Nikon Coolpix 8700 8.0 MP 8.0x Optical Zoom Lens UVGC Black Seller Guarantee Bundle of Accessories

This “Buy It Now” auction is for one fully functional Nikon Coolpix 8700 8.0 MP 8.0x Optical Zoom with Nikkor ED (extra-low dispersion (ED) optics) Black Digital Camera in very good cosmetic condition and very good functional condition with a 30-day money back seller guarantee and bundle of accessories.

Auction Includes

·         Nikon Coolpix 8700Digital Camera Serial Number 3237582

·         512 MB CompactFlash CF Memory Card

·         2 Genuine Nikon EN-EL1 Batteries

·         Genuine Nikon Travel Battery Charger MH-53 for the Nikon EN-EL1 Battery Pack

·         Genuine Nikon Automobile Power Adapter MH-53C for the Travel Battery Charger

§  Please note that no USB Cable is included in this auction.  As a result, camera users will be limited to transferring images to a computer using a CF Memory Card.

·         Genuine Nikon Neck Strap

·         Genuine Nikon Lens Cap

·         The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography for the Nikon 8700

·         Seller Guarantee as shown below

Electronic versions of The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography for the Nikon 8700 and other documentation may be downloaded directly from Nikon’s support page.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to take a look at a PDF copy of The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography for the Nikon 8700 online to learn more about this Nikon Coolpix 8700 digital camera.

·          This Nikon Coolpix 8700 black digital camera is in very good cosmetic condition and very good functional condition.

·          Cosmetically the exterior shows very few signs of wear as shown in various photos.

·          Functionally the camera is in very good condition because all features have been tested and the camera is working properly.

·          The 1.8 inch color LCD display is in very good condition with a very small number of scratches as shown in photos 19, 20 & 21 and has a fully articulating 270°display as partially shown in photos 17, 19 & 21 .

·          This camera has an optical viewfinder for use in framing your subject or when the rear LCD display is washed out in bright sunlight.  You may change between the LCD and Viewfinder by touching the SEL button on the back of the camera.

·          The camera lens is clean, dust and scratch free.

·          The separate battery compartment and memory card compartment doors both fit tightly and close fully. 

·          This camera works well as a point and shoot unit.

·          The camera is easy to use and a PDF copy of The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography for the Nikon 8700 is available online as noted above.

·          The photos taken with this camera meet the eBay photo requirements.

·          Please see two example photos taken with this camera in photos 22 & 23.  These two photos were taken with this camera and edited using the PICASA³ photo editor with cropping and with auto contrast.

·          You may download your photos from the camera to your computer using the 512 MB CompactFlash CF Memory Card which has been tested and is included.

§  Please note that no USB Cable is included in this auction.  As a result, camera users will be limited to transferring images to a computer using a CF Memory Card.

·          This camera comes from smoke-free and pet-free home.

Seller Guarantee 

Buy With Confidence. 

Top rated eBay seller with over 3950 transactions with 100% positive feedback.

Guarantee:  I am sufficiently convinced about this digital camera’s condition and image quality that I provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

If you do not believe the signs of wear or other aspects of this camera’s description were accurate, or if you are not completely satisfied, send the camera and accessories back to me.  

I will pay the return postage.

As soon as I receive your return package, I will process a full refund, including your original shipping, to your account.

 SHIPPING POLICIES AND RELATED SHIPPING INFORMATION

 

·       Beginning July 9, 2023, USPS will combine USPS Retail Ground®, USPS First-Class Package®, and USPS Parcel Select Ground® services into a single service: USPS Ground Advantage™.

 

·       The same labeling and shipping rules that applied to USPS Parcel Select Ground® continue to apply with USPS Ground Advantage™ because lithium batteries are considered a Hazardous material.

 

·       These rules apply to both Apple products with lithium-ion batteries and to used digital cameras with proprietary lithium-ion batteries.

 

·       Digital cameras that require AA batteries may be shipped with AA Alkaline or AA Lithium as noted in the listing copy.  If these digital cameras contain AA Lithium batteries they are subject to the same shipping and labeling requirements that apply to all other lithium batteries.

WHY LITHIUM-ION?

FROM THE APPLE SUPPORT WEB SITE

·       Compared with older generations of battery technology, lithium-ion batteries charge faster, last longer, and have a higher power density for more battery life in a lighter package. Rechargeable lithium-ion technology currently provides the best technology for your many devices.

 

CONDENSED FROM DIGITAL CAMERA MAKER WEBSITES

·       The most common theme concerning why lithium-ion batteries are frequently used in digital cameras is that they provide a longer battery life and a more consistent power delivery even in colder situations.

LABELING REQUIREMENTS

·       Two lithium battery warning labels must now be affixed to all USPS packages with used products that contain lithium batteries. These labels are shown at the end of listing photos.

PROBLEMS SHIPPING USED DIGITAL CAMERAS INTERNATIONALLY

·       Because a substantial majority of digital cameras utilize lithium-ion batteries, eBay does not permit shipping of used digital cameras as part of their International Shipping Program.

·       For this reason, all of my listings with used iPods and used digital cameras are marked for the US market only.

BUYER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED SHIPPING ADDRESS

·       Shipping labels are prepared based on the address on file in the buyer’s eBay records.

·       When packages are returned marked “Undeliverable at this address,” “Attempted – Not Known,” “Unable to Forward,” “Return to Sender” or similar nomenclature, the buyer will be receive a refund for the item purchased but will not receive a refund on the original shipping charges. 

 

Nikon Coolpix 8700 Features

·       8-Megapixel resolution CCD imager (3,264 x 2,448-pixels)

·       Nikkor 8x zoom (35-280mm in 35mm equivalent) with ED glass

·       Macro focus with AF as close as 1.2"

·       Fully articulating 270°, 1.8" color LCD monitor

·       Electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 238,000 pixels

·       CompactFlash Type II card slot (Microdrive compatible)

·       Record images in TIFF-RGB (uncompressed), JPEG or NEF raw

·       Programmed Auto (with Shift), Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority and Full Manual

·       Drive modes: Single, Continuous H, Continuous L, Ultra High Speed Continuous, 16-Shot Multi (Continuous shooting of up to 5 full-size images at 2.5 fps)

·       12 preset Scene Modes, including the new Panorama Assist Mode

·       Shutter speeds from 1/4000 sec. to 8 secs (Bulb to 5 minutes!)

·       Movie 640 x 480 pixels; 30 fps) with audio, Small movie (320 x 240 pixels; 15 fps) with audio, or Sepia movie (320 x 240 pixels; 5 fps) with audio, or Time-lapse movie (640 x 480 pixels; 30 fps) without audio

·       7-bladed lens diaphram for true depth of field control

·       Five-area multifocus system, user-selectable and Spot-AF

·       256-segment Matrix Metering, Center-weighted or Spot

·       Noise Reduction for long exposures

·       ISO sensitivity of Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400

·       Matrix Auto White Balance plus Fine, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Speedlight and Custom Preset.

