Nikon Coolpix P80 10.1 MP
18.0x Optical Zoom Lens UGC Black Seller Guarantee Accessories
This “Buy It Now”
auction is for one fully functional Nikon Coolpix P80 10.1 MP 18.0x Nikkor Optical
Zoom Lens 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 P80 Serial Number 30102415
·
8.0 GB Micro SDHC Memory Card
·
Adapter for Micro SD Memory Card
·
Genuine Nikon Nikon EN-EL5 Battery Pack
·
Genuine Nikon Travel Battery Charger MH-61 for
use with the Nikon EN-EL5 Battery Pack
·
USB Cable
·
Genuine Nikon Neck Strap
·
Black CaseLogic Adventura Ultra Zoom 100 Digital
Camera Case with a front flap with zipper closure that covers one primary
pocket, a second pocket on the back of the case with no closure, a hand grip
and a neck strap
·
Seller Guarantee as shown below
Electronic versions of the User's Manual and other documentation can be downloaded directly from Nikon’s support page.
Prospective buyers are encouraged to take a look at a PDF copy of the User's Manual online to learn more about this Nikon Coolpix P80 digital camera.
·
This Nikon Coolpix P80 black
digital camera is in good cosmetic condition and very good functional
condition.
·
Cosmetically the
exterior has an average number of 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.
·
This camera’s 2.7-inch color LCD
display is in good condition with an average number of small scratches but with
one noticeable scratch near the bottom center as shown in photos 19, 20 & 21.
·
This camera has an eye-level
electronic viewfinder (EVF) for use in framing your subject or when the LCD display
is washed out in bright sunlight. The “window” button to the left of the
viewfinder may be used to shift the image between the LCD display and the
viewfinder.
·
The camera lens has a
few noticeable scratches/dings both above and below the lens iris and a
few tiny points that are visible under magnification.
·
The battery/memory card
compartment door fits tightly and closes fully.
·
This camera works well
as a point and shoot unit.
·
The camera is easy to
use and a PDF copy of the User's Manual 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 either the 8.0 GB Micro SDHC
Memory Card with the enclosed adapter or other appropriate adapter or the USB
cable both of which have been tested and are included.
·
This camera comes from a
smoke-free and pet-free home.
Seller Guarantee
Buy With
Confidence.
Top rated eBay seller
with over 3950 transactions with 100% positive feedback.
Seller 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
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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
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· For this reason, all of my listings with used iPods and used digital
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BUYER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE
DESIRED SHIPPING ADDRESS
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· When packages are returned marked “Undeliverable
at this address,” “Attempted – Not Known,” “Unable to Forward,” “Return to
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item purchased but will not receive a refund on the original shipping charges.
Nikon Coolpix P80 Basic Features |
10-megapixel CCD delivers image resolutions as high as 3,648 x
2,736 pixels |
18x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 27-486mm zoom on a 35mm
camera |
As much as 4x digital zoom |
2.7-inch color LCD monitor |
Automatic, manual and partial manual exposure control modes |
Shutter speeds from 1/4,000 to 8 seconds, depending on exposure
mode |
Maximum aperture f/2.8-4.5, depending on zoom position, 10-step
range |
Built-in flash with six modes |
Dual function USB / AV jack for connection to a television or
computer |
Power from custom rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, charger
included |
Images stored in 50 MB internal memory or to SD/SDHC memory
cards (not included) |
Nikon Coolpix P80 Special Features |
Image Sensor Shift Vibration Reduction |
Adjustable AF area with 99-point manual selection, 9-point Auto,
and Face-Priority options |
15 preset Scene modes |
Movie mode with sound |
Audio recording mode |
256-segment Matrix, Center-weighted and Spot metering |
User adjustable white balance setting with seven modes,
including a manual option |
Sport Continuous, Continuous, Best Shot Selector and Multi-16
shooting modes |
ISO settings from 64 to 6,400 equivalents |
Auto Exposure Bracketing mode |
Interval (time-lapse) still and movie modes |
Distortion Control setting |
User adjustable contrast, saturation and sharpness, plus
Optimize Image menu |
D-Lighting editing option |
Nikon Coolpix P80 Review
from Imaging Resource
by Stephanie Boozer and Shawn Barnett
Review Date: 12/16/08
Overview
The
most notable feature on the Nikon Coolpix P80 is its impressive 18x optical
zoom lens, which covers a 35mm equivalent range of 27-486mm. That's a lot of
zoom for an MSRP of about $399. Billed by Nikon as the "world's most
compact super telephoto camera," the Coolpix P80 is indeed fairly small
considering its very large lens. It won't fit into a jeans pocket, but should
still fit into larger coat pockets and purses pretty well.
In
addition to its wow-inspiring zoom, the Coolpix P80 also offers 10 megapixels,
a full range of automatic and manual exposure control, and a healthy selection
of user adjustment tools; even a Distortion Control option for reducing lens
distortion at full wide-angle or telephoto.
A
selection of no less than 15 preset Scene modes covers a wide range of unique
conditions, and the user has control over important features such as White
Balance, Exposure Compensation, Color, ISO, and Metering as well. Standard
Nikon offerings such as D-Lighting and Face Priority AF are also included, as
well as a new Scene mode, Sports Continuous, for a whopping 13 frames per
second rate and a maximum 1/4,000-second shutter speed.
