Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof Mirrorless Digital Camera with 1 NIKKOR AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens, 14.2MP, 3.0" LCD Display, Hi-speed USB/HDMI Output, Silver

2018-01-17T08:46:46

This is the camera I use underwater, skiing, boating or when its raining. Works well and is easy to use.

THOMAS W.

2017-07-15T20:00:00

The most disappointing $900 wasted! Bought this camera on July 4, 2017 at Best Buy for $900 with tax. I was so excited I even bought an extra lens for it on Amazon. Used it for 2 trips and noticed some humidity on the viewer and in the battery compartment. Camera continued to work so I figured this was ok. Then my 3rd trip in June 2017 (in Hawaii) more water than usual in battery compartment and it no longer turned on. Called Nikon July 2nd and the customer service lady first did not tell me where to send the camera. She just kept telling me that water damage is not covered under warranty. Was upset because I felt the camera should at least be evaluated by the service center to decide if there was a defect. I do not recommend this product. Why would a waterproof camera not cover water damage? Beware of this product, it is not what they advertised.

Poor

Originally posted at

2017-03-15T20:00:00

DO NOT BUY IT !! Water enters through all rubber seals. No one took responsibility. The warranty does not work. Very bad and expensive. It does not work under water!

nikonaw1doesntwork

Originally posted at

2017-03-08T19:00:00

Had the camera for 3 or 4 yrs and was very happy until I went to Maui on my honeymoon. We did some snorkeling and water some how got into Battery compartment, killing the camera.Sent the camera in to UEG as Nikon suggested and figured for some money could get it repaired. Nope. It was deemed inrepairable. So they're sending it back to me and I can have a nice paperweight. There are many reviews posted with this same exact issue. There is clearly something going on and would recommend anyone thinking of purchasing to find a different product. Nikon with a camera like this you should at least make it where people can get it repaired.

Required

Originally posted at

2017-03-05T19:00:00

When I purchased this camera two years ago I thought it was great. But after three snorkel trip where my camera never went 49" underwater let alone 49', the battery compartment filled with water. Heartbroken as I lost all of my vacation pics that were on the SD card in the same compartment. I just shipped it to Nikon. We will see if they stand behind their name. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA UNTIL THEY TRULY MAKE IT WATERPROOF!

Cruiser

Originally posted at

2017-03-01T19:00:00

I'll keep it short and sweet, owned my aw1 for two years no problems, took it underwater at 15-20ft the camera leaked and battery exploded. Nikon warranty says it will cost 700 dollars to get a new camera.

Canadaphoto

Originally posted at

2017-02-28T19:00:00

To anyone foolish enough to consider purchasing this camera, I would say, "Think again!" Even if you are willing to obsessively smear silicone on every sealed compartment, it's only a matter of time before you will experience water damage. In spite of what they say, this is NOT a diving or even a snorkeling camera. In the meanwhile, once your camera gets water into it, you will find that it cannot be repaired. If you have been unfortunate enough to purchase additional lenses, good luck getting them to sell you a replacement body, refurbished or otherwise.

cameradad

Originally posted at

2017-01-23T19:00:00

I've owned this camera for about 2 years. I use it for underwater research about once every 3 months. It has great focus, the creative modes all work well, and the camera is easy to use one handed, which is really important for diving. The shockproof feature is great and the remote wireless trigger is fun to play with through my phone. HOWEVER, ever since my very first snorkel with it, the lens fogs up completely. (I've had no leaks.) I even opened it up and put the entire camera setup in a dessicating chamber in my laboratory for about a week, but that didn't help the situation. It's now impossible to use the camera on land, because the lens fogs immediately in the sun and doesn't resolve for several hours. Underwater, the fogging comes and goes depending on the thermoclines and the overall water temperature. The other problem I have is that periodically, I get an error message saying that the lens is not attached, even though it is attached and seated firmly. The contacts are clean, there's no visible dirt anywhere, and I see no reason for this error to be occurring. After a few days of turning the camera on and off periodically to check, the issue goes away and the camera works normally again. In short, this camera had great potential, but without being able to use it outdoors on land without lens fogging and with a software glitch on top of it intermittently disabling the camera, you really can't trust it to work when you need it to. I would have been really impressed if it weren't for those fatal flaws.