·       Built-in flash with auto, fill, slow sync, and red-eye reduction.

·       Hotshoe for external Nikon Speedlights

·       PictBridge and Epson PRINT Image Matching Technology compatible

·       USB 1.1 port for image download/remote control

·       EN-EL1 Li-ion battery and charger included

·       The Nikon Coolpix 8700 is available now with an MSRP of $999.95.

 

Nikon Coolpix 8700 Review

from Imaging Resource

Review First Posted: 03/22/2004

Nikon moves into 8 megapixel territory with a long zoom, and a new body,

As I say before each of my Nikon reviews, Nikon is one of the names that literally needs no introduction in the world of photography. Long a leader in the film world, they now offer cameras for both the serious amateur and working professional, in both the film and digital worlds. The new Nikon Coolpix 8700 is the latest in a long line of Nikon digital cameras that have helped define the state of the art in prosumer cameras from the early days of the digital revolution. With an 8-megapixel sensor, an 8x zoom lens with ED glass, and the panoply of advanced features we've come to expect from the upper end of Nikon's digicam line, the Coolpix 8700 is poised to compete at the very top of the "prosumer" digital camera market. At the same time though, optional fully automatic operation and a rich collection of 12 "scene" modes make it easy for even rank amateurs to use. All in all, the new Nikon Coolpix 8700 is a powerful package of photographic technology. - Read on for all the details!

Executive Overview

The new Coolpix 8700 builds on the earlier Coolpix 5700 with the addition of an 8 megapixel sensor. In most other ways, the 8700 is very similar to the 5700. Too big for either shirt pocket of purse, the 8700 really begs for a camera bag to be transported in, but its neck strap eyelets are well positioned to let the camera hang level when suspended by them.

The 8700 keeps the big 8x Nikkor 8.9-71.2mm ED lens from the 5700, which provides a zoom range equivalent to a 35-280mm lens on a 35mm camera. Focus can be automatically or manually controlled, with an adjustable, five-point AF area. In addition to the 8x optical zoom, the Coolpix 8700 also provides up to 4x digital zoom, depending on the image size selected. (Keep in mind that digital zoom compromises image quality because only the central portion of the CCD's image is enlarged, decreasing resolution.) An electronic viewfinder offers a miniaturized version of the LCD monitor for TTL (through the lens) framing, complete with a detailed information display. For a larger view, the 1.8-inch LCD monitor has an articulated design, popping out from the back panel and swiveling around approximately 270 degrees. The LCD can also flip around and fold flat against the back panel, giving it the familiar rear-panel position common to most digicams. Finally, it can be closed (turned with its face against the camera body) when not in use, protecting the monitor from dirt and scratches.

Following the standard of prior high-end Nikon Coolpix models, the Coolpix 8700 offers a very extensive set of exposure controls. Program AE, Flexible Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual exposure modes are available, each with a wide range of features. Shutter speeds range from as high as 1/4,000 (limited to 1/2,000 in most modes though) to eight seconds, with a Bulb setting for exposures as long as ten minutes. An optional Noise Reduction system decreases the fixed-pattern image noise that would normally be present in long exposures. The maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 - f/4.2, depending on the zoom setting, and is adjustable in one-third EV steps. Four metering options include 256-Segment Matrix, Center-Weighted, Spot, and AF Spot (which ties the metering spot to the selected AF area). An ISO adjustment provides options that include Auto (which only takes the ISO up to 200), 50, 100, 200, and 400. It is disappointing that the ISO 800 setting was dropped, but it may be due to the overall increase in noise associated with an 8 megapixel sensor. The camera's adjustable White Balance setting offers Auto, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Speedlight, or Preset (which allows you to manually adjust the white value by using a white object as a reference). Additionally, all white balance settings other than Preset can be adjusted from -3 to +3 units on an arbitrary scale, letting you fine-tune them to your liking. A White Balance Bracketing mode captures three images with slightly different white balance adjustments, letting you pick the best image when you view the photos on your computer.

Exposure compensation is adjustable from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third step increments, and is controllable in all exposure modes but Manual and the Fireworks Scene mode. The Auto Bracketing feature takes three or five shots of the same subject with varying exposure values determined either by the photographer in Manual mode or by the camera in all other modes, with variable exposure steps between shots. Best Shot Select snaps multiple images and then automatically picks the sharpest, making it feasible to handhold the camera for surprisingly long exposures. The "Quick Review" button lets you quickly check the last shot taken without leaving Record mode, going so far as to make most of the Playback mode options available, while permitting a very quick return to shooting. Through the camera's settings menu, you can also adjust the image sharpness and color saturation. An Image Adjustment menu offers Contrast, Lightness, and Monochrome adjustments as well. Additionally, the Coolpix 8700 allows you to save up to three sets of user settings for focus, exposure, and other camera options, for rapid recall via the setup menu. (A very handy feature if you're in a situation where you need to switch rapidly between two radically different shooting environments, as in a reception or party with both outdoor and indoor activities.) A Self-Timer mode offers a three or 10-second countdown before firing the shutter. The camera's built-in flash operates in Auto, Flash Cancel, Anytime Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, and Slow-Sync modes. An external flash hot shoe is also included in the camera's design, and accommodates a more powerful external flash unit.

Like the Coolpix 5700 before it, the Coolpix 8700 offers a wide range of "motor drive" rapid-exposure modes for capturing quick sequences of images. Continuous L, Continuous H, Ultra High Speed Continuous, and Multi-Shot 16 modes are available through the settings menu, and offer a range of sequence shooting speeds. (Multi-Shot 16 mode subdivides the image area into 16 sections and captures a "mini-movie" of small images at 816 x 612-pixel resolution.) Movie mode has gotten more involved as well, with four capture options. "TV movie" captures 30 frames per second at 640 x 480 with vertical interlacing, and a maximum length of 35 seconds. "Small movie" mode takes 320 x 240 movies at 15 frames per second for a maximum of 180 seconds. "Time-lapse movie" takes 640 x 480 stills and joins them to create a 30fps silent movie of up to 35 seconds long, or 1,050 frames.

The 8700 also includes two new modes. First, a 5 shot buffer mode, which shoots at five frames per second until the shutter is released, then saves the last five frames captured--good for action scenes whose peak moment is difficult to predict. (Until you've used a feature like this for shooting live action, it's hard to fully appreciate what a difference it can make.) And then there's Time Lapse, where the user can choose a capture interval from 30 seconds to 60 minutes. The camera will then take pictures until either the shutter is pressed again, the memory card is full, or 1,800 shots have been captured.

