Nikon Coolpix P50 Concise
March 9th, 2008 | by admin |
Review based on a production Nikon Coolpix P50
The Coolpix P50 is Nikon’s attempt at a middle-ground camera: it’s neither a point-and-shoot-only ultra compact nor a fully-fledged photographers’ camera. Instead it’s a pocketable digital camera that marries a sensible sensor to a useful lens and keeps the frills (and the cost), to a minimum. This is a camera to take everyday photos with, rather than one for getting particularly serious about photography. But in such a crowded market does the P50 have what it takes to make it onto our recommended list? Let’s find out. Let’s start by having a look at the headline features.
- 8.1 Megapixels and 3.6x wide-angle zoom
- Face priority mode
- In-Camera Red-Eye Fix
- D-Lighting
- SDHC card compatibility
- Approx. 52 MB of internal memory
The P50 processing incorporates Nikon’s Expeed “processing concept.” This doesn’t mean that it has the same processor as the Nikon D300 or D3 (in fact Nikon says that it doesn’t refer to any specific parts or features). Instead, “Expeed” refers to “Nikon’s original comprehensive concept of digital image processing… a system that embodies Nikon’s intense passion for digital images.” Which doesn’t appear to mean a lot more than: ‘contains Nikon picture cleverness.’
Coolpix P50 Specifications
| Street price | • $170
• £130 |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Plastic with rubber grip |
| Sensor | • 1/2.5 ” Type CCD
• 8.0 million effective pixels |
| Image sizes | • 3264 x 2448
• 3264 x 2176 (3:2) • 3200 x 1800 (16:9) • 2592 x 1944 • 2048 x 1536 • 1280 x 960 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480 • 3264 x 1832 |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 @ 30fps
• 640 x 480 @ 15fps • 320 x 240 @ 15fps • 160 x 120 @ 15fps • 640 x 480 @ 30fps (Time lapse) |
| File formats | • JPEG Exif 2.2
• DCF • DPOF 1.1 • AVI Motion JPEG with WAVE monaural |
| Lens | • 4.7-17.0mm (28-102mm equiv)
• f/2.8-5.6 • 3.6x optical zoom |
| Image stabilization | No (Electronic only) |
| Conversion lenses | None |
| Digital zoom | up to 4x |
| Focus | Contrast-detect TTL |
| AF area modes | • Face priority
• Auto (9-area automatic selection) • Center • Manually-selected AF area (99 positions) |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | Closest 1cm |
| Metering | • 256 segment matrix
• Center-weighted • Spot • Spot at any of 99 AF points |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto (64-1000)
• ISO 64 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 2000 |
| Exposure compensation | • +/- 2EV
• in 1/3 stop increments |
| Shutter speed | 15-1/2000 sec (With noise reduction for exposures over 1.3 seconds) |
| Aperture | F2.8-5.6 |
| Modes | • Auto
• Program • Manual • Movie • Time Lapse • Special Scenes |
| Scene modes | • Portrait
• Landscape • Night Portrait • Sports • Party/Indoor • Beach/Snow • Sunset • Dusk/Dawn • Night Landscape • Close Up • Museum • Firework Show • Copy • Backlight • Panorama Assist |
| White balance | • Auto
• Daylight • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Cloudy • Flash • Preset Manual |
| Self timer | • 2 or 10secs
• Custom |
| Continuous shooting | approx 1.3fps until card is full |
| Image parameters | My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color) |
| Flash | • Auto
• Manual Flash on / off • Slow sync • Red-eye reduction • Range: 30cm-4.0m (wide) / 2.0m (tele) |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder |
| LCD monitor | • 2.4-inch P-Si TFT
• 115,000 pixels |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• AV out |
| Print compliance | • PictBridge
• ImageLink |
| Storage | • SD / SDHC / MMC card compatible
• 58MB internal |
| Power | • AA batteries (Alkaline, Lithium or NiMH)
• Optional AC adapter kit |
| Other features | None |
| Weight (No batt) | 160 g (5.6 oz) |
| Dimensions | 94.5 x 66 x 44 mm (3.7 x 2.5 x 1.7 inch) |