Economic Research: Nikon Coolpix P510

Sunday 30 December 2012

Nikon Coolpix P510

For those who are after the absolute longest lens on a compact camera, meet the Nikon Coolpix P510. At roughly the same size as Nikon's last full-size superzoom, the 36x 22.5-810mm P500, the P510 packs an "oh wow"-inducing 42x 24-1000mm lens. The thing is, there are not a lot of things that you can do with a lens that long on what's essentially a point-and-shoot camera. With the lens fully extended, it's very difficult to hold the P510 still and keep your subject framed, and the autofocus is very slow, so fast-moving targets are a challenge to shoot. Plus, while the image stabilisation is very good, you're still going to want it on a tripod to avoid blur and when using its higher ISO settings. That said, the zoom range does give you a lot of shooting flexibility, and the P510 has plenty of other positive attributes that make it worth recommending. The P510 has a great mix of shooting modes, making it a good choice for both snapshooters or those who want more control.