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Top Nikon Coolpix P3 and P4 Camera Reviews
Photography
Blog wrote a review of the
Nikon Coolpix P4 and said: "Macro performance is above average,
allowing you to focus as close as 4cms away from the subject. The
built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall
exposure. The night photograph was a weak point, with the maximum
shutter speed of 8 seconds in the Night Landscape scene mode not
being that versatile. The D-Lighting feature works very well with
the right images, balancing out the shadow and highlight areas
nicely, although at the expense of introducing extra noise."
Cnet wrote a review of the
Nikon Coolpix P3 and said: "Image quality is where the Nikon
Coolpix P3 really shines, overshadowing any shortcomings in its
Wi-Fi implementation and almost overcoming its flawed performance.
Colors are neutral but rich and pleasing, from the bright greens and
blues in landscapes to the subtle tones of human skin. Reds, usually
difficult to capture with digital cameras, are reproduced with fine
gradations and detail; one macro shot of an apple revealed the
texture of the fruit's skin with detail intact."
Photoxels wrote a review of the
Nikon Coolpix P3
and said: "Surprisingly, startup speed is only average, at about
2-3 sec. This may not be a concern for most people unless you
are into candid shots and street photography and need the camera
to wake up in an instant. More importantly, there is no
practical shutter lag, so once the camera is tuned on, you won't
miss anything. AF is fast and precise, and in low-light the
AF-assist Illuminator helps achieve focus effectively. The only
time this fails is when you are trying to take close ups in
low-light: the AF-assist Illuminator is simply placed too high
in relation to the lens and its light misses a subject that is
too close to the lens."
Nikon Coolpix P3 and P4 News Release Summary:
Nikon has expanded its range of compact digital cameras with the
introduction of the new COOLPIX P3 and COOLPIX P4 models. Both
combine an exceptional 8.1 megapixel resolution and a vast array
of advanced features for photographic enjoyment. The COOLPIX P3
and P4 feature a 1/1.8-inch CCD and an impressive 8.1 effective
megapixels which allow for high quality images even when
significantly enlarged.
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 incorporate a high-quality 3.5x Zoom-Nikkor
lens with a focal range equivalent to that of a 36-126mm lens in
35mm format. This provides ample opportunity to zoom in for
close compositions, zoom right out to capture breathtaking
scenery and even enjoy macro shooting from as close as 4cm.
Both the COOLPIX P3 and P4 contain Nikon’s innovative VR
(Vibration Reduction) capability. Originally developed for Nikon
SLRs, lens shift VR capability is available in two modes that
compensate for camera movement to realize a shooting experience
akin to shooting at shutter speeds three stops faster.
“VR Normal” compensates for the minor movements that can happen
all too easily during handheld shooting, while “VR Active”
compensates for more pronounced movements. This allows
photographers to shoot without blurring in lower light or when
taking handheld macro shots, VR also extends to movie shooting
and helps support faster framing on the large 2.5-inch
150,000-dot LCD.
The COOLPIX P3 offers built-in Wi-Fi capability and IEEE
802.11b/g LAN support which is easy to set up and use and lets
users send images instantly to a selected computer as soon as
they’re taken, or alternately send all images stored on memory
to a computer in one go. Wireless freedom also extends to
printing too, so users can carry out cable-free printing to
PictBridge-compatible printers*.
A range of advanced imaging features make the COOLPIX P3 and P4
stand out from other compact digital cameras, giving
photographers greater control to produce shots that match their
personal tastes. The 11 wide-area AF delivers more accurate
autofocus by analysing a larger area of the frame so
photographers can experiment with more imaginative compositions.
For example, with main subjects positioned away from the centre
or with multiple subjects, they can still be assured of crisp,
sharp results.
Both cameras offer “Aperture-priority Auto” mode to let the
photographer benefit from aperture control in 1/3EV steps, so
they can select large apertures for attractive background
blurring. For all kinds of shooting, an on-screen histogram
provides analytical assistance for exposure. The display
demonstrates shadow levels on the left and highlight levels on
the right of the large LCD, so users can avoid under and
overexposure before they even press the shutter.
There’s also a range of “Advanced Scene” modes (9 Advanced Scene
modes; 7 Scene modes) that help photographers capture a single
scene with entirely different moods through the use of three
effects that vary brightness, colour intensity, sharpness, noise
reduction and more.
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 also feature continuous shooting at up to
1.8 frames per second. This capability is also complemented by
5-shot buffer shooting that allows users to keep shooting in a
continuous burst and have the camera record the last five images
taken.
Both cameras make it easy to shoot movies with sound, with a
choice of three modes offering up to 30fps performance. There’s
also a “Time-lapse” movie mode that uses pictures shot with the
“Interval timer” shooting function to create a movie in which
the action appears speeded up.