The Coolpix 8700 stores images on CompactFlash cards (Type I or II), although none comes with the camera. File formats include several levels of compressed JPEG files as well as an uncompressed TIFF mode (Hi quality setting), and an NEF (RAW data) format. Available image sizes are 3,264 x 2448 (8MP), 3,264 x 2176 (max 3:2 ratio), 2,592 x 1,944 (5MP), 2,048 x 1,536 (3MP), 1,600 x 1,200 (2MP), 1,280 x 960 (SXGA or 1MP), 1,024 x 768 (XGA or PC), and 640 x 480 (VGA or TV) pixels. A Video Out jack connects the camera to a television set or video monitor, for larger screen image review.

A rechargeable EN-EL1 lithium-ion battery pack powers the camera, and an AC adapter is available as a separate accessory. (The battery and charger are included in the box with the Coolpix 8700.) The camera connects to a computer via a USB cable (included), and the accompanying software provides image downloading and organizing capabilities. The Coolpix 8700 downloads its images fairly quickly, as I clocked it at a transfer rate of 752 KB/second. This is faster than any cameras using a USB version 1.1 interface, but on the slow side of the range for USB 2.0-equipped models.

The rotating LCD monitor makes shooting at odd angles a lot more comfortable, and control layout is intuitive. I love the 8X lens, but I'm still not crazy about the EVF monitor, far preferring an optical viewfinder. In a non-SLR, however, it's impossible to provide such dramatic zoom with a rangefinder design without fairly major parallax error, and such long-zoom optics for an optical viewfinder can be prohibitively expensive.

Design

Essentially identical externally to the Coolpix 5700, the Coolpix 8700 is both small and function-rich. Compared to the many newly-emerging EVF designs, the Coolpix 8700 is still relatively compact. Because the camera is so small, and to accommodate its big flip out screen, some of the control buttons were placed on the left of the lens housing. Those used to having most of the controls on the back will have to adjust to having basic functions like resolution and flash control out of sight on the left, but it does give something for the left hand to do while you're working the command dial. There is a risk of pressing these side-mounted buttons accidentally, adjusting the various controls without the photographer's knowledge, so user beware, but I did find that their locations become more intuitive with extended use. The Coolpix 8700 has a "Vari-angle" LCD design that swivels, useful for getting the shot from various angles, including from directly in front of the camera. (Good for self-portraits, or working with a model.) The Coolpix 8700 has an all-black body composed of a mixture of metal and plastic. It's fairly compact at 4.3 x 3.0 x 4.0 inches (108 x 76 x 102 mm). It has a pleasant heft, and the lens is close enough to the grip that there is very little "twist away" as we've seen with heavier EVF cameras. It weights 18.8 ounces (533 grams) with battery and memory card loaded.

Visible on the front panel are the lens and self-timer lamp, the latter at the top of the handgrip, just below the power switch. The telescoping lens extends as much as two inches when the camera is powered on. (The lens extends two inches when set to its telephoto position, but only a bit over an inch at its wide angle setting.) There are body threads at the base of the lens barrel for mounting an accessory adapter, and wide, telephoto, and fisheye lenses are available for the camera. Adjustment to an auxiliary lens is not automatic; users must tell the camera which add-on lens is mounted. A removable plastic lens cap protects the lens from scratches, and comes with a tiny strap to tether it to the camera body and prevent it from being lost. Instead of popping off if you've left the cap on when starting up the camera, this cap just comes out with the lens, since it actually fits inside the innermost lens assembly. It looks funny, but it's a great solution that keeps the lens well protected. Tucked beneath the Coolpix logo are two small holes for the microphone, used to record audio when in movie mode or Voice Memo mode. A large hand grip, coupled with the deep recess between the grip and the lens barrel, provides a firm hold on the camera, and a rubbery coating provides a good gripping surface for your fingers.

The camera's right side (as viewed from the back) houses the memory card compartment (a Type II Compact Flash slot) and an eyelet for the neck strap. I liked the positive snap-action operation of the memory compartment cover: The spring action is apparently contained in the hinge mechanism, and it feels much better than the usual friction snap-latch I commonly find on the outside edges of these flaps on most cameras I test. The ejection button can be a little confusing if you get out of sync with it though. It's one of those that works like a pen plunger: In order to extend the release so that it can push the card out, you first have to press in to make it pop out. Once it's extended, you can press in again and it releases the card and then stays pressed in, as long as you pressed it back in far enough. When it doesn't stay in, however, you'll find that inserting a new card and closing the door will just cause the card to eject again into the door, crashing the camera. Nikon warns about this in the manual. Those experienced with this method will likely be okay, but novices could get a little frustrated.

The left side of the camera is rounded to conform to the shape of the lens barrel, and holds several control buttons, the second neck strap eyelet, a connector compartment, and the speaker. The four control buttons (Flash / ISO, Image Quality and Size, AE/AF Lock, and Focus Mode buttons) on the side of the lens serve dual purposes, changing one setting when pressed, and another when pressed and held while turning the Command dial. A rubbery flap covers the connector compartment, which houses the DC In, A/V Out, and Digital I/O jacks. The flap remains fastened to the camera body and folds out of the way easily, using the new, more substantial connector/hinge tab design I saw and approved of on Nikon's D100 SLR. Also visible from this angle is the diopter adjustment dial on the viewfinder eyepiece.

The top of the camera has a handful of controls, a small status display panel, the pop-up flash, and the external flash hot shoe. You can either pull the flash up manually, or the camera will pop it up automatically when needed. It also pops up even if you've used a custom mode to turn flash off. Don't be alarmed or frustrated, as I was initially, it's just that the AF assist light is also located in the flash housing, so the flash head has to be popped up in order for the assist light to function. The hot shoe has the standard five-contact design used by the Nikon Speedlights, but should also host some third-party flash units. (Particularly since the camera doesn't use many of the special Nikon-proprietary contacts on the flash shoe.) The small status display panel reports most camera settings, including battery power, and is very useful for making quick camera adjustments. Top panel controls include the Power dial and Shutter, Mode, Exposure Compensation, Illuminate, and Function buttons. A Command dial on the top panel of the 8700 is used in conjunction with various buttons on the body of the camera to change settings.

A number of the controls and user interface elements for the Coolpix 8700 are on the back of the camera. At top left is the electronic viewfinder (EVF) eyepiece, with a diopter adjustment dial on the left side and a nice rubber guard, important for wearers of glasses. On the right side of the eyepiece is a Monitor Select button, which toggles the viewfinder display back and forth between the EVF and LCD monitor. A rocker button in the top right corner controls optical and digital zoom, as well as playback viewing options. The remaining controls include the Menu and Quick Review buttons, Mode switch, Four-Way Arrow pad, and the Erase and Display buttons. The right edge of the back panel is sculpted, providing a nice indentation and associated ridge that provides just enough of a lip to give your thumb something to hold onto.

