Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

This is simply a wonderful camera. I needed a backup camera to my D300 when I needed to travel light. The P7100 had most of the power and features of my traditional DSLR without the bulk and weight. Images are tack sharp and I love the total control of being able to set shutter and aperture as well as a wide range to "film" speed. This is a wonderful choice for a second system with very little compromise.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I purchased this camera to take photographs of the pottery I make. Not being a photographer, I wanted a point and shoot with alot of manual options. The camera takes great pictures of my work. I use it in manual mode in a studio setting with an alien bees b800 strobe. It also takes great snapshots of the cats in fully automatic mode. The camera has alot of buttons all over it and sometimes when carrying it I press things I probably shouldn't. It is a bit big to slip into your pocket. I purchased a CaseLogic MSEC4 camcorder case for storing the camera.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

Light weight travel/hiking alternative to D300. Very good for bracketing, panorama, low light, compact and lightweight. As expected, great photo quality. Only issue is with the right hand grip, it's small and I end up with thumb on controls pushing buttons unintentionally. I switched stock camera strap for lightweight strap and added a wrist loop. I am not crazy about anything hanging off my neck when I hike so the camera is in a fanny pack most of the time.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

Perfect pictuers

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

When hiking I have this camera in my jacket pocket and it's good zoom range and large sensor, compared to other point and shoot cameras, is why I bought this camera. It also shoots in RAW which is the other importatnt reason for buying this camera.

Has a good macro feature which I use a lot.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I replaced a D300 because it is lighter, takes great pictures, and is easier to travel with.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I have been waiting a long time for Nikon to have a competive product to Canon G11, G12 series. They finally have done it. I have sold off all my other point and shoots. For any Nikon DSL users who wants the same control on a point and shoot look no longer. The pictures are great and the zoom is a big benefit.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

...certainly it cannot replace a DSLR for Photographers that know how to use them. After 5,000+ shots with this little one I have a few founds:

1) The image quality is not a par with a DSLR even at base ISO and raw mode

2) The JPEGs are good at good light, otherwise you will lost color information in the shadows, mainly if using Active D-Light or higher ISO

3) The camera is very capable when using raw - I did not found it slow for most ordinary subjects - and it is easy to recover from raws colors even at the shadows!

4) Very handle camera, its ergonomics is great. Small and well constructed. It fits my trousers' pocket

5) I use most of the times "A" or "M" mode. Sometimes "S" mode. For my surprise it is very easy to use this compact camera at those modes

6) Its VR surprised me: it offers a miracle

7) Great battery life time - much longer than specified into the user's manual

8) P7100 is a great "emergency camera" when I decide do not bring (or forget) my main DSLR system

It is a great compact.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

Improvement over previous P7000. Excellent white balance and color rendition compared to primary competition. Solid construction, excellent feel and feature layout. Very versatile and compact. Fits easily in pocket. Excellent customer support and photography instruction support from Nikon.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

It is a good portable camera, considering the number of image control possibilities, including the hotshoe. It has a god macro, and good price on camera housings if you want to dive with it. I havent read the manual yet, but i'm having a few problems with some specific controls. But the basics are much better than the other brands similar. A very good camera.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

shoots fast. no shutter lag. RAW+Fine.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

The 7100 was pubchased after owning the 5100 for several years. The 5100 is still in use.

The 7100 is intuitive, responsive, and sturdy.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

full manual control.
ideal for travel photography, urban spaces and nature.the cost is suited to the quality of the camera, light, fast and great picture quality!!!

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I have only had the Nikon P7100 about three weeks but I am very pleased with it thus far. I have four other cameras and this is the one I am most likely to pick up for almost anything. First, it is much lighter than my DSLR and I don't have to carry a big camera bag with me to hold the extra lens. Then it does not have the 24X that my superzoom has but again it is lighter and covers the range of my normal needs. Next, it is heaver than my two campact cameras however I have all the control of the actual picture taking that is not available in the compacts. I am extremely pleased with the image quality, the color depth and the fact that one hardly ever needs to go into the menu to make adjustments.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

good size and good resolution

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

The Nikon Coolpix P-7100

My family and I were planning a much needed vacation to Italy. Typically I'll travel with a DSLR and a couple of lenses but I wanted to spend more time with the family this trip, as opposed to being pre-occupied with camera bags filled with lenses and accessories. So I thought I'd investigate these newer "Compact" type cameras. I had heard there were some significant advances in quality.
I went to all the usual on line sources for camera reviews and surveyed the field. I am naturally pre-disposed to Nikon, having shot with them for over 20 years but could not deny the photos captured on my wife's Canon point and shoot was impressive, except for file size.
So I found myself checking out the P-7000. There seemed to be issues that put me off. I was rethinking the DSLR but then came across an article about a new offering from Nikon… the P-7100. Promising bigger faster and better everything… even you-know-what. Naturally, I was intrigued. Here was a camera that gave me a view finder, manual controls and a decent RAW file. Also, it felt good in my hand, sported a large, articulated viewing screen and I could still slip it into a jacket pocket out of sight of those ever present museum guards.

I was able to obtain one of the first cameras to arrive at B&H only a few weeks before leaving for Rome.

I'm not in the habit of buying one of the first cameras off the shelf. Typically, once in the hands of the public, little issues are noted and resolved and secondly, because it's the newest, the hottest, etc.. etc., the price is "MSR" : discounts are out of the question.

