Latest – Review by DPExpert (added 12 February’09)
Nikon Coolpix P80 is a 10.1 megapixel ultra zoom digital camera that features, 18x optical zoom, 2.7 inch LCD, optical image stabilization, and a high ISO of 6400.
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Review Index – (updated 12 February’09)
DPExpert
“This is a remarkably good camera. The bad old days of shutter lag are now well behind us and this little Nikon is nicely responsive. The speed of auto focus at full zoom really took us by surprise because we have become accustomed to hunting at the extremes.”
CNET Asia
“Nikon’s aggressive noise suppression kicks in at ISO 400 and blurs most of the detail away. If you have a lot of detail in your scene, the photos are borderline at ISO 400 and unusable by ISO 800.”
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Imaging Resource
“Exposure and color are generally good, but with low detail and sharpening artifacts mixed in with overaggressive noise suppression, even at the lowest ISOs.”
NeoCamera
“The most serious limitation is destructive image noise reduction performed by the camera which both destroys image details and causes colors to shift from ISO 400 onward.”
Trusted Reviews
“As bridge cameras go, the Nikon Coolpix P80 is okay, but there are reservations. While the handling is generally good and instinctual, it feels a bit of a lightweight and it’s not the most responsive in the world. Image quality is average too, with good exposure and colour, but it’s let down by fringing and noise.
These cameras are always a compromise though, to achieve the focal range and high ISO, especially on such a small sensor, something has to give. The loss of pure quality is the price that has to be paid for the convenience.”
Rating: 
PhotoReview
“The face priority AF mode was sporadically inaccurate and the auto setting missed the target completely on occasions. Manual AF point selection worked well but was relatively slow to use. The LCD monitor was clear and sharp but slightly warm in hue. Visibility in sunlight was average.”
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LetsGoDigital has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“The Nikon Coolpix P80 has stirred up some mixed feelings inside of me. It is a camera that seems to have everything going for it and seems remarkably interesting. Besides that, it is the new Megazoom camera of the Nikon brand continuing the successful Coolpix 8xxx series. However, it just doesn’t hit the spot. And therefore you can’t shoot that all-round with the camera the way you would want to. If you are not demanding much and if you just want to shoot a nice snapshot without worrying about being able to sufficiently zoom in, then the Nikon Coolpix P80 might be worth a thought.”
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Cameras.co.uk has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“The Nikon Coolpix P80 does the job it sets out to do well. Despite the extra controls it comes across as an unfussy camera and is a good choice for someone looking for as much zoom as possible.
This is a good, solid addition to the range of super zoom cameras already available. As you would expect it has a selection of manual exposure controls. It is also a relatively compact size”
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DigitalCameraReview has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“After a brief shooting period with it, the P80 moved to the top spot on my list of favorite Nikon compacts. After some three additional weeks, the P80 still holds down the top spot, but it’s not the runaway champion I’d hoped it would be. And in the world of competition with other brands, the P80 established itself as a basically sound ultrazoom, but didn’t distinguish itself as the “must have” camera in the class.
Image and color quality are good, as is shutter lag, but AF acquisition times are average at best. ISO performance is typical for most cameras in the class. Continuous shooting rates at full resolution are typical; speedy rates are only available at reduced image sizes. Flash recycle times look to be average to slightly below average for the class.”
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GoodGearGuide has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“It may not be the fastest advanced compact on the market, but the P80 excels when it comes to capturing crisp, vibrant pictures both up close and at long distances.”
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InfoSyncWorld has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“Pros: Great interface. VR stabilization. Good noise management. Distortion correction is a great feature.
Cons: At 18x, camera has issues with sharpness, color and lighting. Overall not as sharp as non-ultrazoom 10-megapixel cameras.”
Rating: 
PhotographyBlog has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“The Coolpix P80 is an excellent first attempt at a super-zoom camera by Nikon, but it’s ultimately let down by image quality that is worse than some of its main rivals. Nikon have worked hard to ensure that the P80 is competing on a level playing field, and the P80 looks and feels very similar to the offerings from Olympus, Fujifilm and Panasonic, with a near-identical feature-set. The P80 is impeccably built, even more impressive given its budget price-tag, and the uncluttered design makes it very intuitive to use, albeit at the cost of relying more heavily on the menu system to access certain key features. The 18x lens is obviously the star of the show, and for most photographers the Nikon Coolpix P80 will cover all the bases, with the exception of ultra-wide angle pictures. The lens is fast, effectively image stabilized and doesn’t suffer from too much distortion – Nikon have even thoughtfully included an option to reduce any unwanted effects. Performance is less impressive, with a brief but noticeable lock-up between single images and a disappointingly slow continuous shooting speed, although focusing is quick and accurate even at the telephoto end of the zoom. Which brings us to the P80′s achilles heel, namely image quality.”
