Nikon COOLPIX P900 Digital Camera with 83x Optical Zoom and Built-In Wi-Fi(Black)

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Im a semi professional photographer, been working part time at it since the 90s and needed a long zoom solution for vacation photos. I have a Canon 100-400 L lens and thought about coupling it with one of my APS-C bodies and a 2x teleconverter but something about carrying all that gear for photos with little to no commercial viability didnt appeal to me. This camera came up a a warehouse deal with an additional 15% off for Amazon Prime day and so I thought Ill get it considering Im going on vacation to Yellowstone and could use an the extra long zoom reach. To put the camera to the test I took the obligatory moon shot but then I took a short trip. I visited a local wild life ranch and cavern here in San Antonio area called Natural Bridge Wild Life Ranch and Natural Bridge Caverns. In the wild life ranch I snagged a shot of a Zebra which I sold four copies of in a week just by word of mouth - so much for no commercial viability. Wildlife Ranch photos here:[...] Cavern Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1675684126085238.1073741885.1535609413426044&type=1&l=2f0cb6c5a6 It was a lot of fun to play with the camera, the zoom reach is beyond expectation and certainly has a bit of a WOW factor to it. The fact the camera has manual modes is a bit of a misnomer since the shutter and aperture range youre allow to play with are not the full spectrum but a very limited set, for example, when zoomed in you can open all the way up to f6.5 or stop all the way down to f8.0. Ideally with an inexpensive lens Id have liked to stop down to f11 to ensure edge to edge sharpness. Do to this limitation I ended up using full auto and adjusting the scene selection as well as using exposure comp for almost every shot. As one might expect this kind of zoom range makes it easy to induce camera shake but the camera does a reasonably good job of suppressing it. For example, shooting at 1/500 of a second and zoomed to 2000mm yields a sharp image about 1/3 of the time. During shooting I was constantly pixel peeping to see if focus was sharp which it usually wasnt so the solution is to take lots of shots, bracing, holding breath, leaning on something (I brought a mono pod into the caverns). Shooting with it on the wide angle is great if youre not using flash (flash was too powerful and no flash settings, could possibly fix with a napkin or post-it over the flash), zoomed all the way out the P900 provides a nice f2.8 aperture which is faster than some of the competition in the range with smaller zoom lenses. Back at the computer it was disappointing not to have Raw files to work with. The jpgs were highly compressed and I suspect highly processed in camera to compensate for the inexpensive lens. My first test shots at home made me adjust the in camera processing to add one more notch (you can add up to three) of both contrast and saturation. None the less there is a stop or two of additional range in processing the images in Adobe LR. Highlights and shadows were unrecoverable when completely blown out something my 5D has probably spoiled me on. In the end I think I threw out 1/5th of the shots and about 1/10th of remaining were worth talking about (see links). Like I said before, the solution to the shortcomings of the camera are to take multiple shots of the composition and subj. you want. Honestly I think if I had used my APS-C body and teleconverter I wouldnt have fared too much better and the time spent taking extra shots with the P900 would have been spent catching my breath carrying an additional 5lbs of gear; not to mention shaking the cramps out of my hand. ---Summary--- Pros: Zoom Reach Relative portability Value considering the lens is unique Cons: Small sensor size compression noise ISO noise even at relatively low ISO (I was trying to keep it at or below 800) high rate of poor shots Slow to respond after taking multiple shots (serious problem if you intend to do bird watching) And not such a con but a note, there are better options out there in this price range if youre not looking the occasional bird photo or moon shot. I teetered on the edge of returning it but in the end it does provide unique shots at a price that doesnt hurt that bad. So if you can find a deal youre probably going to be very happy with it. Would I recommend it to a friend? Hell yes - gotta try this zoom, its insane and worth the shortcomings especially if you have a little skill (or just patience) and can work at overcoming them.

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I have a D610 camera with sevral lenses, which I use for my landscape photography. However I have developed an interest in bird watching lately. I wanted to photograph the birds that I see, so that I can look at those pictures at leisure after returning home, and try to identify them with the help of field guides. I felt that I did not have enough time on the field, to look at the birds carefully remember its markings and consult a filed guide on the spot. Too much time wasted in what could be used to watch more birds. I looked into spotting scopes through which pictures could be taken using a phone adopter, but the quality was not good and also they require tripods and are expensive. I also thought of buying the Tamron or Sigma 150-600 mm lens, but although their price is reasonable, they weigh quite a bit. I have some back pain and cannot realistically carry that much weight along with the binoculars. Too difficult for me at the age of 62. So when I learnt of this camera from Nikon, and looked at the sample pictures, I decided to pre-order. Got it yesterday and must say that I am VERY impressed. Took it to the neighboring state park and got a lot of good photos. They, understandably , are not in the same league as those with full frame cameras, but are highly useable and are greatly increasing my ability to learn the names of the birds. Connecting it to my iPhone 6 was very easy. Weight is very manageable. I did not use a tripod even when using at the maximum zoom range of 2000, but still got good, decently sharp pictures. However I do intend to use a tripod whenever I can. But it does not seem essential. I had thought that not having RAW would be a great disadvantage, as I invariably use RAW for my full frame Nikons, but I have actually felt relieved, being forced not to able do a lot of post-processing. Saves time to spend on the field. I did some simple editing in Lightroom, mainly an S curve, noise reduction and some sharpening. Do remember to customize it at "U" setting, so that you have the spot focusing available to you. Otherwise you may end up with sharply focussed branches rather than the bird. Use fine JPEG setting. I am looking forward to the moon eclipse on April 4th. Highly recommended.

