Nikon COOLPIX P500 Compact Digital Camera - Black (12.1MP, 36x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD

I have used and owned quite a lot of digital cameras, for ten years now, from full frame to compact. I am amazed at how good compact and bridge camera technology has become, having previously owned the brilliant Fuji S5000, Sony HS2, and Fuji S8000fd, all classics in their day. When the latter sadly breathed its last with lens failure, I tried a range of new bridge cameras in various camera shops and read umpteen reviews. I liked the Nikon best for various reasons, but particulary the incredible long zoom range, the very high def LCD articulated screen, and the neat size and light weight. How do they put so much lens into such a small camera? Astounding. The picture quality is very high and even useable at ISO 1600, although if low light photography, or action shots is your objective an SLR will inevitable be better. Probably for wildlife too, although this little Nikon is pretty good at long distance particularly if mounted on a tripod. But try getting an 800mm EFL lens for your dSLR and you will be paying many times more than the cost of the whole Nikon P500. As a carry around all in one camera I do not think at the moment there is anything much better, although some other competitors are more substantial but also of course bigger and heavier - I have not seen any reviews consistently suggesting better IQ however. The Nikon feels and behaves like a quality camera despite it's small size, and with the name it has street cred too!

This camera arrived about a week ago, it is going to be the family's christmas present, so i felt it wern't wrong to use this camera beforehand, epecially since i bought it and if i made a sort of 'trailer movie' to show off the quality that it would be ok. The first thing to notice about the camera is that when holding the device, the handle lump is quite a lot smaller than mos compact camera's of this shape, or SLR's, this is compared to my Sony HX100v that i got about half a year ago, also slightly heavier, but it is comfortable, which is nice. The device has an amazing 36X zoom, but unfortunately this cannot be easily fully used when your not using a tripod, the steadyshot really isn't up to it. I'm pretty sure im going to get some negative votes and comments like 'well of course not.' But i must say the Sony HX100v has absolutely amazing steadyshot and is easy to use for full zoom (30x optical 120digital.) please note; i'm not trying to advertise the sony, i'm comparing :) A surprising negative that i found with this camera is the focus. It is sooo noisy! you can hear it from miles away! If your trying to record an HD movie, and you zoom in or out, the zooming noise is pretty loud, expected with this type of lens, but the focus drowns everything out! The sony steps ahead again, with it's crazy silent focus you absolutely cannot hear, and '0.1second focus time.' But then, there is the highspeed video capture. I absolutely love this, watching things back in 240FPS is completely stunning, this is something that the Sony doesn't do, which puts this Nikon ahead. Half the time i used the camera i was marvelling at being able to slow things down. :0 The macro mode is good, going right down to 1cm, which really is all you need, the sony focusing is actualy stupid, as you can get something touching the lens and it still focuses. I also like the secondary zoom toggle on the side of the device, which you can set as a manual focus 'ring,' or this clever 'snapback' zoom which can take you from macro to full extended lens in one touch. I have put some images in the 'customer images' section of this camera, but taken with the Sony. To conclude, this camera is best at outdoor shots, and the amazing slow motion (which, by the way need a lot of light so you really need to be outside for slo-mo), really can take some amazing outdoor still shots with this camera, but if you are looking for a camera which is good at night, indoor shots, or extreamley smooth HD video, i would recommend the sony. Personally, i can't decide, i like movie, but i love slomotion.

Seller sold camera knowing it had a faulty SD reader. Price of repairs is way over cost of camera. Seller dumped their useless camera onto me!

I've had this for a few months now and I'm less than overwhelmed by it. I've had a couple of times when it's refused to do anything and I've had to take the battery out and "re-boot" it. The lens cap is a pain and the inability to fit a filter is a bit of a shocker. Yes it's smaller than most bridge cameras but it's spare batteries and non too solid feel make it need a case. Picture quality is OK but nothing special and in telephoto mode focusing is slow and unreliable. Battery life isn't great but I had a couple of spares and a charger from a previous Coolpix.

