Nikon Coolpix P7700 Hands-on Preview

August 2012 | By Barnaby Britton

Preview based on a pre-production Coolpix P7700

Another August rolls around, and with it another new high-end Coolpix from Nikon. After years of relative stagnation, Nikon's high-end compact camera lineup was relaunched with the release of the P7000 in 2010. Externally a near-clone of the Canon PowerShot G12, the P7000 offered the sort of manual control and 'hands-on' ergonomics that we've come to expect from high-end compacts, and delivered excellent image quality from its 10MP CCD sensor, but was badly let down by a glitchy UI and glacially slow performance.

The only feature that really helped the P7000 stand-out, in a very competitive class, was its lens. Until that point the G12 had offered the largest lens range in the class - 28-140mm equivalent, while the rest of its rivals made-do with shorter, brighter lenses. The P7000 offered an impressive 28-200mm range, making it the most flexible in its class, but a maximum aperture range of F2.8-5.6 handed the advantage back to its rivals when the light levels started to fall.

The P7700 addresses this weakness - letting it compete much more directly with its peers. It retains the 28-200mm range but features a lens that's a stop brighter, throughout its range. An F2.0-4.0 lens means the P7700 comes closer to competing with the likes of Panasonic's LX7 and Samsung's EX2F in low light, while offering significantly longer zoom range. A built-in ND filter is good news, too, and means that it should be possible to shoot at long shutter speeds without reaching for diffraction-inducing apertures.

The P7700 also builds on the improvements made by the P7100, which, thanks to a front-mounted control dial and vastly improved, sped-up operation, was a big step forwards over the P7000. The P7100, in other words, felt somewhat like a PowerShot G12 competitor, whereas the P7000 just looked like one. The P7700 steps even further out of the Canon's shadow.

Nikon Coolpix P7700: Key Specifications

12.2MP BSI-CMOS sensor
Raw Mode (.NRW)
28-200mm (equivalent) F2-4 zoom lens with 'Second Generation' VR
ISO 80-1600
Fully articulating, 3in 921k-dot rear LCD screen
Full HD, 1080p movie recording with stereo sound
330 shot battery life (CIPA)

The P7700 shares a lot of its DNA with the P7100, as we'd expect, but it's a very different camera in some ways. At the heart of the new model is a 12MP BSI CMOS sensor, for one thing (almost certainly this one) which brings with it the now-expected speed increase (the P7700 can shoot at 8fps, as opposed to 1.2fps from the P7100) and the ability to record full HD video.

	The P7700's rear LCD screen hinges along the camera's leftmost edge, and is fully articulated, unlike the tilt-only display on the P7100. This makes it more useful for high and low-angle shooting, and for video composition.

Externally, the most obvious difference compared to the P7100 is the P7700's lack of an optical viewfinder. The P7000 and P7100 both featured an OVF in addition to their rear LCD screens, which zoomed with their lenses, and provided an approximate reference for framing. This is absent in the P7700 and as a consequence the camera looks rather more streamlined than its distinctly utilitarian-looking forebears. Some users will mourn the passing of the OVF, but their pain might be eased slightly by the fact that the P7700's rear LCD s now fully articulating rather than just tilting, as it was in the P7100. This should make the P7700 more capable when it comes to shooting from awkward angles, and also when recording movies, which is possible in manual, auto, and aperture priority modes.

On a 1/1.7" sensor, this aperture range is equivalent in depth of field terms to F9.3-18.5 on a full-frame camera, so we're not expecting miracles when it comes to depth of field control. The bigger benefit of that larger maximum aperture is that in poor light, you shouldn't have to select the P7700's highest ISO settings as often as you would with the P7100. The combination of this kind of reach with a fast maximum aperture is very appealing. Likewise a 7-bladed aperture for smooth rendition of out of focus areas and two extra-low dispersion elements - good to see in a compact camera, and indicative of Nikon's desire that the P7700 be taken seriously by photographers.

Other features are pretty standard, and include 19 'Scene' modes, plus Auto Scene Selector and a range of in-camera filter effects.

