It may be all but dead and a mockery to some purists, but the platform is still a pretty good one.
Even now, it's still the mirrorless system that has AF tracking that comes closest to an SLR in terms of performance (if you take Thom Hogan at his word).
They got a lot of stuff wrong in the early iterations (price, UI, handling), but the last iteration, the J5 was pretty darned good (basically an RX100MK3 with interchangeable lenses).
I switched to the 1 series a few years ago from an APS dslr because I just wanted smaller gear, and I've been totally happy with absolutely no regrets. When I go on vacation, I bring two bodies and three lenses and they take up about as much room as one APS-C DSLR with a superzoom. Why two bodies? So I don't have to bother switching lenses like I had to when I had an SLR.
I get that the platform isn't for everyone and I wouldn't recommend it to many people, but it's far from being the bad system that a lot of people make it out to be.
Ah, the only Nikon 1 series I've tried was the S1, I was quite impressed. Tiny, light, great pictures in good light. I can totally see why people like them; precisely the reason that people are now flocking to Fuji and Sony's systems.
I have many Nikon lenses, if I could use them with a mirrorless body (Dx or Fx), I'd buy it in an instant. I'd probably take it and my 35mm f1.8 with me everywhere.
Now that the J5 is basically using the Sony RX100MK3 sensor (not exactly but very close), you can add "bad light" to the equation.
>> I have many Nikon lenses, if I could use them with a mirrorless body (Dx or Fx), I'd buy it in an instant.
You can use them adapted on a Sony A7. I am pretty sure you can get AF with Canon lenses (not the fastest, but not horrible), but I'm not 100% sure if they've done the F-mount yet.
Yeah, it's too bad. I wish the Nikon 1 was a better camera (I have a couple of nice lenses for my Nikon DSLR).
I ended up getting a Fuji X-T1 a couple months ago (discounted since the X-T2 is out). I need to get new glass but the lenses I've gotten are fantastic and it's fun as hell to shoot with.
I'd still consider buying a mirrorless Nikon at some point, but they need to step up their game a bit.
Ah, the all but dead Nikon 1 with a ~£200 adaptor.