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Nikon CoolPix P100
Jayesh Limaye, Aug 31, 2010 1226 hrs ISTLet's see if it bridges the gap between DSLRs and mainstream digicams
Good color reproduction and image quality, good 1080p video recording, superb LCD display, 26x optical zoom, rugged build, ergonomics, hybrid image stabilization, auto bracketing
Noise at ISO400 and higher, image quality could have been better, lowest ISO 160, no automatic panorama stitch mode
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Design & Construction
The Nikon CoolPix P100 sports a design similar to many of Nikon's higher end and more expensive DSLR cameras, and has the same ergonomics as well. The body is bulky and feels solid to hold. Built for right-handed people, as are most digicams, there is a rubber grip to get hold of the camera. The grip is just large enough to comfortably hold in the hand, since this part of the camera holds the slim single Li-ion battery instead of the multitude of larger AA batteries. There is space to hold the lens barrel with your left hand to stabilize the camera. The camera is not really light at 481 grams, but it does not feel too heavy, possibly because of the superior ergonomics. The weight is actually useful as it provides some stability when shooting handheld. There are eyelets on either side to attach a neck strap and of course a neck strap is also provided with the camera. The dimensions of the camera are 114.4 x 82.7 x 98.6mm.
The lens used in this camera is the Nikkor wide angle 4.6-120 mm 1:2.8-5, which is equivalent to a focal range of 26 to 678 mm in 35mm format. The lens actually consists of 14 elements in 11 groups, and all of them are connected in a well-oiled mechanism for zoom and focus. It is a wonder that despite having so many lenses, the camera is not very heavy. The lens does not come with an automatic lens cover, but a manual cover is provided to protect the lens when the camera is not in use. There is a flash on top of the lens, which pops out with the aid of a mechanical button on the side, though not automatically. Just to the left of the lens is the focusing assist lamp, which helps the autofocus mechanism of the camera.
When you take a look at the top of the camera, you can see that just above the flash, there is a stereo microphone to record stereophonic audio. The placement at the top means that audio is recorded equally well even if the source is placed in any direction, the drawback is that you cannot have directional audio recording. Also, being placed so close to each other, we are skeptical about how effectively they can really record stereo sound.
Selection of different shooting modes can be conveniently selected via a mode dial present at the top right. A nicely recessed power button is present on the right and has a green LED at the centre that glows when the camera is switched on. The top of the right portion, which is held by the hand, has a zoom rocker with the shutter release button at the centre. The zoom rocker is used to zoom in and out, the subject being shot or filmed.
The back portion is dominated by the large high resolution 3-inch LCD display with 460k dots, thus producing a good image. The LCD can be pulled out, with vertical angular adjustments of 82 degrees downward and 90 degrees upwards, but there is no horizontal adjustment. In addition to this LCD, there is also an electronic viewfinder consisting of a color LCD with 230 dots. This lets you use the camera without a problem even in brightly lit places and under sunlight. Another advantage of an electronic viewfinder is that it saves precious battery life. If you happen to be bespectacled, the diopter adjustment dial on the side of the electronic viewfinder lets you view the image clearly without wearing glasses. The Monitor button on the left of the electronic viewfinder lets you manually toggle between the electronic viewfinder and the LCD. The Display button on the right lets you chose how much of a clutter of information appears in the preview display.
The red button near the top right present on a convenient slant is the dedicated video recording button. A thumb switch around this button lets you choose between HD (High Definition) and HS (High Speed) video modes. A horizontal dial present just to the right of this button is the Command dial, which lets you fine tune settings such as aperture, shutter speed, etc., depending on the shooting mode selected. The playback button to its right lets you view the recorded content.
A multi-selector dial present below this button lets you toggle flash, macro mode, delayed shutter release or adjust EV value, when clicked in one of the four different directions. The OK button at the centre confirms the setting. You can also sift through your recorded content using this dial when in the playback mode. The menu button near the bottom right lets you access the different functions of the camera, such as setting the image/video resolution, image stabilization, white balance, etc. As is self-explanatory, the button with the garbage bin icon is used to delete recorded content from the camera.
The placement of most of the frequently used buttons is good and they are placed such that you can easily operate the camera with just your right hand even while holding it in the same hand using your thumb or index finger.
The battery compartment can be accessed at the bottom of the camera and the hinge and door mechanism are really quite strong. The memory card slot is also present here. The compartment houses the Li-ion battery is also present here and the battery is prevented from slipping outside by means of a latch. One possible disadvantage of this battery over standard AA batteries is that after its life is over you may need to buy another, and being proprietary, you may need to shell out a premium.
There is also a threaded tripod socket to mount the camera on a tripod for steadier photo shoots. This is made of metal and is therefore made to last. The placement of the tripod socket is near the center of gravity, so there is no undue stress on the tripod and the mounted camera is well-balanced and easier to maneuver. Just like most other cameras, you cannot access the memory card when the camera is mounted on a tripod, because the battery compartment lid cannot be opened. Since this is a more serious camera than an ordinary point-and-shoot, this may be an issue for some.
The sieve on one side hides the speaker underneath it, which is useful when you play back the video recorded by the camera. Video out is available in the form of a mini-HDMI and configured to be watched at up to a resolution of 1920x1080.
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