Nikon intros the Coolpix P80, encourages you to zoom

Not been zooming in on "things" enough lately? Well maybe Nikon can help. The company is introducing the new Coolpix P80 18x zoom camera, which covers focal lengths from 27mm to 486mm -- which is a ton of millimeters. The P80 also sports the camera-maker's fancy pants NIKKOR optics, burst modes in four, six, and 13 FPS, ISO to 6400, and a 2.7-inch, anti-reflective LCD display. The camera has a slew of onboard tweaks that make capturing your family get-togethers or drunken escapades easier (provided the two events are separate), like auto redeye reduction and face detection (Face Priority AF). The Coolpix P80 will be available this month for the astonishing MSRP of $399.99. Check the gallery below for a number of revealing angles.

Gallery: Nikon intros the Coolpix P80, encourages you to zoom

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[Skorpius @ Apr 10th 2008 12:17AM]

Looks like a D40, practically. Now all they need to do is thin out their point and shoot line. They must have around 40 models.

[Austin @ Apr 10th 2008 12:24AM]

you think that looks like a D40? I've got a D40 sitting in front of me, and it looks more like any superzoom in that class to me.

[Josh Warner @ Apr 10th 2008 1:23AM]

Yep it's a superzoom - but it's toe-to-toe with the D40 in terms of price. I'm more interested in the sensor; if it really goes to ISO 6400 and has usable noise there then it's not using the usual craptastic superzoom sensor - that would have to be closer to the size of a 1.5x crop DX sensor.

Nikon has to compete with their own DSLR line here; I'm surprised they intro'd this but it has to be on par with the D40 or they would not have.

[Austin @ Apr 10th 2008 2:32AM]

My D40 cost me $550, and that was ON SALE. So it's not toe to toe with any superzoom.

[happy_penguin @ Apr 10th 2008 12:23AM]

That's hot.

[Chris @ Apr 10th 2008 12:30AM]

well I just ordered my Panasonic DMC-FZ18... 120$ cheaper than this one will be and pretty much all the same specs, only thing I'm a little sad about is that this Nikon has 13fps burst shooting, while i think the burst shooting on my FZ18 is only going to be 2-3fps...

Either way theirs always new stuff coming out, It'll be interesting to see the reviews on this one, but I think i'll ignore it for 6-8 months so that if it is better than mine i dont get depressed :)

[happy_penguin @ Apr 10th 2008 12:33AM]

You can hardly go wrong with any decent modern digital camera. It's not like 1999 anymore.

[kyle allen @ Apr 10th 2008 12:37AM]

... i miss the 90s... despite their lack of megapixlz

[Chris @ Apr 10th 2008 12:40AM]

not to mention the fact that with the FZ18's extended superzoom + digital its possible to hit 115x zoom... and even with that apparently the mega OIS stabalizaiton makes it wicked good looking :) ... i might even pick up the 2.2x telephoto for it ... 230x zoom can't beat that :)

[Tony C @ Apr 10th 2008 1:29AM]

You do know that digital zoom is USELESS, right?

[threefingeredlord @ Apr 10th 2008 6:52PM]

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll love your FZ18. It's gotten great reviews and I'm certainly impressed with mine. This nikkon hasn't had any proper reviews yet, and it isn't significantly different enough to justify holding out for them IMO.

[ingus @ Apr 10th 2008 1:35AM]

wow, this is nice! been thinking of replacing my Sony H2 with one of the newer super-zooms, and this came at the right time!

now just gotta wait for the reviews, hope the noise reduction is decent at high ISOs~

[takamaru @ Apr 10th 2008 2:08AM]

Bah, i'll take my D40 any day! (But damn the specs on this thing look sweet. Damn you Nikon!)

[Dan @ Apr 10th 2008 3:21AM]

Now this I could use for a backup in case my D50 gets dust in it! Nikon trying to up the ante on Canon's S5 IS and all the other prosumer cameras out there.

[Shaocaholica @ Apr 10th 2008 3:55AM]

The specs on Nikon's website say it has a 1/2.33" 10MP sensor. In other words, ISO-6400 will look like shit.

Seriously, does anyone use the EVF on a superzoom/P&S? Non SLR cameras should try to imitate SLRs, its counter productive.

[PC Tech Support Atlanta @ Apr 10th 2008 5:41AM]

Yes, while my Minonta DiMage A2 the EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) worked quite well. It was promoted as having VGA quality specs. As a Motion Picture Unit Still Photographer the A2 was a terrific camera on set - quiet and the EVF actually allowed accurate focus.

Check out my website and see if you can tell which were taken by the Minolta DiMage A2 or the Nikon D70 or scanned 35mm negatives.

Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia
http://TerryThomasPhotos.GooglePages.com

[chuckbo @ Apr 17th 2008 11:27PM]

I've also been following the ultra-zooms that have been getting released: Olympus, Fuji, and Panasonic with Sony, Nikon, and at least one other I've forgotten on the way.

But here's my question that no one on any other board has been able to answer so far. I know that Olympus has the precapture mode -- filling the buffer with photos that it writes out as soon as you press the button to get the shot you otherwise would've just missed. *** Does any other manufacturer offer that feature? *** It sounds like something I would use at sports events, and if no one else even has it, then I may as well quit waiting for reviews to ever come out and go ahead and get the 570, despite its flaws.