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Nikon Coolpix P3 Reviews Analysis

Digital camera - 8.1 Mpix - optical zoom: 3.5 x - supported memory: SD - dark silver More product details

Nikon Coolpix P3
alaSCORE 86

182 reviews

November, 2009

76 / 100

59 Experts

Product Age

old
new

83 / 100

123 Users

What people think about the Nikon Coolpix P3: (BETA!)

We compute this summary by analyzing 182 reviews from across the web.

image quality

5

  • Picture quality is lacking for a $599 (cdn
  • Indoor picture quality
  • Indoor picture quality, No Optical Zoom, no manual controls, cheap plastic feel
  • Not the best quality but close, lacking in customization options
  • The image quality sensor is very picky and its often hard to get pictures in the "green" zone (perfectly clear
  • good image quality
  • Above average, good image quality
  • excellent image quality
  • many photo options
  • Wi-Fi file transfer and printing, Excellent image quality, Many photo options
 
  • 802.11b/g wireless image transfer and printing
  • Great picture quality at 8MP
  • Great picture quality at 8MP, VGA video quality, Many options at your disposal, Great battery life (Approx 150 images at 3624*2448 resolution and three 1 minute videos), WiFi capable if you can use it
  • Very good image quality
  • Optical image stabilization
  • Built-in 802.11b/g for wireless photo transfer (though see issues below
  • Time-lapse photo and movie modes
  • Good image quality at low ISO
  • Built-in 802.11b/g for wireless photo transfer
  • Good image quality at low ISO, Compact body, Vibration Reduction, Built-in 802.11b/g for wireless photo transfer, Large, high resolution LCD display, Nice, 30-fps movie mode, Time-lapse photo and movie modes
  • Picture quality
  • Picture quality,WiFi,VR & other features
  • good quality pictures
  • the megapixel quality is excellent
  • easy to download picture to computer
  • Produces good quality pictures
  • quality pictures
  • Outdoor picture quality
  • Outdoor picture quality, a few pre-programmed shooting modes, relatively inexpensive
  • great picture quality
  • lightweight, easy to operate, great picture quality
  • Well built/Feels durable, picture quality is excellent, price is great
  • Quality of Pictures
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price

5

  • cheap plastic feel
  • same price as P4 (At time of writing
  • Fairly priced
  • For the price
  • For the price, the megapixel quality is excellent
  • This camera is an excellent value for the money
 
  • Good value for the money
  • Price
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performance

0.5

  • Slow performance in almost all aspects
  • Slow performance in almost all aspects, small buffer
  • Slow turn-on speed
  • Slow turn-on speed, Only a 3.5x Optical Zoom
  • No USB 2.0 High Speed support
  • not fast
  • Not good in the dark, not fast
  • Slow to respond
 
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memory

0.5

  • Not much built-in memory
  • flimsy cover over battery/memory card compartment
  • Plastic tripod mount, flimsy cover over battery/memory card compartment
  • Flimsy battery/memory card compartment cover
  • room for memory card
 

focus

0.5

  • Focus not very reliable in low light
  • Some focus errors (only in the default auto area AF mode)
  • Some exposure and white balance errors, Focus not very reliable in low light, Some aspects of user-interface are a bit fiddly, Shutter lag longer than most competitors, VR not as effective as some competitors, Noisy at ISO 400, Some focus errors (only in the default auto area AF mode), Soft results, Sound cuts out before the end of movie clips, Limitations to Wi-Fi connectivity (can't do much more than send images to a host PC), Battery life not great, Screen hard to see in bright light
  • It doesn't have an Auto Focus system
  • So a $100 camera without focus is very expensive
  • Face Priority Auto Focus
  • Have a good sensor when you use it at the distance of focus
 

color

0.5

  • No manual white balance
 

lens

3.5

  • and lens did not retract
  • Crappy lens zoom with a camera that costs 300+ dollars
  • Does not have a lens cover and does not come with AC adapter
  • Would like more of a telephoto lens ability
  • 3.5x zoom lens with optical image stabilization
  • Vibration Reduction system
  • Quality lens
 

zoom

0.5

  • Only a 3.5x Optical Zoom
  • Limited optical zoom
  • wide zoom
  • wide zoom, landscape shots, etc
  • No optical zoom
 

