If you’re the kind of photographer for whom Raw capture holds no appeal, then there’s very little to complain about with the Nikon Coolpix P7000. The problem is that if you’re considering an advanced compact then there’s every chance that Raw capture is exactly what you’re looking for and the P7000’s extensive delay in its capture is very limiting. Although it’s a fantastic advanced compact overall it’s this single issue that causes the P7000 to just miss out on a WDC gold award.
Performance
Nikon Coolpix P7000 review – Performance
The first point of note is the P7000’s speed in operation, or lack thereof. While the autofocus is a little sluggish, the Raw capture speed is positively sloth-like. If you’re a photographer who only shoots JPEGs then this isn’t going to be an issue for you – shot-to-shot speed when shooting solely JPEG is absoluetly fine. However, when shooting Raw files (or Raw+JPEG) you’re confronted with a wait of up to five seconds while the P7000 processes the image and clears its buffer. No other control of the camera can take place during this time.
Outside of the disappointing Raw processing speed, it’s fair to say the P7000 otherwise generally impresses. The 3in LCD screen, with a 921k-dot resolution, is as bright and clear as its competitors. For those more used to, or who prefer, a more conventional way of composing and capturing images, the optical viewfinder has also received improvements. It is now larger and appears brighter, while a dioptre adjustment also features. However with only 80% field of view – that’s a fifth of the final frame not visible in the viewfinder – there are obvious limitations here.
In general use, the menu system is easy enough to negotiate. The addition of the command dial on the rear of the camera aids operation in both capture and menu navigation, as does the new dial on the top of the camera offering quick access to common adjustments. The exposure compensation dial can be fairly easily knocked out of place however, so the illumination of its LED upon activation is of utmost importance.
Score
Score in detail
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Features 90
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Image Quality 90
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Design 95
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Performance 80
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Value 90