The 8700 has a "vari-angle" LCD monitor, which lifts off of the back panel and swings outward. Once out, the monitor swivels 270 degrees. One benefit is that in addition to facing a variety of angles, the LCD can flip around and face the back of the camera when closed, protecting it from any scratches.

The bottom of the Coolpix 8700 is nice and flat, with several slightly raised inserts of resilient plastic that increase the camera's grip on tripod mounting plates. The tripod socket itself is a rugged metal unit. The tripod socket is also roughly centered on the camera body, which is good for mounting stability, but which does put the lens quite a bit off-center from the mount. This isn't an issue for normal shooting, but does mean that a special tripod head will be needed to shoot panoramic images, to compensate for the parallax error introduced by the offset between the lens' optical center and the center of rotation for the tripod mount. Having the tripod socket centered also means that some tripod mounting plates will prevent you from removing the battery while mounted to the plate. (Again, not an issue for most users, but something I'm attuned to given how much I shoot in the studio with cameras I test.) A small plastic plate next to the battery compartment pops out revealing a connector for the power/vertical hand grip accessory. Unfortunately, there is no retaining latch to keep the battery in place when you open the battery door, so be careful when opening. Batteries can become unusable after only one drop depending on where and what and how hard they hit.

Test Results

Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the Coolpix 8700 with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!

In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the Coolpix 8700's "pictures" page.

As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how the Coolpix 8700's images compare to other cameras you may be considering.

Color: Excellent color, under a wide range of lighting conditions. True to form for Nikon digicams, the Coolpix 8700 did a great job with color throughout my testing. Outdoors, color was accurate and appropriately saturated, with bright, natural hues, and good skin tones. Indoors, the 8700 handled the very difficult incandescent lighting of my Indoor Portrait test quite a bit better than most cameras I test, producing good (although different) results with Auto, Incandescent, and Manual white balance settings. (Incandescent produced the warmest-looking image, Manual the coolest, with Auto somewhere in between. - There's thus a "look" to suit most every taste for this shot, depending on the white balance option you select.) Overall, I'd rate the 8700's color handling as among the best I've seen recently.

Exposure: Good to very good exposure accuracy, but somewhat high contrast. Exposure accuracy was typically very good with the Coolpix 8700's automatic exposure system. It required less exposure compensation than average on the Outdoor Portrait shot, about an average amount on the Indoor Portrait shot, and was generally pretty accurate otherwise. (Although it did leave the Far-Field house shot and Davebox images a little bright.) My biggest complaint is that the camera's default tone curve is rather contrasty, and the "low contrast" setting really doesn't work for dealing with harshly-lit subjects. (It seems to reduce the overall brightness of the images, without actually affecting the contrast at all.) Despite a tendency to lose detail in strong highlights though, the 8700 generally did a good job of preserving shadow detail.

Resolution/Sharpness: Very high resolution, 1,600-1,650 lines on the ISO resolution target. The Coolpix 8700 performed very well on the "laboratory" resolution test chart. It didn't start showing artifacts in the test patterns until resolutions as high as 1,200-1,300 lines per picture height, in both horizontal and vertical directions. I found "strong detail" out to at least 1,600 lines, although some might perhaps argue for as high as 1,700 lines along the horizontal axis. "Extinction" of the target patterns didn't occur until right at 2,000 lines, although some detail was still visible there.

Image Noise: Relatively low image noise at ISO 50, rapidly increases at higher ISO levels though. Image noise on the Coolpix 8700 is a bit of a mixed bag. Like most 8-megapixel cameras, its overall noise levels are higher than those of the best 4- and 5-megapixel models. That said, I found that it produced surprisingly "clean" images at ISO 50, with less noise than I expected, and indeed, lower noise than many competing 8-megapixel models. Its noise levels seemed to increase more rapidly at higher ISO levels than some of the competition though. The bottom line? Good, clean images at low ISO, but expect to see pretty visible noise at ISO 200. At ISO 400, the noise is pretty objectionable, to the point that I'd generally not consider the results acceptable.

Closeups: A *very* tiny macro area with good detail in the dollar bill. Flash is blocked by the lens, however. The Coolpix 8700 performed very well in the macro category (as do most Nikon digicams), capturing a minimum area of only 0.87 x 1.16 inches (22 x 29 millimeters). Resolution was very high, showing a lot of fine detail in the printing of the dollar bill. Details were well-defined, though all four corners of the image were rather soft. The position of the 8700's flash and the long lens barrel resulted in a dark shadow covering most of the frame though. (Plan on using external illumination for the closest macro shots with the Coolpix 8700.)

Night Shots: Excellent low-light shooting capabilities, with pretty good color. Problematic focusing at telephoto zoom settings and with lower-contrast subjects though. The Coolpix 8700 produced clear, bright, usable images down to the 1/16 foot-candle (0.67 lux) limit of my test, with good color across the board. (Note though, that I had to use the Bulb mode for exposure times longer than 8 seconds, which could be a handicap at the lowest light levels.) The 8700 features an optional Noise Reduction system, but I was really hard-pressed to see any change in image noise with it turned on or off. - The good news with that though, is that the 8700 produces very "clean" images on long exposures, even without a noise reduction system engaged. (Very impressive.) The 8700's EVF is also better under low light conditions than most I've tested, usable down to 1/8 foot-candle, a good 3 f-stops darker than typical city night scenes. With an autofocus assist light, the 8700 is capable of focusing in total darkness, but in practice I found that it did much better at wide angle, with at least some background illumination, and definitely worked best with subjects having sharply-defined, high-contrast detail. In the dark, at telephoto zoom settings, and with less-contrasty subjects, focus could be pretty hit-or-miss.

Viewfinder Accuracy: Good accuracy from the electronic optical viewfinder and LCD, though both are just slightly tight. The Coolpix 8700's electronic "optical" viewfinder (EVF) is just a little tight, showing about 96 percent frame accuracy at both wide angle and telephoto zoom settings. The LCD monitor turns in the same numbers, since it shows the same view, just on a larger screen. Given that I like LCD monitors to be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the 8700's LCD monitor has a little room for improvement here, but is still pretty accurate.

Optical Distortion: Average geometric distortion, fairly noticeable chromatic aberration. Optical distortion on the Coolpix 8700 is about average at the wide-angle end, where I measured an approximate 0.7 percent barrel distortion. The telephoto end fared better, as I measured a 0.2 percent pincushion distortion. Chromatic aberration is fairly high, showing about six pixels of fairly bright coloration on either side of the target lines in the wide angle shot. (This distortion is visible as a very slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.)