The
camera's large and bright 2.7-inch color LCD monitor is great for composing and
reviewing images, with accurate framing. With its full range of exposure
control available, the Coolpix P80 should be suitable for novices and more
advanced users alike.
Nikon Coolpix P80
User Report
by Stephanie Boozer
Though
a bit bulkier than the average consumer digital camera, the Nikon Coolpix P80's
extra girth comes mainly from its large 18x optical zoom lens, as the camera
body itself is actually quite compact. With an impressive zoom range equivalent
to a 27-486mm zoom on a 35mm camera, the Coolpix P80's slightly larger size
seems worth what you lose in pocketability. And though the camera's interface
appears simple and limited, don't mistake its minimal external controls for
minimal capabilities.
The
Coolpix P80 offers the full range of exposure control, from full automatic, to
partial manual, to full manual exposure modes. There are also 15 preset Scene
modes to choose from. Users have control over a wide range of ISO settings, as
well as AF area (including a 99-point manual selection), white balance,
metering, color, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and a handful of other useful
shooting tools.
Thus,
given its offerings, the Coolpix P80 is actually quite a compact little number,
and small enough for Nikon to boast its being the most compact super-telephoto
digital camera currently on the market.
The
Nikon P80's 18x optical zoom lens offers a very wide maximum wide-angle setting
at 27mm, with available Distortion Control to counteract any strong barrel
distortion that might occur. An Optical Vibration Reduction setting helps
reduce any slight blurring from camera movement when shooting at full telephoto
or with the full 4x digital zoom enabled, featuring a sensor-shift design.
Post-capture image correction tools such as D-Lighting (to correct dark or
backlit images) and Red-Eye Fix help with common exposure problems, and options
like Face-Priority AF and Sport Continuous mode ensure you get the best results
in portrait and action shots. Unfortunately, there's insufficient compensation
for the impressively strong chromatic aberration.
Look and feel. Though the Coolpix
P80 definitely is not a contender for an evening bag or front jeans pocket, it
is still actually quite compact despite its large 18x optical zoom lens.
Measuring 4.3 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches (110 x 79 x 78 millimeters) and weighing about
13.9 ounces (395 grams), the Coolpix P80 is on the heftier side in terms of
weight; however, most of that heft comes from the camera's long lens. The
Coolpix P80's body style is reminiscent of a digital SLR, though on a much
smaller scale, and should still fit well into larger coat pockets, purses, and
backpacks. To help you balance out the weight of the lens, the Coolpix P80
features a well-defined handgrip, ensuring you have a firm hold on the camera
when shooting one-handed. There's also a nice, rubbery thumbrest on the rear
panel that helps keep your thumb securely in place.
The
Coolpix P80 actually features only a few external controls, and most of them
are within easy reach when shooting one-handed. Only the Monitor button and
optical viewfinder diopter adjustment dial are on the far left side of the rear
panel, but the remaining, more frequently accessed controls are all clustered
on the right side of the rear and top panels.
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 features a large, 2.7-inch color LCD monitor, which is bright
and clear. It does have quite a shiny surface, which can make framing in bright
sunlight a little more difficult due to reflections. Shiny surfaces like this
are also easily smudged by fingerprints, and do show small scratches, so you'll
want to keep that in mind while traveling.
The
Coolpix P80 also features an electronic optical viewfinder, and the Monitor
button in the top left corner of the rear panel controls where the viewfinder
display appears. Both viewfinders were quite accurate, showing about 102% frame
accuracy at wide angle, and about 99% at telephoto. A Display button just above
the top right corner of the larger LCD monitor controls the information
overlay, and also activates a framing alignment grid. The Setup menu offers a
brightness adjustment, to help compensate under very sunny conditions.
The
Nikon Coolpix P80's 18x lens covers a range equivalent to a 27-486mm zoom on a
35mm camera. With a maximum wide-angle setting of 27mm and an 18x optical zoom,
you get a lot of flexibility with the P80's lens. To combat minor blurring from
slight camera movement at full telephoto and digital zoom, Nikon included
Optical VR (Vibration Reduction) image stabilization technology, featuring a
true sensor-shift design for the best results.
Unfortunately,
all that optical technology is wasted on the sensor inside the Nikon P80. The
shots above were taken on a fairly overcast day, so exposure isn't at its best,
but what's quite telling is just how little fine detail is maintained in the
grass. Indeed, where it should be a sharp blade, it's a fuzzy mess in most places.
The 4x digital zoom is really quite bad, more resembling a watercolor painting
than a photograph. Click on the thumbnails for a closer look.
Interface. Finding your way
around the Coolpix P80 shouldn't be a problem for most users, as the camera has
only a few external controls and its menu system is straightforward as well. A
large Mode dial on top of the Nikon P80 controls the main exposure mode, and
the Multi-controller on the rear panel accesses main adjustments for flash,
self-timer, exposure compensation, and macro mode, and also navigates the menu
screens. There's also a Command dial at the top right of the rear panel, which
quickly adjusts shutter speed or aperture, depending on the exposure mode. A
Zoom lever circles the Shutter button, and features a substantial protrusion on
its front to help adjust the optical and digital zoom. A Playback button on the
rear panel takes you directly into Playback mode, and you can easily return to
shooting mode by half-pressing the Shutter button.
