The Nikon 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom ($299.95) is the current standard starter lens for Nikon 1 cameras, including the $500 J5 model. When bought along with a camera its cost really isn't a concern, as Nikon doesn't offer any of its 1 models in body-only configurations. But if you have an older camera, like the 1 J1, you may be considering an upgrade to this lens. My advice is to skip it—the $300 price point is a bit steep. Either put the money toward a different Nikkor 1 lens, or consider moving up to a newer camera model like the entry-level J5 or the enthusiast-geared V3 that includes the lens in its price.

Design
The 10-30mm is quite compact, measuring in at just 1.8 by 2.3 inches (HD) when collapsed and weighing a mere 3 ounces. It pairs well with the compact 1 series, and is solidly built. Its barrel and mount are metal, and the zoom ring has a textured finish so you can find it by feel. The size does come at the cost of some features—there's no way to add a filter, for example, and while I'd call the lens quiet as it zooms, it isn't silent like the 1 Nikkor VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-Zoom. There's no lens cap—instead, the front element is covered by a leaf shutter that automatically closes when your camera is powered off. The lens is available in black, red, white, or silver. The VR designation indicates that it's optically stabilized.

The lens matches the CX (1-inch) sensor that Nikon uses in its 1 cameras. That gives it a field of view that's equivalent to a 27-81mm zoom in full-frame terms. That's pretty typical for a kit lens. Some systems offer midrange quality zooms with wider apertures and a field of view that starts around 24mm, but none are currently available for 1 cameras. The f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture doesn't give you a lot of control over depth of field, although it it is possible to blur backgrounds under the right conditions. The easiest way to do this is to work close to your subject—the lens can focus as close as 8.4 inches.

Image Quality
I used Imatest to check the image quality that the lens delivers when paired with the 20-megapixel J5. At 10mm f/3.5 it scores 2,118 lines per picture height on a center-weighted sharpness test. That's better than the 1,800 lines we look for in a photo, but there is some softness at the edges of the frame—it drops to 1,349 lines there, giving edges a noticeable blur. Stopping down to f/4.6 doesn't do much to improve the overall score (2,168 lines), but edges improve to 1,781 lines. At f/8 the lens shows 2,054 lines.

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At 20mm the maximum aperture is f/4.5 and the average sharpness score is 2,184 lines. Edges are crisper at 1,729 lines. Stopping down to f/5.6 doesn't move the needle on the average score, but edges do match the center in quality. The lens is at its best at f/8, notching 2,239 lines. At 30mm the aperture drops to f/5.6, but average sharpness is still strong at 2,211 lines. Edges disappoint here, showing just 1,611 lines. Stopping down to f/8 drops the overall score to 2,132 lines, but performance is more even across the frame.

If you shoot in JPG format you don't have to worry about distortion—1 cameras correct for it automatically. But if you shoot in Raw format, it's a serious concern with this lens. At 10mm it shows 3.4 percent barrel distortion, which gives images a noticeable outward curve. At 20mm and 30mm the distortion changes to pincushion, about 3 percent, that causes the same lines to bow inward. This is evident in the bars of the cage in the shot above. If you use Adobe Lightroom CC to develop photos the distortion can be removed via a single click thanks to a built-in lens profile for the 10-30mm, so it's less of a concern. But if you use a Raw converter without built-in corrections it will be an issue.

Conclusions
The Nikon 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom isn't the best example of a kit lens we've seen, nor is it the worst. Images are reasonably sharp, and we don't expect starter lenses to be crisp from edge to edge when shot wide open. Distortion is an issue for some photographers, but JPG shooters needn't pay it any mind. The real issue here is cost. You don't want to spend $300 on this lens. If you're getting a new Nikon 1 camera you won't have to worry about that—it will be included and Nikon doesn't offer a body-only purchase option. But if you've got an older Nikon 1 and are thinking about an upgrade, you're better off sticking with your existing kit lens and putting the money toward a prime lens, wide-angle zoom, or telephoto zoom.