Compared to Coolpix P7100 - key differences

6.0-42.8mm (28-200mm equivalent) F2-4 lens (compared to F2.8-5.6)
12MP 1/1.7"-type CMOS sensor (compared to 10MP CCD)
Fully-articulated 3" LCD screen (compared to tilt-only LCD)
Lens accepts 40.5mm screw-in filters without adapter (P7100 requires optional UR-E22 adapter)
No optical viewfinder
8fps continuous shooting (compared to ~1.2fps)
Full HD movie mode with full manual control (compared to 720p and limited control)
Built-in flash facilitates wireless off-camera flash control
Compatible with GP-1 GPS unit

Foreword / notes

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

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Comments

Total comments: 193

The "lacking viewfinder" gripe is almost as lame as the "gotta have flip screen" demand.

Much more important is the size of the sensor, and I'm not talking about megapixels.

4 upvotes

Some people act like this is the first digital compact camera to ever be introduced without a viewfinder! Huh? Where have these people been for the last few years of digital photography? I'm a DSLR shooter, but I take photos all the time with non-VF cameras too. Millions of people take great photos without a VF every day. It's really not that difficult to do. Obviously, there are different camera form factors for different users and different needs. Obviously, this is a compact camera, so the designers obviously wanted to keep it compact. Adding a VF would have made it less compact. So I guess they'll just have to sell this camera to those people out there who have no problem with using an LCD screen to shoot a photo-- which millions of people do every day. Clearly, not everyone *needs* a viewfinder to take a good photo, which has been proven over many years of digital photography.

13 upvotes

I agree with you 100%, when I bought my canon G10 I tried to use the viewfinder a few times and then realized it was useless, I began using the LCD screen and used it alone for the next 2 years, I had no problems and enjoyed the camera greatly taking many 1000 of photos. I just sold the camera to a friend and will certainly consider the P7700 for my next camera.

1 upvote

Please try to shot when the weather is sunny and you see hardly nothing on the screen ;-) In this case you have to use your hands or some piece of paper (or something else) to shadow the screen. Sometimes it's not easy to do! The optical VF is 1000% more useful in that circumstances.

6 upvotes

Another option with and LCD like this, though, is to face the lens at your subject and fold the LCD to a position in which it can be seen. With the flexibility of the LCD, one doesn't necessarily have to face the subject.

1 upvote

Wow the specs and price on this Nikon look really good. It will be good to see the full review. However...

All 4 cameras in our house have viewfinders. My wife and I simply won't buy a camera without one. There are times when the LCD simply won't do the job. An EVF would be perfect.

Perhaps Nikon will consider putting a viewfinder on the next model if they see sufficient comments like mine and so many others here.

2 upvotes

Yes. The lowly P60 went EVF instead of optical tunnel and it works great for bright light or those who prefer eye-level working. Often, Nikon and Canon just don't try hard enough.

0 upvotes

No viewfinder-no buy. There are times when you do not want to use a screen such as brilliant sunlight or when shooting in a darkened room and do not want to draw attention to yourself. The technology should be there to provide a high quality optical VF which is the essense of a larger "compact" for enthusiasts wanting to leave the massive weight and titanic bulk of a monster SLR at home. I have gone for the ultimate compromise by downsizing to a tiny Panasonic G3 which has a 100% accurate and huge EVF plus a fully articulated screen. I have owned a couple of Canon G's and agree with the majority that the optical VF is an abomination but al least it is a VF and works. I doubt this Nilkon will sell well--too many larger format cameras out there that do all of the same things in small packages only they do it better. In my view, Canon and Nikon are being left behind in the enthusiast division with Olympus coming on strong and Panasonic going from strength to strength.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

8 upvotes

I fully agree with you! The P-series compacts from Nikon are not dedicated for taking pictures as "aunty Lisa under apple tree", I think. IMHO the target customer uses the DSLR and the P-series camera as a emergency use stuff or the camera to be used where the SLR can't be.

1 upvote

Ummm, is the fact that the the built in flash on this little gem will act a commander for Nikon wireless TTL flash lost on everyone? As a Strobist, that and the fact that it has an electronic shutter so that i will have a virtually unlimited choice of flash sync speeds is simply amazing to me. Can't wait to get my hands on this baby.

I was pondering whether to keep my new 18-300. Beautiful lens and takes great pics, but kinda heavy as a walk around. Now it's going back for sure. No more lugging around my DSLR and a slow heavy zoom for casual shooting. With the P7700's 28-200 2.0-4.0 VR reach, this is all the camera and i need for walking around. A tiny light tripod will hold this rig steady when triggered with the $16 remote and ability to get TTL flash off camera? The possibilities are endless! Kudos to Nikon, they finally got it right for the enthusiast!

