Nikon Coolpix P2

Reviewed November 2005

Characteristics

The lens of the Coolpix P2 is a 3.5X Nikkor zoom, composed of 7 elements in 6 groups and which uses ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass. The zoom has a focal length of 7.5 to 26.3 mm, equivalent to a 36 to 126 mm.

In addition, with most shooting modes a 4X digital zoom is available. The digital zoom is activated when the T side of the zoom control is pressed for more than 2 seconds once the optical zoom has reached its maximum. The digitally zoomed image interpolates the centre area of the frame to the currently selected image size, producing a coarser image.

With the P2 set to the A (Aperture Priority) mode, apertures are selectable. At the wide end, the apertures start at f2.7 and got to f7.6 in 10 steps. While at the telephoto end 4 apertures are available, ranging from f5.2 to f7.3. This is matched to a shutter speed range that is controlled automatically, and which goes from 1/2000 second to 8 seconds.

The Coolpix P2 can capture photos using any one of 7 image sizes, and as has been the case with other recent Coolpix cameras, in its instruction manual Nikon relates each image size to a "real-life" print size that each setting can produce, and does this assuming a realistic printer output at 300 dpi:

Although the P2 does not offer either a RAW or an uncompressed format, photos can be saved using any of 3 JPEG compression levels: Fine, Normal, or Basic, with Fine offering the least compression and the highest image quality.

As noted in the Ergonomics section of the review, the image size and quality can be directly selected using the position on the Mode dial, or through the menu that is only available when the camera is set to either the Program mode or the Aperture Priority mode (there is no menu when the camera is set to Auto mode).

The Shooting menu contains 18 options spread over 4 screens:

• White Balance, also accessible directly on the Mode dial, offers settings for:
  • Auto.
  • Preset (which allows setting the white balance for specific lighting conditions).
  • Direct Sunlight.
  • Incandescent.
  • Fluorescent FL1 (warm white), or FL2 (daylight white or natural white).
  • Cloudy.
  • Shade.
  • Speedlight (flash).
• Metering to decide how the exposure is metered:
  • Matrix, the default, compares measurements made in a number of areas in the frame to a library of typical compositions and then uses that information to calculate the exposure.
  • Centre-weighted evaluates both the centre of the frame and the area around it, but gives more importance to the centre than to the rest when calculating the exposure. Centre-weighted is automatically used when the digital zoom is used.
  • Spot concentrates the metering on a small area at the centre of the frame.
  • Spot AF Area meters an area the same size as Spot, but is tied to the focus point, wherever it is placed in the frame.
• Continuous: selects the rate at which photographs are captured:
  • Single: captures one image at a time.
  • Continuous: captures up to 11 photos at a rate of 2.5 frames per second.
  • Multi-shot 16: captures 16 frames at a rate of 2 frames per second and arranges them into a single image measuring 2592 x 1944 pixels.
  • Ultra HS: captures up to 40 photos at 30 frames per second using Normal compression and the TV 640 x 480 image size while the shutter release is held pressed.
  • 5-Shot Buffer: captures images at a rate of 1.2 frames per second while the shutter release is pressed, but only stores the last 5-frames.
  • Interval Timer Shooting: allows shooting at a pre-selected interval (30 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes) for up to 1800 photos, or until the memory/card is full.
• Best Shot Selector: when the Best Shot Selector is active, the Coolpix P2 captures up to 10 frames while the shutter release is held down. The frames are then compared and only the one that exhibits the best sharpness is saved. When the Best Shot Selector is active the flash cannot be used.
• Bracketing provides for 2 types of bracketing:
  • Auto Bracketing: the camera takes 3 shots, the first with the evaluated exposure, the second overexposed by 0.5 EV, the third underexposed by 0.5 EV.
  • WB Bracketing: the camera records three images, the first with the normal white balance, the second with a bluish cast, the third with a reddish cast.

• Flash Exposure Compensation serves to control the flash exposure, offering an adjustment range of ± 2EV.
• Image Adjustment is to adjust the image contrast: Auto (default), Normal, More Contrast, Less Contrast.
• Image Sharpening: offers 5 settings: Auto, High, Normal, Low, or Off.
• Saturation Control allows increasing or decreasing the colour saturation: Maximum +2, Enhanced +1, Normal (default), or Moderate (-1), Minimum (-2).
• Sensitivity: provides settings for Auto, 64, 100, 200 or 400 ISO.

