Latest – Review and Sample Test Photos by ThinkCamera (added 28 March ‘08)
Nikon Coolpix P50 features:
- 8.1 megapixels
- 3.6x zoom lens with 28mm wide angle
- 2.4 inch LCD
- Electronic image stabilization
- Optical viewfinder
- Face priority auto focus
- D-lighting
- Macro close-up mode with 2 in (5cm) to infinity range
- Cameras dimensions are (W x H x D): Approx. 3.8 x 2.6 x 1.8 in (94.5 x 66 x 44 mm) and it weighs 5.6 oz (160 g)
Read More Reviews – (updated 28 March ‘08)
| ThinkCamera |
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| PopPhoto |
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| DPReview |
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| TrustedReviews |
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| ComputerActive |
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| GoodGearGuide |
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| Pocket-lint |
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| Cameras.co.uk |
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| CNET.co.uk |
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| PhotographyBlog |
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ThinkCamera – 28 March’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and warns the auto focus goofs up occasionally. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Image quality is good, in fact, better than most in its class. about the only nick is that overall the pictures seemed a little on the soft side. things aren’t as cherry when it comes to the LCD screen which worked pretty well as long as you view it straight on. If you tilt it, at all, it really hard to see your photo.”
PopPhoto – 04 March’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and believes for the price it’s an excellent deal. Here’s a summary of their review -
“With the P50 Nikon has targeted people who don’t want to fiddle with the camera they just want to take photos. However, Nikon included some powerful sophistication into an otherwise simple looking camera. It’s responsive with quick and accurate focusing and pretty decent exposures. One of the main gripes in the review was the macro capability, or the lack of. In comparison to its competitors the macro on the P50 pretty much sucks.”
DPReview – 13 February’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and indicates this is a no-nonsense basic camera. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Sure it’s a basic camera but as the reviewer indicates there’s nothing about this camera that makes it special. Nikon uses the term Electronic VR and as the review points out it’s not a true image stabilization but more marketing bait. Despite the fact the camera can produce acceptable images it simply does not deserve the Nikon name plate.
Well… there’s no need to read between the lines on how they felt about the P50. They didn’t.
TrustedReviews – 05 February’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and felt the image quality was no better than other 8 megapixel compacts on the market. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Here’s a case where Nikon has taken an ordinary compact point-and-shoot and made it look like a more advanced camera, which it is not. Ultimately it’snot a bad performer, but it does suffer from less than optimal build quality and the photo quality is nothing to write home about.”
I don’t think the TrustedReviews guy was very impressed…
ComputerActive – 31 January’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and did not like the fact the camera does not have a decent anti shake. Here’s a summary of their review -
“The camera looks good and is pretty easy to operate however, the mechanical noise of the zoom lens is a little on the annoying side. Photo quality is what the reviewer really like! Pictures were bight with well balanced colors and sharp detail. On the down side the camera uses standard AA batteries and does not come with rechargeable ones, which is a little inconvenient.”
These guys liked this camera because it’s not only nice to look at it takes great pictures and was easy to use.
GoodGearGuide – 28 January’08 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and felt that for a point-and-shoot it had good manual controls. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Simple put it was a fun compact to use. It produces great images but tended to struggle in really bright light when in auto mode. But as the reviewer pints out it still produced better pictures than most cameras in its class. One point of contention was the anti vibration reduction seems to be responsible for soft looking images.”
All in all these guys thought the P50 was an outstanding compact digital camera with a neat set of manual overrides for the creative types.
Pocket-lint – 26 December’07 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and thought it was a little sluggish. Here’s an excerpt from the review verdict -
“Some sluggish performance aspects mar excellent image quality and low noise; nevertheless, the Nikon Coolpix P50 is almost perfectly pitched for the target market. Not bad, not bad at all.”
Cameras.co.uk – 20 December’07 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and notes that it is “pleasingly easy” to use. Here’s an excerpt from the review verdict -
“This is a fairly solid camera. It takes a decent photo in most situations, although you need flash pretty quickly when the light starts to drop. It scores well for ease of use, despite having one or two extra features, including a manual exposure setting.”
CNET.co.uk – 17 December’07 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and was not excited about this camera. Here’s an excerpt from the review conclusion -
“No-one will be getting excited about the Nikon Coolpix P50, a hobbled version of the P5100. There aren’t many features but lots of tweakable settings, so the bottom line is that it is one of the most flexible compacts around, with correspondingly good image results. Shame about the brick-like styling, though”
PhotographyBlog – 17 December’07 – reviews the Nikon Coolpix P50 and notes the camera is at the most a reliable performer in the image quality arena. Here’s an excerpt from the review conclusion -
“We had the black-bodied Nikon Coolpix P50 in for testing, which undoubtedly disguises the fact that it’s not the skinniest compact around and the fact that construction is plastic in the main – I doubt the alternate silver version will look or feel quite as sterling (arf!). This all helps the Coolpix P50 to resemble a camera that costs more than it actually does – so first impressions are good, and as we all know, first impressions stick. You can’t expect miracles at this price, and sure enough the P50 doesn’t deliver them. But it does provide a fair smattering of colour and detail given its 8 megapixel resolution, better handling of tricky exposures than expected, and boasts the advantage of that wide angle lens and broader than average (for a compact) focal range. Pity about the lack of true VR and occasional sluggishness, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive snapper that marries ease of use to reliability under most conditions, then the Nikon Coolpix P50 ticks a fair proportion of the right boxes.”