Peter

5 upvotes

Peter, I caught that, and ordered one immediately on the day the camera was announced. I've come to use the commander mode with a softbox mounted sb-800 for much of my candid event portraits with my several DSLR's. The size of this camera and another Nikon strobe (not necessarily with a softbox) should produce shots unatainable with conventional flash.
The wireless release could be handy, but the wired shutter release has me excited. That means I can trip the shutter with my Pocket Wizards from about any distance and not line of sight. The quiet shutter of this camera should allow its placement in the most senisitive area (wedding ceremony, etc.).
I see if you're not already a Nikon user you might not appreciate these features. Itwill not replace my DSLR's but will give me one more tool in my toobox.

1 upvote

Thank you for your statement "Ummm, is the fact that the the built in flash on this little gem will act a commander for Nikon wireless TTL flash lost on everyone? As a Strobist, that and the fact that it has an electronic shutter so that i will have a virtually unlimited choice of flash sync speeds is simply amazing to me."

I was in the same frame of mind when I read the specs on this little marvel -- I cannot wait to put my hands on it.

2 upvotes

I've owned three Canon G series cameras. All were fitted with useless viewfinders which I hardly ever used. Nevertheless, they were reliable, well built cameras with good optical performance, producing very consistent results. I also had an Panasonic LX5 (with no viewfinder), which was okay but lacked satisfactory optical performance. In fact, the last digital camera I owned with an accurate viewfinder was an Olympus 5050. But I've found small VFs to be mostly a waste of time and I prefer the bigger view of an LCD screen. The 7700 is exactly my idea of a good compact (almost) camera. I'd prefer it with a manually operated, non-retracting zoom as this reduces the liklihood of component failure. Unfortunately, this camera's CCD will never provide SLR quality. Apart from that it looks good. My concerns are build quality, reliabilty and lens performance, especially at wider apertures towards the edges. If the test reports are favourable, I might buy one as my next SLR backup.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

"Unfortunately, this camera's CCD will never provide SLR quality."
The specs say it's a CMOS.

0 upvotes

Exactly: a robust manual zoom like the fuji finepix x10 would make this a perfect camera; gonna buy it probably anyway:-)

0 upvotes

"I'd prefer it with a manually operated, non-retracting zoom as this reduces the liklihood of component failure. " Avoid the Achilles heel of the modern digital P&S, the zoom gearing. Amen.

0 upvotes

no offence intended but its been over 5 months since this preview was published...are we going to get a "Review"?

0 upvotes

If they added an ovf people would come on this and say "It's a G12/G1x". No VF, "We waaaant a viewfinderrrr". So if waving a camera infront of you is silly, why do most new DSLRs have live view?

2 upvotes

"why do most new DSLRs have live view?" Just for making films ;-)

0 upvotes

deal breaker with no viewfinder....here's why. I like to take photos without every one knowing it...that screen lights up a room when on and you can't see it with it to your face....need a viewfinder even it it only shows 80%..

3 upvotes

The Nikon P60 had a EVF. Very useful. This waving a camera in front of one to get a picture is NOT a solid means of photography.

2 upvotes

Looks like a lot of camera companies lately lost their focus in the chase after competition. Rather than refining their own strengths Nikon goes for convenience of satisfying the need to be competitive at least in this camera category we see obvious progress meeting the need for speed and improved quality.
Making this camera preferred choice would in my view be sensor size
We photographers love quality not quantity.

2 upvotes

Coolest one in my opinion

0 upvotes

They just wrote themselves out of the equation - no viewfinder even as an option. Why would I buy a camera when I can't see to compose in sunlight?
Shame.

4 upvotes

I understand your point but if they were to add an OVF, then there would be the considerations on accuracy, size, weight, focus point display, price etc....

If they added an EVF, then there would also be the considerations on size, weight, resolution, battery life etc. But most importantly, price.

With all these factors to consider, it is very unlikely that Nikon will design a camera that draws no complains. Since there will always be complains, I suppose the engineers went ahead and took the simplest option, drop the viewfinder together with price/weight/size.

1 upvote

I guess you're right and there will always be complaints, but the choice of compact cameras with any kind of viewfinder is really poor. I would have thought rather than do same as all the others, one manufacturer might cater for those of us who like to see what we're composing - even if it's inaccurate (many of us used them in the old days). Fuji X10 is the best there is at present.