lgwen

Originally posted at

2016-12-29T19:00:00

On my last two trips to Mexico the display and my brand new lens started fogging. I have cleaned the seals...No dust and re-lubed everything. I can never leave it in a bag or even under a towel or the lens and the display fogs up. Need to figure out what to do to repair or replace. :(

Harrington

Originally posted at

2016-12-20T19:00:00

I have found the frustrations of try to compose on the screen in any condition other than shade frustrating. I use it for underwater (works well if...) and will continue to do so. If you use it underwater at night it is almost impossible to know what will be in the picture, the screen is useless. I find the camera very limited for shooting landscape (my fault there, bad choice), and the color rendition is less accurate on bright colors (like fabric) than my iPhone. A great snorkeling camera in the daylight, otherwise I would give it a pass.

volcanobuff

Originally posted at

2016-08-10T20:00:00

I have had exactly the same experience as the Sandpounder, loaferoatan and ColaDivers reviews. This camera is NOT repeat NOT water proof. I only snorkel, I do not dive, the camera has never been more than 5 feet underwater. It fogged up and died on the 5th use despite careful cleaning and silicone treatment of the seals. The battery compartment got salt water in it. How? I blamed myself for not doing something right. I took it in for NIKON Service and the answer was it is "uneconomical" to fix. No recourse whatsoever. I took the camera home and decided, why not, I will immerse it in absolute alcohol with the compartments open and then try and dry it out and see what happens. Surprise! THE LIQUID FILLING THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT POURS OUT OF THE FLASH HOUSING. That means it can get in around the flash housing explaining the wet battery compartment. This is a design flaw or manufacturing flaw that is unacceptable. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!

convertingtocanon

Originally posted at

2016-07-27T20:00:00

I've owned many Nikon film and digital cameras over they years, and currently have a D700 and D810 in my bag. My wife bought me the AW1 as a gift and I was very excited to have a small waterproof camera that could fit in a coat pocket or beach bag. I did some home testing with the camera to make sure that it was truly waterproof and everything seemed to be fine. About 18 month into ownership of the AW1 I used the camera in the Virgin Islands and was very impressed with the results. The underwater images were incredible and I was very happy with the AW1. I took every precaution to make sure that all the doors were closed and was diligent about rinsing the camera with clean water after each use. On a recent Hawaiian vacation, my trusty AW1 simply gave up on me. After going thru my normal on-land check list of making sure the lens was secure, and the battery door and other openings were closed I took the AW1 into the ocean to get some photos. That was a HUGE mistake. After about 10 minutes of being in the water I noticed my LCD screen starting to fog. I rushed out of the water and got the camera to dry land ASAP. The battery/card door was closed and nothing was loose, but my screen was still fogged. I took the battery and memory card out and dried the camera in a bag of rice for 24 hours. For the next 5 days the screen was still fogged. I was devastated. When I got home I sent my AW1 body back to Nikon for repair (or at least I tried as I had to use a 3rd party repair service called UEG at Nikon's recommendation.) A week later I was told that there was nothing that UEG could do except for sell me a new body for MORE than what my wife paid for it in the first place. This is unacceptable and now I am writing this review in hopes that someone at Nikon actually cares. I've recently read numerous reviews of the camera and ALL of the negative ones have the same problems. This camera is NOT waterproof. Whatever Nikon says, do not believe it. I will continue to use my Nikon DSLR cameras, but I will NEVER buy another point and shoot or mirroless camera from them again.

