Putting the u2018superu2019 in u2018superzoomu2019?: the Nikon P510 features a huge 24-1000mm zoom lens

The Nikon Coolpix P510 succeeds the P500,
and does so with a bang. The latest Coolpix superzoom has a 24-1000mm
(42x) optical zoom lens that puts other superzooms in the shade. The P510 adds much-needed lens-based images stabilisation too – a feature the previous P500 had lacked.

Figures
are one thing, of course, but the ability to shoot with a steady hand
at a 1000mm equivalent is no easy task, even with image stabilisation.
Having the focal length there may prove a lure to prospective punters,
but with a maximum f/3-5.6 aperture range, matching the exposure with a
fast enough shutter speed will require plenty of light. The camera’s
technical specification does show it’s able to shoot up to 1/4000th of a
second, yet only when shooting at f/8.3 – presumably due to the
electronic shutter kicking in (instead of the mechanical one) above a
certain (as yet undisclosed) shutter speed.

At the heart of the P510
is a back-illuminated, 1/2.3in, 16-megapixel CMOS sensor to capture all
the action. This includes stills from ISO 100-3200 (plus a Hi1, ISO
6400 equivalent setting) and HD movie clips at 1080p30.

As well as a 3in, tilt-angle, 921k-dot LCD screen on the rear, the P510
also includes a 0.2in, 201k-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF). It’s a
shame the size and resolution hasn’t increased from the previous P500,
and yet to do so wouldn’t have come into the P510’s impressive £400
budget.

Available in either black, red or dark grey, the Nikon Coolpix P510 will be available from March 22nd.

We’ll be getting our hands-on the P510 later today, so keep posted for a first look…