Nikon Coolpix P520 Camera - Black (18.1MP, 42xZoom, 24mm Wide Lens) 3.2 inch LCD

Product Information

Ordinarily, this kind of additional stabilisation is reserved for movie shooting and it’s a little odd to provide two levels of stabilisation for stills shooting, if there’s a more effective option, why not just include that and forget about the less effective one? One possible reason is that Active mode consumes significantly more power or employs some additional digital compensation that could slightly degrade the quality. In my tests with the earlier P520 I didn’t gain any advantage over Normal mode when shooting the test scene in Active mode, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t yield better result in situations like those mentioned in the manual. Take a look at my Nikon COOLPIX P520 review if you want to find out more. W]: Approx. 50 cm (1 ft 8 in.) to infinity, [T]: Approx. 1.5 m (5 ft) to infinity; Macro close-up mode: Approx. 1 cm (0.4 in.) (at a wide-angle zoom position) to infinity (All distances measured from center of front surface of lens) With a powerful 42x optical zoom, the Coolpix P520 allows for capturing subjects up close and from a distance. Additionally, a 2x digital zoom further enhances the camera's zoom capabilities, providing even greater reach. Its lens offers a minimum focal length of 24 millimeters (35mm film equivalent) and a maximum focal length of 1000 millimeters, allowing for versatile shooting options. Audio isn’t recorded with the HS video modes but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that you can use the effects filters. The only limitation on this is that the Soft and Nostalgic sepia effects are only available with the HS720/2x mode. I should also mention that you can’t use the use zoom or Full-time AF with the HS modes. Regardless of that, this is an impressive range of high speed recording modes and one of the COOLPIX P530’s big advantages over the H400 and SX520 HS neither of which offers anything like it. The table below shows the results. In Normal mode the COOLPIX P520 can shoot hand-held at an impressive five stops slower that the photographer’s rule of thumb says is advisable. Interestingly I didn’t gain any further advantage by switching to Active mode. That said, I was standing on firm level ground and was able to hold the camera steady, pressed to my face while using the viewfinder. In less favourable circumstances, i.e. when shooting from a car or under poor foothold conditions, the Active mode may well yield an advantage.

Nikon COOLPIX P520 | Cameralabs

It offers a robust in-camera editing suite, which allows users to add filters, retouch images, or add effects. Cons: Image Performance Overall, images match the quality of most smartphones in today’s market. And in good light, the camera provides excellent photos and videos, with the benefit of a superior zoom range over a smartphone. Images are reasonably sharp, well saturated, and have good color reproduction.The Nikon Coolpix P520 boasts the most powerful lens in Coolpix camera yet, incorporating a 42x optical zoom lens which provides an effective focal range of 24-1000mm. How does the rest of the camera weigh up? Find out in our full Nikon Coolpix P520 review

Nikon COOLPIX P520 | COOLPIX Digital Camera from Nikon

The autofocusing system is also a bit slow, particularly when zoomed in at 1000mm. In this configuration, the camera struggles to acquire focus and often fails to do so. It’s best to stay in medium focal lengths or wider, to maintain adequate focusing speeds. Battery Life The flash settings on the Nikon Coolpix P520 are Auto, Auto with Red-eye reduction, Fill Flash, Manual (Full, 1/2, 1/4 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64), Slow Sync, Rear-curtain Sync and Flash Off. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m. Some vignetting and barrel distortion is apparent at the 24mm wide-angle setting, irrespective of whether you use the flash or not. The COOLPIX P520’s 42x optical zoom has a 35mm equivalent range of 24-1000mm and a maximum aperture of f3-5.9. As I mentioned in the introduction, this is the same lens as on its predecessor, the COOLPIX P510 which was unmatched on its release in early 2012, and although there are now longer super-zooms out there it remains an impressively long reach with which few models, present company excepted, can compete. Battery life is rated at 240 shots according to CIPA test results, this will be OK for a day of shooting, but if you use the GPS quite a lot, you might appreciate having a spare to hand. We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.

The Nikon Coolpix P520's 42x zoom lens provides an astonishing focal range of 24-1000mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below. Ordinarily, this kind of additional stabilisation is reserved for movie shooting and it’s a little odd to provide two levels of stabilisation for stills shooting, if there’s a more effective option, why not just include that and forget about the less effective one? It’s possible, I suppose, that Active mode consumes significantly more power, and with the COOLPIX P520’s less than stellar battery life, that would be a consideration. But the answer to that is surely to turn on Active mode when you need stabilisation and turn it off altogether when you don’t?

Nikon Coolpix P520 Review - Bundles - Photography PX Nikon Coolpix P520 Review - Bundles - Photography PX

It's a bit of an oxymoron that bridge cameras are lumped into the compact genre when, in actuality, many of them are roughly the same size as entry-level DSLRs. Where the difference lies, however, is in the size of the sensor. The Nikon Coolpix P520 allows you to get as close as 1cm to your subject, in this case a Compact Flash card. It’s an excellent choice for those looking for a reasonably powerful superzoom bridge camera. And for users who don’t mind its minor flaws and inconveniences, it remains a strong starting camera. It delivers the necessary shooting options and functionality, along with good photo and video quality. While it’s not a replacement to an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera, it’s a good choice for those looking for a more point and shoot experience in a DSLR styled body. The on/off switch is located on the top panel and has a green LED surround to tell you when the power is on. The only other button on the top is a programmable fn button which is assigned to drive modes by default. By contrast the drive mode button on the Canon SX520 HS can’t be re-assigned even though, given the SX520’s lamentable 1.7fps continuous shooting performance, there’s every reason it should be. The P520 has a nice mix of shooting modes, making it a good choice for both snapshooters and those who want a little more control. There are two Auto modes on this camera. One is Nikon's Scene Auto Selector, located in with the other Scene modes. It adjusts settings appropriately based on six common scene types. If the scene doesn't match any of those, it defaults to a general-use Auto. Then there is an Auto mode, which shuts off all photo settings from the user except for image quality and size.The Coolpix P520 combines a compact design with advanced features, making it suitable for various photography needs. Whether it's landscapes, portraits, or close-ups, this camera provides flexibility to capture different subjects with precision. With the exception of the side-hinged screen, the design and control layout is largely unchanged from the COOLPIX P510 with the mode dial located on the right side of the top panel and the shutter release located where you’d expect at the front on the top of the grip with a collar type zoom control surrounding it. Behind it are a small slightly raised Fn button and the slightly recessed On/Off button with a circular LED surround which momentarily glows green when you turn the camera on and glows continuously during charging. The Nikon Coolpix P520 has four different Picture Controls, which can be individually tweaked (sharpening, contrast and saturation) to suit your taste. The Nikon Coolpix P520 is a compact camera with an impressive 18.1 megapixel CMOS sensor. Designed for capturing high-resolution images, it boasts a maximum image resolution of 4896 x 3672 pixels. Equipped with an image stabilizer, this camera enables users to take steady, blur-free shots.