Nikon Digital Cameras Guide



Nikon digital cameras are leaders in digital photography. They are very highly respected and produce quality products....today Nikon is the only major optical company in the world that controls all aspects of it's glass making business. No wonder their products get rave reviews!

Nikon has a camera that will fit almost any need. Researching the Coolpix Nikon digital cameras I discovered they have received more awards than any other consumer digital camera. Pretty impressive!

Let's take a closer look...

Let's take a closer look at the different types of Nikon digital cameras

#1 consumer Point & Shoot (easy to use Nikon's!)

Nikon has some great stuff to choose from in this category. These Nikon digital cameras go by the name Coolpix, each with different model numbers (2100, 2500, 3100, 3500 and SQ).

They range from offering between 2 and 3.3 megapixels...and one of the nicest things about these digital cameras are the 'scene modes'.

Instead of setting a series of manual controls you can pick from a selection of presets: Portrait, Party/Indoor, Night Portrait, Beach/Snow, Landscape, Close Up, Fireworks etc. This is a great help in getting the best shot...when looking at these Nikon digital cameras be aware that not all models have all of the scenes.

One more note....you'll get blurry pictures if you choose the wrong scene. So you'll want to stick to the 'automatic' setting if you're not sure.

All of these Nikon digital cameras are pretty compact so you can carry them around in a pocket easily. Some of these models have a swivel lens which is kinda cool....offers good protection when not in use. The LCDs on the back are nice and bright but they don't come with an optical viewfinder (the thing you look through), LCD only - little strange.

Personally I like to have an optical viewfinder as well as an LCD...I find it's easier to hold the camera steady using the optical viewfinder. I guess that's how they offer all this functionality at good prices.

Most of the Nikon digital cameras also have an email button....this will take smaller pictures perfect for sending via email. Not sure how much I'd use that but it's still pretty cool! Overall, these are great digital cameras....good choice if you're a casual user or buying on a budget.

#2 High-End Consumer

The high end Nikon digital cameras offer you more flexibility. So if you're looking for manual controls this is the way to go. These Nikon Coolpix range in model numbers as well (4300, 4500, 5000, 5700). They vary from having 3 to 5 megapixels...you'll be able to get enlargements of your best pics developed with these Nikon's.

These Nikon digital cameras offer full manual modes, manual focus, various shutter speeds, white balance, aperture priority etc. They all use CompactFlash memory cards and the higher models can accept CompactFlash II and IBM Microdrives so you can store 1Gig (1000 Mega Bytes) of pictures - one card could hold enough pictures to last you an entire vacation....gotta love that!

The 5000 and 5700 have LCDs that flip out and rotate....pretty handy for previewing your shots. Overall, these Nikon digital cameras offer even the most serious hobbyist good value, the 5 megapixel 5700 is extremely popular. Tough to go wrong with any of the Nikon digital cameras in this category.

#3 Professional Nikon Digital Cameras

For many enthusiasts moving from high end film cameras to digital these Nikon digital cameras are the way to go (D100, D1H, D1X). The D100 is the latest offering from Nikon and gets you 6.1 megapixels (wow!) and a fully featured SLR (Single Lens Reflex - what you see in the viewfinder is exactly what is taken by the camera).

Of course there's tons of manual features, on-demand grid lines in the viewfinder and new high speed image processing. It'll handle CompactFlash and CompactFlash Type II memory cards as well as IBM Microdrives for lots of storage space. The Nikon D100 digital camera will please the most serious hobbyist or even a seasoned professional.


Next, let's take a peak at some of the hottest selling...most popular Nikon digital cameras

While researching Nikon digital cameras for this guide I found you'll save the most money by shopping online. I ended up comparing many online retailers and found that you can find price differences up to 15%...that can add up!

The links below will take you to the one that has the best combination of price and service for that camera. Most of the time I found either TigerDirect or Amazon ended up having the best combination of price and reliable service...


Nikon Coolpix 2500
This Nikon 2500 definitely has a cool funky look to it. It's compact so you can carry it around with you to parties, family gatherings or on vacations really easily. The lens on the 2500 model Nikon digital cameras swivel...which is pretty neat and it protects the lens when you're not using it.

When you hold it in your hand it feels like a solid camera. It doesn't have an optical viewfinder - LCD only - but it's pretty bright so you can see it in most lighting conditions. You'll be able to develop your pictures up to 5x7 inches...and the quality of these 2 megapixel Nikon digital cameras are really good.

Nikon uses good image sensors and lenses which really make a difference compared to cheaper 2 megapixel cameras. Great beginner camera and a good choice if you're on a budget.

Get the Nikon 2500, check the price here and read more here...




Nikon Coolpix 4300

Okay, the 4300 Nikon digital cameras are taking the industry by storm. It'll be difficult to find any other digital camera with 4 megapixels for the price. One of the nicest things about these Nikon digital cameras is how easy they are to use - fully automatic - point and shoot simple. It has 12 different 'scene' modes so you can easily get the best picture by choosing the proper scene. This way you don't have to fiddle with manual settings. It comes with a 16MB CompactFlash memory card - you'll definitely want to get a larger one to hold all your pictures.

You can also attach Nikon accessories to this one - like wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Overall, great choice for a casual user.

Get the Nikon 4300 here...




Nikon Coolpix 5700

The Nikon 5700 is a serious piece of work. It has 5 megapixels, 8x optical zoom and manual settings for just about everything that you can think of. There's a built-in speaker as well...which makes it really handy to play back your short movies. These Nikon digital cameras are compact in size - which is pretty amazing considering all the functionality. The 5700 uses an Electronic Viewfinder instead of the usual glass version. This may take some getting used to but it seems more and more models are using them. Lots of stuff to play with here...you'll pay for it though...the 5700 Nikon digital cameras are expensive!

Read more about the 5700 here...




My Recomendation For Nikon Digital Cameras

Beginners and casual users can't go wrong with the Nikon 4300...you'll get great shots with the easy to use 'scene modes' and there's enough megapixels to get your best pictures developed at almost any size. These Nikon digital cameras are nice and compact too!

If you're looking for some more control over the camera I'd go with the Nikon 5700, all the bells and whistles and with 5 megapixels you can't go wrong. Both these Nikon digital cameras are great choices.


Click here to check out a complete list of the top selling Nikon digital cameras at Amazon.com - sort by price, compare models and read reviews...



Tips on Buying a Digital Camera

 
  1. One Million Pixels = 1 Megapixel.  The more you have the sharper your image.  However, casual users don't need more than 2.1 Megapixels for good 5 x 7 inch prints.  If you need larger get more.
  2. Watch out for digital zoom.  Optical zoom doesn't distort your picture in any way, digital zoom can.  Read the fine print.
  3. Different manufacturers will use different types of memory cards.  CompactFlash and SmartMedia are two popular types.
  4. Cheaper cameras may have a LCD or a typical viewfinder, but not both.  Get one with both.
  5. Invest in rechargeable batteries or you'll be buying batteries pretty regularly.
  6. 3 camera sizes - Compact, Standard and Professional (slightly larger).
  7. Read the computer requirements for the camera.  Check that you have an available USB or Serial port on your PC.

 

You can review the 7 step Digital Camera Buyer's Guide here







More Information...



Check out recommended places to buy Nikon digital cameras...
Top 3 online stores to buy Nikon digital cameras. Each of these has good prices, great reviews and most importantly they are dependable retailers.

How to Find the Best Digital Camera - Home Page
Digital Camera Buyer's Guide and Tips...all you need to know about buying digital cameras in plain English.