LCD

5

  • Screen hard to see in bright light
  • high resolution LCD display
  • Large, high resolution LCD display
  • screen is visible in low light
  • *now comes with rechargeable battery *easy to use *large LCD screen
  • 2.5" LCD display
 
  • nice LCD
  • Excellent image, great LCD screen and body build quality, VR
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video

1.5

  • No voice recording mode
  • Relatively large and heavy, No voice recording mode, Fairly basic design and feature set
  • video has no sound
  • the video doesn't come with sound
  • the video doesn't come with sound, Not many scene modes or options
  • Nice VGA movie recording at 30 FPS
  • VGA video quality
  • great video quality
  • great video quality, close ups
  • it doesnt have the ac adapter and there is not sound in for the video clips
  • video mode not great
 
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design

5

  • Fairly basic design and feature set
  • WiFi configuration takes some expertise
  • stylish
  • Easy to use, good design and control layout, stylish, plenty of advanced modes
  • Classy design
  • attractive design
  • Well built, attractive design
 

resolution

5

  • 2.5 inch LCD with average resolution and visibility
  • Great battery life (Approx 150 images at 3624*2448 resolution and three 1 minute videos)
  • Good resolution
  • Good resolution, Comprehensive feature set, Vibration Reduction system, Superb build quality and good handling, Excellent macro mode, Subtle, 'unprocessed' results, Excellent flash performance, Unique features such as D-Lighting, Face Priority AF, Red-eye removal, Best Shot Selector, Aperture priority mode, Good movie mode (though see below
  • resolution in these small cameras is substantial
 
  • At 8 MP, resolution in these small cameras is substantial
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sensor

5

  • Red-eye removal
  • No red eye in test shot
 

battery

0.5

  • Below average battery life
  • Battery life not great
  • Short battery life with WiFi
  • Bulky battery charger cord
  • Battery went flat ("exhausted"
  • pretty good battery life (using nihm rechargeable)
  • extremely small and portable, good quality pictures, pretty good battery life (using nihm rechargeable)
  • Only needs 2 AA Batteries
  • An ac adaptor for a little more money would have been a nice addition to the package so that you could save your batteries while down loading
  • Weak clips in battery compartment
  • VERY WEAK BATTERY CLIP
  • The proprietary battery is not great
  • The proprietary battery is not great, since it dies quickly
  • short battery life
 
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menu

0.5

  • but is easily overriden with menu or ISO on dial
  • Auto ISO does not do ISO 400 which would be useful, but is easily overriden with menu or ISO on dial
 

shutter

0.5

  • No control over shutter speed
  • No control over shutter speed, no live histogram either
  • Shutter lag longer than most competitors
  • Really could've used a shutter priority mode
  • Does not enable user to manually select shutter speed
  • No shutter priority mode
  • Shutter lag
  • Shutter lag,
 
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usability

5

  • no manual controls
  • You have to read the manual to get to know the features and to be able to take good pictures
  • Good balance of automatic and scene modes with manual adjustment
  • WiFi capable if you can use it
  • Easy to use
  • Quality , features, easy to use
  • Limited manual controls
 
  • Compactness, ease of use, and quality of results
  • Small, descent photos, easy to use
  • The camera is easy to use even for someone inexperienced with the technology
  • good quality pictures, easy to use, easy to download picture to computer
  • It has a very clear and bright view screen and fairly easy controls
  • its easy to use
  • easy to use and download
  • Good megapixel, quality pictures, small size, room for memory card, easy to use and download
  • easy to operate
  • Great Camera, easy to use, taking pictures and downlouding is simple
  • Very simple to use
  • Very simple to use, fairly good size, small file sizes
  • Ease of Use
  • Easy to use, takes great pictures
  • and Easy to use
  • Takes great photos, Lots of options, and Easy to use
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build quality