• Image Quality: Fine, Normal or Basic.
• Image Size: as detailed above.
• AF Area Mode decides the way the auto focus works:
  • Auto: the camera picks the focus point from 9 areas at and around the centre of the frame.
  • Manual: allows moving the AF point to any one of 99 points in the frame.
  • Centre: forces the focus to occur at the centre of the frame.
• Auto-focus Mode:
  • C-AF (Continuous AF): allows the camera to focus continuously but drains the battery faster,
  • S-AF (Single AF): auto focuses only when the shutter release is pressed to the halfway point.
• Fixed Aperture: controls whether or not the aperture varies with the zoom position. When On, the aperture is maintained as close as possible near the selected f-number, as long as the selected aperture is between f5 through f7.3.
• Noise Reduction: On or Off. Serves to reduce noise at shutter speeds longer than 1/4 second.
• Reset: Resets User Setting 1 or 2, depending on which of the two is currently selected.
• User Setting: stores two sets of camera settings for all the settings available on the camera, either through the menu or using buttons.

While as noted above there is no menu with the Auto shooting mode, a 3-option menu is available when the P2 is set to the Movie mode:

• Movie Options selects the type of movie (see the Ergonomics section of the review for more information about the various types):
  • TV Movie 640.
  • TV Movie 640.
  • Small Size 320.
  • Smaller Size 160.
• Auto Focus Mode: Single AF or Continuous AF.
• Electronic VR: On or Off. Electronic VR reduces the effect of camera shake on the image, acting somewhat like an optical stabilizer.

• List by Date: serves to see images organized by the capture date and time.
• D-Lightning: serves to process the image so that its darker zones are brightened and then re-save it as a new image.
• Print Set: serves to create a print order using DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), listing the photos to be printed, the number of prints to make of each, and the information (time, date etc.) to be included on each print. The Coolpix P2 is PictBridge compatible, and the print order information can be used to print directly on a PictBridge-enabled printer when the camera is connected to it via USB. (Note that a special menu containing printing options is displayed when the camera is connected directly to a printer.)
• Slide Show: serves to start an automatic slide show of the images in the camera which can be shown on a television, or on the camera's monitor. The interval between images can be selected (2, 3, 5, or 10 seconds) and the slide show can be set to loop back to the beginning, if desired.

• Delete serves to delete selected images, or all images, or those from a specific date.
• Protect allows selecting images for protection, preventing them from being accidentally deleted.
• Transfer Marking is to choose which photos will be automatically transferred when the Coolpix P2 is connected to a computer running Nikon's software.
• Hide Image: serves to hide pictures so they will not appear during slide shows.

• Small Pic is to make a smaller size copy of a photo at any of 3 image sizes: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, or 160 x 120 pixels.
• Copy: allows copying images back and forth between the camera's 16 MB internal memory and the memory card, or vice versa.

Still another function is available in Playback: by pressing the shutter release while an image is magnified on the monitor, it is possible to save the cropped image as a new, smaller size, image.

The Coolpix P2 is powered by a Nikon EN-EL5 battery pack, a very thin rechargeable Lithium ion battery, held in its slot by a little orange clip. A wired battery charger (MH-62) is included with the camera kit, and allows recharging the battery in approximately 2 hours. The Coolpix P2 can also be powered using an optional AC adapter (EH-62C).

As it is retailed in North America, the Coolpix P2 does not include a memory card. However the P2 comes with a 16 MB internal memory, and is compatible with SD (Secure Digital) memory cards. The memory card slot is located underneath the camera, next to the battery, and both are covered by a single solid door.

The chart below shows how many photos can be stored in the internal memory and with a optional 256 MB SD memory card:

Physically, the only external connection of the Coolpix P2 is a single jack located at the top right side of the camera. The jack is designed for dual use: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, and Audio/Video Out, and the cables for both functions are part of the camera kit. Both the USB protocol (PTP or Mass Storage) and the video signal (NTSC or PAL) are chosen in the Setup menu as part of the Interface option. (See the Interface and Software section of the review.)

The other connection of the Coolpix P2 is wireless. The Coolpix P2 is compatible with IEEE 802.11 b or g, which lets it connect wirelessly to a computer also equipped with a wireless network adapter (Ad-hoc mode), or to a LAN through an access point and running either Microsoft Windows XP (SP1 or later, SP2 recommended) or Mac OS X (10.3 or later).

To set up the camera for wireless operation it must first be configured using the USB connection and the Setup position on the mode dial and by running the Wireless Camera Setup Utility supplied with the P2.

Once the P2 is properly configured to access either a wireless LAN or a computer directly, turning the Mode dial to the Wireless position presents a choice of the available connections either to a computer or to a printer and when the connection is established a menu appears:

• Easy Transfer: compares the images in the memory with those stored on the computer and transfers only the images that are not already on the computer.
• Shooting Date: transfers images by a specific recording date.
• Marked Images: transfers only those images that have been marked for transfer.
• Shoot and Transfer: immediately transfers an image after it has been captured (the camera functions in Auto Shooting mode only).
• PC Mode: allows transferring images to Picture Project running on a computer that has access to a wireless network.
• Wireless Printing: serves to print images to a printer connected to a computer on the wireless network.

As an option PD-10, a Wireless Printer Adapter (shown below) can be purchased. The adapter is designed to be connected to a printer's USB port, and easily connect to the camera so photos can be printed.