I am a fan of bridge type cameras, having previously owned the Panasonic FZ18 and the Fuji 5000. I still have both and they were all great cameras. I do a lot of research to try and choose the best and having handled the equivilent new Fuji and Panasonic form the range, chose the Nikon. The other cameras were good, but it's a bit like the VW Golf advert, where the others try to be like a Nikon, but once you have handled the Nikon to know you have quality in your hands. The weight and balance are just perfect. I also found that all the functions were where I would have wanted them and it all works so simply. It's crammed full of features too, most I will never use, I expect. The price right now (£218) (I paid 229) is a steal. I see the new 510 is being released which is why, but I would not wait and snap one up at this price. The 36 zoom is massive. I have shots of lighthouses that appear as specks in the distance, zoom up to full screen. You will need a tripod though for long shots and the picture will be grainy. 12mp is plenty. The 1080 video and sound are also very good. I love the macro shots which were crystal clear. Zoom telephoto shots can be slightly blurred if you don't hold the camera still. I was trying to take photos on a windy day and the results were not as good as I had hoped. I like the movable LCD screen which enables you to get shots that you could never see with a fixed screen. Some people may not like the fact that you have to charge the battery in the camera and not a separate charger. But the battery holds it's power well, so should last a long time. (It is removable, so spares can be purchased and charged) I bought a class 10 8gb memory card which works well and is fast with no lag. In summary you won't find a better value camera on the market right now.

I have recently purchased the Nikon P500 to replace my ageing Olympus SP590, so i have based this review on comparing the 2 cameras.. First impressions are important and i was very impressed with the Nikon when i removed it from the box, all in all a nice looking camera and well built. I always found the Olympus poorly built and slightly ugly looking though the Olympus served me well for nearly 2 years so only time will tell if the Nikon does as well. I manily use my camera for photgraphing wildlife hence me opting for high zoom products, the 36x zoom of the Nikon is in a word brilliant with obvious advantages over the Olympus's useful 26x zoom. Overall perfomance the Nikon seems leaps ahead of the Olympus, taking photos in anything other then perfect conditions was always a struggle for the Olympus though the Nikons low light ability seems quite good, the video mode of the Olympus was basic compared to the HD, zoomable, take a photo while filming possiblitys of the Nikon so no comparison on that. As for other things the Nikon is slightly lighter and though the same size as the Olympus seems less bulky when in hand also the movable 3in LCD of the Nikon is very good. One thing i am struggling with though is the battery!, i found the Olympus and i worked well together with 2 sets of reghargable high power AAs and a charger while the Nikons battery and charging syestem seems a bit over the top in comparison also the Nikons battery dies without warning, i have just purchased a separate charger and battery so hopefully this will amend this problem. To sum things up i am very impressed with the P500 and when i get the hang of the battery problem i will enjoy using it with all its features and gimiks.. So if you are looking for a good up to date high zoom camera though dont want to spend stupid money on a DSLR and all its lenses the Nikon Coolpix P500 is just up your street, its a lot of camera for such a good price..

The Nikon P500 is the ideal camera for holidays or no frills photography although it allows for some sort of creativity. Very compact and lightweight, the menu is clear and easy to navigate. Nikon's lens quality is present as usual and, depending on settings used, delivers colourful, crisp and almost distortion free photos. A lot of people will be buying the camera purely be for the zoom reach. Don't be fooled!! Handheld, the quality of pictures at "full throtle" is adequate as there is a lot of of "hunting", even at half range. There is no substitute for a tripod if you want full close up. There's a limit to what VR (vibration reduction) or any other system can deliver even with professional lenses costing in excess of £1300,00 like the Nikon's 70-200mm f2.8 VR. The zoom noise level is also noticeable in quieter surroundings. A few people complain about low light issues. This can be resolved by simply using one of the several otpions available in the camera menu. People tend to get the camera out of the box and start shooting straight away expecting miracles. READ THE MANUAL! You'll be surprised what you will discover and learn if you do your home work first. I would also recommend getting a spare battery as recharging takes a good couple of hours. Movie recording quality is rather good and an 8GB memory card will give you approximately 30mins in full HD. Overall this is a good camera that will deliver excellent results in all sorts of situations providing you take time to learn what it can do.

