Preview based on a production Nikon Coolpix 4500, Firmware v1.1
The new Coolpix 4500 was announced on May 29th, 2002 as part of a trio of new Coolpix digital cameras from Nikon. It is the step up in resolution and features for the now distinctive split-bodied Coolpix design. The 4500 carries on from the 995 (although its neat design is more like the 950 / 990). This camera has a four megapixel CCD sensor, four times optical zoom lens, an all metallic body and flush fitting pop-up flash unit. The camera is noticeably smaller and narrower than the 990 and 995 thanks to the use of a Nikon's EN-EL1 Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery.
Many people will consider this camera to be the true upgrade to the 990, in each previous succession of split bodied Coolpix digital cameras we saw in increase in resolution (1.2, 1.92, 3.14 megapixels). The 995 however offered only a few new features and a 4x optical zoom lens. It wasn't the four megapixel Coolpix most were expecting, this camera is.
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Note that we had a European Coolpix 4500 for this preview article. The Europe (and Canada) model has a red stripe on the hand grip (on the left above), the US model has a green stripe (on the right above), otherwise the two are identical. Personally I prefer the red stripe which is such a part of Nikon's design history.
The
"9 series" range started back in 1998 with the 1.2 megapixel,
3x zoom, Nikon Coolpix 900 (E900), soon to be followed by the updated
900s (E910) this was the first time we saw the swivel design and also
opened peoples eyes as to what a digital camera was capable of. I admit
my first (real) digital camera was a Nikon Coolpix 900s.
In
1999 came the 1.92 megapixel, 3x zoom, Coolpix 950, a completely re-engineered
camera of a quality over and above what we'd seen in the 900. It was well
received by reviewers and owners alike, despite some shortcomings (chromatic
aberrations and a few non-ergonomic functions) it soon became the de facto
2 megapixel digital camera (and is still used for comparison purposes
today). Many other 2 megapixel digital cameras came, despite some very
close competition (Olympus C-2000Z & C-2020Z) the Coolpix remained
the favourite prosumer digital camera.
In
2000 we saw the 3.14 megapixel, 3x zoom, Coolpix 990. Not just a step
forward in resolution the 990 had improved ergonomics, better build quality
and a raft of new "prosumer" features which delighted both Coolpix
aficionado's and new buyers alike. The 990 saw the introduction of the
5-area spot AF, focus confirmation, a new aperture diaphragm, USB connectivity,
sharpness control, histogram and highlighting, fine tuneable white balance
and many more. The 990 soon established itself as the top 3 megapixel
consumer digital, the one all other manufacturers aimed to beat.
2001
brought us the 3.14 megapixel, 4x zoom, Coolpix 995. Seen by many as an
interim camera the 995 also stepped away from the 990's clean design to
an arguably uglier and more complicated design. The 995 introduced several
new features such as support for Compact Flash Type II (although not officially
the IBM Microdrive) as well as the pop-up flash and a 4x optical zoom
lens (which did come in for criticism by some). This evolution also saw
the lens portion of the body changed from metal to plastic, again not
a popular move with Nikonians.
| Nikon Coolpix 4500 | Nikon Coolpix 995 | |
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| Body | All magnesium alloy | LCD portion - magnesium
alloy, Lens portion - polycarbonate plastic |
| Sensor | 4.13 megapixel | 3.34 megapixel |
| Pixels effective | 4.0 megapixel | 3.2 megapixel |
| Max image size | 2272 x 1704 | 2048 x 1536 |
| Bulb exposure | Max 5 minutes | Max 1 minute |
| Scene modes | 16 modes | None |
| Panorama assist | Yes | No |
| Perspective correct | Yes | No |
| Multiple exposures | Yes | No |
| Saturation control | +2 to -2, B&W, Sepia | +1 to -2, B&W |
| Continuous | • Continuous • Multi-shot 16 • Ultra HS |
• Continuous • Multi-shot 16 • VGA Sequence • Ultra HS |
| Audio clips | Yes, attached in playback | No |
| Movie clips | 320 x 240, max 35 sec, with audio | 320 x 240, max 40 sec, no audio |
| Storage | CF Type I/II, Microdrive supported | CF Type I/II, Microdrive not supported |
| JPEG format | EXIF 2.2 (ExifPrint) | EXIF 1.1 |
| Pop-up flash | Electronic release | Mechanical release |
| LCD monitor | 1.5" TFT LCD, 110,000 pixels | 1.8" TFT LCD, 110,000 pixels |
| Frame coverage | Viewfinder - 80%, LCD - 97% | Viewfinder - 85%, LCD - 97% |
| Weight (inc batt.) | 374 g (13.2 oz) | 450 g (15.9 oz) |
| Dimensions | 130 x 73 x 50 mm (5.1 x 2.9 x 2.0 in) | 138 x 82 x 63 mm (5.2 x 3.2 x 2.5 in) |
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).
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Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the author. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (normally 960 x 720 or smaller if cropped) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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This article is Copyright 2002 Phil Askey and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey.
Nikon Coolpix 4500 4MP Digital Camera w/ 4x Optical Zoom | $68.42 |
Nikon Coolpix 4500 4MP Digital Camera w/ 4x Optical Zoom | $68.42 |
EB:Nikon Nikon Coolpix L320 16.1MP Digital Camera with 26x Optical Zoom - BLACK | $175.19 |
Nikon Coolpix 8700 8MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom | $400.00 |
Nikon COOLPIX L810 16.1 MP Digital Camera International Model No Warranty | $236.19 |
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