Nikon Reviews

Overall, a decent camera. Great function for size. Price has come down quite a bit recently, so a good deal for the money.

Pros:
Size -- nice and compact, fits in my pocket.

No junk to tote around -- doesn't need a lens cap or other stuff that comes off and gets lost since it folds up.

3x optical zoom -- especially in such a small camera.
Close and tight macro.

Lots of Scene selections available that work well (outdoor, indoor, macro, indoors no flash, night, landscape, portrait, sports, etc.)

Takes CF cards -- which are not too expensive and available locally.

No trouble with compatibility on multiple computers.

Good sharp details/colors come out good most of the time (see below about white balance)

Simple menus that are easy to use.

Cons:
Expensive battery/charger -- oddball proprietary size. Try to buy one of those batteries at the local WalMart or camera store.... No dice.

Needs a few more manual controls:
Ability to manual focus
White balance options when using scene selections,
Flash power control -- sometimes the flash blows out details on shiny things up close.

Hand-shake can be a problem up close when not using flash (because of reason listed above.)

No focus indicator crosshairs or little box in the display to show you what the camera is focusing on.

Nikon Coolpix 2500 is a great compact camera. I wanted to buy a camera that can work in an easy to use automatic mode for point & click situations like parties, casual travel; and also provides manual mode for experimenting & control. My choice was mainly between Coolpix 2500, Coolpix 995 & Canon Elph Series. I just fell for the cool styling of 2500 and the ability to carry it in my shirt pocket.

I just took it out to Australia for a week long trip. It has performed well under different lighting conditions. All I needed to do was change the "SCENE".The camera allows me to identify the type of scene I am going to photograph. It has a bunch of "SCENE" that I can select from. Some of them are - Beach, Landscape, Party, Portrait, Night Landscape, Backlight to name a few. I was also able to take night shots of the Opera house & the Harbor Bridge in the "night landscape" mode. They came out pretty well. I was happy to see the result in about 2 seconds - the duration of the exposure. Pictures taken in bright daylight like that on a beach also came of well. What disappointed was the photgraphs that I took at a night Bar-be-Q party. In most photographs, the people close to the camera looked bright and those away by more than 7-8 feet away from the camera looked dark. Another "scene" that I found useful was "Close Up". I wanted to note down a recepie from a local magazine. Instead of taking notes I just photographed the page in the "Close Up" mode. Now, I do not have to write them down ! I just read the recepie off the picture stored on my computer. It is not much of a "Manual" camera. So if you want to control everything, I recommend look else where.

I found the controls easy to use. There are a bunch of on-screen menu items, buttons & knobs. They are well layed out and are intitutive to use. Let me add - I am a techie. I can handle complexity. I had my first picture in about 10 minutes opening the box and charging the batteries. It took me about 1 hour to understand all the controls & install the software.

You got to buy a memory card unless you intend to save your pictures in a very basic picture format (like 640 X??). I bought a 128 MB card. It stores about 140 pictures in best quality mode (called "FINE"). The camera can be put on a tripod. That is a big plus for night photography. It is very easy to put my fingers on the lens. So I have to worry about it all the time, specially while opening or closing the lens. A price for this cool design!

In a nutshell I find Nikon Coolpix 2500 a fun, easy to use camera for easy going photography.

I researched several cameras, including the Canon PowerShot and greater and lesser Nikon Coolpix, before deciding on the Coolpix 2500.

Things I like about it:

1. The size is great. I carry it in my purse or around my neck at all times. You can't get the shot unless the camera is with you! This is one camera you CAN have with you all the time. The swivel lens helps make it more compact because there are no protruding parts once you close the lens, no lens cap to worry about, and the lens is totally protected. I slide mine in an inexpensive zippered makeup bag and throw the strap around my neck. Wha-la! - instant [inexpensive] camera bag.

2. The quality of the pictures is amazing! The resolution is fantastic, much better than I needed or expected. It does a good job in low light situations too, which was something I was looking for.

3. Scene modes: These are very useful for someone like me who wants to be creative and get good shots, but doesn't have the time or patience to figure out the correct shutter speed and what-not.

I don't have any negatives that are bad enough that I would take the camera back, but just so you know...