The camera arrived in good time and good condition. Since arriving I have taken 700 - 800 photos. I cannot even call myself an avid amature, I am just someone who needed a camera. I take photos, my old camera died, I wanted a new one, I looked for quite a while before I picked this one. I spoke to many Camera shops and Photographers, all said this was a good one. I was originally considering the Sony HX1, but by the time I made my decision...it was discontinued....its replacement,(HX100) although very good, does not have such good reviews. I did test all three cameras, the Sony's were bigger camera's and heavier, offering me less product for my money (In my opinion) it is probably because they weren't as good in the areas I was interested in. The main reason I bought it was the zoom, and the DCOS sensor. The zoom is very fast and sometimes struggles to focus at the top end. The zoom stops temporarily prior to going to the Telephoto zoom range....very handy, once you zoom up to this range it requires a tripod or very steady hand. Seems to exhaust the battery quickly...additional battery & charger recommended. In saying this I do take alot of photos...so maybe it is not as bad as I think. The DCOS sensor is very good and records pictures fast...except in low light where a minor delay message is present. All in all this camera is probably better than I hoped for, and probably as good as it should be for the £300 price tag. I am more than pleased with my purchase, there are many more benefits to this camera to outshine the noted issues, I have so much more to investigate, which, with practice may iron out my issues....Well impressed overall.

Producto bien embalado y entregado en fecha. Cámara en su caja original con todos los complementos, manuales, documentos y en estado excelente y sin daños por el uso. Funciona muy bien. Muy satisfecho por el producto.

Le tiercé dans l'ordre des performances probablement sans équivalent dans cette gamme d'appareils : 1 Le super grand angle : avec un 22,5 mm, vous serez stupéfait de voir que votre appareil "voit" beaucoup plus large que vous. 2 Le stabilisateur : après des vues lors d'une défense de thèse de doctorat dans la pénombre et où il était hors de question de sortir le flash ou de s'approcher de l'orateur, je peux affirmer qu'il fait plus qu'assurer, il récupère des images que le Panasonic Leica FZ18 m'aurait laissées complètement floues et insortables dans des conditions similaires. 3 Le super téléobjectif : lors de l'achat du FZ 18, sortant d'un vieil argentique à focale fixe, j'étais impatient d'utiliser le zoom, mes toutes premières images numériques, des paysages dans la vallée de la Semois où j'habite, ont été prises à 504 mm ! Ici avec le 810 mm, il y a encore une fameuse réserve, ça m'ouvre des horizons nouveaux, je sens que je vais me mettre à l'ornithologie. Voilà pour le plus spectaculaire après seulement une septantaine de prises de vue et avant de lire le manuel de l'utilisateur. Mais encore ? Et le viseur ? Là encore, il n'y a pas "photo", si j'ose dire, avec le Panasonic FZ18 qui m'avait laissé une impression plus que médiocre avec une image trop éloignée de la réalité. Avec le Nikon P500, le viseur me convient parfaitement, si vous voulez mieux, il faudra voir un reflex. Et le prix ? Plus de 150 € moins cher que le Pana Leica il y a quelques années, sans doute gagnera-t-on encore une centaine d'Euros dans les prochaines années, mais franchement, à un peu plus de 300 €, avec des performances pareilles, c'est un maître-achat. Et l'écran ? Et ... et ... et ... Je reste attaché au viseur, mais l'écran est de très bonne qualité, le design réussi, l'encombrement limité au maximum (pour ce qui est de l'appareil de poche toujours disponible, voyez du côté de l'iPhone, ici c'est plutôt le port en bandouillère, mais pas le sac à dos, sauf si ça vous amuse, l'appareil est par ailleurs très léger, 500 g, il se laisse oublier). Et ... au-delà des impressions personnelles ? Impossible de contester, d'après mes informations, qu'il s'agit ici du zoom actuel le plus puissant (22,5 mm - 810 mm) dans cette catégorie d'appareils, record battu. Et comme la qualité des images est au rendez-vous ... Enfin, il n'est pas absolument indispensable d'acheter un chargeur et une deuzième batterie, puisqu'il y a moyen de la charger directement sur l'appareil, mais tout utilisateur d'appareil numérique vous dira qu'une deuzième batterie vous évitera la panne sèche intempestive.

