Digital Camera Reviews

The Nikon Coolpix P5100 is identical to the Coolpix P5000 with a slight increase to 12.1MP resolution. Many of you will like this relatively compact digital camera that offers total exposure flexibility in an attractive and durable body. The design is clean with lots of controls that make the camera intuitive to use. The P5100 has one of the best grip on a compact digital camera. The textured and almost all-black finish give the camera a professional look.

The shutter release is a two-stage system, providing auto focus and auto exposure when pressed halfway. The zoom control, the ring around the shutter release, moves the zoom to the wide end when pushed with the index, and the telephoto end when pulled towards the right. And, with the Nikon Coolpix P5100 set to the playback mode, the T side serves to zoom into an image on screen up to 10X, while pushing the control towards the  side displays thumbnails of the captured images, first with 4 per screen, then with 9 per screen, and finally with 16 per screen.

There’s also a nifty distortion control feature that corrects for barrel distortion in images shot and even displays the corrected image on the LCD in real time. The lens is also now slightly wider (35-123mm) thanks to the larger sensor, but otherwise the P5100 is identical to its predecessor, with the same 2.5 inch LCD screen, Vibration Reduction to combat camera shake and ISO 3200 capability.

Extended light sensitivity range up to ISO 3200 adds the power to shoot more effectively in lower lighting conditions or to capture fast moving subjects with outstanding clarity. And the new image processing engine produces clear results, even when shooting with high ISO settings.Optional system components further expand the photographic possibilities of the Coolpix P5100.

Nikon’s 0.67x wide-angle converter (WC-E67) and 3.0x tele-converter (TC-E3ED) lenses are available to extend the range of the attached 3.5x Zoom-Nikkor lens, while a built-in accessory shoe supports the use of v’s advanced i-TTL flash control for external flashes, including the Speedlight SB-400, SB-600, and SB-800. These accessories are not included and must be purchased separately.

Features:-

*  Three unique Nikon image innovations: Face-priority AF with improved speed and efficiency, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, D-Lighting
* Improved menu interface, available in a choice of 23 languages
* Distortion control corrects for barrel distortion in images shot and even displays the corrected image on the LCD in real time
* PictBridge support
* Optimize image for shooting monochrome photographs using a choice of 4 different filters for creative effects, (yellow, orange, red, and green)
* SDHC card compatibility
* 4x digital zoom extends compositional freedom
* Continuous flash shooting helps capture the action by allowing a burst of consecutive flash shots without having to wait for the flash to recharge
* Macro shooting from as close as 4 centimeters (1.6 inches)
* Time zone function for easy setting of multiple locations
* 1:1 size format allows photos to be shot using 1:1 (square) perspective        
* Approximately 52MB of internal memory

Nikon COOLPIX P5100 Reviews:-

#  Jjmehta Review:-  Excellent imaging quality is a priority for the Coolpix P5100, from the 12.1 effective megapixels of imaging power produced by its 1/1.72-inch RGB CCD and new digital image processing engine, to its powerful 3.5x Zoom-Nikkor lens and optical lens shift VR.

#  Photoxels Review:- The Nikon P5100 gives very good image quality at ISO 64. Noise is controlled up to ISO 200, but higher ISOs are visibly noisy. No RAW file format is available. It features an optical viewfinder and a real six-blade hexagonal iris diaphragm (10 steps in 1/3EV increments).

# Review.zdnet Review:- Slow; strong barrel distortion at wide angle. Be prepared to use the small optical viewfinder instead of its LCD outdoors when the sun is shining.