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Nikon 1 S2

 
Nikon 1 S2 front
 
Portability
93
Imaging
45
Features
60
Overall
51

Nikon 1 S2 summary

Nikon 1 S2 is Nikon's Entry-Level Mirrorless digital camera originally launched on May of 2014. It houses a 14.2 MegaPixel, CMOS 1" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4592 x 3072.

Nikon launched this model in an effort to replace the previous Nikon 1 S1 (Read Full Comparison)

The 1 S2 is scored #93 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras and over all #413 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please try out our Smart camera filter to get camera listings based on your customized requirements.

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Below is a chart of various factors used in the rating system.

Nikon 1 S2 history

The Nikon 1 S2 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can see the complete range underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Nikon-1-J5 front thumbnailNikon 1 J5
1 S2 vs 1 J5
21MP1"20.0 fps2015
Nikon-1-S2 front thumbnailNikon 1 S214.2MP1"60.0 fps2014
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Nikon-1-J4 front thumbnailNikon 1 J4
1 S2 vs 1 J4
18MP1"60.0 fps2014
Nikon-1-V3 front thumbnailNikon 1 V3
1 S2 vs 1 V3
18MP1"60.0 fps2014
Nikon-1-J3 front thumbnailNikon 1 J3
1 S2 vs 1 J3
14MP1"15.0 fps2013
Nikon-1-AW1 front thumbnailNikon 1 AW1
1 S2 vs 1 AW1
14MP1"60.0 fps2013
Photography Glossary
Nikon-1-S1 front thumbnailNikon 1 S1
1 S2 vs 1 S1
10MP1"15.0 fps2013

Nikon 1 S2 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of good and bad points of the Nikon 1 S2 based on aspects which are normally regarded as crucial in a digital camera.

built-in flash
decent megapixels (14.2 megapixels)
delivers RAW files
high frames per second (60.0 frames/s)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes HDMI out
lighter than others (190 grams)
manual focus
nice screen size (3 inch)
provides face detection autofocus
provides tracking autofocus
sensor has phase detect autofocus
sensor size is good (1")
silent mode (1/16,000s)
swap lenses (Nikon 1 mount)
does not have external microphone support
does not have headphone support
does not have Timelapse function
external flash not possible
no articulating screen
no image stabilization
not so great battery life (270 CIPA)
pixelated screen (460 k dots)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Nikon 1 S2 Sensor specifications

The Nikon 1 S2 features the Expeed 4A processor chip. The size of the sensor in the Nikon 1 S2 is 13.1mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 115 mm² sensor is able to capture 4592 x 3072 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 14.2 megapixels and delivers a standard ISO range of 200 - 12800. RAW format is supported so you have wider margin for error.

The picture underneath shows the 1 S2's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The 1 S2 sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.7 and is displayed in green.

Nikon 1 S2 sensor size Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Nikon 1 S2 dimensions

Nikon 1 S2 has a weight of 0.42 lbs (190 gr or 6.70 ounces) and the sizing of the camera is 101mm x 61mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.1"). The weight of average Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329 gr so the Nikon 1 S2 is less heavy when compared with its rivals.

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Underneath is a shot of the Nikon 1 S2 alongside a softdrink so you can have a feel for its scale.

Nikon 1 S2 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will show the button arrangement on the 1 S2.

Nikon 1 S2 topview buttons dials

Nikon 1 S2 Lens specifications

The 1 S2 works with the Nikon 1 mount and has 13 lenses to choose from. Below is some of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the 1 S2.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Nikon-1-Nikkor-VR-10-100mm-f4.5-5.6 lensNikon 1 Nikkor VR 10-100mm f4.5-5.610-100mmf/4.0-5.6 298g
Nikon-1-Nikkor-VR-6.7-13mm-f3.5-5.6 lensNikon 1 Nikkor VR 6.7-13mm f3.5-5.66.7-13mmf/3.5-5.6 125g
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Nikon-1-Nikkor-VR-30-110mm-f3.8-5.6 lensNikon 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.630-110mmf/3.8-5.6 180g
Nikon-1-Nikkor-VR-10-100mm-f4.5-5.6-PD-Zoom lensNikon 1 Nikkor VR 10-100mm f4.5-5.6 PD-Zoom10-100mmf/4.5-5.6 515g
Nikon-1-Nikkor-18.5mm-f1.8 lensNikon 1 Nikkor 18.5mm f1.819mmf/1.8 70g
Nikon-1-Nikkor-AW-11-27.5mm-f3.5-5.6 lensNikon 1 Nikkor AW 11-27.5mm f3.5-5.611-27.5mmf/3.5-5.6 182g
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Nikon-1-Nikkor-10mm-f2.8 lensNikon 1 Nikkor 10mm f2.810mmf/2.8 77g
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Nikon 1 S2 Connectivity

The 1 S2 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to transfer files and oftentimes adjust settings without connecting physically to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and release the shutter in case you are not close to the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it can be attached to an external display. Almost all cameras enable you to charge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Nikon 1 S2 Video specifications

The highest possible video resolution in the Nikon 1 S2 is 1920 x 1080 and it can capture in MPEG-4 file format. 1080p resolution delivers a great balance in video quality vs file sizes but 1080p won't leave you with much room to downsample. The camera does not offer a mic and headphone jack so you have no control over your audio. It is probably best to have a look at an alternative model in case you need better audio in your videos.