2 upvotes

The P7700 is too much camera for such a tiny sensor. Tiny sensors are just too limited for DOF control, high ISO image quality and dynamic range. With all the better alternatives of larger sensor compact cameras available today, it is hard to believe anybody would still be interested in these sensor size crippled cameras anymore. The Sony RX-100 is a much more attractive camera to photography enthusiasts. Time for Nikon to wake up and make a compact camera with a 1 inch sensor and leave the tiny sensors to the cell phones.
.
-Jon

2 upvotes

They have 3 cameras with 1" sensors. Too bad they are not compact enough. Sony really got it right with the RX100!

1 upvote

DOF is a problem even with a 4/3s size sensor. a 4/3s 2.8 is like a 5.6 on a full frame DSLR. A 1" sensor isn't going to solve any DOF issues. Creamy bokeh for portraits, not with this. But embrace the small sensors for what they're good at... zone focus manually and get great DOF for shot from the hip street photography or use the amazing DOF for macro.

Peter

0 upvotes

Mic in makes this a winner....you now have full control of hd video and mc in to produce excellent video along with all it's still photo qualities......if the image quality is near dslr level this should prove to be an excellent pocketable camera.

2 upvotes

The OVF was useless... any decent EVF would make it pricier than the RX100... Which is probably better in IQ. Hard balance. But hey, it has three U positions on the mode dial, better than nikon dslrs' \o/

1 upvote

Nikon apparently is afraid to compete with itself. Except it's the other companies it needs to worry about...

2 upvotes

This is quite impressive, and I've been waiting for the P series to support 1080 video. The only downside to this camera is the small sensor size, but we'll have to see the image quality when reviews come in.

ILC's are fine but they don't have ergonomics like this. In fact they should! This thing looks like a mini-SLR. The other main thing is this will be actually POCKETABLE (large pocket). Only a pancake lens makes ILC's pocketable but it's simply too limiting. The desire to carry it in your pocket, if anything, means you're *more* likely to want zoom available. And this one finally has a big range.

And that's the problem with the other large sensor tiny cameras like the sony RX100. They have very little zoom. My current Sony has 4x and it's far too limiting, esp. for video. And of course the ridiculous ergonomics. It's not that there isn't room for more controls, they just don't want them. The P7700 has it all, it seems.

2 upvotes

DPR, any news on the details of following
1. Exposure bracketing and its range
2. bulb mode
3. remote shutter release

i hope you will come up with some high ISO samples soon.

1 upvote

P&S OVFs are overrated. Get over them.

2 upvotes

The build quality looks exceptional.

2 upvotes

I had the P7000 and while it took OK pictures, the AF was terrible as were the write times. But that was two years ago. Now cameras in this class have fast AF and larger sensors for better low light and higher IQ. This camera is nice but it is no longer competitive in the class.

1 upvote

Agreed. i wonder if Nikon (or anyone) will ever make a compact that I'd really like to have: 24-200mm f/2-f/2.8 zoom with optical stabilization, at least an 1" sensor, RAW, decent ISO at at least 1600 and preferably at 3200, GPS capability built-in or at least as an accessory, 100% or close OVF that zooms with the lens, hot shoe for external flash, and manual controls and ergonomics similar to the P7000 or P7100, street price US$799 or less.
Such a camera couldn't be put in your pocket, but it would still be much lighter, less bulky (and quieter!) and less expensive than any DSLR/lens combo with the same focal and aperture range.

3 upvotes

To be clear, it would take some fast primes and a couple of zooms to come close to the same focal and aperture ranges with a DSLR, or any ILC.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

f2.0-f2.8 in a 8.3x zoom for a 1" sensor. You're probably talking about a 1 pound lens there that would cost around your budget, camera body aside. I'd wager a sub-$1000 superzoom on the nikon 1 series is what you're looking for if they ever make it. It's a 100% EVF which is as close as you're going to get (a OVF would be nowhere near 100%). Still, I'd more expect a slower aperture and probably 27 or 28mm at wide rather than 24. Lucky to get f4 at 200 equivalent.

1 upvote

@mosc - good point. I think for the 7700 and other small sensor compacts like the Panasonic LX7 not everyone understands the engineering trade off between sensor size and lens size! Keep the sensor small and you can get a bigger aperture without crazy lens sizes. In my view its a valid alternative strategy for tackling low light. Now we just need to see the comparisons from the recent crop of high end compacts to see which strategy is the best.