The camera arrived quickly along with an extra battery and several 8-gig cards I ordered. I went looking for the manual but found nothing to speak of except a large PDF file. I had considered printing it out but at 220 pages, I realized I'd have to miss a few good meals in Florence to pay for it, so it made getting to know the camera more difficult.

There's a dial on top left and right to easily change ISO and exposure priority that makes sense once you figure out the system. It occurred to me there were a few too many dials on the camera. You could change several settings with one of two dials located on the top and front. Perhaps this was an effort to make the camera more appealing to technophiles who appreciate that classic "rangefinder" look. I found it confusing.

Again, comparing it to a DSLR, I found it frustrating when wanting to zoom in or out with some accuracy, it sort of goes a little further than you want then bounces back a little. It has a mind of its own.

The camera does start up quickly and there is very little shutter lag. Shooting raw, the camera does take some time to write the image to the card. I haven't tried shooting fast in a JPG mode to see if there's any difference in the write times, so I recommend a fast write speed on your storage cards. If you take a lot of video you should get a spare battery, otherwise one battery will easily last a long day.
As for it's video mode, I don't have a lot of experience but think it does a decent job. One issue is the zoom again. It is a fixed speed with two settings; either fast or slow in menu settings; no variable. I haven't seen any resulting video on my high rez monitor yet and I'd like to learn more about video editing.
Regarding the actual file, I found the quality of the RAW file to be adequate. The image from the 10 megapixel chip comes in at a little over 9 x 12" @ 300ppi, or 57 megs at 16 bits. When enlarged to 100% has a pleasant tri-x like grain, er… noise pattern. Typical of these newer cameras, ISO noise is relatively low, unlike my old D200. Working these files in Lightroom 3 noise is easily eliminated if you wish. I believe the chip factor is 2.4 when compared to the 35mm format. The zoom lens has an equivalent 28 to 200mm range with ƒ stops running ƒ2.8 at 6mm to ƒ5.6 at 42.6mm.

There are several other features , like auto bracketing I haven't had the time to get into but this camera is definitely one that will always be close at hand and makes a great backup for details and notes when on assignment.

Shortly after purchasing the Coolpix P-7100 I became aware of the New Nikon V-1 and it's iterations. Considering the cost difference and similar chip size I couldn't see investing more into what amounts to a "compact" type camera.

With minimum effort I found it easy to switch away from my familiar DSLR environment into an easy-to-travel-with camera that delivers a great photo while not holding up non-photographer friends.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I now have a camera to take with me all the time.
I love the control I get in a compact size.
I wish the built in flash would act as a control for Nikon's CLS flash system.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I own a Nikon D90, and was looking for a travel camera. I also volunteer at our local zoo and wanted one to take pictures with while I was on duty without being as obtrusive as a DSLR. I wanted one that would give me as much control as I have with my D90. A Nikon would be a plus as I could use my current software, and the ability to save RAW files was also a plus as I am a big fan of Capture NX2.
Hence the Coolpix P7100. Another big plus- a hot shoe so I can use my current Nikon Speedlite, especially off camera which I do for macro work or taking pictures through glass. Regarding macro, my favorite setup on my Dslr is extension tubes on a zoom lens, where you do "coarse focusing" with the zoom and fine focus with the regular focus. The "Macro" setting on the 7100 works very similarly, and the VR on the camera allows for handheld closeups with sharp detail.
Some of the negatives noted elsewhere:
No hardcopy manual. No great loss to me. for one, most things come with a manual on disk or as part of the software now. Secondly, manuals only go so far. This is an incredible piece of machinery, with loads of features. Buying a book on HOW and WHY to use all these features is the best side investment you can make for piece of equipment or software. However, I think anyone even slightly familiar with digital P+S cameras can figure out the basics right out of the box.
Lag time: YEP! Even with a class 10 card, saving a RAW+small JPEG takes a couple seconds. Have to use Normal JPEG for fast shooting. But that's what I have my D90 for.
Ditto that for higher zoom powers, more macro range, and much else. As far as video capture goes, I consider this a convenience in a digital still camera, but not for dedicated videography.
Barely fits into a cargo pocket on my pants. That's okay, a belt pouch can carry this, a flash and cord.
If your needs are similar to mine, buying this camera with a guidebook (there's one out now and one coming soon) is an excellent investment.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

I am very glad I waited to purchase the P7100 instead of the P7000
This Camera has great image quality, operates fast and does not have firmware issues.

I sold my Sony HX9V and purchased the P7100 and am very happy. It is a way better photographic tool.

Comments about Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera:

This is my first review ever for a camera purchase, and I have made plenty. Usually I am ambivalent about my purchases, but this one is different. This is an absolutely awesome camera. I struggled between the P7100 and the Canon G12. After reading all of the reviews I decided on the Nikon. As a current Nikon owner (but former long- time Canon owner), being able to use my Nikon speedlites sealed the deal. For a small sensor digicam I have certainly not been disappointed. Tack sharp lens, long zoom, easy user interface and loads of user controls. The built in flash is rather weak, as expected, but is not a concern with the Nikon speedlites. An extremely versatile point and shoot to carry with me everywhere I go, rather than lugging around my D2x or D300. Very close in IQ to my Panasonic G1, which I used to carry with me everywhere. Not a camera that you can slip into your pocket, but one that will surpass any of those that you can. A certain pick in my book!