Things I don't like:

1. People have complained that the flash is too bright. For this reason, I usually rely on natural lighting when photographing people. Fortunately, the camera is usually able to handle this. You have to hold it steady because the shutter speed is slower. I'm usually able to get one that is clear if I snap several. The nice thing is that it is digital, so you can see what you are getting, and retake if necessary.

2. Buy a 128 MB or at least 64 MB memery card the same day you buy the camera. I have not even messed with the starter card they give you. Way too small.

3. This is just an oddity, not really a problem. When you are in close-up mode, the lens is constantly refocusing and/or resetting the lighting, not quite sure. Consequently, it makes a lot of clicking and buzzing sounds. Not so great if you are trying to sneak up on a butterfly or something. Hasn't really bothered me, except that I thought my camera was broken. I decided it wasn't when my replacement camera did the same thing.

4. If you can afford it, buy a second battery. It lasts a decent amount of time, but it would be nice to have an extra.

So, these are minor problems, with solutions. I'm very pleased with the camera. It's great to have a digital. My photographic skills have improved just by buying this camera because 1. I can take as many pictures as I want, without worrying about wasting film 2. I can re-take until I get the shot. 3. I always have it with me, so I rarely miss that awesome photo-op. 4. It's a Nikon!

Let me preface this review by saying that this is my first digital camera.

Being a longtime Nikon film camera user I began researching digital cameras. Using Consumer Reports, E-pinions, megapixel.net, and the reviews that I read here, it was clear that a 2-3 MP camera would suffice for my needs as they would any person whose prints rarely exceed 5X7 or 8X10. Don't be wooed by the store salesmen, some of them are honest and knowledgable but not all. Do the research and figure out what equipment will best suit your needs.

I found this camera and a 256MB SD memory card for two-hundred and ten dollars (including rebates.)
The camera is quite small and fits neatly in my backpack (in a carrying case), uses AA batteries (rechargeable recommended) and the memory card can be purchased almost anywhere. I've had the camera for a week and have taken it everywhere I go. The detail and picture quality are superb. I went to a Butterfly Conservatory and the pictures are just awesome, the color, clarity and detail can rival some of my friends 'high-end' cameras. As a few other reviewers have indicated Nikon has packed the camera with tons of extras. Take the time and read the manual. You'll be a better picture taker because of it.

All in all, without plunking down loads of cash, this is an excellent entry-level digital camera that makes learning the ins and outs lots of fun!

I received this camera in the mail today after about 3 months of researching for the right one. I finally decided to get this one along with the Viking secure digital card for a total of about $150 (including the rebate). It truly does help to skim through the manual to get a hang of the camera. The CD-ROM will cover the rest!

Here are some specs:
Pros:
> Scene selection allows you to choose the specific function for specific occasions (museum, party, sunset, etc.)
> Warnings for if the picture might get blurry or if lighting is poor
> Ergonomic design allows easy handling
> Great CD-ROM that gives a good rundown on the camera and the program it comes with
> Battery power is quite impressive, I've spent all day taking pictures and it's still going strong
> Relatively light and compact

Cons:
> Functions may be a little overwhelming for a first-timer
> Nowadays, 2 MP may not be enough even for the average amateur photographer
> LCD screen gets a little grainy sometimes

Overall, this is a good digital camera for recreational purposes. For me, I found the camera was a good deal for the price. I was especially pleased by the "panorama" option that lets you take a series of pictures and arrange them into a 360 degree panorama in the Nikon View program. There are definitely lots of possibilities with this little camera!

I Bought this camera to upgrade my one-year old Olympus D520. Compared to D520, coolpix 2200 gives more options for exposure, which produces more realistic color picture. I like the design and color of the camera body. Most importantly, the quality of photo is amazing in most cases. It is truly good product from Nikon name.
Two minor things that I do not like are: there is no botton to turn on/off LCD (2100 has it). And transferring photos from camera to PC is not easy as Olympus D520. The software included needs to be improved. But these are minors and I can live on.

