A slightly improved version of the Coolpix 2000. It feels a bit more comfortable in your hand though it'd be a bit better if it were a tad larger.
If you don't need professional results, buy this camera and save your money. Manufacturers are overpricing digital cameras to get back their R&D money. A few years down the road, digital cameras will be much better and cheaper than today's entry level ones.
Strengths:
Great entry level camera. Straightforward buttons and dial.
Weaknesses:
A bit too small for my taste, like today's cell phones.
Not made in Japan.
This is my first digicam. Having been experienced in using a film SLR, I looked for features that would allow me the same control and creativity as a SLR but didn't necessarily want to spend the big bucks for a digital SLR.. yet. The 2100 has a 3x optical zoom, important to me because I detest the loss of quality with digital zoom, preferring to crop and edit on photoshop instead. The LCD is bright and legible in all but the most sunny of days. Cycle time between shots while not blazing fast, is acceptable, although fast moving action or unpredictable moments (ie babies) could be a luck of the draw proposition. Nice and compact, no gripes about the quality of the images (most of my images are for the web, so 2Megapixel works fine). I like Nikon's use of non-proprietary memory cards and batteries, so there would be no problem with replacements. Battey life seems quite adequate even on LiMH rechargeables. The only gripe I have are the placement of the on/off and exposure mode dials on top. I tend to stuff my camera in backpacks or pockets, and sometimes this bumps the unit on when you're not expecting it.
Strengths:
Compact size, Quicktime movie mode, good low-light performance, good optics.
Weaknesses:
On/off dial has a lump on it, causing inadvertant switching of unit when in a backpack or pocket. Same with exposure dial.
Similar Products Used:
n/a, first digicam other than a DV camcorder with still mode.
I bought this camera as an upgrade from a Kodak 3200 1 megapixel camera. I have been more than pleased so far. Battery life seems to be very good. The camera is very easy to use. It has 3x optical zoom which can be extended up to 12x if you combine the digital zoom. The camera is very small and light weight. The controls are easy to master. You can use the camera without the lcd screen running. I have taken a variety of pictures under all kinds of lighting and have yet to produce a bad picture.
It has some great features including the ability to take 16 timed shots in about 2 seconds and then put all the pictures into one photo on the camera - great for analyzing golf swings or catching your new baby's first steps. It will also do 15 second videos that are quite good.
Strengths:
Ease of use, multitude of neat features.
Weaknesses:
Needs a bigger compact flash card, but if you are like me you have more than one.
Similar Products Used:
Kodak 3200, Sony Mavica
Customer Service:
Newegg is the best computer and electronics store on the net, bar none. Great service, great prices. I have been a customer for over four years, have probably ordered from them 20 times, and each time I got exactly what I ordered quickly and at a great price.
What can I say? I love this thing. It takes awesome pictures, battery life seems reasonable for using the lcd all the time, the zoom gets you right in there, lotsa bells and whistles which seem very intuitive to use. For the retail price of $250, you get a lot of camera. Search online for cheaper prices or coupon codes from the big online retailers and get a better price. I got mine on ebay for $250, but it came with a lot of free stuff: mem card, case, tripod, and cleaning cloth.
Strengths:
Sharper, color pictures. I am not going to pretend I know about all the technical photographic lingo, but I consider myself a beginner/casual user. This is who the camera is aimed at, those who want a camera to take great pics and be easy to use.
Weaknesses:
I really cant think of any, but this is my first real digicam.
Similar Products Used:
SiPix SC-2100, JamCam 3.0, and other such cheapo cameras. Fun, but not for real photographic use.
Sample Images
More Products from Nikon
Link to this page
4 of 5
5 of 5
