CoolpixP7000
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Nikon Coolpix P7000 reviewed: a serious contender, but sluggish RAW performance
In case you weren't aware, competition's getting some kind of fierce down in that $400 to $800 not-quite-a-DSLR realm. We've got interchangeable lens options galore, a new breed of high performance compacts and the Canon G12. Nikon's got its aim planted firmly on the latter with the Coolpix P7000, a decidedly prosumer camera with the body of a point-and-shoot and the controls of a pro rig. The good folks over at Photography Blog recently put the P7000 through its paces, and while they adored the optical viewfinder, the build quality and the zoom range, they couldn't quite get over the notably sluggish RAW performance. Worse still, Nikon has yet again changed up its RAW formula, with the newfangled NRW+ only being understandable by the company's own software for the moment. They found "no unwanted noise" from ISO 100 to 400, with only mild amounts at 800 and 1600; the extra pro-like features were also lauded (neutral density filter, zoom step feature, virtual horizon and tonal range histogram), and with an exception for that sluggish RAW mode, they found it tough to not recommend. Particularly for those of you who'd prefer to stick with JPEG anyway, this here shooter looks to be a solid option if you've got the cash ($499.99 MSRP), but we'd recommend poring over the source link before making a final call.
Nikon Coolpix S80 and P7000 hands-on
Sharing the limelight with the Nikon D7000 today were these two Coolpix cameras: the OLED touchscreen-donning S80 (left) and the prosumer-oriented P7000 (right). Let's start off with the S80: this 14.1 megapixel compact turned out to be pretty sexy and solid, and we had no qualms with sliding its lens cover, either. That said, the 3.5-inch touchscreen was one helluva double-edged sword -- sure, it was responsive to our touch input (for tap-to-capture or tap-to-focus), but a lot of the times we found our naughty fingers slipping onto the screen, thus accidentally triggering the camera. And just as we speculated, the lack of physical buttons (zoom control and shutter, for instance) was pretty intimidating to begin with, but as with many smartphones these days, it probably just takes time to get used to this newfangled interface. If we were to improve the camera as it is right now, we'd probably throw in a sharper alternative for the OLED display -- despite its wide viewing angles and vibrant colors -- for the sake of focusing and playback. Do read on for our thoughts on the P7000 after the break.%Gallery-102327% %Gallery-102330%
Nikon Coolpix P7000 brings manual heat to the prosumer level
Well well -- what's this? Look like all those rumors about Nikon licking its wounds and gunning hard for the high-end compact camera market were true: this hot little piece is the new Coolpix P7000, Nikon's answer to the Canon G11. Like we'd heard, it actually drops the megapixel count from the P6000, with a 10.1 megapixel CCD sensor that can hit ISO 6400 sensitivity natively and 12,800 when boosted behind a f/2.8-5.6 7.1x VR zoom lens and a three-inch 921,000-dot LCD display. It also has full manual controls for virtually every setting, an optical viewfinder and accessory hot shoe, RAW support, and a 720p/24 movie mode with VR and continuous autofocus that might actually be useful for more than just casual shooting because there's a mic jack. There's also the usual range of Coolpix automatic adjustments and modes, of course, but come on -- look at all those manual dials and buttons, people. It'll hit later this month for $499.99 -- we're definitely requesting a review unit to put this head to head with seemingly-similar G11 and others pro compacts like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, so stay tuned. PR after the break.%Gallery-101637%
Nikon Coolpix P7000, D7000 DSLR rumored to be launching September 8th, 15th
We've already heard some rumors for both Nikon's Coolpix P7000 point-and-shoot and its supposed D90-successor, the D7000, but it looks like things are unexpectedly heating up a bit further ahead of Photokina next month. According to Nikon Rumors, the two announcements will supposedly be split up, with the P7000 set to be announced along with some other Coolpixes on September 8th, while the D7000 will be announced on September 15th alongside at least two new lenses and a new Speedlight. As before, the P7000 is still expected to actually drop in resolution to 10-megapixels, and pack some RAW shooting capabilities, 720p video shooting, a 28-200mm equivalent zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD. Details are still comparatively light on the D7000, but Nikon Rumors has previously suggested that it would boast 100% viewfinder coverage and dual memory card slots.