Remaining
exposure tools and settings are accessed through the Menu system, activated by
a press of the Menu button on the rear panel. The Coolpix P80's menu system is
merely a list of available options, and the up and down arrows of the
Multi-controller scroll through the list. Pressing the right arrow on any
option pulls up the available settings, and you can back out with the left
arrow or by pressing the Menu button again. The Setup menu is not accessible
from the other menu screens, however, but only by turning the Mode dial to the
Setup position. While the Coolpix P80 may borrow its looks from more advanced
digital SLRs, camera operation is just as straightforward as any
point-and-shoot. It shouldn't take most users very long to get the gist of
things.
Modes. The Nikon Coolpix P80 offers the full
range of exposure control, with the Mode dial on top of the camera offering
Auto, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Movie, Scene,
and Sport Continuous modes, as well as a Setup position. The full Auto mode
puts the camera in charge of just about every exposure decision, though the
user can alter focus mode and exposure compensation, as well as enable the
flash and self-timer. The remaining manual and partial manual modes offer
varying levels of exposure control, though all camera functions become
available to the user. Depending on the exposure mode, the Coolpix P80's
shutter speed ranges from 1/2,000 to 8 seconds. Apertures range from f/2.8 to
f/8.0, depending on the zoom position. The Command dial in the top right of the
rear panel adjusts the exposure settings, and in Manual mode, the EV
Compensation button selects whether the dial controls shutter speed or
aperture. In Program AE mode, the Command dial lets you cycle through a range
of exposure settings, so you can bias the exposure toward aperture or shutter
speed. If you're uncertain about the exposure, the P80's Auto Exposure
Bracketing mode captures a series of images at different exposures, and saves
them all to the memory card.
The
Sports Continuous mode on the Mode dial offers a much faster maximum shutter
speed–as high as
1/4,000-second–to freeze fast-moving
action. (The slowest speed in this mode is 1/15-second.) Thus, the Coolpix P80
should have no trouble with sporting events, bicycle races, running children,
etc. The Scene position of the Mode dial offers 15 preset shooting modes, which
include Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset,
Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Backlight,
Panorama Assist, and Voice Recording. Each mode optimizes the camera for
special shooting situations, adjusting exposure, white balance, flash, and
focus mode to get the best results.
In
addition to the Coolpix P80's Sports Continuous mode on the Mode dial, the
camera also offers standard Continuous Shooting, as well as Best Shot Selector,
Multi-shot 16, and Interval Shooting modes. Continuous mode captures as many as
nine consecutive images at a maximum of 1.1 frames per second at the normal
image quality setting. (In our testing, we measured a frame rate of about 1.18
frames per second for large/fine JPEGs, but only for five images at the higher
quality.) BSS mode captures as many as 10 images, then automatically selects
and saves the sharpest image -- an excellent idea when trying to photograph
kids. Multi-shot 16 snaps 16 thumbnail frames in one press of the Shutter
button and arranges them in a single image (2,590 x 1,944 pixels). Interval
Shooting mode is similar to time-lapse photography, as the camera can
automatically record up to 1,800 frames over a period of preset intervals
ranging from 30 seconds to 60 minutes.
The
Coolpix P80 also has a wide range of options under its Movie mode. The Movie
menu offers a range of resolution settings, as well as options for Time-lapse
Movies, Sepia Movie, and Black and White Movie. You can choose from 640 x 480
or 320 x 240-pixel resolutions. The larger resolution setting records at 30
frames per second by default, but you can opt for 15fps as well. All movies are
recorded with sound, with the exception of Time-lapse Movie, which records
still images at specified intervals, then joins those together into a silent
movie. Also under the Movie menu, you can choose Single or Continuous AF modes,
or enable Electronic Vibration Reduction.
Special Features
The
Coolpix P80 features Nikon's D-Lighting adjustment, which enhances contrast and
brightness in dark images. Accessed through the Playback menu as a post-capture
editing tool, D-Lighting comes in quite handy when you've snapped a portrait in
less than ideal conditions, and forgot to switch over to one of the scene modes
or didn't have a tripod around for a longer exposure.
The
Coolpix P80 has Face-Priority technology for better results in both focus and
exposure when shooting portraits. Automatically enabled in any of the P80's
portrait modes, Face-Priority seeks out the face (or faces) in the image and
bases focus and exposure on that portion of the frame. You can also choose
Face-Priority as an AF Area mode through the camera menu. In this mode, the
camera places a yellow border around any detected face or faces, and can detect
as many as 12 faces in a frame. If you have multiple faces, focus is based on
the one closest to the camera.
Mentioned
under the Coolpix P80's Scene offerings, Panorama Assist mode lets you capture
a series of images to be joined together post-capture as one panoramic shot.
Framing guidelines appear on the LCD display to help you line up each image,
and the included software (Panorama Maker) provides the utility for joining the
images.
Storage and battery. The Coolpix P80 uses
a custom rechargeable lithium-ion battery for power, and comes with a charger.
A separate AC adaptor is available as an optional accessory, and might be
useful for more time consuming tasks like downloading images or utilizing the
camera's Playback editing functions or when shooting in Interval Shooting mode.
According to CIPA standard testing conducted by Nikon, a fully-charged battery
will capture about 250 frames, which is about average for this type of battery.
As always, we recommend picking up an additional battery and keeping it
freshly-charged and on-hand for longer outings.
For
image storage, the camera offers about 50MB of internal memory, but also has an
SD card slot. No card comes with the camera, however. The internal memory will
hold about 10 full resolution images, or about 252 of the lowest resolution.