SandPounder

Originally posted at

2016-06-06T20:00:00

This review isn't going to be pretty and I hope someone at Nikon reads it. First off let me say i'm a Nikon lover. Started out in Highschool using the 8008s, went to the F4s and have bought everything in between. I current use a D700 and will be upgrading to the D810 soon. Add this to the $15,000 in lenses and flashes I presently own and I've spent enough money with Nikon to make a down payment on a small house. Regarding the AW1: I thought this would be my perfect all around family camera. We live near the sea, own a boat and travel every year. It is advertised as a rugged "Built For Life" camera. I wish this was true. I have sent this camera in 3 times for repair. It's now not working again and I suspect it's had some water intrusion from when my wife took it snorkeling going down no more than 5 feet! Every time I've taken this camera on a trip it's not worked and we've had to use our phones for backup photos. Bahamas, Disneyland, Cuba, Lake tahoe etc. Twice I've sent it back and Nikon charged me! First was around $300, then $100 each subsequent time. The last time I just told them to send it back and I was fed up and they fixed it for free (thank you I guess). It's a shame because I really liked the camera. It took great pictures. Now i'm looking at it on my table fulling a duty as a paperweight wondering if I should try and send it in AGAIN, or just finally eat the $1300 I've spent of this camera already. I love you Nikon, but this camera has not fulfill the promises you promised.

loaferoatan

Originally posted at

2016-04-21T20:00:00

Would LOVE to say this camera was waterproof but..... Took our camera for a shallow dive in St Kitts. Not even five feet down ( and yes, all was checked prior to getting in the water) water was in the display and lens! Didn't buy a disposable camera because we were sure this expensive underwater camera would work. Completely devastated and we now have a very expensive camera barely used that is ruined and NO pictures from an amazing dive.

ColaDivers

Originally posted at

2016-03-28T20:00:00

This is a camera that can withstand all my tests of function and endurance. It's lightweight as well as durable enough to survive an accidental drop on a rock ledge. Plus, saltwater won't wilt its capabilities.

LoveMyGear

Originally posted at

2016-03-18T20:00:00

Buenas tardes, qué pena que no me informara antes de comprar esta cámara. Hace fotos maravillosas, es cierto, pero me siento estafada porque en la segunda ocasión que la meto en el agua (a menos de medio metro de la superficie) y menos de 10 minutos (teniendo en cuenta que he seguido todas las recomendaciones de las instrucciones con respecto a su mantenimiento) a la cámara le ha entrada agua. El servicio técnico me dice que no entra en garantía y que tengo que pagar casi 400 euros para repararla. Me siento engañada. Elegid otro modelo porque por lo que estoy leyendo en los foros este modelo viene defectuoso.

NoeGD

Originally posted at

2015-11-16T19:00:00

For all of you considering this camera as a higher-end, user friendly waterproof camera for beach adventures, snorkeling, and diving excursions, please stop, read the reviews on Amazon, and rethink a minute. I certainly wish I had done my research before buying this camera. I am a faithful Nikon user and trusted that this product would be superb. However, like several other people who bought this camera with high expectations, it failed underwater far above its depth limits. This camera is just not waterproof! I followed all instructions and yet the camera still leaked, and sadly I was unable to take underwater photos and surfing videos on my recent trip to Hawaii. Luckily, I purchased the camera at Best Buy and it was still under warranty, so I got a full refund because the camera was determined to be unrepairable. I was actually considering purchasing the same camera again because it takes stellar photographs, but it looks as though irreparable water-damage and leakage is a very common occurrence with this camera, so I will not buy it again. I am writing this review in hopes that it will prevent other potential buyers of this camera from being mislead by Nikon's claims that it is a waterproof camera. It is not, and Nikon needs to modify this camera and upgrade the model in the future. Nikon is capable of a much better product and I am disappointed in them to say the least!

NikonAW1

Originally posted at

2015-11-04T19:00:00

Save your money, the Nikon AW1 camera is not waterproof. I love Nikon for its high quality products, but this camera is a joke. It is just not waterproof. I had been very careful when taking the camera into the water i.e. removing foreign matter, maintaining and checking rubber bands, etc. However, last time, the screen showed signs of condensation and started blinking so I turned it off and took it out of the water. After drying it, I realized there was water in the battery compartment and the battery had signs of corrosion. At least the memory card did not get damaged. The camera is under warranty and still Nikon wants me to pay $354 dollars to fix it. Seriously, it just cannot be water proof if the battery compartment gets water inside, and the guaranty should cover it. So even if you are very careful with the maintenance, it is very likely that it will fail, or maybe mine is just a random case, but reading other reviews (which unfortunately I did not before buying it) seems that this is very common (at least 40% of the reviews in Amazon involve a leakage problem) Not sure if I should fix it, should I risk to take it into the water again? Probably not, and that was the whole point of buying a waterproof camera!