Shutter Response: Average to very fast shutter response, so-so cycle times, very fast continuous modes. The Coolpix 8700's shutter response was fairly puzzling at first, until I figured out that it depended a great deal on whether I waited for it to finish processing the previous image before hitting the shutter button again. When I was patient and waited for the camera, the shutter response was about the fastest I've yet measured on a prosumerdigicam, at only 0.38 seconds in full-autofocus mode. When I hurried it though, the lag times stretched to a more typical range of 0.85-0.99 seconds. Using the "Quick Release" monitor option reduced the hurry-up shutter lag times to 0.53 - 0.55 seconds, once again a very good level. Prefocus lag time was also pretty good at 0.113 seconds. Single shot cycle times were unexciting at a bit over 3 seconds, extending to 3.6 seconds when the buffer filled, but the 8700's range of high-speed continuous modes were impressive indeed, particularly the Ultra High Speed continuous mode, which can capture up to 100 images at 30 frames/second, and 640x480 resolution. This is about as fast and as high resolution as the best movie modes in competing digicams, but the 8700 makes the images available as individual frames. (I do have to point out though, that some competing digicam models like the Sony DSC-F828 and Fuji S7000 can capture 640x480 video at 30 fps continuously, limited only by memory card capacity. While the results there are movie files, there's plenty of software that'll let you extract single frames from the video.)

Battery Life: Decent battery life, but not in the same class as other top prosumer models. With a worst-case run time of about 100 minutes, the Coolpix 8700 has somewhat better battery life than its predecessor, the 5700. That said though, it badly lags other high-end prosumer cameras like the Sony F828, Olympus C-8080, Canon Pro1, and Minolta DiMAGE A2. I highly recommend buying a second battery along with the 8700, or better yet, an external battery pack like the MahaPowerExLiIonPowerBank.

Conclusion

The Coolpix 8700 has a lot to live up to, as the current high end of Nikon's highly respected Coolpix line. Fortunately, it seems well up to the challenge. It delivers sharp, high-resolution images with very good color and low noise (at least at ISO 50), and has ample control for experienced shooters, while remaining approachable for rank beginners in full-auto mode, or when using one of its preprogrammed "scene" modes. On other fronts, the 8700 shows the tradeoffs camera designers are often forced to make: It's lens delivers sharp images from corner to corner of the frame, but with more chromatic aberration than I'd personally like to see. It delivered some of the shortest shutter lag times I've yet seen in a prosumerdigicam model, but only when the camera isn't busy processing an image. (Using the "Quick Release" monitor option does help shutter lag when processing images though, keeping it in the "very fast" category overall.) While shutter lag performance is very good, shot to shot cycle times are on the slow side of average, at a bit over 3 seconds. - But the 8700's continuous modes include some that are again among the fastest on the market. In some areas though, the 8700 does unquestionably excel, such as macro shooting, and low-light handheld photography, thanks to Nikon's unique Best Shot Selector function. I also found its electronic viewfinder (EVF) to be much more usable under challenging conditions than most others on the market, and it provided a pleasingly high-resolution view as well. Overall, the Coolpix 8700 is a very strong entry in the high end digicam derby, and qualifies as a Dave's Pick at the high end of the market.

Nikon Coolpix 8700 Review

fromSteve’s Digicams

By Movable Type Admin

First Look posted 1/28/04

Full Review posted 3/11/04

Introduction

The Nikon Coolpix 8700 is for serious photographers who demand the highest level of quality and control from their compact digital camera. It features an 8.0 effective megapixel CCD (3,264 x 2,448-pixels) and an 8x Optical (35-280 mm) Zoom-Nikkor lens, with Nikon's Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements. It has a high resolution (238,000 pixel) electronic viewfinder (EVF) for through-the-lens viewing and a 1.8" vari-angle color LCD monitor. The Coolpix 8700 is constructed with a compact, lightweight magnesium alloy body that has been designed for durability and portability.

The Coolpix 8700 digital has four exposure modes to give the photographer ultimate creative control over their image capture. These modes include Programmed Auto [P], Shutter-Priority Auto [S], Aperture-Priority Auto [A] and Manual [M]. The camera also offers an automatic mode, which makes the Coolpix 8700 an ideal tool in situations where operation needs to be 'point-and-shoot simple.'

For added convenience, the Coolpix 8700 now incorporates 12 preset Scene Modes taken from the existing line of award- winning Coolpix digital cameras. Scene Modes allow for striking images in practically any shooting situation. Simply select the mode appropriate to the lighting conditions, and the camera will automatically adjust focus, flash, contrast, sensitivity and white balance. The camera has ability to capture images in RAW recording mode (NEF format) for maximum image control and manipulation after the picture is taken using Nikon Capture software.

The Nikon Coolpix 8700 supports a complete series of affordable accessory lenses, which expand the camera's zoom range from 7mm-420mm. The Coolpix 8700 is compatible with Coolpix accessory lenses including the 1.5x ED glass teleconverter (TC-E15ED)(420mm), the 0.8x Wide Angle Adapter (WC-E80)(28mm) and the new Fisheye converter lens (FC-E9)(7mm).

Features & Controls

The Coolpix 8700 features a big 8x optical 9-72mm (equivalent to 35-280mm) F2.8-4.2 with macro; 14 elements in 10 groups; all glass, Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC) applied; two glass-molded ED lens elements included.

Employing the Nikon exclusive 5-area Multi AF focusing system, the camera can automatically select the "best" focus target or you can select the desired focusing zone manually. The autofocus range is 19.7 inches to infinity in normal mode or an amazing 1.2 inches to infinity when in macro mode.

The Coolpix 8700 supports a complete series of affordable accessory lenses, which expand the camera's zoom range from 7mm-420mm. The Coolpix 8700 is compatible with Coolpix accessory lenses including the 1.5x ED glass teleconverter (TC-E15ED)(420mm), the 0.8x Wide Angle Adapter (WC-E80)(28mm) and the new Fisheye converter lens (FC-E9)(7mm).

The WC-E80 is comprised of two elements in two groups and weighs approx. 17.5 oz (500g). It is a wide angle conversion lens with a magnification factor of 0.8x. When used in conjunction with the Coolpix 8700's lens at full wide angle it is equivalent to 28mm in 35mm camera format. The combined maximum aperture is f/2.8 with the Coolpix 8700 at full wide angle. The combined minimum focusing distance is 1.10 inches. It is provided with front and rear lens caps and a protective, soft case.

The TC-E15ED is comprised of four elements in two groups (including one ED lens) and weighs approx. 9.6 oz (275g.) It is a telephoto conversion lens with a magnification factor of 1.5x. When used with the Coolpix 8700's lens at full telephoto it is equivalent to 420mm in 35mm camera format. The combined maximum aperture is f/4.2 with the Coolpix 8700 at full telephoto zoom. The combined minimum focusing distance is 16.54 inches. It is provided with front and rear lens caps and a protective, soft case.