1 upvote

This is an incremental improvement to an already-good camera. If this camera were not in the Nikon product line, it would leave a gaping hole, as no other non-DLSR that they make offers the photographer so much control.

0 upvotes

As far as improvement is concern it is one step forward with lens and sensor, and one large step back with lack of OVF.

4 upvotes

As far as features go, I'd gladly lose the OVF for the other features. I only wish it had weather/dust sealing.

Comment edited 28 seconds after posting

4 upvotes

Yes.... Dust sealing and AA battery use.

0 upvotes

I'm sorry to see the lack of OVF myself, but I'm seeing rave reviews for the articulated LCD from people who have used them, so maybe it's a case of not being a Luddite.

0 upvotes

Not the same, not even close. It is deal breaker. To bad - not a competitor for G1X, when it could have been.

1 upvote

GiX has NO competition for a reason. It's pretty much a camera in search of a need.

0 upvotes

The G1x stands alone in the 'slow' field. They put the same small AF controls into a larger lens for the larger sensor and so you get a slow camera. What is the FPS on the G1x???? Less than 2...

0 upvotes

I think the G1X is a good start for a camera that a lot of people would buy. I did not buy it because it is too slow and the macro was poor-not because of its size. I think the second iteration will be far superior and something to consider. But for people who want great IQ without schlepping tons of equipment around, the G1X is a good start and the RX100 is a really good start. I know because I purchased the RX100 and think it is just a wonderful travel camera.

1 upvote

I like the new faster lens and the 8 fps.
I don't like the articulating LCD and the lack of OVF.
Not sure about 12MP vs 10MP sensor. Will need to see result.
If I wanted video I'd buy a camcorder.

All things considered not enough to upgrade from the P7100.

4 upvotes

No viewfinder, no sale!

10 upvotes

You are girly man! USE THE SCREEN! That's why it's articulated!

2 upvotes

although articulated screen is a big plus i like, i would have preferred a small EVF. saves battery, gives a stable grip in low light, better view in contrasting lighting situations.

6 upvotes

Certainly would like a camera capable of 200mm telephoto to have a viewfinder. That doesn't mean an optical piece of crap slapped on the side. Nor does it mean at the wide end of the lens I'd even miss it. Telephoto to me is different though and it really works better held to the eye.

So while I completely agree the G1x's viewfinder is completely useless, no EVF on a camera that goes into meaningful tele range seems like a real negative.

I agree comments like No OVF, no deal! are out-dated a lot of times on here it gets said, this camera goes well past 85mm so I kind of agree. But not optical. My god, why would you do that? I just assume that's a typo and he meant to say EVF or treats them interchangeably.

1 upvote

I personally feel that a small viewfinder with around 80% coverage is worthless. It's worthless for framing and worthless for focusing so what good is it. If you can't fit a OVF with at least 95% coverage than don't bother as I will never use it. Good riddance.

0 upvotes

Agree 100%
Huge miss from Nikon no OVF = No buy

1 upvote

Really nice to see all the dials, buttons and Fn keys. I think this probably has the best ergonomics, if that is important to you in a compact camera.

The fast and long f/2-4 zoom is also nice and addresses many of the limitations in long compact lenses', BUT

the lack of an EVF is not good. It's OK for the RX100 not to have an EVF. It has a super bright (White Magic) LCD for it to be usable in sunlight, and it is pocketable, while still delivering IQ much better than this will be able to.

While it is good to see continual improvement to existing models that are not so exciting, I think it is simply not enough for Canon and Nikon to just continue to deliver a little bit more on their tired old designs when other makers release exciting cameras like the RX100 or the FZ200, EX2F, etc. They may not have everything that this Nikon has, but they are all exciting new cameras with something special. Canikon need to go back square one and design from the ground up to be competitive.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Same as the P7100 except CMOS Sensor and a bit faster optics.....

0 upvotes

I wished Nikon had put the Nikon 1 sensor on this body with a shorter range zoom (like 24-100mm equiv., starting at f/2 like this one). That would be a very good compact.

It's a good camera, but with all the IL alternatives, just can't see a lot of people buying it.

2 upvotes

it would kill J/V sales

2 upvotes

Nikon's market in this segment is at the longer reach end, that's where it beats the competition for those that require up to 200mm equivalent.

There'd be little benefit, imho, by widening to 24mm due to possible wide-angle distortion.