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I am a very serious photographer who often keeps a new camera about 6 mos before upgrading to the next new thing. I feel like I have skipped 5 or 6 upgrades with this Nikon P900. Im blown away at the incredible zoom and other features that came as part of the package. I would never have believed you could take a camera like this and zoom from a close up showing the intimate details of your thumb print to zooming in to be able to see the rings of Saturn or to count the moons of Jupiter. It has an option to be able to capture the rotation of the earth by taking 150 time elapsed photos and combining them into a movie clip. Its incredible.

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Ive been putting the camera through its paces for several weeks now. Its definitely a birders dream. No need to carry my Nikon SLR around with all the lenses. This camera has great light gathering ability, even at full zoom. A technical comment on the claim of 83x magnification. Prior to digital zoom cameras, zoom was measured (binoculars, telescopes) as the magnification over visual. The 35mm visual level is about 50mm. The camera manufacturers (all of them) started using "zoom" as the magnification over the lowest wide-angle setting, in the case of this camera, 28mm. So, expect about 40x magnification, not 80x. That said, the 16mp sensor allows you to magnify the picture several times on your computer and get very good results. A few of the reviewers said the pictures at high zoom werent clear. I suspect that they are shooting at great distances expecting sharp images, and as astronomers know, all the air instability and particulate matter in between the lens and the subject are magnified and can cause very muddy images. I am finding at a distance of under 100 yards, the pictures are remarkably clear. As a snapshot camera, it doesnt provide any improvement over an 8mp I-Phone camera, so I wont be carrying the camera around to social events. However, at a recent large meeting, I was able to take a shot of a group engaged in conversation from about 50 feet, and everyone thought they had taken a selfie. There is a long learning curve. I probably have only used about 20% of the capabilities and am rethinking my methods of bird photography in view of its prowess. For positive bird identification, I usually start with a 50mm view and then zoom in to about 1000mm, keeping the bird solidly in the viewfinder and taking the photo. Then at home I further enlarge the photo to verify the identity. I even find myself setting the camera at about half zoom, aiming at about where the bird is, knowing that I can get a good enlargement of the bird at home. Several additional advantages of this camera: There is no mirror to cause camera shake. Im rather amazed at the clarity of the photos, even at high zoom. The flip out screen not only allows me to see the frame from many angles, but it protects the screen from damage. The auto-focus works much better than my old Nikon, particularly with birds high up in flight. If I can get the bird in the frame, the auto-focus will work on it. It appears the flash is stronger and more under control than my old Nikon. So, Ill give it a 5. More than meets my expectations at an affordable price.

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Despite the potential attraction of the P900 as a sports and wildlife camera, because you can be far from the action yet capture it in detail with a 2000mm lens, it really isn’t one. The AF at 2000mm tends to be slow and doesn’t always lock on the subject first time (assuming you can find your subject and keep it in the frame at 2000mm!).Though the P900 can produce decent images at 2000mm, it’s really not an action camera, so if your subject is moving (as is often the case in sports and wildlife photography), getting those images can be tough and if the light is low and you have to shoot at higher ISO settings, image quality and AF suffer. The buffer limitations, shutter lag, and shot to shot times can also be a problem for action photography. It’s certainly got almost every feature that an average amateur might want and as long as you realize that image while okay for small prints, the effect of this resolution loss is clear once a larger print is examined. Additionally, when in Continuous shoot mode it only records 7 frames and then takes 5 seconds to write to disk; a lot of missed opportunities.

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I am not a professional. I recently picked up birding and wanted to upgrade my Nikon D40 to a better zoom camera that could hold more than a 2GB memory card. I was wavering between buying a nicer zoom lenses or a new camera. Every lenses that I liked was well over $1000 so I thought I would give the P900 a try. I am really happy with my choice. The weight is also a plus - it is light enough that it goes unnoticed in my backpack on a hike. I have added 2 accessories : a ~$20 monopod and a ~$7 UV filter The two photos of a woodpecker are from this weekend – zoomed out and zoomed in (using a monopod). They were taken mid day with low light. Ive noticed that I have stopped using binoculars when bird watching and now only use the zoom on the camera. While I am really impressed with the quality of zoom, I am let down by the battery life. My D40 could go 2 or 3 full without a charge and this camera can only go 1 day.

