Somehow, Nikon released new firmware for the Nikon 1 J1 and V1 cameras and I missed it. Nevertheless, you can check them out here from Nikon USA.

Major points:

• The exposure control program used with shooting in Smart Photo Selector mode, or still image shooting mode with Exposure mode set to P Programmed auto or Scene auto selector, has been revised for faster shutter speeds to prevent blurred subjects.
• Auto white balance performance has been increased.
• Exposure accuracy with ISO sensitivity set to Auto 100-3200, Auto 100-800, or Auto 100-400 has been increased with shooting using the optional Speedlight SB-N5 to photograph subjects at close distances.

The following issues have been resolved:

• An error message was sometimes displayed during interval timer shooting, preventing capture of the specified number of shots.
• When the camera was turned on by releasing the retractable lens barrel lock on applicable lenses, there was sometimes a slight delay before the shutter could be released.

Of these, #1 is the biggest improvement. Without a way of setting the minimum shutter speed when using Auto ISO, the V1/J1 exposure program lets the shutter speed drop to 1/15s in normal conditions. That’s WAY too slow, even with a VR lens. My normal workaround was to use Shutter-priority mode in situations where I had moving subjects of any kind. But Nikon has failed to implement this fix for Aperture-priority mode (I just don’t get it). After the FW update, I can meter a scene in Program (P) mode at 1/30s @f/3.5). But in Aperture (A) mode, set to f/3.5, the same scene meters at 1/15s… meaning that ISO was not raised up. C’mon, Nikon. You guys are smart. Get this right, even if the average user won’t ever leave P mode.