Nikon has unveiled a new 13.5-million-pixel flagship digital compact called the Coolpix P6000 whose features include a raw format mode and built-in GPS ?geotagging? technology.

Due out next month priced £429.99 the P6000 boasts an ?SLR-like? grip and a lens delivering the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 28-112mm lens. The optic carries a maximum aperture of f2/7.

The P6000 is aimed at SLR users and professional photographers seeking the ‘ultimate compact’, said Nikon UK?s consumer digital camera product manager Niki Needham.

It can also be used with an optional wideangle converter (WC-E76), claimed to provide a 21mm focal length in 35mm terms. The price of this has yet to be confirmed.

Replacing the current P5100, the P6000 includes a built-in Ethernet connector, enabling photographers to upload their images to Nikon?s ?my Picturetown? image sharing website.

Nikon states that this feature will also be useful for backing-up images ‘on the road’. Customers will be supplied with 2GB of online storage space at the ?my Picturetown? site when the camera hits UK stores on 12 September.

The newcomer borrows Picture Control technology from Nikon?s professional DSLRs, allowing a photographer’s raw image file adjustment settings to be saved and transferred to other Nikon cameras.

The GPS function attaches location information to image EXIF file data. This can then be viewed on websites capable of showing geotagged images, including Nikon’s ViewNX browser.

A ?standby? mode is included to help save battery power when using the GPS option, said Needham.

On board armoury also includes manual exposure and focusing and a hotshoe for the attachment of external flash. The P6000 is compatible with all current Nikon flash units, up to and including the recently announced SB-900, claims the firm.

The top-of-range Coolpix boasts a maximum equivalent ISO sensitivity of 6400 (at a maximum resolution of 3MP), six digital filter effect colour options and macro shooting down to 2cm.

Features will also include a 2.7in LCD screen and a lens-shift Vibration Reduction system.

?The P6000 heads the line-up of six new Coolpix models announced today

Nikon Coolpix P6000Nikon Coolpix P6000Nikon Coolpix P6000

SEE NEXT PAGE FOR FULL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Technical specifications as supplied by Nikon:

Effective pixels: 13.5 million

Image sensor: 1/1.7-in. CCD; total pixels: approx. 13.93 million

Lens: 4x Zoom-NIKKOR; 6.0-24.0mm (35mm [135] format picture angle: 28-112mm); f/2.7-5.9; 9 elements in 7 groups; Digital zoom: up to 4x (35mm [135] format picture angle: 448mm)

Focus range (from lens): 50cm (1 ft. 7.7 in.) to infinity (∞); Macro close-up mode: 2cm (0.8 in.) to infinity (∞)

Storage media: Internal memory (approx. 48 MB), SD memory cards*1

Image size (pixels): 4224 x 3168 (13M), 3264 x 2448 (8M), 2592 x 1944 (5M), 2048 x 1536 (3M), 1600 x 1200 (2M), 1280 x 960 (1M), 1024×768 (PC), 640 x 480 (TV), 4224 x 2816 (3:2), 4224 x 2376 (16:9), 3168 x 3168 (1:1)

Vibration Reduction (VR): Lens shift VR

ISO sensitivity: ISO 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 2000, 3200*2, 6400*2, Auto (auto gain ISO 64-800), High ISO Sensitivity Auto (ISO 64-1600), Fixed Range Auto (ISO 64-100, 200, 400)

Interface: Hi-Speed USB

Power sources: Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5 (supplied), AC Adapter EH-66 (supplied)

Battery life: Approx. 260 shots with EN-EL5 battery

Dimensions (WxHxD): Approx. 107 x 65.5 x 42 mm (4.2 x 2.6 x 1.7 in.) excluding projections

Weight: Approx. 240 g (8.5oz.) without battery and SD memory card

Supplied accessories*3: Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5, AC Adapter EH-66, USB Cable UC-E6, Audio Video Cable EG-CP14, Strap AN-CP18, Software Suite CD-ROM

Optional accessories: Battery Charger MH-61, Wide-angle Converter WC-E76, Adapter Ring UR-E21, Speedlight SB-400, SB-600, SB-900

*1 Not compatible with Multi Media Cards (MMC).

*2 ISO 3200 and 6400 are available only for image sizes of 3M (2048 x 1536) or smaller.

*3 Supplied accessories may differ by country or area.

System Requirements:

OS

Macintosh: Mac OS X version 10.3.9, 10.4.11, 10.5.2

Windows: Windows Vista (32bit), Windows XP Home Edition/Professional pre-installed models

Note CD-ROM drive required for installation. Only built-in USB ports are supported.

Microsoft®, Windows® and WindowsTM Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Macintosh®, Mac® OS and QuickTime® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The SDHC logo is a trademark. PictBridge is a trademark. The FotoNation logo is a trademark. FSE (Face Sensing Engine) technology is provided by OKI. Products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Images on LCDs shown in this brochure are simulated.

Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer. August 2008 ©2008 Nikon Corporation