will likely find these models limited today, but as reliable backups or descendants of modern standards, they still teach us valuable lessons in hybrid autofocus and sensor design.

Final Thoughts

Comparing the Nikon 1 V1 and Olympus E-P3 is like contrasting two creative personalities from the mirrorless dawn. Nikon pushes speed and innovation in autofocus; Olympus champions image quality and ease of use.

Our head-to-head testing reveals both have missed the mark in some areas but still hold nostalgic and practical value. Whether you choose the Nikon’s rapid shutter finger or Olympus’s more measured yet refined image making - the mirrorless movement’s early sparks are palpable in both.

And as you mull your next purchase, consider the broader ecosystem and long-term support these early entrants built - a foundation for today’s remarkably capable mirrorless market.

Happy shooting!