Nikon P5100

Reviewed November 2007

Characteristics

Equipped with a 1/1.72-inch, 12.43- million pixel CCD of which 12.1 million pixels are effective, the Nikon Coolpix P5100 is able to capture images at any of 11 image sizes:

Each of these image sizes can be saved at any one of three image quality settings, all of which are in JPEG format:

The 12-megapixel CCD of the P5100 has a sensitivity range that starts at 64 ISO and extends to 3200 ISO (64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200). In addition, the P5100 offers an Auto ISO setting which ranges from 64 to 400 ISO, and a Fixed Range Auto that can be limited to a gain of 100, 200 or 400 ISO when the camera is used with the P, S, or A modes.

The Coolpix P5100 is equipped with a 3.5X Nikkor zoom, composed of 7 elements in 6 groups, providing a focal length of 7.5 to 26.3 mm, the equivalent of a 35 to 123mm.

The zoom has apertures that begin at f2.7 at the wide end and f5.3 at the telephoto end, closing down to f7.6 and f7.3 respectively.

The Nikkor zoom features Nikon's VR (Vibration Reduction) system, which dampens vibration by moving a lens element to counteract the involuntary movements of the photographer.

A 4X digital zoom is also available, enabled in the Setup menu to be either a standard interpolating zoom, or a cropping tool that can only be used when the image size is set to less than the maximum.

The P5100 has a shutter speed range that covers from 1/2000 second down to 8 seconds, but the upper limit of the range varies according to the focal length in use. A noise reduction system is included for all long exposures when the NR option is set to the default, or can be forced on so it is applied to all exposures longer than 1/4 second.

The Shooting menu contains most of the settings available with the P5100, and its options are the most extensive when the camera is set to P, S, A, or M, other modes either restricting options to the selection of image size and quality — Scene and Auto modes — or if offering a view of the entire menu — High ISO and Anti Shake modes — preventing access to some settings:

• Image Quality: serves to select the compression level (see above).
• Image Size: serves to select the image size (see image sizes above).
• Optimize Image provides control over sharpening, contrast, and colour:
  • Normal (default).
  • Softer: softens outlines.
  • Vivid: enhances saturation, contrast and sharpness.
  • More Vivid: maximizes saturation, contrast and sharpness.
  • Portrait: lowers contrast
  • Custom: provides control over Contrast, Sharpening using any one of 5 settings: Auto, Normal, Low, Medium Low, and Medium High; and saturation over 4 settings: Auto, Normal, Moderate, Enhanced.
  • Black and White: captures the image in black and white.
• White Balance provides settings for: Auto, PRE, which stands for Preset Manual making it possible to set the white balance under ambient light conditions, or Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Shade or Flash.
• ISO Sensitivity: Auto ISO, Fixed Range Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 ISO.
• Metering selects the metering mode:
  • Matrix, the default, which divides the frame into 256 segments, and establishes the exposure by combining these readings with scene recognition.
  • Centre-weighted, which evaluates the centre of the frame and the surrounding area, and combines the reading while giving the centre of the frame greater importance.
  • Spot which measures a small area at the centre of the frame only.
  • Spot AF Area, which is similar to Spot, but linked to the AF point.
• Continuous sets the shooting rate:
  • Single: captures one frame at a time.
  • Continuous: captures up to 5 photos at 1.1 frames per second when the image quality is set to Normal.
  • Best Shot Selector: captures up to 10 images, allowing the camera to select and save the image that is the sharpest. The flash is turned off when this mode is used.
  • Continuous Flash: the camera takes three flash photos at 1.1 frames per second when the image quality is set to Normal. Since sensitivity is increased during Continuous Flash shooting, noise can appear in the images.
  • Multi-Shot 16: captures 16 images at 1.1 frames per second and saves them contiguously into a single Normal quality photo with a 2592 x 1944 pixel frame.
  • Interval Timer Shooting: makes it possible to select a time interval between shots (30 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes) and capture up to 1800 photos, or until the memory is full.
• Auto Bracketing has four settings: 0.3 EV, 0.7 EV, 1 EV, or Off.

• AF Area Mode controls how the auto focus operates:
  • Face Priority: allows the camera to use its 9 AF point to automatically detect a face in the frame.
  • Auto: allows the camera to select the focus point using any of its 9 AF areas.
  • Manual: allows moving the focus point to any 1 of 99 points in the frame.
  • Centre: locks the AF point at the centre of the frame.

