Nikon Coolpix P80

Opinion: I have compared this camera to the SP570, Canon S5 and S3 IS. It blows them out of the water, and I love it!!

Opinion: Although this camera has received some negative press because of its ridiculous choice to have automatic ISO escalation in low light conditions (you can control this fairly easily through their excellent menu system), and I honestly don't know how much distortion the images are going to have because of the intrinsic trade-offs in such a large zoom range, its overall handling, software, flexibility, feature set are very impressive. Without having to consult the owners manual, I was able to quickly access virtually the entire feature set because the menu structure is laid out in such a sensible and intuitive fashion. it is a very easy-to-use camera, and has enough depth of function to please the dedicated tweakophile, but can be used also as a very simple point-and-shoot camera for those not particularly technically inclined. I'll be very curious to see how it compares on this website's formal review with the other ultra zoom compacts. Obviously, this class of cameras involves some compromises in absolute image quality, but if you're willing to live with some of those compromises, this looks like an excellent camera overall. There are a few snooty reviews on the web, but I would wait until this website takes its characteristically highly detailed look before forming any conclusion that this camera is a disappointment. Overall I'm quite pleased with it, at least so far. It packs a lot in a small package.

Opinion: Bought this for the wife to use as a point and shoot which it is very good at.
I considered the Olympus 570 but its size and comparing the speed of focus compared to the Nikon was not so fast.
The Zoom is brilliant and the sports mode is ultra fast with good focus hitting a moving target(Grandkids playing football !) spot on first time. Comparing this to my Nikon D50 SLR it comes pretty close for normal shots. Colour saturation good. Impressed!!

Opinion: I have read so many camera reviews in the last few months my eyes were starting to go buggy. Every camera seemed to have a great list of positives and a list of just as many negatives to go with it. I was having a hard time finding a camera that fit into my list of must haves.

Our Criteria:
Fast - no more missed shots.
Small - need to have easy access to it in our adventures.
Bright/Large screen - Viewfinders are my achilles heel.
Wide angle - I want to get everyone in a shot in a small area.
Large Zoom - I want the option to zoom in when needed
Burst Mode - For all those quick movements we want to capture.
Easy to use - Why complicate life with layers of menus and hidden items?
Good Auto Mode - My wife is a point and shooter, and she needs the quick auto.
Manual Controls - I like a little more control over my shots.
Good image - Not necessarily high MegaPixels, but good pixels.

The Nikon CoolPix P80 looked as close as I was going to come to my ideal camera. I was able to pick it up the first day it was available here in Canada.

My wife and I are absolutely thrilled with this camera. It is not perfect, but from all my research, I do not think such a thing exists.

I need to put a slight disclaimer: I have not used another comparable camera in this class, so I am unable to provide and comparissons. I was also strongly considering the Sony Cyber-shot H50. I am sure we would have been pleased with it as well.

What we love about the P80...
- This camera turns on fast and takes pictures without much shutter lag.
- The burst mode can do up to 16fps. There are options for lower fps. Very handy for our sporting events.
- We have made use of the long zoom on many occasions already. With a steady hand or tripod, shots are still very good.
- The wide angle lens has been fantastic and it has impressed others. No wide angle lens is a deal breaker for me.
- This camera is so easy to use. The menu system is very intuitive.
- We have been impressed with the image quality. This is no DSLR and I was not expecting as good of pictures, but we are very impressed with the quality we have been seeing from our shots.

What we are not thrilled with (but are willing to live with)...
- No Raw. I would have liked to have this camera produce Raw files. My wife will only use jpg, but for me this was a want, not a need.
- Slight distortion of images at extreme ends of zoom. There is a distortion control though. I am still learing how to best use this.
- Slight fringing at extended zoom. It is not very noticible, and I edit most of my images later anyways.
- Slightly larger than we wanted it to be. I want the functioning of a DSLR in a ultra slim body, so I know the issue is with me. This camera is very small, but with the big lens on it, it is not as easy to tuck away when not in use.
- not stellar low light shooting. It has a good ISO rating, but it can't touch the SLR cameras.
- We would have liked to see a remote included like the Sony.
- The flash doesn't pop out when needed, it is a manual button that flips it out.

We are still learning to use this camera, but so far, I would have to say that we are very pleased.

If your criteria are similar to ours, I would suggest trying it out and seeing if it will work for your needs. There are a lot of great cameras out there, so if the Nikon P80 doesn't fit with your needs then there are others to look at. I just wanted to share our positive experience for those who are concerned by reading the negative or mixed reviews. My wife and I have no regrets witrh this purchase.