(Compare this to about 50 full resolution files on a 256MB memory card.) For
movies, the internal memory can hold about 45 seconds of the highest resolution
setting, though a 256MB card can hold about 3 minutes, 40 seconds. Thus, you
definitely have some flexibility to grab images with the camera straight out of
the box, but I'd recommend picking up a large capacity SDHC/SD memory card
pretty quickly so you don't get caught trying to erase files to make room for
new ones on the spot.
Shooting. The Coolpix P80 was
an easy camera to get to know. Zoom speed through the optical zoom range was
pretty good and fluid, though zooming past full telephoto and into digital zoom
was a bit sluggish. Overall timings were fast to just a little slower than
average, depending on the task at hand. Shutter lag was very good, but cycle
times were just a little slow (2.64 seconds for large/fine JPEGs), though keep
in mind that larger file sizes do play a part here. AF performance seemed
pretty good as well, though I did get some blurry images when shooting at full
telephoto without the Vibration Reduction setting enabled, even in bright daylight
while using a dock piling as a tripod. This isn't too surprising, considering
the Coolpix P80's maximum 486mm equivalent telephoto setting.
The LCD
monitor was fairly bright out in the sunshine. However, as with most LCD
monitors with a shiny surface, reflections do make it a little more difficult
to see tiny details in the frame, and I found I needed to shield the display
with my hand to more accurately see what I had in the frame. For image review,
the LCD monitor was bright enough, and I found it to be fairly close to what I
saw on my computer screen after downloading images.
Overall,
I enjoyed shooting with the Coolpix P80. I appreciated the camera's substantial
hand grip, as well as its compact size, which made it easy to tote just about
anywhere. I found the control layout easy to navigate, and the LCD menu system
equally quick to learn. But a camera is more than its utility.
Image quality
Appraisal. Overall, the Nikon
Coolpix P80 does not perform up to the standard of the average $400 long-zoom
digital camera. Exposure and color are generally good, but with low detail and
sharpening artifacts mixed in with overaggressive noise suppression, even at
the lowest ISOs. Color was punchy, and the 18x optical zoom does get you in
nice and close, but at the cost of significant chromatic aberration across the
frame that blurs detail and surrounds your subjects with a blue and red halo.
Barrel distortion at wide-angle was high, but the camera's Distortion Control
setting controls it well, overcorrecting just slightly. The Nikon Coolpix P80's
printed results tell the majority of the story, though, with chroma noise in
the shadows even at ISO 64, and though printed results are decent at 11x14,
we've come to expect more from modern digital cameras. Higher ISOs actually
look better by comparison, as you expect them to be softened by noise
suppression. ISO 400 shots look decent at 8x10, but not as good as we'd like.
So while performance is good in terms of speed and usability is decent, the
Nikon P80 doesn't quite produce the image quality we like to see.
Nikon Coolpix P80 Conclusion
Nikon Coolpix P80 Pros |
18x optical zoom |
Compact size for a long zoom |
Full range of exposure control modes, plus nice selection of
preset Scene modes |
Very good overall color and exposure |
Large 2.7-inch LCD monitor |
Face-Priority AF mode |
Vibration Reduction reduces blurring |
D-Lighting helps with backlit images |
High ISOs to 6,400 |
Distortion Control handles lens distortion very well |
Good Macro mode |
Good viewfinder accuracy |
Excellent prefocus shutter lag |
Nikon Coolpix P80 Cons |
All ISO settings trade detail for noise reduction |
Strong blurring in the corners from lens at close range |
Very soft detail definition |
High contrast under harsh lighting in normal auto exposure mode |
Chromatic aberration across the frame |
Chromatic aberration moderately strong and bright in the corners |
High barrel distortion (though Distortion Control corrects most
of it) |
High pincushion distortion |
Auto white balance renders incandescent lighting slightly warm |
Mediocre low-light performance |
Slow startup |
Very slow download speeds |
Though a bit larger than most compact consumer digital
cameras, the Nikon Coolpix P80 is actually quite compact given its very large
18x optical zoom lens. The slightly larger camera body allows for a good hand
grip to balance out the weight of the lens, but the camera remains very
portable. The Coolpix P80 performed well in terms of timing and utility, and
offers an excellent range of exposure modes and shooting options to accommodate
a wide range of user experience levels. But image quality left something to be
desired. The Nikon P80's 18x optical zoom lens covers a 35mm equivalent range
of 27-486mm, which is good, but the high chromatic aberration across the frame
is a difficult compromise to accept. The Nikon Coolpix P80 was enjoyable to
use, but its images were a disappointment. If you're not printing larger than
8x10, the Nikon P80 will still work fine up to ISO 400, but there are better
long zoom digital cameras on the market.
from PhotographyBLOG
Review Date: June 11th 2008
Author: Mark Goldstein
Overall Rating 4
STARS (out of 5) Recommended
Introduction
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 is the first ever "super-zoom" compact camera from
Nikon, with its 18x zoom lens providing a massive focal range of 27-485mm. The
Nikon P80 can easily cope with everything from wide-angle landscapes and
close-up buildings, head and shoulder portraits, sports and even wildlife and
bird photography, all from a discrete camera that weighs less than 400g and can
fit inside a small bag. The Coolpix P80’s lens features Nikon’s VR (Vibration
Reduction) image stabilisation system to help ensure that the majority of
photos are sharp and don't suffer from camera-shake. In addition to the impressive
optical technology on offer, there's also a 2.7 inch LCD screen and electronic
viewfinder for image composition, a complete range of exposure controls with
Auto, Program, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority and full Manual mode, and an
extensive ISO range of 64-6400. The Nikon P80 is up against some tough
competition from the likes of Olympus, Fujifilm and Panasonic, who all released
comparable models over a year ago, so can the latecomer gate-crash the party?