Pro's
1. Has all the desirable features like video out, only 2 AA batteries etc.
2. Nice looking and very small in size with good grip. Light weight too.
3. Uses inexpensive CF cards, not expensive sticks!
4. Easy menus and scene modes to use.
5. Competitively priced.
6. Superb macro pictures and good low light/night shots. It could focus in pretty low light without any AF assist light, because of a bright lens.
7. Good battery life on just 2 AA's. (unlike 4 on some models from Canon, HP and others)
8. Inexpensive accessory kit is available right here on Amazon! It has a very fast world charger, 2 NiMH AA's and a custom case.

Con's
1. Reliability is doubtful and battery door is very flimsy.
2. Movie mode is bad, no sound and movie sizes very small.
3. A bit on thick, making it slightly tougher to pocket.
4. No rechargeable batteries or charger in the box.
5. Need to read & remember manual for proper use of so many scene modes like "museum"!
6. Weak flash and redeye.
7. Worst of all it doesn't work reliably with anything other than Sandisk and Lexar CF cards. Weren't these cards made to a standard?

Its not the best but for its price its definitely worth considering. Esp if you like its its picture quality.

I really offer this for someone who wants to buy a party-recording device, or a tiny automatic machine. No manual focus, no manual aperture, but easy-to-use, handy machine. There are some good pre-programmed modes available also. 40-50 pictures can be made with well charged batteries. Good and user-friendly sw also included.

I just bought the camera today and I'm really happy with it.
Few weeks earlier, I bought the Sony DSCP52, played around with it, and then decided to return it. Sony does have a lot of features (and SOUND with the movie), but there are 3 important factors: the cost of the memory card, the size, and weight.

PROS for Nikon 2100:
===================

1) Supports compact flash memory cards.
-This makes a HUGE difference as it will save you a lot of money.

2) Small compact camera.

-Unlike the Sony DSCP52 that makes your hand feel tired after holding it for too long with one hand.

3) Weight.
-Very light

4) Doesn't use a proprietary battery like other small cameras.
-Mine came with the nikon coolpix rechargeable Ni-Mh70 batteries (these ones are really good ).

5) So many modes to choose from depending on your situation.
-I don't know which other camera in this class comes with this many modes (like ones for fireworks, sunset/sunrise, beaches, etc.)

6) Image transfer.
-This was pretty quick and easy. Installing the software doesn't take too long either.

CONS:
====

1) The manual is just way too confusing. It's kind of hard to follow, and I'm eager to discover all the wonderful things and features that I can use with the camera. I guess it takes a lot of time.

2) No sound with the movie.

3) Gets scratched easily + not very solid built (I'm always scared of damaging the battery door).

4) When turning LCD mon on, it takes a few secs (though this is tolerable).

Overall:
=======
Note: I'm a beginner at taking digital pictures; this will be my first digital camera! But as a beginner, I find this camera to satisfy more than enough for my basic demands. I have yet to try out the sunrise mode, but so far the ones I've taken in my room look really good. I compared the pictures to the ones my friend took (Sony DSCP72) and they do look relatively the same. So unless you really need to print out huge pictures, 2.0MP is adequate.

Esta camara es muy buena para amateurs - la calidad de las fotos es alta de día o en ambientes cerrados con buena iluminación - el problema es cuando tomas fotos de noche o en lugares con poco iluminación, la foto no tiene buena resolución y por ende poca nitidez. El otro drawback es el doble flash - cuando predeterminas para que la camara utilice el doble flash, estas salen movidas y no hay manera de corregir este problema.
Pero en general es una buena camara y por el precio es muy recomendable.

This is my first digital camera but I had the chance to compare this against other cams owned by friends & family. I've been using it for a little more than a month now, here are my "results" ;)

Positive notes go to...

Picture quality:
Great. Details are crisp & colors are natural.
Ok pictures are a little overexposed when the flash goes on in a mildly lit environment, but I had this problem with my old-fashioned "analog" camera as well and advanced photographers can use the exposure settings to minimize this.

Features:
Great. This camera has every feature I need. It has a wide variety of settings & option, you can record "animations" (no sound), etc... In addition the user interface is clear & user-friendly.

Design:
Looks ok, handles great. A little bulky but not oversized.

Negative aspects...

