I first started my career as a photographer and journalist when the mirrorless camera was in its experimental era. And one of the cameras that I look back on with a mix of fondness is Nikon’s baby mirrorless series, the ultra-compact Nikon 1 line. But while cameras like the Nikon 1 J1 fell out of favor around the same time as the consumer point-and-shoot, compact cameras are making a big return. That shift towards smaller cameras begs the question – did Nikon give up on the 1 series too soon? Is it time for cameras like the Nikon 1 J1 to make a comeback?
While I’ll always think of the Nikon 1 J1 when I think of early 2010s cameras, the industry has moved on from tiny sensor mirrorless cameras like the Nikon 1 series – and that’s not a bad thing. I don’t think the discontinued Nikon 1 should make a comeback (and I don’t think you should buy the Nikon 1 J1 unless you’re really after that retro digicam look). But I do think that smaller mirrorless cameras could do really well in 2025. Let me explain.