The builtin flash automatically "pops up" when needed and has a Guide number 39.4 (at ISO 100, ft/m).  It operates in the following modes: Auto Flash, Flash Cancel, Fill Flash, Slow Sync and Red-Eye Reduction.

The flash working range is 1'10" - 13' 1" in Wide angle and 1'10" - 9'2" in telephoto. And new on the Coolpix 8700 is an AF-assist lamp, mounted on the popup flash arm.

Using the ISO hotshoe the Coolpix 8700 can be fitted with an external speedlight such as the Nikon SB-50DX or SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, or 22s can also be used. The built-in Speedlight can be cancelled when using an external flash or used in tandem. (When using an external flash the internal flash must be "popped up" because the flash sensor is on the flash arm.)

The camera and SB-50DX or SB-80DX can also work together without a sync cable. These flashes have an integrated slave-sensor that works with the Coolpix 8700 (and other Nikon cameras). The range of the TTL wireless flash operation is approx. 7m (23 ft.) and there is no limit to the number of flashes that can be used.

The Coolpix 8700 can be connected to studio lighting by use of the Nikon AS-15 hot shoe to PC adapter. This allows connection to any flash with a standard PC sync cord.

The Coolpix 8700 employs an electronic viewfinder (EVF.) This is a 238,000-dot low-temp 0.44-inch TFT color LCD with 97% frame coverage (100% in playback) and has dioptric adjustment.

The Coolpix 8700 features a fully articulated, 270°, 1.8", 134,000-pixel, polysilicon color TFT LCD. It is illuminated by an LED backlight with adjustable intensity and has a frame coverage of approximately 97% when used as a live viewfinder.

When not in use the color LCD can be turned to face inwards and closed against the back of the camera. It can also be closed facing outwards like other cameras with fixed LCD screens.

Note that either the EVF or LCD must be turned on as there is no conventional optical viewfinder, so if you like to carry the camera "powered up and ready" just set the Auto-Off value to 30s or 1m and let it go to sleep to save power. A quick tap of the shutter button wakes the camera up and it's ready to shoot in about three seconds.

Steve's Conclusion

Welcome to 2004, the year of the 8-megapixel consumer digicam. Sony were the first to market in 2003 with their 8-megapixel 7x optical Zoom DSC-F828. Joining Sony in 2004 are the 8-megapixel 7x zoom Canon Pro1, and the 8-megapixel 8x zoom Nikon Coolpix 8700, the subject of this review. The 8700 is the successor to Nikon's popular Coolpix 5700. In addition to its improved resolution, the 8700 has been upgraded with a larger and more resolute LCD monitor, a more resolute Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), and the addition of 12 scene modes and an AF assist illuminator. It's features and price are clearly aimed at the advanced amateur photographer, but beginners will enjoy the automatic and scene modes that provide point-n-shoot simplicity.

The Coolpix 8700 will please the advanced photographer with its full-featured exposure system. Exposure modes include Shutter-priority Auto with settings ranging of 8 seconds to 1/4000 second, Aperture-priority Auto with settings ranging from f2.8-8.0, Programmed Auto, and Manual Mode. Programmed Auto offers a program shift function, allowing the photographer to select different combinations of shutter speed and aperture by rotating the command dial; the camera maintains the correct exposure while displaying the selected aperture/shutter speed combination in the viewfinder. Flexible Program, Nikon's name for this feature, provides a convenient way for the photographer to exercise creative control of aperture and shutter speed, while avoiding the possibility of selecting value for either parameter that would result in over or under exposure. Manual exposure mode offers independent control of both shutter speed and aperture; it assists the photographer with choosing appropriate settings by displaying a bar graph of over/under exposure in the viewfinder. In addition, Manual exposure mode allows timed long exposures of between 30 seconds and 10 minutes, and untimed exposures of up to 10 minutes in Bulb release mode. There is a shutter-speed gap between the maximum 8 seconds available in Shutter-priority and Manual and the minimum 30 seconds available in Bulb.

In any mode other than Automatic or Scene, a rich set of exposure controls can be used. ISO settings of 50, 100, 200 and 400 are available, but you'll prefer to use the low-end of that range. The noise at ISO 400 is unacceptable even at fast shutter speeds. The noise at ISO 200 is noticeable, and at ISO 100 it's detectable. The 8700 provides a choice of metering modes, including Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot and Spot linked to AF-area. The Coolpix 8700 has a new function in its Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature, Exposure BSS. In this mode, the camera takes a sequence of 5 shots while varying the exposure, saving only the one with the smallest area of overexposure (Highlight BSS), smallest area of underexposure (Shadow BSS), or with the least combined under and over exposure (Histogram BSS). This feature can be thought of as automated exposure bracketing, saving CF memory card space and your time spent reviewing bracketed shots and selecting the best one. Rounding out the set of exposure controls are Exposure compensation (+/- 2 EV in 1/3 EV steps), White Balance Bracketing, manual White Balance settings, and Exposure Bracketing. The 8700 also offers a rich set of in-camera image processing functions, including adjustments for contrast, saturation, image sharpening. There is also a Noise Reduction feature that effectively eliminates noise from long exposures.

The 8700's advanced exposure modes and controls are accessed in either of two shooting modes: Custom 1 and Custom 2. The camera stores changes to settings you've made in each of these modes, and recalls those settings the next time that mode is selected. This makes it possible for you to create two sets of custom settings and recall either one as needed, speeding your camera setup time.

The Coolpix 8700's shooting performance is quite good. From power-on until the first shot was captured measured just over 4 seconds, while it took 3.5 seconds to wake the camera from power-saving sleep mode and capture the first shot. Shutter lag, the elapsed time between depressing the shutter and capturing an image, measured 2/10 second when pre-focused and 5/10 second including autofocus time. Responsiveness can be improved by about 1/10 second by turning on Quick response, found in the Monitor Options in the Setup menu; this setting helps overcome the delay in presenting the live image on either of the 8700's LCD or EVF viewfinders. In Single shot mode, the 8700 captured 8-megapixel Fine images at the rate of one every 2.5 seconds without flash; with flash, the shot-to-shot rate was one every 2.8 to 5 seconds, depending on the distance to the subject. Shot-to-shot performance slows to one shot every 8 seconds when recording RAW images, and one shot every 18 seconds with HI (TIFF) images. This is not surprising when you consider the size of the NEF (12-megabytes) and TIFF (23-megabyte) files.