There are high-end compacts that conform to your apparent requirements but you won't get the quality outcome Nikon offers (based on my experience with the P7100).

1 upvote

I agree. I really like the design and the size of the camera fits my hand very well. It sounds like Nikon has addressed the issues from the P7000 that made me sell the camera and eventually get the RX100 which I love except for the size. But Nikon missed the boat here now that top class cameras of this size are equipped with much larger sensors.

0 upvotes

2012 1/1.7 back-lit CMOS sensor enthusiast camera goes only up to 1600 iso ?!

Comment edited 17 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

The data given above is wrong.
It goes up to 3200 ISO and "Hi1" = 6400 ISO.

Cheers, guzolany

0 upvotes

What kind of enthusiast that will buy a compact camera without a viewfinder - NOT ME!!

7 upvotes

It has a viewfinder. A big 3" articulated 921,000 dot one right on the back. Look at the pic of the rear of the camera, you can't miss it. ;)

11 upvotes

NO, not same thing.

9 upvotes

Optical viewfinders are seriously overrated. And everyone complains how lousy they are on the cameras that have them!

5 upvotes

The OVF on the P7100 was useless, so no loss. Viewfinders are nice, but a true photographer is not hindered by such "limitations."

4 upvotes

I agree, no viewfinder, no use for the camera. The limitations without one are too severe for me. I've never owned a compact digital camera yet, but have been looking for a nice one that I would feel comfortable with, so that I could leave my D300 at home when traveling. This would have been the one if it had a real VF. I love almost every other aspect of it, especially the better, bigger lens, and RAW files.

3 upvotes

@ Richie Beans
The whole discussion is pointless. If you like and prefere LCD, then fine I'm glad for you, but don't tell others how they should use camera and what view finder feature is better for them. All my cameras have both LCD and OVF built in, and LCD is always off for many good for me reasons. So, rhlpetrus is right, Not same thing, also dhouse53 point of view fit my view at the matter.

1 upvote

No viewfinder, well that doesn't cut it, deal breaker..

7 upvotes

It has a viewfinder. A big 3" articulated 921,000 dot one right on the back. Look at the pic of the rear of the camera, you can't miss it. ;)

7 upvotes

Sorry, Anthony -- the LCD-only arrangement makes it either an unstable arms-length device or a view camera, depending on how you're using it for a particular shot. Without an eye-level viewfinder, it's a toy or a tripod-only machine.

7 upvotes

The articulated LCD is useless in bright condition, this is why OVF is absolutely needed. Deal breaker.
If I want good LCD camera I'd buy the cell phone.

1 upvote

Baloney. An articulated screen precludes the use of a EVF 1,000 to 1.

1 upvote

@StanRogers,
How many LCD-only cameras have you used?

0 upvotes

Another issue with an lcd only camera that I just realized is the inability to focus it for those not wearing their glasses/contacts. I love that I can adjust my D300 VF to match my aging eyesight, without having to put in my contacts, and I certainly do not want to have to try using it with reading glasses if at all possible. An lcd is fine for checking a pic after its been taken, for various reasons, but not for focusing, for the slightly visually impaired.

0 upvotes

Those that want OVF probably wish it used Polaroid 600 film.

1 upvote

Valiant Thor, you're probably wrong on that one, some of the time. Like right now.

0 upvotes

Not too big, not too small...just right. I'll wait to read both the pro and user reviews of course, but despite hoping for a slightly larger sensor, 2 more MPs and a longer zoom this feature set comes very close to reaching the sweet spot for yours truly. Personally speaking the only time that I've found myself missing a viewfinder on my last 2 cameras is on uncommonly bright summer days and that can always be remedied with a Hoodman loupe attachment.

2 upvotes

I am sure this is a good competent camera, but Nikon and Canon just don't seem to get it. The models that capture people's imagination these days are the ones that try to reimagine the same-old same-old -- like the Fuji X10 or the Sony RX 100 or even the NEX series, for all their shortcomings. I can't conceive of where the market is for this good, competent camera, in a field already so crowded with other good, competent cameras.
And by the way, does anyone ever actually USE an articulated screen?

1 upvote

"And by the way, does anyone ever actually USE an articulated screen?"
All the time.

1 upvote

I won't buy a compact without one.

1 upvote

I had one on an old Canon A620 years ago and I've missed having a camera with one ever since.

