At
a glance, the new Nikon Coolpix 5400 seems to be very similar to
the Coolpix
5000, its forerunner. However that is an inaccurate perception. There
are a lot of differences, whether in the functions of this camera, or
in the features it has.
A
large rubber covered grip allows for a good hold of the camera, and is
topped by the On/Off switch with a chromed shutter release in the middle.
A green LED comes on at the On position when the camera is powered up.
The shutter release is a two-stage release, with autofocus and auto exposure
at the halfway point. Behind the release are 3 other buttons. First, the
one on the left side is for:
Exposure
Compensation: provides compensation over ±2EV in 1/3EV
increments.
Voice
Memo: in Playback, the same button allows recording a voice
annotation attached to an image displayed on the LCD monitor. Up
to 20 seconds can be recorded if the button is held down.
The
third button on top of the Coolpix 5400's grip area is labelled
and is multi-purpose. By default, in the P/S/A/M modes, the camera's
factory setting is to choose either one of two user setting banks, each
bank containing a group of preferred camera settings. Moreover, the button's
function can also be reassigned for something else in the camera's Setup
menu.
Four possibilities exist: White Balance can be called up immediately,
and the setting for it selected with the Command Dial, the rotary control
to the right of the Mode Dial; Image Quality and Size; Sensitivity;
or Continuous shooting mode.
However, three of these settings, White Balance, ISO and Resolution,
are also easily accessed directly with the 5400's 12 position Mode
Dial. (See the Characteristics section of the review).
Seven recording modes are selectable on the Mode Dial:
Auto
Mode turns the Coolpix 5400 into a very straightforward point-and-shoot.
This mode has no menu.
Program
Mode is a flexible Program in which combinations of aperture
and shutter speeds are provided by the camera and selected by turning
the Command Dial.
Shutter
Priority provides full user control over the entire range of
shutter speeds available to the Coolpix 5400, 1/4000 sec to 10 minutes.
Aperture
Priority allows selecting aperture ranging from f2.8 to f8.
Manual
Mode provides complete control over the camera. An exposure
scale, displayed near the bottom of the LCD monitor, indicates over
or underexposure and both apertures and shutter speeds can be chosen
using the Command Dial.
The
Coolpix 5400 offers no less than 15 Scene Modes. With the
Mode Dial set to the Scene position, the camera menu serves to select
the specific scene type (see the Characteristics section of the
review for the Scene modes available).
Movie
Mode captures video clips with sound. Three types of video
clips can be recorded: TV Movie, Small Movie, and Time-lapse Movie.
TV
Movie captures a 640 x 480 pixel frame size (vertically
interlaced) at 15 frames per second and with a maximum recording
time of 70 seconds.
Small
Movie captures a 320 x 240 pixel frame size, also at 15
frames per second, but for up to 180 seconds.
Time-lapse
Movie captures still images at a specified interval, and
joins the frames together to create a silent movie that is played
back at up to 30 frames per second. The movies can be up to
60 seconds.
During
movie recording, the optical zoom remains locked at the position
it was set at when recording started, but, if previously enabled,
the digital zoom can be used, allowing up to a 2X magnification.
The Mode
Dial is also the way to start the camera's Playback mode,
or the SETUP menu (see the Interface and Software section for
an overview of the Setup menu).
The Coolpix 5400 continues the use of a hinged LCD monitor. The screen
can be opened to the left of the camera, and rotated, which is ideal for
both overhead shots, or ground level shots. It can also be rotated through
180°, and repositioned so that it is flat on the back of the camera.
When not in use, the screen's surface is protected by its metallic back,
a feature that should prevent scratches.
Nikon has used a 1.5 inch LCD monitor that is able to produce a clear,
sharp image with 134,000 pixels. The screen is reflective, and remains
surprisingly legible even in direct sunlight. In addition, its brightness,
contrast and hue can be adjusted precisely through options
available in the Setup menu.
All the other external controls of the Coolpix 5400 are arranged on the
right side of the back, leaving the left side for the optical viewfinder
— equipped with a diopter adjustment — and the LCD monitor.
Starting
on the upper right, an elongated button served to control the camera's
zoom.
In
playback, the control can be used to display an index view
of the photos, either in a group of 4 or a group of 9;
or
to zoom in to any part of a photo shown on the screen, with
a maximum magnification of up to 6X.
In
between the zoom control and the optical viewfinder, a round button serves
for:
Auto
Exposure and Auto Focus Lock. By default, both exposure
and focus are locked when the button is pressed. However, this can
be changed in the Setup menu, where the button can be reconfigured
to lock only the exposure, or the focus. When either one of these
options is selected for the AE/AF-L button, then holding the shutter
release halfway provides the other function.
The other
controls on the right of the LCD monitor are grouped in a raised area,
with the Multi-selector on the edge.
At the centre of the Multi-selector, a button marked with
is used to confirm selections in the menu.
Displays
the Coolpix 5400's menu on the LCD screen. (See the Characteristics
section.)
The
Focus mode button not only selects between Auto Focus
and Manual focus, it also starts the Macro mode, or
Infinity mode. Moreover, it is also the means to start the
Self-timer (10 or 3 seconds).
In
Playback, the Focus mode button provides a Delete function,
for an image currently displayed on the monitor.
Moving down, the next button is labelled Quick and serves to:
see
a just captured image. Quick Review starts by displaying
a small version of the picture in the top left of the screen. Pressing
the button a second time displays the image full-screen, when it
can be magnified for a closer inspection. The Delete button can
also be used at this time.
In the Playback mode, the button offers an additional function,
creating a small version (Small Pic) of the photo being shown on
the screen. The image size that is used for the small copy is set
in the Playback menu, and can be either 640 x 480, 320 x 240, or
160 x 120 pixels.
Finally, the last button controls the monitor:
The
monitor button cycles the display so that at first it shows
the image coming from the lens with camera settings overlaid on
it, then only the image coming from the lens, then turns off the
monitor. Worth noting, when the screen is folded back face down,
the monitor is automatically turned off.
The Coolpix 5400 is equipped with a flash shoe that supports Nikon SB
flash units 80 DX, 50DX, 28DX, 30, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, and 22s without
a synch cable. However, the Coolpix 5400 does not support D-TTL flash
control, or power zoom, AF-assist illumination, or red-eye reduction by
means of the red-eye reduction lamp on optional Speedlights.
Although the Coolpix 5400 has a generally good ergonomic design —
controls are well-placed and efficiently laid out making operating the
camera easy — it retains a couple of the drawbacks we'd noted with
the Coolpix 5000, the camera on which it is based. The right hand side
strap post is still a bit too low on the grip, making it a touch awkward,
and the optical viewfinder is still recessed in relation to the LCD screen.
and is multi-purpose. By default, in the P/S/A/M modes, the camera's
factory setting is to choose either one of two user setting banks, each
bank containing a group of preferred camera settings. Moreover, the button's
function can also be reassigned for something else in the camera's Setup
menu.
,
or the SETUP menu (see the Interface and Software section for
an overview of the Setup menu).
is used to confirm selections in the menu.