alejandra

Originally posted at

2015-08-03T20:00:00

MI CÁMARA TIENE MENOS DE 6 MESES Y TIENE UNA FISURA, AL USARLA LAS ULTIMAS 2 VECES ENTRO AGUA AL COMPARTIMENTO DE BATERÍA Y SAQUE LA TARJETA HÚMEDA. ADEMÁS ESTÁ CONDENSADA LA PANTALLA Y NO PERMITE VER CLARAMENTE LA IMAGEN. LA GARANTÍA NO CUBRE Y ME PIDEN UN COSTO DE MÁS 3000 PESOS MEXICANOS POR REPARAR LA FISURA, SIN GARANTIZAR, QUE NO ENTRARÁ AGUA.

PRADO

Originally posted at

2015-04-13T20:00:00

Súper práctica, muy fácil de usar y con excelentes resultados.

Diann Z.

Originally posted at

2015-03-12T20:00:00

As a marine biologist who began his career with the Nikonos system, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the AW1. It was not available in India, and I picked up on my very first trip the US. It seemed like the perfect fit, in spite of the slightly fiddly controls. Within a few days of taking the camera to the reef, the screen began fogging, followed by the lens fogging and, within two weeks, the camera flooding completely. This, despite taking every precaution in terms of diving limits etc. To add insult to injury, the service centre in India essentially wrote off the camera without offering any alternatives, suggesting that taking it for a dive a day was pushing the proscribed limits of the camera. This has been one of my worst experiences with Nikon and I sincerely hope that Nikon sets this right if they want to continue with this line. As it stands, this camera is certainly not the all-weather camera it is represented to be, and I won't be surprised if Nikon discontinues it pretty soon as experiences like mine become increasingly common.

reefecologist

Originally posted at

2014-11-17T19:00:00

The new AW1 has grabbed my attention, but falls very short for almost all recreational diving. Most dives NEVER end at 49' (unless that's the true bottom). Please give us a true, modern, digital, diving camera system that is good to 140'. I miss the compactness, simplicity, and rugged performance of my Nikonos V w/ dual strobes and Nikonos15mm lens. My current Aquatica housed Nikon D7000 is far too big and complicated for most diving and my Nikonos V w/ Fuji Astia film delivered far better images. Add current and other diving challanges and I'll take my Nikonos V any day....except I can no longer get it or my lenses serviced. I do like the convenience of digital vs. traveling w/ film. This is not an old school rant....I love new technology. However, while the AW1 is great in concept it is short on serious diving performance. Sadly, many diving photographers today seem to be happy w/ a GoPro. I too own two of those. I just returned from our annual diving trip to Maui and there were not nearly as many serious diving photographers as there used to be. Many of those seem to have traded their Nikonos V system for GoPros or point and shoot housed cameras. I fear someday may $7000+ housed DSLR will become extinct as well......not good.

Mauijim

Originally posted at

2014-06-09T21:00:00

This is a second camera (next to a D300) for me, for something light weight but capable for hiking / kayaking / bad weather - when you don't want to worry about keeping a camera dry. Not having an optical viewfinder is something that is taking me a while to adapt to, but the LCD is quite good even in bright light, once you tweak the settings. Main thing to get used to is the controls - not enough buttons to control all the essentials, so it's down into the menus. That said, all the settings you might want are there, metering modes, metering area, focusing mode and area, RAW capture. You just can't move from one setting to the other too fast. Focus acquisition is fast. Image quality is great right out of the camera, and the full auto mode does amazingly well in most conditions to produce good jpgs. My first copy of this camera quit on day 2, no idea why, and Adorama's no hassle 30 day return policy worked like a charm.

