With compact cameras trending, is it time to bring back tiny mirrorless cameras like the Nikon 1 J1?

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.

The Nikon 1 series is essentially a cross between a mirrorless camera and a compact camera. Yes, the Nikon 1 series had interchangeable lenses, but the cameras were also known for their tiny bodies. At the heart of the series was a one-inch sensor, the sort that you find on advanced compact cameras and a format that you can still find in modern cameras like the Sony RX100 VII or the Sony ZV1 II.

Fast forward nearly 15 years and compact cameras are trending – and becoming incredibly hard to find. Compact cameras with sensors that are one-inch or larger are getting to be quite expensive, just look at the Fujifilm X100VI or the Ricoh GR III. But, even with these trends, I don’t think the Nikon 1 needs to resurface because I think these portable, beginner-friendly mirrorless cameras need to be a launching point; they need to have the potential to turn some average casual users into dedicated photographers. A sort of photography taste test before falling headfirst into a lifelong photography passion.

The real problem with the Nikon 1 series is that, if you picked up the camera and happened to fall in love, the camera can’t really grow with you. Yes, there were some more advanced models in the 1 series, but that small one-inch sensor held it back. You’d really have to sell everything and start over from scratch, lenses and all. And in 2025, with the series discontinued, that’s even more true. I don’t really recommend buying one today – you can’t use those Nikon 1 lenses on current mirrorless cameras if you do happen to fall in love and want a more modern, capable camera.

But while I don’t think tiny sensor mirrorless cameras like the Nikon 1 series need to make a comeback, I do think compact mirrorless cameras are the ideal alternative to the now overpriced compact cameras. You don’t need to buy a relic like the Nikon 1 J1 to get a compact camera. Take a look at the Nikon Z30, which is not only Nikon’s smallest current model mirrorless cameras but also the most affordable. While it lacks some key features like a viewfinder, its tiny size and reasonable price point make it the first ideal taste of mirrorless photography.

And if Nikon Z30 users do end up falling in love with that taste, there’s room to grow with upgrade options like the Nikon Z50 II that use the same lenses. A word of caution though, if you really fall headfirst and want to go pro-level with Nikon’s full frame series, those DX lenses made for the Z30 won’t let full frame cameras live up to their potential. But, you can put full-frame lenses on cameras like the Z30, so if growing is the goal, you can focus on Z optics without a DX in the name so you won’t have to start from scratch.

I loved the Nikon 1 series because it was both tiny and experimental. Would I buy one in 2025? No, not unless I really wanted the retro digicam look. For a modern camera that feels nearly point-and-shoot size and has room to grow, I would consider the Nikon Z30 instead. Of course, if the reason you’re looking at the Nikon 1 J1 is because you want to take pictures like it's 2011, then, well, I won’t squash your retro dreams.

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