Nikon's latest Super Zoom shoots 1080p HD video and is quicker than the Road Runner. Find out more in our full review and video of the Nikon Coolpix P100.
While 720p has become the standard video resolution for 2010, the Nikon Coolpix P100 pumps up the jam with 1080p, and a highly impressive show at that. This is a 10.3-megapixel, 26x optical zoom lens with a 26mm wide-angle capability. Manual controls are bountiful, the LCD is a three-inch fold-out type, and the camera has an electronic viewfinder. Nikon promised us improved image quality, thanks to the back-illuminated sensor, and gave us 10fps high-speed shooting at full resolution. Oh yeah, we forgot about the high-speed video mode, which offers up to 240fps of slow motion goodness, and a 120fps Sports mode. For more on this powerplant, let's check out the hands-on video.
Shooting with the Nikon Coolpix P100
As a good majority of the image samples below show, the Nikon Coolpix P100 has shown an improvement over last year's Coolpix P90, but only ever so slightly. Noise was about the same, though image aberrations such as ghosting and fringing were kept to a minimum. Furthermore, the camera's low light excelled a trifle, especially when we shot at slower shutter speeds. Would we say this boost in image quality is enough to justify tossing out your old P90 and jumping on a P100? We say nay. The primary advantages the P100 has over the P90 are fairly awesome 1080p video, 240fps video, and more rapid-fire still options. Although, the 1080p video in low light struggled and zooming in and out with Auto Focus produced a "jiggly" effect, while the stereo mics picked up the electronic buzz of the Auto Focus and Zoom mechanisms.
So, a few kinks need to be ironed out, but the 1080p image quality in bright light is great. Program AE tended to be our favorite shooting mode, though the Nikon Coolpix P100 offered a spectrum of shooting modes that included Backlit Scene HDR, Night Landscape, and Fireworks. Using Backlit Scene HDR was confusing because all the P100 did was take a low exposure shot and then a high exposure shot, forcing you to combine them later on, when they should be able to be combined within the camera. The popup flash produced impressive results, offering even lighting and suitable tones. Overall, this camera is designed for those who want to step up from a point-and-shoot and also want all the bells and whistles. The Nikon Coolpix P100 is chock full of power, but some of that power needs to be refined within the coming generations of Coolpix Super Zooms.
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