Digital Camera Review: Nikon Coolpix P100

The Nikon Coolpix P100 is a prosumer grade camera that has some solid features to make it a noteworthy choice for advanced amateurs.

WHEN I first read the press release for the Nikon Coolpix P100, I was immediately attracted to it. Like a nail to a magnet, I was drawn to the idea of having its DSLR-like manual modes to play around with, the lengthy 26x optical zoom and full HD video recording.

Thankfully I managed to get hold of the P100 before my recent trip to Hainan Island and I was truly impressed at the capabilities of the camera.

First of all, it fit snugly and comfortably in my hands. With the right amount of grip and at the right places, you will not mind holding the camera.

It is not particularly heavy and although it is heavier than the Nikon Coolpix L110, it gives the camera a solid feeling.

I had a chance to hold the new Nikon Coolpix L110 as well but somehow the dimensions of the P100 felt more at home in my small hands.

There were a slew of other cameras on this trip — a simple point-and-shoot Canon Ixus camera, a Nikon D90, an Olympus E-620 and a Canon 30D. The P100 fared pretty well with its competition.

Friendly features

It takes the P100 about three seconds to warm up and get that shot which is speedy enough to catch that smile or that moment.

The 26x optical zoom served its purpose with aplomb as I was able to get the most close-up picture even though I was lazy. For example, when I visited the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya, there was a 108m statue of Guan Yin and I was able to get a really close up shot of her face with the P100’s optical zoom fully extended. It was amazing. I was so proud of the P100 that it could get the shot and not only that, the photo was evenly exposed and clear.

The 26x optical zoom coupled with 10.3-megapixels really gives a good chance for your pictures to be usable.

Picture quality may suffer quite a bit and seem a lot softer than DSLRs but really you cannot complain with the P100’s ease-of-use, price and capabilities.

Other bright spots

The swivel LCD screen is also very appealing and helpful when there are the hard to reach shots. I was stuck in a sea of people in a family village and due to my height, I had to hold up the camera above my head and tilt the LCD screen to take the shot of the homecoming parade. It was very handy indeed.

HANDY: The swivel LCD screen is also very appealing
and helpful when there are hard to reach shots.

On top of that, the LCD works well in sunlight.

The electronic viewfinder is a good addition and is conveniently accessed via the EVF button but the only gripe I have is the resolution. It makes the viewfinder quite unpleasant to use.

There is a dedicated button for the full HD video recording function, which allows you to start recording almost immediately.

There are two modes — the HD for high definition and the HS mode is for slow / fast motion playback.

It also records in stereo. The quality of the video is generally smooth and it takes the camera approximately three seconds to start filming.

Conclusion

The one thing that would have made the P100 the perfect travel camera would be if it had a better way to protect the lens.

The lens cap is annoying and bulky. Had it been automated it would have really been a good a plus point.

The battery life of the camera is also good. I could use it constantly over two days with a single charge.

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Nikon Coolpix P100 and I was really happy to have this snappy camera as a travelling companion. Even in low light, it was able to capture photos admirably.

Pros: Long optical zoom; HD recording; swivel LCD screen; good image quality.

Cons: Electronic Viewfinder could be better; cumbersome lens cap.

Nikon Coolpix P100
Prosumer compact camera
SENSOR: 10.3-megapixels
VIEWFINDER: 3in vari-angle TFT LCD
LENS: 4.6-120mm, f/2.8- f/5.0 (35mm equivalent); 26x zoom
ISO RANGE:160 - 3200
EXPOSURE MODES: Program, Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Scene modes
VIDEO MODES: 1080p HD at 30fps
STORAGE: SD Card (SDHC-compatible); 43MB internal
INTERFACE: High-speed USB
OTHER FEATURES: Vibration reduction
BATTERY: Rechargeable EN-EL5
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 114.4 × 82.7 × 98.6mm (excluding projections)
WEIGHT: 481g (without batteries of memory card)