Ease of Use
At
first glance the Nikon Coolpix P80 looks pretty much like a true digital SLR
camera, with a chunky, rubberised handgrip, large lens barrel, pop-up flash and
eye-level viewfinder. If you lined it up alongside DSLRs like Nikon's own D60,
the Canon Digital EOS 450D and Sony A200, you would be hard pushed to spot the
odd camera out, which is exactly what Nikon are aiming for. Indeed, the Olympus
E-420 DSLR that we recently reviewed is actually a little bit smaller than the
P80! All is revealed only when you look at the back of the P80 when it is
turned on and see the LCD screen showing a live preview of the scene (something
which many recent DSLR cameras can now do as well), or if you hold it up to
your eye and look through the electronic viewfinder. Also the 18x fixed zoom
also doesn't have the zoom or focus rings that you'll find on a DSLR lens. In
terms of the direct competition, the P80's build quality surpasses the Olympus
SP-570 UZ and Panasonic DMC-FZ18, and is on a par with the Fujifilm S8100fd. If
we're being picky, there's a little bit of flex in the all-plastic body, but
it's certainly a lot better built than the competitive $299 / $399 price-tag
might suggest.
The
huge 18x zoom lens obviously makes the Nikon Coolpix P80 one of the most
versatile compacts in terms of focal range. The 27-486mm focal length should
handle most photographic possibilities, with the exception of ultra wide-angle
shots. The P80’s lens is
impressively fast, with maximum apertures of f/2.8 at 27mm and f/4.5 at 486mm,
although don’t expect to achieve DSLR-like
blurred backgrounds due to the comparatively small sensor. Nikon’s engineers have also
provided a 1cm macro mode, so there really is very little that the P80 can’t cope with. There’s no need to carry
round a bagful of heavy lenses as with a DSLR system, and because the lens is
fixed, there’s little danger of
unwanted dust getting onto the sensor.
Thankfully
Nikon have included their VR (Vibration Reduction) image stabilisation system
to help prevent camera-shake, an essential feature on a camera like this,
although annoyingly there isn't a dedicated button to turn it on and off (you
have to turn the Mode Dial to Setup and then scroll through the menu system).
In practice I found that the VR system makes a noticeable difference to the
sharpness of the images, as shown in the examples on the Image Quality page.
You can hear a slight mechanical whirring noise when anti-shake is turned on,
but otherwise you don't really notice it, except that that you can use slower
shutter speeds than normal and still take sharp photos. Thankfully leaving the
anti-shake system on didn't negatively affect the battery-life, with the camera
managing around 225 shots using the supplied Lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
There
are two different way of composing images with the Nikon Coolpix P80. As with
the rest of the super-zoom competition, the P80 has an electronic viewfinder
(EVF), with a resolution of 230,000 pixels. As this camera has largely been
designed to replicate a DSLR, it means that you will invariably compose your
images by holding the camera up to your eye. I found that while the P80's EVF
is one of the better examples around, it doesn't keep up with the eye quite as
quickly or precisely as an optical viewfinder, and it wasn't as comfortable to
use as the Fujifilm S8000fd. On the plus side, you get a lot more visual
feedback via the EVF than on most optical viewfinders, it offers 97% scene
coverage and dioptre adjustment, and you can also playback your images on it if
you so wish! I still much prefer a traditional, good quality optical viewfinder
though, and this would be one of the main reasons for opting for a true DSLR
instead of the Nikon Coolpix P80. The 2.7 inch LCD monitor on the back of the
camera offers the same specification of 230,000 pixels resolution and 97% scene
coverage, with five levels of brightness, anti-reflection coating, wide viewing
angle on offer. A button next to the electronic viewfinder switches between the
EVF and LCD screen.
There
aren't too many external controls and buttons (13 in total) on the Coolpix P80,
reflecting the fact that this is a camera in the mould of an entry-level DSLR.
There's a traditional dial on the top that lets you select the different
shooting modes, which is a typical feature of SLR cameras, and it enables you to
quickly change between the various modes. The Nikon Coolpix P80 offers a range
of advanced modes including shutter-priority, aperture-priority and manual,
perfect for the photographer who wants to take full control. The Movie and
various Scene modes for beginners are also accessed via this dial, along with
the Setup menu. The latter feature is a rather annoying design flaw which
spoils the otherwise well-designed menu system. The P80’s menu system uses a
very clear icon-based system with 5 options shown onscreen at once, but Nikon
have decided to split it in two, with the Menu button accessing the Shooting
menu, and the mode dial option opening the Setup menu. I found myself
constantly having to turn the mode dial round just to turn Vibration Reduction
on and off, for example. It would have made much more sense to combine the
Shooting and Setup menus in one, as there really aren't that many options
anyway.