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Nikon 1 S2 Weather Sealing

Nikon 1 S2 does not include environment proofing so rainy conditions could ruin the camera.

Nikon 1 S2 Screen and Viewfinder

The Nikon 1 S2 is equipped with a 3" fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 460k dots.

Unfortunately the display screen isn't a touch screen.

Nikon 1 S2 screen and viewfinder Photography Glossary

The View Finder details regarding Nikon 1 S2 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be pretty helpful in sunny outdoor situations which can easily make the camera screen washed out and difficult to view.

Nikon 1 S2 Shutter specifications

Nikon 1 S2 is able to shoot continuously at 60.0 frames/s. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000s. The camera also features silent electronic shutter of 1/16000s. Beware that the electronic shutter could cause "rolling shutter" in certain situations.

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Nikon 1 S2 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Nikon 1 S2 boasts only built-in flash lacking external flash support.

Nikon 1 S2 Autofocusing specifications

Nikon 1 S2 boasts both Phase Detect AF and Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and precise when compared with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera supports Face detection which can be useful for portrait photography.

The AF system supports 171 focus points to choose from. It also boasts Tracking AF for things on the move. Nikon 1 S2 has manual focus when needed in low light scenarios or you need to have more exact control on focus.

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Nikon 1 S2 Battery life

The battery life (EN-EL22) in the Nikon 1 S2 is fashioned to last for 270 shutters with respect to the CIPA standards making it lower compared to its competitors. The average Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 comes with the best (750) battery life in this group of cameras.

Listed below is a number of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras with the strongest battery life:

Nikon 1 S2 for various forms of photography

The following diagram presents a summary of the Nikon 1 S2 for various forms of photography. To check out more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.

Nikon 1 S2 Portrait photography advice

The Nikon 1 S2 has a rating of 60 which is reasonable, and means the camera is relatively suitable to use for portrait images. Photographing portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimension, support for RAW files together with the potential to use off-camera lighting.

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manual focus
megapixel count decent (14.2MP)
sensor size is nice (1")
comes with face detect focusing
supports RAW formats
can't use external flash

Nikon 1 S2 as a Street photography camera

Having a above average points total of 71, the Nikon 1 S2 is a respectable option for street photography. A very good street photography camera offers a fine balance of image quality plus portability.

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nice sensor size (1")
delivers RAW files
lighter than competition (190 grams)
no articulating screen
does not have image stabilization

Nikon 1 S2 as a Sports photography camera

A average sports photography points total of 60 means the Nikon 1 S2 is fairly suited for shooting sports. A camera really should have very good autofocus and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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quiet shutter (1/16,000 seconds)
high frames per second (60.0 frames per second)
good MP (14.2 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (1")
includes tracking autofocus
sensor has phase detect auto focus
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery life (270 CIPA)

Nikon 1 S2 Travel photography details

Portability is super crucial in buying a camera for travel. All round, the Nikon 1 S2 gets a above average 66 for a travel camera which makes it a good option to buy for your travels.

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lighter than competition (190g)
good resolution (14.2 megapixels)
flash built-in
no Time Lapse function
bad battery life (270 shots)
display is not selfie friendly

Nikon 1 S2 Landscape photography details

If you find yourself looking to choose a camera for landscape photographs, the most significant aspect is going to be image quality. The Nikon 1 S2 and it's average score of 60 for a landscape camera is fairly appropriate among it's rivals.

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has manual focus
switch lenses (Nikon 1 mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
good MP (14.2 megapixels)
sensor size is good (1")
supports RAW files
lack of image stabilization
bad battery pack (270 CIPA)
lack of Time Lapse mode

Nikon 1 S2 as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a articulating display screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Nikon 1 S2 is not appropriate for vlogging as it comes to a dreadful score of 33.

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has face detect autofocus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average (190g)
does not feature selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
doesn't have mic jack

Nikon 1 S2 Alternatives

If you are looking for alternatives to the 1 S2, here is a list of the top scored cameras which fall under the class of Entry-Level Mirrorless.

The diagram underneath will give you a summary of the 1 S2 vs it's top ranked competitors mentioned previously.

Here are a handful of other cameras you might consider as alternative options. To check out a detailed comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

Photography Glossary

Specifications

General Information
Make
Nikon
Model
Nikon 1 S2
Type
Entry-Level Mirrorless
Revealed
2014-05-21
Physical type
Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Expeed 4A
Sensor size
1"
Sensor measurements
13.1 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area
115.3mm²
Sensor resolution
14.2 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Peak resolution
4592 x 3072
RAW format
Highest native ISO
12800
Lowest native ISO
200
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points
171
Cross focus points
73
Lens
Lens mount
Nikon 1
Amount of lenses
13
Crop factor
2.7
Screen
Type of screen
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3 inch
Resolution of screen
460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Fastest silent shutter speed
1/16000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
60.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash options
Fill, fill w/slow sync, rear curtain sync, rear curtain w/ slow sync, redeye reduction, redeye reduction w/slow sync, off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 30p)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Optional
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
190 grams (0.42 lbs)
Dimensions
101 x 61 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.1")
Other
Battery life
270 pictures
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery model
EN-EL22
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage type
microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC
Card slots
1
Price at release
$450