Nikon Coolpix P5100 Review

Review Date: October 30th 2007
Author: Gavin Stoker

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Conclusion

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	4
Ease-of-Use	4
Image Quality	3.5
Value for Money	4

So, as we asked at the beginning, is the Nikon Coolpix P5100 the ultimate enthusiast's compact, or an over engineered point and shoot hiding under a cloak of apparent sophistication? The answer to the first question would have to be 'no', so in truth it falls between the two stools, and is perhaps more kindly viewed as a 'beefed up' snapshot camera. Smaller than you'd guess from the product images, my initial impressions of the P5100 were of excitement and fun, and using it is a real joy for anyone wanting at least some – although inevitably not all – of the control offered by a consumer DSLR in a more manageable, portable form. While it is small, the controls feel evenly spaced and of sufficient size for accessibility and ease of operation. In all, the Nikon P5100's ergonomics feel 'just right'. It's therefore a real shame that, when the resultant maximum quality JPEG images are examined on your desktop, its low light and performance is considered to be below par. Using any setting above ISO 400 seems somewhat pointless, and if in doubt the P5100's auto settings will veer on the side of overexposure, also blowing out highlights. If you are aware of its shortcomings at least the camera can however be brought under your control, and there's enough here than can be tweaked manually to allow you to get great shots at least 80% of the time. And, while the Nikon P5100 isn't perfect, that quibble is to an extent at least negated by the fact that it doesn't demand a premium price either. For that price you get a better-constructed, more fully featured camera than most 8 MP rivals. Meaning that, although the Nikon Coolpix P5100 doesn't quite hit the full five stars, it's still well worthy of your consideration.

PhotographyBLOG is a member of the DIWA organisation. Our test results for the Nikon Coolpix P5100 have been submitted to DIWA for comparison with test results for different samples of the same camera model supplied by other DIWA member sites.

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