The Coolpix 8700 has several Continuous shooting modes. In Continuous H, the 8700 captured 5 images in 2 seconds, then after a delay of 7 seconds continued to capture images at a rate of one every 3.7 seconds. The viewfinder blanks during Continuous H image capture, so you will be unable to follow a moving subject in this mode. In Continuous L, the 8700 captured 12 shots in 11 seconds, then continued at a rate of one shot every 7.5 seconds. In this mode, the viewfinder briefly displays the last captured image, helping you to follow a moving subject. While the long telephoto zoom lens and fast continuous capture rate beg to be used for sports shooting, the limitations of the 8700's LCD and EVF prevent you from seeing a live viewfinder image during continuous image capture. The use of any Continuous shooting mode prevents recording HI (TIFF) or RAW images; the best quality available is Fine. Performance measurements were made while using a Transcend 45X CF card, shooting 8-megapixel images in Fine quality.

While the 8700's Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) has its limitations in Continuous shooting mode, you'll enjoy using it in Single-shot or Movie mode. Nikon increased its resolution over the predecessor 5700 version, offering 235,000 pixels versus the 5700's 180,000. While you won't mistake it for an optical viewfinder, its resolution, brightness, and refresh rate make it quite easy to view. Camera settings and exposure information can be seen along with the live image, allowing you to keep your eye at the viewfinder while you make exposure changes. It is as fully-functional as the LCD viewfinder, but easier to use when following a moving subject. The large 1.8" LCD viewfinder is equipped with a very good anti-reflective coating and brightness/hue controls; it is very easy to view outdoors in bright sunlight. Both the LCD and EVF brighten, or "gain-up", in low ambient light, allowing you to compose shots in dimly-lit interiors.

The 8x Zoom-Nikkor is an excellent piece of glass and gives the user a versatile range of focal lengths from moderate wide angle to super-telephoto, 35mm to 280mm in 35mm-equivalence. I was quite impressed with the color rendition and sharpness of this lens; it is excellent. The 8700 continues the Coolpix tradition of excellent macro performance; it focuses as close as 1.2-inches. The motorized zoom is quick, taking only 2 seconds to go from W to T, but it has a very audible high-pitched whirring sound. The zoom motor is very responsive and offers a nearly-continuous zoom range; I counted about 30 steps between the wide angle and telephoto extremes, more than adequate for shot composition. There's a menu option to set the zoom speed but I could not detect a difference between high or low speed. There is only a slight amount of Chromatic Aberration (purple fringing) present in high-contrast areas at wide angle; CA is nearly absent at telephoto. There is also noticeable barrel distortion at full wide angle and a bit of pin cushioning at the telephoto end of the zoom range.

The 8700's autofocus system complements the lens nicely in producing sharp images. Settings are available to select one of the 5 AF areas for focusing, or the camera can automatically choose the AF area containing the subject closest to the camera. The AF system worked very well outdoors in bright sunlight. The 8700 is equipped with a focus-assist lamp that improves autofocus performance in dim lighting; it was very effective at the wide angle end of the zoom range where the variable aperture lens is at its fastest. Autofocus performance drops off in low ambient lighting at moderate to telephoto focal lengths where the aperture is slower; it frequently hunts for focus through its entire range, and sometimes fails to focus. The 8700 can also be focused manually, but it offers no graduated distance scale, and it fails to magnify the live viewfinder image so that critical focus can be observed.

The 8700's controls are ergonomically located with the exception of the four control buttons located on the left side of the lens barrel. In normal use your left hand is "palm up" with your thumb resting near these controls. It's far too easy to inadvertently push a button and change something without knowing it. Most of us are concentrating on framing the subject, not monitoring the information status displayed in the EVF. My thumb came to rest on the "Size" button and more than once I found myself on the wrong quality setting. A simple "lock out" control over these buttons could easily prevent this from happening. The Coolpix 8700's data LCD can be illuminated, allowing it to be used at night. The zoom control is well-placed for operating comfortably with your right thumb. The Vari-angle LCD can be placed in virtually any position, allowing you to shoot from overhead, waist or ground-level, and even facing forward for self-portraits.

Power is provided by Nikon's EN-EL1, a 7.4v 680mA lithium rechargeable pack. The 8700 managed to capture an average of 160 shots before exhausting its battery, including a lot of time spent testing and exploring the camera's menu system. Your use of the internal flash, continuous-AF, and motorized zoom will determine battery life. An extra EN-EL1 would be a very wise first purchase and is highly recommended. The EN-EL1 battery pack is charged outside of the camera with the supplied MH-53 charger. This small and compact (100-240 VAC) charger can fully replenish a depleted pack in about 120 minutes. The 8700 can also be powered by a one-use 2CR5 lithium battery but using this type of battery frequently can get quite expensive. I do recommend carrying one in your gadget bag for emergency use though. Nikon offers the optional ($169.95) MB-E5700 battery pack/handgrip that uses six 1.5v (AA) batteries. In addition to supplying more power, it provides a portrait mode shutter release and grip. It gives you more camera to hold onto which is especially handy when using an external speedlight or an add-on lens. And finally you can use the DC IN plug to connect an external battery pack like the MahaPowerBank which provides a lightweight power source with 2-3 times the capacity of the EN-EL1.

Indoor shooting is limited by the range of the built-in speedlight (13.5 feet at wide angle) and the limited field of view produced by the 35mm focal length of the lens at its widest setting. As a result, the 8700's indoor sweet spot is portraits of moderate-sized groups, and shots of small rooms; you won't be able to capture a banquet hall with the 8700's standard equipment. If your indoor shooting needs exceed the 8700's abilities, the addition of Nikon's WC-E80 wide angle converter will increase field of view and the attachment of an external speedlight to the built-in hot shoe will increase flash power. Unfortunately, the 8700 does not exploit the motorized zoom or focus-assist lamp features of Nikon's own external speedlights. The 8700's internal flash must be popped-up to use an external speedlight, both for its focus-assist lamp and because its sensor (located next to the flash tube) is used to control the external flash's output.

Image quality is always the bottom line, and the 8700 provides few disappointments. As I've already discussed, there's some lens distortion at wide angle and telephoto, purple-fringing in high-contrast areas, and noise present at higher ISO's. But sharpness and color saturation are excellent, and it's 8-megapixel images will produce prints as large as 20x30 inches.

But in a world where most digital images are viewed on-screen or printed at 4x6 inches, are 8-megapixel images really necessary? Is the megapixel marketing war improving our enjoyment of photography, or simply selling more high capacity memory cards? I like to draw an analogy to film; stepping-up to a higher resolution digicam is similar to increasing the format in film cameras. You never know when you'll need the extra resolution for that big print, or, more likely, need to do a massive crop to enlarge a small portion of the original image. In this case more is better, especially when the cost of today's 8-megapixel digicam is less than its 5-megapixel predecessor when it was introduced.

And what of the seemingly shrinking difference between the high-end 8-megapixel prosumerdigicam and the low-end digital SLR? If it's features you crave, the family-friendly prosumerdigicam like the 8700 is your answer; you'll not find a dSLR with the 8700's smooth VGA-sized 30fps movies, built-in macro capability, Best Shot Selector, or flexible vari-angle LCD viewfinder. But the 8700's feature advantages have less value if you need the versatility of interchangeable lenses, dSLR shooting performance, an optical thru-the-lens viewfinder and superior image quality (especially at high ISO).