Rating:
CNET has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“The good: Optically stabilized, wide-angle, long zoom lens; comfortable shooting design; voice annotation; time-lapse mode.
The bad: Poor noise handling above ISO 200; no raw support; relatively slow performance.”
Rating:
StevesDigicams has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“Bottom line – the Nikon Coolpix P80 is a bit of a mixed bag. While loaded with appealing features like the 18x Nikkor zoom, 2.7-inch LCD, high resolution EVF, Vibration Reduction, High ISO capabilities and great image quality, the slower shooting performance, uncomfortable EVF eye piece, amount of noise in high sensitivity photos and slower Face detection system really disappointed us. That said, with a street price of US$399 or less, the P80 is an affordable super-zoom model (about $100 less than many of it’s competitors) that is sure to capture pleasing images of your friends and family, you just might not get all of those spontaneous moments.”
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Pocket-lint has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“Compared to other Nikon cameras we’ve tested recently, the noise even at low settings isn’t great and if you’re expecting to shoot above ISO 400, and let’s face it you are, then you’re likely to be disappointed and that’s before you start to work out how you’re going to combat the shake.
Disappointing.”
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ePhotozine has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix P80 and writes -
“I’m sat on the fence with the P80. On the outside it looks the business with its oversized zoom, large grip and many functions. Then on the performance side, it doesn’t seem to be up to scratch.
The VR wasn’t the best result (although it did work), the noise test was not worthy of the Nikon name with noise turning up at a laughably low stage, then using a cop out clause of dropping the resolution on the higher settings. Where is the EXPEED? Surely it’s unfair to make it exclusive to the DSLR user?”
Rating:
Sample Photos
[Sample Photos at CNET Asia]
[Sample Photos at Imaging Resource]
[Sample Photos at NeoCamera]
[Sample Photos at TrustedReviews]
[Sample Photos at LetsGoDigital]
[Sample Photos at Cameras.co.uk]
[Sample Photos at PhotographyBlog]
[Sample Photos at CNET]
[Sample Photos at StevesDigicams]
[Sample Photos at Pocket-lint]
Specifications
[Official Nikon Specifications]
Press Exceprt
10 April, 2008: Nikon UK announces today the COOLPIX P80, a new addition to its successful COOLPIX P series range.
The new 10 megapixel camera features a wide-range 18x NIKKOR zoom lens with extended telephoto capability, and incorporates image stabilisation for clear, blur-free results.
Designed for active photo enthusiasts with an interest in fine detail, this camera features a class-leading compact body size and a zoom lens that ranges from wide-angle to super telephoto (27-486mm equivalent in 35mm [135] format). In addition to this, the camera also offers manual control of exposure (shutter and aperture) and a high sensitivity rating of up to ISO 6400 for use in low light conditions. The exceptionally powerful zoom lens is capable of focusing on subjects that are as close as 1 cm, and image-shift Vibration Reduction technology stabilises the image sensor to combat camera shake.
Powered by Nikon’s EXPEED image processing concept, the P80 is an up-to-date solution for the camera enthusiast, providing advanced digital features in a compact format. Kazuhiro Okano, Assistant Manager Consumer Products, at Nikon Europe comments: “The COOLPIX P80 has it all: powerful lens, manual and automatic modes and advanced technology in a compact and ergonomically-designed body. Anyone looking for versatile, high quality camera that is easy to carry around will be thrilled with the results.”
The camera features an electronic viewfinder to allow accurate composition throughout the zoom range and also includes a large 2.7 inch monitor with anti-reflection coating and a wide viewing angle.
As well as offering comprehensive performance through the combination of wide-range zoom lens, image stabilisation and resolution, the P80 incorporates technologies that deliver outstanding results in specific areas. Three unique Nikon innovations that are designed for group and individual portraits (Face-Priority AF, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix and D-Lighting) are supported by the addition of high ISO sensitivity for situations when lighting levels are low.
For additional creative options after taking a picture, the ‘Optimize Image’ feature allows users to take monochrome photographs using a choice of four different filters for effect, while still saving the original colour version of the image.
The COOLPIX P80 is the ideal camera for the photo enthusiast who wants to have the convenience of a point-and-shoot camera with full manual control, and all possible options in-between. With 15 scene modes that are pre-configured for situations such as night time, fireworks, seaside, panoramas and sports photography, the camera can be preset to give the best results in many common settings. The capability for recording movies allows realistic action to be captured at a frame rate of 30 fps as well as time-lapse sequences which expose the mystery of scenes that evolve slowly over hours or even days. The camera comes with an internal memory of 52MB and will accept SDHC memory media, allowing high-speed storage of thousands of photos on a single card.