Sample Test Photos
Specifications
Owners Manual
Press Release
August 30, 2007 — TOKYO — Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of the COOLPIX P50. Placing priority on photographic performance, this new camera blends orthodox camera styling with an advanced feature set and operating ease that conservative camera users can truly enjoy. Built on a custom application of Nikon’s innovative EXPEED digital image processing concept and incorporating the precision optics of a NIKKOR lens, The COOLPIX P50 is built to realize optimum performance and maximum image quality.
Combining 8.1 effective megapixels of resolution and a new digital image-processing engine for outstanding imaging performance, the COOLPIX P50 also features a 3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR lens with 28mm wide-angle capability that ably covers a range from panoramic landscapes to close-up portraits.
Electronic VR (Vibration Reduction) image stabilization compensates for camera shake or movement by unsteady subjects to realize yet sharper results. And extended light sensitivity up to ISO 2000 further helps prevent blurred shots when shooting in lower light, or when capturing fast-moving subjects.
From its functional purely functional body design with stable grip and rubberized thumb rest to the intuitive operation of its Mode dial, complete with a setting for Manual shooting mode, the COOLPIX P50 is a versatile photographic tool that is ready to handle a wide variety of shooting styles. Its optical viewfinder enables accurate composition, even in bright sunlight, making it a handy complement to the bright 2.4-inch LCD monitor on the back of the body. And power is supplied by readily available AA-size batteries, which means the COOLPIX P50 can be used in virtually any location without worrying about recharging or running out of power. In some regions, the COOLPIX P50 will be available in a choice of Black or Silver body colors*.
Price and Availability
The Coolpix P50 will be available nationwide beginning September 2007 with an MSRP of $229.95.
* Color availability may vary according to region.
Note: Specifications, design, product name, standard accessories, and release schedule may differ by country or area.
Nikon COOLPIX P50 Feature Highlights
Easy access to a wealth of practical shooting modes
In addition to a selection of 15 scene-optimized modes and five different movie modes, the handy Mode dial also includes settings for two exposure modes that provide greater personal control over camera operation. Programmed Auto [P] mode automatically selects the optimal shutter and aperture settings, while Manual [M] exposure mode provides full control over both the aperture and shutter speed settings.
VR image stabilization for crisper results
The COOLPIX P50 features the image stabilizing performance of electronic VR capability. Taking data from a built-in angular velocity sensor, the system applies in-camera image processing to help overcome the effects of camera shake and produce satisfyingly sharp images, while also contributing to a reassuring shooting experience.
ISO 2000 capability for better pictures in lower light
Covering an impressive sensitivity range from ISO 50 all the way up to ISO 2000, the COOLPIX P50 makes it easier to take great-looking pictures in lower lighting conditions, or to capture fast moving subjects with outstanding clarity. The COOLPIX P50 accurately measures available light to automatically select the optimal sensitivity setting for the shot, while its new image-processing engine with enhanced noise reduction preserves high image quality when shooting at high ISO settings.
AA-size batteries for shoot-anywhere convenience
The COOLPIX P50 is a rare breed among today’s compact digital camera in that it uses AA-size batteries. Thanks to the advantage of being able to pick up a new set of batteries in virtually any corner of the world, users can shoot with reassurance, free of any worries about recharging batteries or running out of power when a special shutter chance arises.
Clear and precise portraits with Face-Focus AF mode
Nikon’s innovative Face-priority AF* has been updated to not only perform with improved speed and efficiency, but also to better find and then focus on people’s faces for crisp, clear results time after time. This improved functionality is applied to provide the handy new Face-focus AF shooting mode, which determines optimum focus and exposure when a face is detected within the framed shot.
*Face recognition capability may be limited in some shooting conditions.
Nikon COOLPIX P50 Other Features
- Three Unique Nikon Image Innovations
- Face-priority AF with improved speed and efficiency
- In-Camera Red-Eye Fix
- D-Lighting
- Light weight with highly compact dimensions
- Macro shooting from as close as 5 cm (2 in.)
- 4x digital zoom extends compositional freedom
- Improved menu interface, available in a choice of 23 languages
- Time zone function for easy setting of multiple locations
- SDHC card compatibility
- Approx. 52 MB of internal memory
- PictBridge and ImageLink compatibility
