Nikon unveils three new Coolpix digital cameras

Get more info in the Nikon Coolpix P7000 here.

 

 

Nikon unveils three new Coolpix digital cameras

via Consumer Reports Electronics Blog by Consumer Reports Electronics Blog on 9/8/10

The $500 Nikon Coolpix P7000 digital camera
Photo: Nikon

Today, Nikon unveiled three new point-and-shoot cameras for enthusiasts and people willing to spend a bit more for a stylish camera.

The most interesting, the 10-megapixel Nikon Coolpix P7000, $500, is for those who want lots of flexibility, but may not want a camera that uses interchangeable lenses. The P7000 appears destined to compete with our top rated advanced point-and-shoot, the Canon PowerShot G11, which is nearly a year old.

The P7000 has lots of features, including the ability to shoot RAW files, plus a hot shoe for an external flash. As the photo shows, it's also covered with dials and buttons that let you set ISO, white balance, various types of bracketing, exposure compensation and manual focus. The P7000 also bucks the trend that so many other point-and-shoots have followed: It has an optical viewfinder, which includes a diopter adjustment dial for those who wear eye glasses.

The P7000's zoom range is 28mm-200mm, longer than Canon's G11. Other features include a virtual horizon indicator, which lets you line up your horizon line so that it's level. Nikon says this is the first Coolpix to include a mic input, letting you hook up an external stereo microphone. It captures 720p HD video at 24 frames per second, and has a top ISO of 6400. One feature the P7000 doesn't have that the G11 has is a swiveling LCD. However, it does have a high pixel count, which means the 3-inch display should be sharp.

The Coolpix P7000 will be available in late September.

Nikon also announced two basic subcompacts:

• The 12-megapixel Coolpix S8100, $300 (which replaces the Nikon Coolpix S8000), has a 10x zoom, can capture 1080p HD video, and has a High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode. Unlike with many basic models, Nikon claims you can optically zoom while capturing video. It will be available in three colors in late September.
• The 14-megapixel Coolpix S80, $330, is a thin, sleek subcompact, with a nontelescoping 5x zoom, with a zoom range of 35mm-175mm. Like its predecessor, the Nikon Coolpix S70, it has a 3 1/2-inch LCD touchscreen, but this model has a higher dot count than the S70, which should make it sharp. Nikon says this model will be available in six colors this fall.

—Terry Sullivan

Get more info in the Nikon Coolpix P7000 here.