The
magic words: 2.1 megapixels. The Nikon CP 950 is equipped with
a half-inch high-density CCD, capable of 1600 x 1200 pixel images. While
its sensitivity is rated at 80 ISO,
the sensor can also be used at 100 ISO, making it more comparable to film.
This can be boosted even higher if required.
The new 3X zoom Nikkor aspherical
glass lens, 7mm–21mm, containing nine multicoated elements
in seven groups, is the equivalent of a 38mm – 115mm lens
in 35mm format. The lens provides apertures
starting at f2.6 in wide angle, and f4 at the telephoto
end. The exposure metering can be done by any one mode
of the three-mode TTL system:
Autofocus
is an extremely precise system using 4,746 steps, able
to focus from 2 centimetres (macro mode) to infinity.
These four elements: the lens, the autofocus, the CCD,
and the metering system, are able to generate some of
the most detailed digital images available to consumers
to date.
To relieve the strain on the batteries, an optical viewfinder,
with 85% frame coverage, is located next to the lens to
limit parallax
error. A diopter
corrector, placed directly below the exit pupil of
the viewfinder, permits adjusting the finder to one's
eyesight. Two LEDs nearby warn of flash and autofocus
action.
A
2" TFT LCD monitor with 95% frame coverage is turned
on by default when the camera is activated, but the
user can elect to change the default through the setup
menu.
An overlay on the LCD screen provides immediate information
about the camera's photographic settings:
Presented
with white letters and simple icons, the layout is efficient
and extremely legible, unless the screen is in direct
sunlight.
Exposure compensation,
accessed by pressing the first button on the left below the LCD screen
(see photo above), and rotating the command dial in the top of the
grip, allows for ±
2 EV in 0.3 step increments. While some functions are accessed by the
press of one button or another, others, such as white balance, are exclusively
accessed by the menuing system.
The CP 950 offers 2 additional programmed shooting modes;
these exist aside from the basic Program mode, in which
the camera decides everything. Aperture Priority
lets the user choose from three different apertures (depending
on focal length); Shutter Priority allows selection
of the shutter speed.
Another
innovation in this model is the "image adjustment"
option. Not to be confused with exposure compensation,
which adjusts either shutter speed or aperture, image
adjustment is a digital effect selected prior
to taking a photo, and applied to the image after capture.
With this, the brightness of the image can be increased
or decreased as desired. Contrast can likewise be adjusted.
Nikon
ships the camera with an 8MB
CompactFlash memory card.
The card is housed underneath the camera, behind a rubber cover. Once
again, the user realizes the limitations of this body design. Extricating
the card from its compartment is not easy. The release lever is placed
very close to the card, making it difficult to press without rubbing against
the card in the process. As a result, the card often fails to come out
far enough to make it easy to grasp.
The placement of the slot also means that when the camera is mounted on
a tripod, exchanging cards means unscrewing the camera from the tripod.