Battery:
Battery life is low. This is the main drawback: as you can't switch the TFT view off (no optical viewfinder), batteries die rather quickly. They don't last more than 1-2 days under moderate use. Maybe using rechargeable lithium batteries might help, but I haven't tried it yet. So if you use this while traveling, be sure to bring in 2 sets of 4 rechargeable batteries with you. You'll probably have to change batteries every day. Because of this, you'll have to carry spare batteries everywhere you go... Grrrr...

Software included:
Nikon's software was really lame. My brother's Sony has much better software. I uninstalled everything and now I'm only using XP's built in features.

Overall...

This is a great camera if you don't mind the battery life that might fall a little short. But my brother's Sony doesn't last much longer either. This is maybe a common problem among all digital cameras. But it's worse here because you don't have the alternative to use an optical viewfinder...

Still if you don't want to spend much and if excellent quality pictures are more important than long battery life, give it a try!

The Coolpix 2000 is my first digital camera. For the money, I can't imagine a better camera out there. I bought it at Amazon.com, and with the low price they have on it (then figure in the rebate from Nikon) how can you beat it? It is a Nikon product, and has their usual quality.
If you go through the manual, and view the info CD that comes with it, you will be taking superb pictures in no time.
I had a little trouble with blurriness when taking pictures in low light at first, but all you need to do is use the correct setting, and use a tripod. There is a little "hand shake" symbol that pops up in the display whenever you run into a situation that a steady hand is required to achieve a sharp picture. I found that a tripod is the ticket for those situations. Tripods are a cheap and wise investment.
As for the battery life...no big deal. It will accept an external power pack plug-in if you need to use it for extended periods. I bought a 7.5 volt Digicom model and it works great. You can take a TON of pictures on it without fear of it going dead. You will still need to pick up a charger and a couple of sets of rechargable AA batteries for the times where you use it for only an hour or two at a time. Forget about using any non-rechargable batteries. You would go broke in a hurry!
Just set it so that it will automatically shut itself off after 30 seconds or one minute (there are a few settings for different auto shut off durations available).
Compared to the way we used to go about it (buy film, pay for development, then sort through and save only the "good" shots), this is a far better way to go.
If you want to view the pictures on your tv (like the old projector slide shows we used to sit through as kids) you can just plug it into the TV, and run through any shots stored on a card. We find ourselves doing this a lot after family outings to help determine which pictures we want to print out. There is never a shortage of opinion!
By the way, You will want to pick up a bigger capacity CF card or two. I went with a 128 mb card, and that is enough for my usage. You can take about 132 pictures in the highest quality settings with it. It will store well over 200 on the second highest quality settings (still extremely good quality for 5 X 7 photos).
I suppose there are a few flaws as expressed in some of the other reviews, but why worry? This a great camera from a great company for a great price. In its price range, I doubt if you can touch it (and I shopped). Buy one!

My first need after having the camera for one hour (dead batteries) was to invest in rechargeables. I also wanted to get a filter to protect the lense, and of couse I wanted to carry it around everywhere I went. If you were to purchase all of the items seperately (which you eventually would), it would cost much more than the Coolpack. It is three essential items, for a combined discounted price.

This bag is terrific! I use all of my accessories some of the time, but, this one I use All of the time. It's handy, has enough pockets and compartments to carry everything you need to have with you safely. It is lightweight and sturdy made as well as nicely padded. Only complaint is the charger and batteries. Mine didn't work at all. Still would recommend it even without getting that in the works. Lots of good stuff including the UV filter which I leave on all the time to help protect the lens. Great product!

This product is an excellent value! The camera bag is sturdy, yet light-weight and has lots of pockets for accessories. The rechargeable batteries and charger pack is definitely needed in the case of the Nikon Coolpix 990 given the amount of juice the flash uses. I have an extra set of batteries now and let one set charge while I use the other - very convenient! The filter pack has a nice combination of common filter choices, including the lens protector, which is extremely important. Overall, this was a great product for the price!

Unfortunately, Nikon made the Nikon Coolpix 5000 with a non-threaded lens front, and this adapter tube is required for several accessories. The metal tube is accurately made and well-crafted, and works well for its intended purposes. But I can't imagine Nikon engineers and designers could not find a simpler, more elegant solution to accessory lenses and macro lights.