• Autofocus Mode:
  • Single AF: the camera only auto focuses when the shutter release is pressed halfway.
  • Full-time AF constantly adjusts the focus, even when the shutter release is not pressed halfway, but consumes more power.
• Flash Exposure compensation: provides a compensation range of ±2EV in 1/3 EV increments.
• Flash Control controls the behaviour of the camera's built-in flash:
  • Auto: allows the camera to detect when an external flash is mounted on the camera, and fires it instead of the built-in flash.
  • Built-in Off: disables the built-in flash.
• Fixed Aperture: On or Off. When On and the camera is set to A or M modes, the aperture is kept close as possible to the selected aperture. A range of f5.1 to f7.3 is available.
• Noise Reduction has 2 settings:
  • Auto performs noise reduction with shots captured at low shutter speeds that are likely going to be affected by noise.
  • NR: applies noise reduction to all photos captured with a shutter speed of 1/4 second or longer (Continuous mode is limited to Single or Interval shooting, and Auto Bracketing is not available).
• Converter lets the camera know when a lens converter is mounted on the camera: None, Wide Angle Converter, or Telephoto Converter.
• User Setting: serves to select either one of two User memory banks, each of which can store 14 menu settings and 3 button operations.
• Reset User setting: serves to reset the currently selected User Memory.
• Distortion Control has 2 settings: On or Off. When set to On, the image is corrected for distortion, reducing the image size.

With the camera set to the Playback mode, the following menu is available:

• D-Lightning: serves to automatically adjust the brightness of an image that may have underexposed areas, and re-save the processed image as a new one
• Print Set: is to select photos for printing on a DPOF compatible device, specify the number of copies to make, and select whether the image will include the date and shooting info. The Coolpix P5100 is compatible with PictBridge and can be connected directly to a similarly compatible printer to print images.

• Slide Show: makes it possible to review images automatically, with a selectable interval time (2, 3, 5, or 10 seconds). The slide show can be set to loop back to the beginning once the last photo is reached, or set to a maximum of 30 minutes.
• Delete allows erasing selected images, or all those in memory, or those captured on a specific date.

• Protect marks selected image files as read-only, preventing them from being accidentally deleted.
• Hide Image: serves to hide selected images so they cannot be seen during normal playback, or during a slide show.
• Small Pic allows creating a copy of an image at a lower resolution (640 x 480, 320 x 240, or 160 x 120).
• Copy: serves to copy images in the internal memory to a memory card or vice versa.
• Black Border: adds a black border to an image. A choice of border sizes are offered (Thin, Medium or Broad).

When the P5100 is connected to PictBridge compatible printer, the camera offers another menu:

• Print Selection: prints selected images, 1 or more.
• Print All Images: prints all the images in memory.
• DPOF Printing: prints images that have been selected using the Print Set option of the Playback menu.
• Paper Size: allows selecting the printer paper: Default (the default size for the current printer), 3.5 x 5 in., 4 x 6 in., 5 x 7 in., 8 x 10 in., 100 x 150 mm, Letter, A3, A4).

The Coolpix P5100 is equipped with a 52 MB internal memory as well as with an SD (Secure Digital) compatible memory card slot. The card slot is located underneath the camera, and covered by the same door that covers the battery.

The chart below lists approximate capacities using both the 52 MB internal memory, and a 1 GB SD card:

The P5100 has only one external connection, protected by a flexible plastic door on the lower right side. The connection serves, depending on the cable used, to connect the camera to a computer or to a PictBridge compatible printer when the USB cable is used, and to connect the camera to a television when the A/V cable is used.

The USB 2.0 (High Speed) connection automatically detects whether the camera is connected to a printer or to a computer. The A/V (audio/Video) output signal can be set to either NTSC or PAL in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for a description of the Setup menu).

The Coolpix P5100 is powered by a thin Lithium Ion battery (EN-EL5) which is held in place in its compartment by an orange coloured spring-loaded latch, preventing the battery from sliding out when the door is opened to access the memory card. A charger (MH-61) is included in the kit, requiring approximately 2 hours to fully recharge a fully depleted battery.

In addition, the P5100 can be powered using regular household current if it is connected to the optional AC adapter.