The Coolpix P3 is a compact (not tiny, still small enough for most pockets) rather very solid camera, easy to hold and operate with one hand, made mostly of metal. With Nikon PictureProject, the software that comes with the camera, you can adjust things like brightness, color, and sharpness, or, more advanced features you can use are D-Lighting feature (can be found in playback mode) to brighten up dark areas of your photos auto image enhancement and redeye removal features. The camera provides BSS (Best Shot Selector), face detection, noise reduction as well as optical image stabilization, which Nikon calls Vibration Reduction – a good one (Sensors inside the camera detect motion, and the VR system responds by shifting a lens element to counter it). As a result, the images are sharp, noise free and with accurate colors. A two stage red eye removal is also build in. But it really lacks a viewfinder. Also, the digital zoom feature can’t be turned off and it has limited manual exposure controls. One more bad thing: Coolpix P3 does not support the USB 2.0 High Speed protocol.
You may want to check out Coolpix P4 if you are not interested in the Wi-Fi feature (IEEE 802.11b/g wireless range up to 30m).
Optional accessories: PD-10 wireless print adapter, which lets you send photos to any PictBridge-enabled printer using Wi-Fi, AC adapter and soft carrying case.
Functions:
• Shooting Modes: Auto, Programmed, Aperture priority, 9 Advanced Scene modes, 7 Scene modes, Best Shot Selector
• Scene Modes: Portrait (Face AF), Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Fireworks show, Close up, Party/indoors, Panorama assist, Beach/snow, Back light, Museum, Copy, Sports
• Effects: contrast (auto, normal, more contrast, less contrast), sharpening (auto, high, normal, low, off), saturation (-2 to +2, 1-step increments)
• Movie Mode: VGA 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120 at 30 fps, until memory cars is filled, no zoom during recording, no sound
• Flash Modes: auto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash off, flash on, slow sync
• White Balance: Auto, preset, sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent 1/2, cloudy, shade, flash
• Metering: Matrix, center-weighted, spot, spot AF area
Technical Data:
• 2.5 inch LCD
• 8.1 Megapixel
• 3.5x optical zoom + 3x digital zoom
• Focal Length: 36 - 126 mm (35mm equivalent)
• Aperture: F2.7-5.3
• Flash Range: 0.4 - 4.0 m at wide-angle and 0.4 - 2.0 m at telephoto
• Focus Range: min 2 m in normal mode, 4cm in macro mode
• Exposure Compensation: -2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV increments
• Bracketing: -0.5EV, 0EV, +0.5EV
• Continuos Shooting: Single, continuous, multi-shot 16, ultra HS, 5-shot buffer, interval timer (approx. 1.8fps)
• ISO Range: 50, 100, 200, 400
• Power-on: 2 sec
• Self-timer: 3 or 10 sec
• File Format: JPEG
• SD/MMC memory card + 32MB internal
• EN-EL5 rechargeable lithium-ion battery (200 shots)
Tags: nikon, wi fi fi feature, coolpix p3, nikon coolpix p3, 3x optical zoom, vibration reduction, optical image stabilization, noise reduction, accurate colors, d lighting, face detection, digital camera, compact digital camera, 8MP, bbs, best shot selector
April 5th, 2007 at 12:54 am
[...] Nikon Coolpix P4 Digital Camera Review The Coolpix P4 is the same camera as Coolpix P3, except that it’s lacking the Wi-Fi feature (IEEE 802.11b/g wireless range up to 30m). Nikon Coolpix P4 is also the first compact to include their Vibration reduction technology (image stabilisation). It’s build upon a metallic body, not the lightest camera in its class and not the stylish either. The LCD screen has a great anti-reflective finish that makes it easier to use in bright sunlight. No viewfinder is present but this problem can be found at most of the compact digitals in this class. But, it does come with aperture-priority mode for more demanding photographers, allowing control over shutter speed and depth-of-field. The camera provides BSS (Best Shot Selector), face detection, noise reduction and D-Lighting like all other Nikons. Very high ISO sensitivity (ISO 1600 is a record for compact cameras) is also notable. As a result, images are sharp, noise free and with accurate colors, which, combined with the manual functions, determines me to say Coolpix P4 is a very good choice. Functions: • Shooting Modes: Auto, Programmed, Aperture priority, 9 Advanced Scene modes, 7 Scene modes, Best Shot Selector • Scene Modes: Portrait (Face AF), Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Fireworks show, Close up, Party/indoors, Panorama assist, Beach/snow, Back light, Museum, Copy, Sports • Effects: contrast (auto, normal, more contrast, less contrast), sharpening (auto, high, normal, low, off), saturation (-2 to +2, 1-step increments) • Movie Mode: VGA 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120 at 30 fps, until memory cars is filled, no zoom during recording, no sound • Flash Modes: auto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash off, flash on, slow sync • White Balance: Auto, preset, sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent 1/2, cloudy, shade, flash • Metering: Matrix, center-weighted, spot, spot AF area Technical Data: • 2.5 inch LCD • 8.1 Megapixel • 3.5x optical zoom + 3x digital zoom • Focal Length: 36 - 126 mm (35mm equivalent) • Aperture: F2.7-5.3 • Flash Range: 0.4 - 4.0 m at wide-angle and 0.4 - 2.0 m at telephoto • Focus Range: min 2 m in normal mode, 4cm in macro mode • Exposure Compensation: -2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV increments • Bracketing: -0.5EV, 0EV, +0.5EV • Continuos Shooting: Single, continuous, multi-shot 16, ultra HS, 5-shot buffer, interval timer (approx. 1.8fps) • ISO Range: 50, 100, 200, 400 • Power-on: 2 sec • Self-timer: 3 or 10 sec • File Format: JPEG • SD/MMC memory card + 32MB internal • EN-EL5 rechargeable lithium-ion battery (200 shots) [...]