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 isn’t as versatile as a
true DSLR camera in terms of its key specifications, with a limiting maximum
shutter speed of 8 seconds and aperture range of f/2.8-8.0. There is a
well-positioned control dial on the rear which makes it easy to change the
aperture and shutter speed, but there’s no second dial on the hand-grip which would
have made operating Manual mode much easier. The general layout of the P80 will
appeal to beginners more than experienced photographers with an uncluttered
approach that won’t scare anyone off,
but no dedicated controls for settings like ISO speed and white balance means
having to spend time scrolling through the menu system. The P80 has an SD
compatible memory card slot, allowing the use of either SD or SDHC cards, and
there's also 52MB of internal memory, which can store 10 images at the highest
quality level. If you have never used a digital camera before, or you're
upgrading from a more basic model, reading the well-written and easy-to-follow
manual before you start is a good idea. Thankfully Nikon have bucked the recent
trend of not providing hard-copy manuals by supplying it in printed format.
There are a few interesting features that help the Nikon Coolpix P80 stand-out from the increasingly crowded super-zoom space. Distortion control automatically corrects barrel distortion, useful for all those 27mm shots of close-up architecture with converging verticals, but it does have to be turned on before you take a picture. Face-priority Autofocus can detect up to 12 faces in a scene just so long as they're looking directly at the camera, whilst In-Camera Red-Eye Fix automatically processes the picture to remove red-eye. D-Lighting is a long-standing Nikon technology that brightens the shadow areas of an image, although on the P80 it can only be applied to an image after it has been taken, via the Playback menu. Finally the Optimize image option allows you to tweak the look and feel of your images, with 6 presets and a Custom option on offer. The contrast, saturation and sharpening level of each preset can be individually adjusted too, so you should be able to find a setting that suits you.
The
start-up time from turning the Nikon Coolpix P80 on to being ready to take a
photo is quick at less than 2 seconds, whilst zooming from the widest focal
length to the longest takes around 4 seconds, understandable given the huge
focal length on offer. Focusing is quick in good light and the camera achieves
focus most of the time indoors or in low-light situations, helped by a powerful
focus-assist lamp. The visibility, resolution and refresh rate of both the 2.7
inch LCD screen and the electronic viewfinder (EVF) are good. Using the single
shot mode, it takes about 2 seconds to store a JPEG image, but there is a brief
LCD blackout between each image during which you can't take another shot. In
the Continuous shooting mode the camera takes just 1 frame per second at the
highest image quality, limited to 9 frames, which is below average for this
class of camera. There is also a Multi-shot 16 mode that takes 16 photos at 1.1
frames per second and arranges them into a single image, plus an Interval timer
shooting mode, which is useful for things like astrophotography. Nikon are also
heavily pushing their new Sports Continuous Scene Mode, which for shoots at
13fps for up to 30 frames, but it only works only when you set the resolution
to 3 megapixels or lower.
Once
you have captured a photo, the Nikon Coolpix P80 has quite a good range of
options when it comes to playing, reviewing and managing your images. You can
instantly scroll through the images that you have taken, view thumbnails (up to
16 onscreen at the same time), zoom in and out up to 10x magnification, apply
D-Lighting, set the print order, view a slide show, delete, protect, rotate,
hide and copy an image, plus create a smaller version and add a black border.
The Display button toggles between various views, including showing detailed
settings information about each picture, such as the ISO rating and
aperture/shutter speed, and a brightness-based histogram.
In
summary the Nikon Coolpix P80 effectively combines the main benefits of the
DSLR and compact camera systems, and appeals to both beginners and the more
experienced photographer alike.
Image Quality
All of
the sample images in this Review were taken using the 10 megapixel JPEG
setting, which gives an average image size of around 3Mb.
Noise
There
are 9 ISO settings available on the Nikon Coolpix P80. Note that the image
resolution is reduced to 3 megapixels for ISO 3200 and 6400. There is no
discernible noise at the slowest settings of ISO 64 and 100, as you would expect,
but at ISO 200 noise is already appearing. By ISO 400 it is very obvious,
together with coloured artifacts and blurring of detail. ISO 800 is for
emergency use only, whilst ISO 1600 and 2000 are virtually unusable. Here are
some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:
Sharpening
Here
are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The
right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the
camera images are a little bit soft at the default sharpening setting, and
benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can
also change the in-camera sharpening levels using the Optimize Image setting if
you don't like the default results.
File Quality
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 has 3 different image quality settings available, with Fine
being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the
quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.
Chromatic Aberrations
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 handled chromatic aberrations fairly well during the review.
Some purple fringing was present around the edges of objects in high-contrast
situations, as shown in the examples below.
Macro
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 offers a Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject
that is just 1cm away from the camera. The first image shows how close you can
get to the subject in Macro mode (in this case a compact flash card). The
second image is a 100% crop.
Flash
The
flash settings on the Nikon Coolpix P80 are Auto, Auto + Red-Eye reduction,
Off, Fill Flash, Slow sync and Rear-curtain sync. These shots of a white
coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
Night Shot
The
Nikon Coolpix P80's maximum shutter speed is 8 seconds, which is fairly good
news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was
taken using a shutter speed of 8 seconds, aperture of f/4.5 at ISO 100. I've
included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.
Anti Shake
The
Nikon Coolpix P80 has an anti-shake mechanism, which allows you to take sharp
photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, I
took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first
shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on. Here
is a 100% crop of the image to show the results. As you can see, with anti
shake turned on, the images are much sharper than with anti shake turned off.
