Nikon Coolpix P7000 at a glance:
- 28-200mm equivalent lens
- Maximum aperture range f/2.8-5.6
- 10.1-million-pixel, 1/1.7in CCD sensor
- Raw and JPEG capture
- i-TTL hotshoe
- Electronic virtual horizon
Over the past few years, photo enthusiasts and professionals looking for a high-end compact camera offering controls akin to an SLR have had only a limited choice, with the Canon PowerShot G series long dominating this ‘serious’ part of the compact camera market. Although the competition has of late muscled in with, for instance, the Samsung EX1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, so far there hasn’t been a Nikon compact camera that matches the performance of these models.
Its recent P5000, P5100 and P6000 Coolpix P-series models have had a modest reception, primarily down to the fact that they just couldn’t quite live up to their rivals. However, with the introduction of the Nikon Coolpix P7000, Nikon now seems intent on making its presence felt.
Any doubters will have to think twice, because even at a first look the Nikon Coolpix P7000 appears to be a completely different camera from the previous P-series P5100 and P6000 models. The question, however, is whether it has improvements as drastic as its change in looks, and whether these can give Nikon a firm place in the top-end compact camera market.
