Nikon's 1 J5 camera is sleek, but its 4K video recording is a joke

Nikon's 1 series is considered to be the bottom of barrel when it comes to mirrorless cameras. With a fresh makeover and beefed up features, the company's new 1 J5, however, may finally be a step in the right direction in the face of fierce competition from the likes of Sony andOlympus.

The J5 is the successor to the 1 J4. Its construction and design is a complete revamp from the minimalist J4. The camera now sports a sleeker faux leather finish and a grip for your fingers.

SEE ALSO: Nikon D5500 joins the touchscreen club — but is it worth paying extra for it?

Inside, the J5 packs a higher 20.8-megapixel 1-inch image sensor, faster Expeed 5A image-processing engine, 20 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting with autofocus, and ISO 160-12800.

The vague mode dial on the old J4 has been replaced with a more traditional PASM (Program Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, Manual). There's also dedicated programmable function (Fn) button. Lastly, in addition to built-in Wi-Fi, the J5 has built-in NFC to pair with smartphones and tablets quicker.