This feature really does seem to make a difference and could mean capturing a
successful, sharp shot or missing the opportunity altogether.
Overall Image Quality
The
Nikon Coolpix P80's image quality is above average. The Nikon Coolpix P80's
main drawback in terms of image quality is noise, with the relatively slow
speed of ISO 200 showing some noise, particularly in shadow areas. The noise
gets progressively worse as you go from ISO 200 to ISO 400 and finally the
virtually unusable ISO 800, 1600 and 2000 settings. The Nikon Coolpix P80 dealt
with chromatic aberrations a little better, with purple fringing effects
appearing only in high contrast situations. The 10 megapixel images were a
little soft straight out of the camera, but you can change the in-camera
sharpening level if you wish. The night photograph was fine, with the maximum
shutter speed of 8 seconds allowing you to capture just enough light for most
situations. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with a little red-eye and
good overall exposure. Macro performance is excellent, allowing you to focus as
close as just 1cm away from the subject at the wide-angle lens setting.
Anti-shake is an essential feature on a camera like this and one that works
well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or using the
telephoto end of the zoom range.
Conclusion
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. Noise and colour artifacts are obvious at the slow ISO speed of 200,
with anything above ISO 400 almost a complete write-off, which limits the kind
of lighting conditions in which you can use the P80. There's also some fairly
obvious purple-fringing if you look closely enough, and the maximum shutter speed
of 8 seconds is limiting for this class of camera. The 1cm macro mode can't
make up for this camera's other deficiencies, and whilst image quality isn't
that bad, it isn't great either, and certainly not as good as our current
super-zoom of choice, the Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd. All of which means that
while the Nikon Coolpix P80 is, as Nikon proudly claim, currently the World's
smallest 18x camera, it sadly isn't the best.
PhotographyBLOG |
|
OVERALL RATING |
|
4.0 STARS (OUT OF 5) |
|
RECOMMENDED |
|
|
|
ATTRIBUTE RATINGS (OUT
OF 5) |
|
Design |
4.5 |
Features |
4.5 |
Ease-of-use |
4.5 |
Image quality |
3.5 |
Value for money |
4.5 |
Nikon Coolpix P80 |
Specifications |
|
|
General |
|
Model Number: |
P80 |
Alternate Model Number(s): |
|
Camera Format: |
EVF |
Currently Manufactured: |
No |
Retail Price: |
$399.95 |
Street Price: |
|
Date Available: |
4/15/2008 |
Tripod Mount: |
Yes |
Weight: |
13.9 oz (395 g) |
includes batteries |
|
Size: |
4.3 x 3.1 x 3.1 in. |
(110 x 79 x 78 mm) |
|
Waterproof: |
No |
Waterproof Depth: |
n/a |
Image
Sensor |
|
Sensor Type: |
CCD |
Sensor Manufacturer: |
|
Effective Megapixels: |
10.1 |
Sensor Format: |
1/2.33 inch |
Sensor size: |
28.198mm2 (6.13mm
x 4.6mm) |
Approximate Pixel Pitch: |
1.68 microns |
Focal Length Multiplier: |
n/a |
Aspect Ratio: |
4:3, 16:9 |
Color Filter Type: |
|
Anti Aliasing Filter: |
|
Self-Cleaning: |
No |
Sensor shift image stabilization: |
Yes |
On-Sensor Phase Detect: |
No |
DxO Sensor Score: |
|
DxO Color Depth Score (bits): |
|
DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs): |
|
DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso): |
|
Image
Capture |
|
Image Resolution: |
3648 x 2736 (10.0 MP, 4:3), |
3648 x 2432 (8.9 MP, 3:2), |
|
3584 x 2016 (7.2 MP, 16:9), |
|
3264 x 2448 (8.0 MP, 4:3), |
|
2736 x 2736 (7.5 MP, 1:1), |
|
2592 x 1944 (5.0 MP, 4:3), |
|
2048 x 1536 (3.1 MP, 4:3), |
|
1600 x 1200 (1.9 MP, 4:3), |
|
1280 x 960 (1.2 MP, 4:3), |
|
1024 x 768 (0.8 MP, 4:3), |
|
640 x 480 (0.3 MP, 4:3) |
|
Image File Format: |
JPEG |
Continuous-mode frames/second: |
1.2 |
Video
Capture |
|
Can take movies: |
Yes |
Movie Resolution: |
|
Movie File Format: |
AVI |
Composite Video Out: |
Yes |
NTSC/PAL Switchable Video: |
Yes |
Video Usable as Viewfinder: |
|
HD Video Out: |
|
HD Video Connection: |
|
Lens
& Optics |
|
Lens Mount: |
n/a |
Lens: |
Zoom-Nikkor lens, 14 elements in
5 groups |
Focal Length (35mm equivalent): |
27 - 486mm |
Focal Length (actual): |
4.7 - 84.2mm |
Zoom Ratio: |
18.00x |
Aperture Range: |
f/2.8 (wide) / f/4.5 (tele) - ??? |
Integrated ND Filter: |
No |
Normal Focus Range: |
40 cm to Infinity |
15.7 in to Infinity |
|
Macro Focus Range: |
1 cm to Infinity |
0.4 in to Infinity |
|
Filter Thread: |
n/a |
Thread Type: |
n/a |
Optical Image Stabilization: |
No |
Digital Zoom: |
Yes |
Digital Zoom Values: |
Up to 4x |
Auto
Focus |
|
Auto Focus: |
Yes |
Auto Focus Type: |
9-area Contrast Detect with
Face-Priority AF (up to 12 faces in one frame); Multi/Single-area AF |
Auto Focus Assist Light? |
Yes |
Manual Focus: |
Yes |
Viewfinder |
|
Viewfinder: |
EVF / LCD |
Viewfinder Type: |
