Inside CES: Nikon 1 AW1
By Mike Agerbo
January 09, 2014
Product Discovery
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Recently, my 12-year-old daughter has become interested in photography and videography. As a result, I’ve been getting more familiar with the latest cameras in an effort to help her make purchasing decisions. At CES this week, I’ve kept an eye out for new and interesting camera technology and today, I came across the Nikon 1 AW1. This camera is not only splashproof, like other similar cameras with interchangeable lenses on the market, but also waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof … Basically, it’s lifeproof!
Typically, cameras need an additional waterproof case in order to prevent them from damage under water. The Nikon 1 AW1 can be taken up to 49 feet under water for up to an hour without any damage. Purchasing a camera like this for a kid who went swimming in a friend’s pool with her brand new iPhone 5 in her pocket would certainly give me some peace of mind! In addition to its underwater capabilities, the Nikon 1 AW1 is freezeproof up to -10°C and can withstand drops of over 6 feet. This makes it the ideal companion for winter sports. Best of all, it can do this all while filming HD video at 1080p.
In terms of photo performance, the camera really shines for this price point. It captures some great action shots even in fast action conditions. The Nikon 1 AW1 offers an impressively fast continuous shooting frame rate with 15 frames per second in autofocus. This means that your action shots won’t be blurry or out of focus. It also performs quite well in low light conditions.
Adventurers will be excited to hear that they won’t have to wait to get home and transfer their photos in order to share them because they can connect to their smartphones or WiFi enabled devices using an add-on wireless mobile adapter. This means action shots can go up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter instantly.
In terms of design, the Nikon 1 AW1 is quite nice. It comes in white, silver, and matte black and has a compact body. It has a handy grip (pun intended) on the left hand side, making it easy to hang on to underwater and in other fast-paced conditions. It also lacks a physical dial to change modes, which keeps it safe from water getting into the dial. The shutter button is also a bit more pronounced than other Nikon models. Again, this makes it easier to use in fast-paced conditions.
All in all, the Nikon 1 AW1 is a rugged little camera offering exceptional features and performance.
Typically, cameras need an additional waterproof case in order to prevent them from damage under water. The Nikon 1 AW1 can be taken up to 49 feet under water for up to an hour without any damage. Purchasing a camera like this for a kid who went swimming in a friend’s pool with her brand new iPhone 5 in her pocket would certainly give me some peace of mind! In addition to its underwater capabilities, the Nikon 1 AW1 is freezeproof up to -10°C and can withstand drops of over 6 feet. This makes it the ideal companion for winter sports. Best of all, it can do this all while filming HD video at 1080p.
In terms of photo performance, the camera really shines for this price point. It captures some great action shots even in fast action conditions. The Nikon 1 AW1 offers an impressively fast continuous shooting frame rate with 15 frames per second in autofocus. This means that your action shots won’t be blurry or out of focus. It also performs quite well in low light conditions.
Adventurers will be excited to hear that they won’t have to wait to get home and transfer their photos in order to share them because they can connect to their smartphones or WiFi enabled devices using an add-on wireless mobile adapter. This means action shots can go up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter instantly.
In terms of design, the Nikon 1 AW1 is quite nice. It comes in white, silver, and matte black and has a compact body. It has a handy grip (pun intended) on the left hand side, making it easy to hang on to underwater and in other fast-paced conditions. It also lacks a physical dial to change modes, which keeps it safe from water getting into the dial. The shutter button is also a bit more pronounced than other Nikon models. Again, this makes it easier to use in fast-paced conditions.

All in all, the Nikon 1 AW1 is a rugged little camera offering exceptional features and performance.