2 upvotes

I've used several Coolpixes, a D5100, a Canon G12 and a RX100. The RX is really great, except for the fixed screen - so awkward! Once you are used to an articulated screen, you'll never want to go back.

0 upvotes

Ever since the Canon G2, I've wanted every camera that interests me to have an articulated LCD. As you say, you never want to go back. Video cameras have managed just fine, thank you, with no viewfinder, and pic results have not suffered. Mechanical mirrors and viewfinders are relics of the 1930's and the whining about their disappearing into history will gradually die out as will the whiners. As they did in the amusing old forum debates about digital never overtaking film and the endless forum arguments that died out as progress continued. I've been taking photos for almost sixty years and manage fine without viewfinders, just as I manage well without hand cranks on my auto door windows. I haven't had an occasion in a long time where I needed the viewfinder rather than a near-million pixel screen that allows me to hold my cameras at any height or angle.

4 upvotes

"Actually use an articulated screen?" Are you kidding me? I won't by a camera without one. I haven't ever NOT use my articulated screen... except for the time I was shooting sunset, with strong backlight, in the snow, underwater, with a dead battery.

0 upvotes

MrSam, I still have my A620, and use it regularly. I love the swivle screen and have been so frustrated at the so very few cameras that have them. I am now looking for a replacement, and it's very cool to see that they are putting them in more cameras now.

0 upvotes

" does anyone ever actually USE an articulated screen?"

Seriously?? What planet do you live on??

0 upvotes

I used a swing out screen on my old Olympus C5050 and miss it like crazy. I particularly miss it low level shooting .. especially on wet days!! I also find I now take less pictures of my kids from their eye height which seems so much more natural!

0 upvotes

So, with weary predictability, another Canikon with some basic feature missing, to avoid conflict with products higher in the range.

1 upvote

I have been waiting for a better small camera to complement my DSLR. This is not it. No viewfinder is a complete deal killer for me. Also disappointed in the 'same ole' sensor size. I had been hoping Nikon would come out with a smaller camera with their 1" sensor. That would do more to improve low light than the stop of aperture they added (which is very nice of course)

8 upvotes

just get a Fuji X-10

2 upvotes

Agreed... This is just late competition to the Canon G12. Nice looking unit, though!

0 upvotes

Surprised they didn't offer an EVF add on, like Olympus. Other than that, it looks really nice. Great zoom range, bright lens, perfect control dials etc. But since it doesn't have an EVF, the Sony RX100 still looks more attractive overall, just, despite the zoom range. But I could see the zoom range tipping it the other way for some. I like it much more than the Canon G12, that's for sure. Canon are really being squeezed now.

2 upvotes

Agreed, they need to sell an add-on EVF like the Olympus ILC's and that would solve the problem for those that require one...

0 upvotes

I use the viewfinder on my P7100 occasionally and when I need it I'm glad to have it. So I'd miss it. What I really love about the P7100 is the flip-up LCD. It makes waist-level shooting easy, stealthy, and it helps me keep the camera steady. For me, the video-camera style articulation is a pain. So I'll keep what I have and eventually upgrade to another brand.

1 upvote

I agree flip-up LCD vs video style articulation is far better. Holding a flip-up LCD camera close to to chest and cupping the hands around the camera allows screen viewing on bright sunny days. The P7100 is a great travel camera, producing great photos with superb manual control. I shall skip the P7700 upgrade and wait for the P8*** coolpix.

0 upvotes

Put in some sort of usable viewfinder, either optical or digital and it might be nice. As is, no thanks

7 upvotes

Surprised it is not the "1 inch" sensor that RX100 has, but looks like a nice upgrade. I think the sweet spot for 1/2.3 & 1/1.7 sensors is the 12mp size, more mp no more resolution, just more processing needed. 12mp is more than enough for anything this cam will be used for.

A 'great' EVF would have been nice but a lousy one would have been a waste of money, thus no EVF. Hope it lives up to its potential!!

4 upvotes

200mm in a compact, #meh.

0 upvotes

28 mm in a compact, meh.

0 upvotes

I can't even believe it! So it can be done! Why it took so long? Now put bigger sensor in P 300 series and people start talking. After very long time I can say Bravo!!!

1 upvote

I can live with them dropping the optical viewfinder but I wish that you could plug-in an optional EVF. Extremely bright sunlight where I live necessitates viewfinder use outdoors.

5 upvotes

Total comments: 193