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Ive been using Nikon super-zoom cameras for over a decade now. I started with the P80, went to the P510 and later P610, and now have the P900. Theyve gotten bigger, and MUCH better, over time (and even the oldest ones still work just fine!). They will NOT take the place of a dedicated DSLR with appropriate lens for specific uses, but where they shine is being ready for anything, anywhere, at any time. No lens-swapping, no huge camera bags of extra lenses and associated gear; all you need is the camera and a spare battery or two. 24-2000mm equivalent of zoom is at your beck and call, ready to bring that distant bird or creature right up close without the associated danger, or any chance of scaring it off. Macro close-up for making tiny things look BIG. Wide angle for the family reunion or crowd shots, or creative cityscapes. All the modes you need, plus a few more. You dont HAVE to use them, but they are there if want/need them. Great battery life. Full HD video. The P900 is fairly large; if minimizing size/weight is important to you, Id recommend stepping down to the P610. Otherwise, get the P900 and enjoy!

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When it comes to any product the first thing is to state wheat are you going to do with it. I love to view images on large 1920 x 1080 27" monitor, at full screen mode. I bother me to see other things on the screen like bars and menus of the computer / browser. So for me the paper print quality of a camera is completely irrelevant. I also love things from either very far or very close... I love strong vivid colors and that the image is painfully sharp. And so, after changing few factory defaults of the P900 in its menus, it takes images the way I like. I have chosen the Vivid mode in picture control, and enhanced by a click the sharpness, contrast and saturation. In the ISO department I chosen Auto 100-400. The Noise reduction is set to Low - the P900 does very good job keeping clear images, by far better than the Canon SX60 I had before, Even at ISO400 you get very clean images. Than I set the resolution to 1920x1080 so it 100% to monitor resolution and not fitting needed, no loss details. That does the trick for me. I already learn how to hold tight when shoot zooms. Results are fantastic. True, this camera is plastic made, fill flex under pressure, control are moving little to lose to my taste, but who care? Were here for great images and I believe most people are getting new gadget every 2-3 years anyhow, so long as the P900 leave and function for the next 2 years - Im good.

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This is the BEST camera I have ever owned. We were at the Arches National Park. I shot a picture of the full moon that night and had to zoom out a little to get the entire moon. The zoom is just so fantastic on this thing. From a tiny spider to a moon. The night pictures are as great as the daytime pictures. Its clarity is wonderful also. My camera friends are jealous because they have to whip out all of their lenses where I just zoom and shoot. If I could give this a 10 star, I would!

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I bought this as a packed deal from Amazon. My initial impressions (out-of-box) and first trial run: Real World Usage Review: As mentioned earlier, this is week # 3 review from real-world usage, I believe that I may have received a lemon out-of-the box, and this camera has played a bit of Hawaiian Big Island vacation spoiler (at least for me), but fortunately I had 2 additional cameras as a back-up (muy wife and son). Also, fortunately, this is my 4th Hawaiian escape. The initial impressions about this camera is still excellent, and overall lens (83x) is mesmerizing for point-n-shoot. This is perfect camera to avoid changing lenses and rough (and unforgiving) terrains of volcanic Big Island, especially for those exploring the depths of volcano national park. Now about the Camera, and please READ this before buying, and if You do BUY, this should be your FIRST test of the Camera: 1. Almost all pictures from the top of the lens has a (weird pink) discoloration patch (smear), as if there was no Quality Testing done at NIKON (I guess folks at Nikon must be on vacation)!! 2. Yes, for those photography geeks, I have all the extra gizmos (filters, etc.) and I have tested this camera extensively in almost all settings (in-built features and external attachments), and this weird discoloration just doesnt disappear in all light conditions (in-door, out-door, low light, day, night, etc mode). 3. Please review the attached pictures. PLEASE NOTE: Amazon Customer Services is flawless, and buy this camera (or other products) with 100% CONFIDENCE. Customer Service has dispatched a new replacement for me urgently (upon my arrival back home). As we all know, Amazon doesnt make NIKON. Out of 1,000 Pictures from Real World Testing, I have attached just a few examples (others are family pictures and for privacy reason, not attached). However, almost all pictures have discoloration at the top of the screen (indoor and outdoor). I will test the replacement camera and update Amazon (and potential customers) over the next 2-3 weeks, again from real-world testing. My other cameras (yes, NIKON COOLPIX B500 is amazing and flawless with incredible picture quality as well as all mobile phone cameras). Thanks to Amazon for dispatching a replacement (which is yet to be tested). However, the 1st purchase is a lemon, thus a defective P900!! I suggest if you are purchasing this camera, to buy directly from Amazon.com as customer service from other buyers may not be up to par with Amazon. And this is not a cheap camera from Nikon!! 3rd review to follow soon over next 2-3 weeks.....

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