The Nikon Coolpix 8700 is a worthy competitor in the prosumerdigicam market. Its features are rich and the image quality excellent. A beginner will get terrific results in automatic mode, while the advanced photographer will be able to push the envelope; it's a camera that will grow your photographic skills. Please have a look at our sample images, some having comparables taken under identical conditions with the Sony DSC-F828 and the Canon Pro1.

 

Nikon Coolpix 8700	Specifications
General
Model Name:	Nikon Coolpix 8700
Model Number:	8700
Camera Format:	Compact
Currently Manufactured:	No
Retail Price:	$999.00
Street Price:
Price Update Date:	2/7/2007
Date Available:	3/31/2003
Remote Control:	Yes
Remote Control Type:	MC-EU1 remote cord
Tripod Mount:	Yes
Tripod Mount Material:	Metal
Operating System:	Windows, MacOS
Weight:	16.9 oz (480 g)
Weight With Batteries?
Size:	4.4 x 4.1 x 3.1 in.
	(113 x 105 x 78 mm)
Warranty in Months:
Waterproof:	No
Image Capture
Image Resolution:	3264x2448, 2592x1944, 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 1280x960
Movie Resolution:	640x480, 320x240
Aspect Ratio:	4:3, 3:2
CCD Sensor (Megapixels):	8
CCD Size (inches):	2/3 inch
CCD Filter Type:
CCD Manufacturer:	Sony CCD
Focal Length Multiplier:
Movie Audio:	Yes
Quality Levels:
Lens
Focal Length (35mm equivalent):	35 - 280 mm
Zoom Ratio:	8.00x
Digital Zoom:	Yes
Digital Zoom Values:	Up to 4x
Auto Focus:	Yes
Auto Focus Type:	Contrast Detect TTL
Auto Focus Assist Light?	Yes
Auto Focus Min Illum:
Auto Focus Step:
Manual Focus:	Yes
Manual Focus Steps:
Normal Focus Range:	50 cm to Infinity
	20.4 in to Infinity
Macro Focus Range:	3 - 10000 cm
	1.2 - 4081.6 in
Min Macro Area:
Min Aperture:	f/8.0
Max Aperture:	f/2.8
Aperture Range Description:	f/2.8 (wide) / f/4.2 (tele) - f/8
Aperture Step Size:	0.33
Lens Thread:
Lens Thread Type:
Display
Optical Viewfinder:	Yes
Optical VF Type:	0.44" 235k pixel LCD
Optical VF Accuracy:
LCD Viewfinder:	Yes
LCD VF Accuracy:
LCD Size (inches):	1.8
LCD Resolution:	134,000 dots
OLED Screen:
Touchscreen:
Max Playback Zoom:	6
Exposure
ISO Settings:	50, 100, 200, 400
ISO Rating Max:	400
Number of White Balance Settings:	8
White Balance Settings:	Auto, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Speedlight, Shade, Preset
Manual White Balance:	Yes
Longest Shutter Time:	8
Shortest Shutter Time:	1/8000
ExpAdj Range:	2.0 EV
ExpAdj Step Size:	0.33 EV
Metering Modes:	256-segment matrix, center-weighted, spot
Spot Metering:	Yes
Aperture Priority:	Yes
Shutter Priority:	Yes
Full Manual Exposure:	Yes
Self Timer:	3 or 10
Flash
Internal Flash:	Yes
No of Flash Modes:	5
Flash Modes:	Auto Flash, Flash Cancel, Red-Eye Reduction, Anytime Flash, Night Portrait (Slow Sync Flash)
Flash Guide Number (Meters):
Flash Range Default ISO (meters):	4.1
Flash Range Description:	Approx. 1.6 - 13.5 ft. (0.5 - 4.1m) (W), approx. 1.6 - 8.9 ft. (0.5 - 2.7m) (T)
No of Flash "Pops":
Ext Flash:	Yes
Ext Flash Connection:	ISO hot shoe
Image Storage
Usable Memory Types:	CompactFlash Type 1, CompactFlash Type 2
Other Memory Types:	Microdrive
Memory Included (MB):
Uncompressed Format:	RAW, TIFF-RGB
CCD Raw Format:	Yes
Compressed Format:	JPEG
Movie File Format:	QuickTime MotionJPEG
Connectivity
Video Out:	Yes
Video Mode Switchable:	Yes
Video Usable as Viewfinder:
External Connections:	Serial, USB 1.1
Other Connection:	DC In
Included Software:	NikonView CD-ROM
OS Compatibility:	Windows, MacOS
Performance Timing
Startup Time:	4.680 seconds
Shutdown Time:	3.110 seconds
Play -> Record:	3.400 seconds
Record -> Play (max res):	4.600 seconds
Record -> Play (min res):
Shutter Lag (auto focus) WIDE:	0.380 seconds
Shutter Lag (auto focus) TELE:
Shutter Lag, Man. Focus:	0.360 seconds
Shutter Lag, Prefocus:	0.110 seconds
Cycle Time Uncompressed Format:	11.700 seconds
Cycle Time Max Res:	3.010 seconds
Cycle Time Min Res:	2.100 seconds
Buffer Frames, Max Res:
Continuous Mode Rate (Frames/Sec):	1.85
Movie Mode Rate (Frames/Sec):	30
Movie Sec @ Max Res:	35
Movie Sec @ Min Res:	180
Download speed, KB/second:	753
Power
Battery Form Factor:	Proprietary EN-EL1
Usable Battery Types:	Lithium Ion rechargeable
Batteries Included:	Proprietary EN-EL1 Lithium Ion rechargeable
Battery Charger Included:	Yes
More Information
Notes & Features:
Review URL:	Review
Test Shots URL:	Test Shots
Photo Gallery URL:
Device Forum URL:	Forum
Manufacturer URL:	Mfr. Website

Additional Reviews for the Nikon Coolpix 8700 digital camera are available online.

 

Nikon Coolpix 8700 8.0 MP 8.0x Optical Zoom with Nikkor ED optics Black Digital Camera is in very good cosmetic condition and very good functional condition with a 30-day money back seller guarantee and bundle of accessories. Cosmetically the exterior shows very few signs of wear Functionally the camera is in very good condition because all features have been tested and the camera is working properly The 1.8 inch color LCD display is in very good condition with a very small number of scratches or other blemishes and has a fully articulating 270°display. The camera lens is clean, dust and scratch free. The separate battery compartment and memory card compartment doors both fit tightly and close fully.  The photos taken with this camera meet the eBay photo requirements. Download your photos from the camera to your computer using the 512 MB CompactFlash CF Memory Card which has been tested and is included.