Nikon Coolpix P6000 Review

Mark Goldstein | PhotographyBLOG | October 29, 2008 | 7 Comments |

The new Nikon Coolpix P6000 is a serious compact camera, with a wealth of features on offer to tempt the enthusiast. Built-in GPS support, LAN connectivity, RAW file format, and a 28mm wide-angle lens are the headline-grabbers, plus there are a number of more subtle touches including a DSLR-like handgrip, optical viewfinder, flash hotshoe, and not forgetting the 13.5 megapixel resolution. Does all of this add up to make the Nikon P6000 the ultimate prosumer digicam, and can it challenge the likes of the Canon PowerShot G10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3? Mark Goldstein braved the icy London weather to find out…

Website: Nikon Coolpix P6000 Review

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#1 Prognathous

It's a bit odd that you write "doesn't quite cut the mustard when compared to its main rivals, the Canon PowerShot G10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3". Isn't the GX200 another important rival? You gave it higher marks than both the LX3 and the G10:

GX200: 5, 5, 5, 4.5, 4.5. Total: 24
G10: 5, 5, 4.5, 4.5, 4. Total: 23
LX3: 4.5, 5, 4.5, 4.5, 4. Total: 22.5

And for the sake of completion:
P6000: 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5, 3.5. Total: 20.5

Prog.

1:09 am - Thursday, October 30, 2008

#2 serwei

Hi there!

I think Nikon uses the consumer grade GPS that's also used in the mobile phones and PDAs, as your observation sounds about right.

Maybe you could request the Sony BT GPS keychain for a comparison?

Cheers!

2:27 pm - Friday, October 31, 2008

#3 Ed

Hi - I am on the point of buying a P6000, but was most interested in getting hold of actual samples from the camera with GPS EXIF data.

I tried a couple of yours, but am not sure if you had the GPS 'live' when you took the shots - the London Bridge shot shows up as Tatsfield just outside the M25.

does that make any sense to you? were you having a round of golf before heading off to take the photos??

9:36 pm - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

#4 Mark Goldstein

Hi Ed,

As mentioned in the review, I encountered a lot of problems with the P6000's GPS, as you've discovered with that shot.

I don't play golf, so that can't be the reason!

11:35 am - Wednesday, November 19, 2008

#5 Ed

Actually my fault as well, as I did a bad conversion from Degrees Minutes and Seconds to decimal - does the P6000 allow you to choose the format of the GPS data i.e. (decimal) 40.34722 instead of 40º 20' 50" style otherwise I will be doing a lot of this:
40 + (20 * 1/60) + (50 * 1/60 * 1/60) to the data to get decimal coords to incorporate into my own google maps

12:19 pm - Wednesday, November 19, 2008

#6 Richs

It’s interesting reading your comments about the Nikon’s GPS. Indoors you’ll encounter pretty much the same problem with practically all GPS devices, be it a TomTom, Garmin Etrex, Magellan or a Trimble total station without correctional ground station (latter costs several thousand £/$s).

All GPS’s rely on being able to see the sky to lock positions, if they can’t see 3or4 satellites directly they’ll struggle. In an urban setting, especially Central London with high rise buildings, accuracies will be reduced by the minimal number of satellites in sky view. Therefore, given your description of the image localities, I doubt very much the P6000 has a ‘weak receiver’ you just sound to have tested it in areas where signals were going to be weak whatever the GPS device.

Whilst your comments about the camera’s GPS usefulness / limitations are valid - it should be stated that the points are pertinent to the whole of GPS technology and not specifically this camera.

Regards
Rich

7:07 pm - Wednesday, January 7, 2009

#7 Beth Chambers

I cannot print out the entire review to read later, away from the computer. If printing a copy is not possible, all that wordage is rather useless.......takes too much time to make notes. I'm busy - I work with a highlighter.
Can someone advise me how to print a copy?

2:14 pm - Wednesday, May 13, 2009