Per me che non sono un professionista questa è una macchina fotografica di molto superiore alle mie necessità. Credo, da non esperto, che sia d'ottimo livello anche per chi ha necessità decisamente più importanti delle mie. Ottimo prodotto, ottima marca. Sono pienamente soddisfatto.

Ich will mich jetzt nicht über alle technischen Details, Vor- und Nachteile und Vergleiche zu anderen Bridge-Kameras auslassen. Vor dem Kauf habe ich auf idealo alle verfügbaren Tests, Vergleiche usw. dazu gelesen. Die Fachjournale bewerten dann oft das Haar in Mikron Stärke, das sie in der Suppe finden - man muss selbst ungefähr wissen, was man will. Nickeligkeiten der P500, die auch die P100 schon hatte - plötzlich war die volle Batterie nach einem Tag leer, ohne dasss wir fotografiert hätten - ärgerlich für meine Frau...:-), denn sie hatte vorher nicht zur Probe angeschaltet, bevor sie wegfuhr (hatte die P100 anfangs auch, legte sich dann, d.h. nicht mehr aufgetaucht. Ist mir leider mit 2 Tage Bildmaterial in den Nil gefallen :-( ). Klar, der herumpendelnde Deckel, und die Tatsache, dass sie beim Anschalten mit Deckel vor dem Objektiv bockt, na ja - allerdings, ob eine automatisch schliessende Lamelle möglich wäre, habe ich in keiner Kritik der tollen Jounalisten lesen können. Und: bei einigen Fotos meine ich beim Weitwinkel ganz im Eck tatsächlich eine leichte Verzeichnung gesehen zu haben (ich schneide das Bild etwas zu, habe ich jetzt überlegt, so manchen Teil benötigt man oft ja doch nicht). Eine Kritik: Das verfügbare Firmware-Update (eigentlich toll, dass es das gibt) aufzuspielen gelang mir einfach noch nicht. Beschreibungen von Nikon müssen sich hier spürbar bessern. Aber, und jetzt kommt's: In der Summe hat die P500 mich als zoomstarke Bridge überzeugt, weil sie Features hat, die eben nicht alle haben, beim Fotografieren und beim Video (u.a. Zeitlupe und Speed, einfach klasse). Ich gebe sonst auch etwas auf Stiftung Warentest, aber wenn man eine HD Auflösung in der Videofunktion nicht entsprechend abwertet, wenn eine andere Full HD hat, dann gehe ich da nicht mit dem Urteil konform, auch wenn man mehr fotografiert. Die Bildqualität ist beeindruckend (ich hatte früher analoge Spiegelreflex-K.), die Möglichkeiten toll. Für die Praxis: Die Gummierung und Ergonomie zum Festhalten ist supergut - Da gibt es vom gleichen Hersteller und der Konkurrenz vieles Schlechtere (v.a. im Kompaktbereich). Rat: In den Laden, anfassen, Grösse live sehen. In der Summe hat mich die Nikon noch vor den vergleichbaren Sony und Lumix überzeugt - zum 2. Mal, da ich ja letztes Jahr die P100 kaufte und (nach einer Canon Ixus 700 - OK, andere Klasse, 2 J alt) vom Ergebnis, also Schärfe und Farbe, absolut begeistert war. Und wo konnte ich schon einmal während einer Videoaufnahme gleichzeitig ein Foto schiessen - Wäre vor einem Jahr bei der Abiturfeier unserer Tochter natürlich noch gigantischer gewesen. Für das Geld ist sie mir sehr empfehlenswert.

Que dire.. C'est du Nikon. Excellent appareil.