Chris

2014-05-30T20:00:00

I like in Kealakekua, Hawaii, and I do a lot of snorkeling and underwater photography, so when I saw this camera in reviews 6-8 months ago, I knew it was one I had to try. Unfortunately the camera was on back order every where I looked. A few weeks ago I contacted Nikon about when they would be available, and they informed me I could order from their site. I got my camera in two days after they received my order, and it was in perfect order. I took it to Honaunau Bay, we call it Two-Step, and took some great photos and movies with it. I was using it in Creative mode, Underwater, and set it for 5 fps burst. In about 45 minutes I had taken 600 shots, and made five videos. The pictures are sharp and clear, with great color. It's a big step up from my old Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS, that I used with an underwater case. Although it had served me well for several years. I also attached a small inflatable ball with fishing line attached, (24 inches long) to make sure if I lost my grip it would float, and it worked well. For snorkeling in shallower water I might not use the float. I am still getting used to the camera, but it did not disappoint me at all!

jim12312

Originally posted at

2014-04-21T21:00:00

I haven't had this product long enough to try all of its features. Ins think that this camera at this price should have is an optical view finder. Very difficult to take daylight pictures without some type of screen protector against the sunlight.

Dennis

2014-03-24T20:00:00

Im a novice photographer. I bought a V1 a year ago in hopes of getting into some more advanced photography. The V1 was complicated and daunting to use out of the normal auto mode settings. Every time I went to P, A or S mode, I got blurry pictures. It broke and I decided I wanted a more durable camera. I decided on the AW1 and convinced myself that i would learn the advanced settings. Well I still cant figure out any of the settings and will keep this one in auto mode, however the auto mode is SO MUCH better than the V1. I could not be happier. If you snap a picture in a dark room the picture comes out as if the lights were on, without using the flash. Its AMAZING. When I snap pictures of my kids moving fast, they are in focus. Having a built in flash is a bonus but I dont think ill ever need it unless its pitch black.

NikonNoviceFL

Originally posted at

2014-03-10T21:00:00

Quick and easy to use. Monitor is difficult to see in bright light, but overall I love it.

JOANNE S.

2014-03-03T19:00:00

I normally use a D800E housed in a Nauticam housing. That with appropriate ports, lenses and flashes weighs in at over 45 pounds of travel weight. It takes superb underwater photos. I purchased the AW1 to use as a backup camera for snorkeling as it lacked the depth capability of my d800E rig. I have used the AW! underwater on 2 separate trips so far and am very impressed. I shoot raw, auto white balance. auto iso 800, either manual or shutter priority. This little camera is superb! The images, while smaller than the 800E are equal in clarity and appearance. I wish it had 5ATA depth capability then I would seriously be tempted to leave the d800E home. They also need some wider angle of view lenses, 77 degrees is too narrow for underwater wide angle. Fortunately the olympus fcon fisheye converter works great with the 10mm 2.8 lens and give an angle of view of 130 degrees. They also need a macro lens (I did not get to either lens for macro as yet), but something like my 105 in a nikon 1AW version would be nice. Hope they keep the line going, perhaps an AW V3 and deeper depth capability?

critidoc

Originally posted at

2014-02-24T19:00:00

Perfeito para esportes e viagem, pequeno, compacto, resistente e leve. Só faltou o visor de olho... acho importante.

mtc

Originally posted at

2013-12-19T19:00:00

We have been using underwater cameras for many years. Recently Go Pros have been the real producer for us, despite its small sensor size. I was pretty familiar with the Nikon 1 and this is approximately a Nikon 1 V3 with added high level protection. I prefer a view finder above the surface but underwater (UW) the LCD is better. I have owned three Nikonos film cameras and I would rate this camera as FAR superior to that serious UW camera. I love my F5, Nikkor lens, my D7100s and a lot of other Nikons.....but this Nikon AW 1 is revolutionary! It is a delightful little, very attractive camera. I bought a white one with the 11-27.5mm lens. The video quality is amazing! The stills are wonderful! The depth gauge really works! Yet there are procedures for using this camera UW, and be sure to follow them! We will have a show on this on the internet since we believe it is so great! Nikon has a real winner here!

DaveyJ

Originally posted at