EVF type; 0.24", 230K pixel
color LCD |
Focus Peaking: |
No |
EVF Resolution: |
|
Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent): |
|
Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed): |
|
Display |
|
Eye-level Viewfinder: |
Yes |
Rear Display: |
Yes |
Rear Display Size (inches): |
2.7 |
Rear Display Resolution: |
230,000 dots |
Touchscreen: |
No |
Articulating Screen: |
No |
Tilt Swivel Screen: |
No |
Selfie Screen: |
No |
Max Playback Zoom: |
|
Top Deck Display: |
|
Exposure |
|
Maximum ISO (native): |
|
Minimum ISO (native): |
|
ISO Settings: |
Auto (64 - 800), 64, 100, 200,
400, 800, 1600, 3200*, 6400*; * available at 3MP or smaller; High-Sensitivity
mode (64 - 1600); Fixed Range Auto (64-100, 200, 400) |
Auto ISO Mode: |
Yes |
White Balance Settings: |
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy,
Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, White Balance Preset |
Shutter Speed Range: |
1/2000 - 8 sec |
Bulb Mode: |
No |
Exposure Compensation: |
+/- 2.0EV in 0.3EV steps |
Metering Modes: |
256- segment Matrix,
Center-weighted, Spot, Spot AF area (99 areas) |
Program Auto Exposure: |
Yes |
Aperture Priority: |
Yes |
Shutter Priority: |
Yes |
Full Manual Exposure: |
Yes |
Creative Exposure Modes: |
Portrait, Night Portrait, Sports,
Landscape, Party, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Museum,
Fireworks Show |
Self Timer: |
2 or 10 seconds |
Time Lapse (intervalometer): |
|
High Resolution Composite: |
No |
Flash |
|
Built-in Flash: |
Yes |
Flash Modes: |
Auto, Auto with red-eye
reduction, Anytime flash, Slow sync, Red-eye reduction, Redeye reduction with
slow sync, Flash cancel/ flash off |
Flash Guide Number (ISO 100): |
n/a |
Flash Range Description: |
28 ft (8.8m) |
Max Flash Sync: |
|
Flash Exposure Compensation: |
|
External Flash Connection: |
n/a |
Built-In Wireless Flash Control: |
|
Image
Storage |
|
Usable Memory Types: |
SD / SDHC |
UHS Support: |
|
Other Memory: |
|
Dual Card Slots: |
No |
RAW Capture Support: |
|
Uncompressed Format: |
|
Movie File Format: |
AVI |
Included Memory: |
50.0 MB |
Included Memory Type: |
Internal |
Connectivity |
|
Built-In Wi-Fi: |
No |
NFC: |
No |
Bluetooth: |
No |
Built-In GPS: |
No |
Microphone Jack: |
No |
Headphone Jack: |
No |
External Connections: |
USB 2.0 High Speed |
PictBridge Compliant: |
Yes |
DPOF Compliant: |
Yes |
Remote Control: |
No |
Remote Control Type: |
|
Connections (extended): |
|
Performance
Timing |
|
Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot
mode (seconds per frame, max resolution): |
2.64 |
Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode
(seconds per frame): |
|
Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot
mode (frames): |
|
Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot
mode (seconds per shot): |
|
Camera penalizes early shutter press? |
No |
JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max
resolution): |
1.2 |
Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode
(frames, max resolution): |
5 |
RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps): |
|
Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode
(frames): |
|
RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps): |
|
Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode
(frames): |
|
Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid): |
0.55 seconds |
Shutter lag (full AF, tele): |
0.65 seconds |
Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR): |
|
Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR): |
|
Shutter Lag (manual focus): |
0.353 seconds |
Shutter lag (full AF, with flash): |
0.79 seconds |
Shutter Lag (prefocused): |
0.005 seconds |
Shutter Lag (notes): |
|
Startup Time: |
3.6 seconds |
Play -> Record Time: |
0.8 seconds |
Flash cycle time, full power: |
5.6 seconds |
Power |
|
Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live
View): |
250 shots |
Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF): |
|
Battery Life, Video: |
|
Battery Form Factor: |
Proprietary EN-EL5 |
Usable Battery Types: |
Lithium-ion rechargeable |
Batteries Included: |
1 x Proprietary EN-EL5
Lithium-ion rechargeable |
Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or
AC/USB adapter): |
Yes |
Dedicated Battery Charger Included: |
|
Internal Charging Supported: |
|
Software |
|
Included Software: |
Nikon Software Suite CD-ROM |
OS Compatibility: |
Windows Vista (32bit), XP HE/Pro;
Mac OS X 10.3.9+ |
Miscellaneous |
|
Notes & Features: |
Sensor-shift Vibration Reduction
(VR), In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, D-Lighting, Distortion Correction, and Face
Priority AF. A new Sport Continuous Mode allows users to shoot as many as 30
consecutive pictures at four, six, or a quick 13 frames per second at lower
resolutions. |
Additional
Reviews for the Nikon Coolpix P80
digital camera are available online.