Images can even be improved in-camera through the use of three
innovative Nikon functions. Face-priority AF** cleverly detects
people’s faces to achieve sharp focus on them, no matter where
they happen to be located in the frame. In-Camera Red-Eye Fix
helps users make red-eye a thing of the past by detecting the
annoying red-eye effect that can sometimes occur in flash
photography and providing automatic compensation for more
flattering, natural-looking portraits in low light. There’s also
Nikon’s unique D-Lighting function, available in playback mode,
which can improve underexposed images or shots taken with too
much back light by creating a copy of an image with added light
and detail wherever necessary, leaving well-exposed areas
exactly as they were.
Operation of the COOLPIX P3 and P4 is exceptionally smooth and
user-friendly. Icons are clearer and have optimal proportions,
users can opt to select functions by either name or icon, and
all menus and icons have been created with a new colour scheme
that’s easier on the eye.
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 have been made even more desirable with
exterior lines that convey a distinct air of simplicity and
quality, yet which feel comfortable in the hand. The use of
aluminum throughout the exterior builds on this sense of
quality, while the lens and grip sections have been given a
flatter, space-efficient form.
Like all COOLPIX cameras, the P3 and P4 come bundled with
Nikon’s complimentary and exclusive PictureProject software. Now
featuring easy-to-use “Wireless Camera Setup Utility”, which
uses a simple wizard that will configure the cameras for
wireless operation for use with the COOLPIX P3, PictureProject
adds even more possibilities to digital photography. Complete
with an interface that is as elegant as it is simple, it makes
for simple image editing and supports easy image organization
and sharing, while compatibility with a range of plug-ins lets
users add exciting new capabilities on demand.
* Requires optionally available Wireless Printer Adapter PD-10.
** Face recognition capability may be limited in some shooting
conditions.
Note: Specifications, design, product name, standard
accessories, and release schedule may differ by country or area.
Nikon COOLPIX P3/P4 Feature Highlights
Vibration Reduction
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 feature the VR (Vibration Reduction)
system originally developed for Nikon SLR cameras. Comprising
two modes, it allows selection of VR Normal mode that
compensates for the minor camera movement commonly encountered
when taking handheld shots, and VR Active mode that compensates
for more pronounced movements, such as when shooting from a
moving vehicle. Providing a shooting experience akin to shooting
at shutter speeds three stops faster, it enables photographers
to shoot without blurring in lower light, keeps subjects clear
when panning, and also helps support faster framing on the LCD.
What’s more, the benefits of VR (Normal mode) assurance also
extend to movie shooting so users can capture action with
welcome stability.
Built-in Wi-Fi capability
The COOLPIX P3 comes with built-in Wi-Fi capability that’s easy
to set up and virtually effortless to operate. Adding greater
freedom and versatility to compact digital photography, such
IEEE 802.11b/g support means users can send individual images
from the camera to a computer the moment they are shot. Users
can also send a whole batch of images to a computer
simultaneously and even carry out cable-free printing with
PictBridge-compatible printers*.
* Requires optionally available Wireless Printer Adapter PD-10.
Advanced imaging features
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 also offer a range of imaging capabilities
extending beyond the norm. Covering a broader area of the frame,
11 wide-area AF achieves better results in more diverse
compositions – leaving photographers free to concentrate on the
shot while the camera automatically achieves superior, sharp
focus. Advanced Scene modes allow photographers to produce
pictures better suited to their own personal tastes – offering a
choice of three effects that vary brightness, colour intensity,
sharpness, noise reduction and more so that the same scene can
be captured to convey entirely different moods. The COOLPIX P3
and P4 also offer the versatility of Aperture-priority Auto
mode, which gives photographers control over aperture while the
camera automatically selects the optimal corresponding shutter
speeds, so users can choose larger apertures to achieve
attractive background blur, for example, or select a smaller
aperture to extend sharp detail into the distance.
Features for in-camera image correction
The COOLPIX P3 and P4 feature a selection of three Nikon
innovations that give the photographer the ability to actually
improve the quality of images in-camera. The Face-priority AF*
function has the ability to cleverly locate the presence of
human faces in the frame and then provide optimized focus
accordingly for sharper portraits time after time. In-Camera
Red-Eye Fix helps to eradicate the annoying red-eye effect that
can sometimes be encountered during flash photography by
detecting red eyes in the shot and compensating automatically.
There’s also D-Lighting, which can improve underexposed images
or shots taken with too much back light by creating a copy of a
selected image with light and detail automatically added
wherever necessary and well-exposed areas left exactly as they
are.
* Face recognition capability may be limited in some shooting
conditions.
Nikon
Coolpix P3 and P4 Best Price:
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