5

  • Good build quality
  • no-nonsense design and construction
  • 802.11b/g wireless image transfer and printing, Solid, no-nonsense design and construction, Very effective vibration reduction mode, Good balance of automatic and scene modes with manual adjustment
  • Superb build quality and good handling
 

flash

0.5

  • fairly weak flash
  • fairly weak flash, poor AF in the dark, no ISO 800
  • Poor low light focusing despite having an AF-assist lamp
  • Limited flash range
  • weak flash
  • Excellent flash performance
  • fast flash
  • Small form factor, fast flash, nice LCD
  • not great in indoor with no flash
  • Slow to respond, not great in indoor with no flash
 
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interface

5

  • Some aspects of user-interface are a bit fiddly
  • User-friendly
  • New Graphic User Interface is easy to follow and an improvement over previous versions
  • *extremely user-friendly
 

exposure

0.5

  • no manual exposure control
  • Some exposure and white balance errors
  • No Manual or Shutter Priority exposure mode
  • only auto modes (exception: custom exposure compensation)
  • No optical zoom, only auto modes (exception: custom exposure compensation), video mode not great
  • no shutter priority mode exposure
  • ISO top at 400, no shutter priority mode exposure, short battery life
 
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viewfinder

0.5

  • no optical viewfinder
  • Who needs a view finder anyway
 

appearance

5

  • Face Priority AF
  • Face-Priority AF is just plain fun
  • Appearance
  • Small form factor
 

connectivity

2.5

  • No Wi-Fi e-mail or Web posting
  • no remote camera operation using Wi-Fi
  • No Wi-Fi email or Web posting
  • No Wi-Fi e-mail or Web posting, No remote camera operation using Wi-Fi, No manual exposure control
  • Limitations to Wi-Fi connectivity (can't do much more than send images to a host PC)
  • Built-in WiFi
  • Wi-Fi file transfer and printing
  • Wi-Fi transfer
  • and time lapse movie mode, Wi-Fi transfer, Fairly priced
  • WiFi image transfer and printing
  • Wi-Fi set up problematic
  • Wi-Fi set up problematic, to much noise at ISO 400, no optical viewfinder
  • Nikon needs to give a compelling argument to upgrade to the WiFi P3 model
  • No optical viewfinder, No Manual or Shutter Priority exposure mode, Short battery life with WiFi, WiFi configuration takes some expertise, Limited flash range
  • WiFi abilities limited and too difficult to setup
  • Lens cover - included software - slow USB transfers - WiFi
  • WiFi image transfer and printing, including Shoot & Transfer option
  • WiFi
  • and I love the WiFi
  • Takes great pictures, has VR, and I love the WiFi, and not to mention it is 8.1 mp
  • Wifi link to your pc - no cables needed
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remote control

4

  • A top-of-the-line Coolpix should have more manual control
  • Aperture control and some other changeable settings
  • good design and control layout
 

sound

0.5

  • Noisy at ISO 400
  • Sound cuts out before the end of movie clips
  • Sound cuts out prematurely in movie mode
  • Images a bit noisy above ISO 100
  • Images a bit noisy above ISO 100, Sound cuts out prematurely in movie mode, Poor low-light focusing, WiFi abilities limited and too difficult to setup, No shutter priority mode, No USB 2.0 High Speed support, Plastic tripod mount, Flimsy battery/memory card compartment cover, Bulky battery charger cord
 

portability

5

  • Not for low-light
  • Relatively large and heavy
  • Poor low-light focusing
  • Compact
  • Compact, well put together body (for the most part
  • Compact body
  • Highly portable
  • Lightweight
 
  • Compact - multiple scenery settings - Excellent photos
  • extremely small and portable
  • light weight and the pictures come out clear and sharp
  • its easy to use, light weight and the pictures come out clear and sharp
  • Light weight
  • Easy to use, Light weight, Only needs 2 AA Batteries
  • Ultra compact size
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size

2

  • Some of the buttons are too small for big hands to access
  • A little bulcky
  • a little hard setting up the WiFi
  • A little bulcky, a little hard setting up the WiFi
  • Large
  • small size
  • fairly good size
  • Size
 

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