Pre-Photokina 2002, 0600 GMT: Nikon has today announced the new three megapixel Coolpix 3500. The 3500 is based on the uniquely designed 2500 but now has a grey coloured body and increases imager resolution to three megapixels. "The COOLPIX 3500 boasts a sophisticated grey color and unique inner-swivel lens design that lets users shoot from nearly any angle. With the lens retracted snugly into the body, the camera's slim shape makes it easy to carry anywhere, and all essential controls are placed in comfortable reach."

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Press Release (Nikon Europe):

Nikon COOLPIX 3500 Feature Highlights

Stylish, ergonomic design

The COOLPIX 3500 boasts a sophisticated grey color and unique inner-swivel lens design that lets users shoot from nearly any angle. With the lens retracted snugly into the body, the camera's slim shape makes it easy to carry anywhere, and all essential controls are placed in comfortable reach.

Impressive image quality

The camera's 1/2.7-in. type CCD employs 3.2 effective megapixels to produce ultrahigh-definition 2,048 x 1,536-pixel images. Its 3x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens - featuring a 5.6-16.8mm focal range (equivalent to 37-111mm in 35mm [135] camera format) - and Nikon's advanced image-processing algorithm ensure exceptional color and image sharpness for great-looking images on screen, online, and on prints at A4 size.

Convenient shooting modes provide ease and versatility

The general-purpose Auto mode and 12 Scene Modes make getting great shots easy - even for digital beginners. Just select the mode for the scene, and the COOLPIX 3500 will handle all the adjustments automatically. For moving subjects, Movie mode (without audio) lets users record clips up to 35 seconds long.

Scene modes

  • Portrait
    Emphasizes a subject with natural skin tones against a soft, pleasing background.
  • Party/Indoor
    Captures the details of dimly lit scenes. The Speedlight fires automatically in extremely low-light situations.
  • Night Portrait
    Fires the built-in Speedlight to illuminate the subject but keeps the shutter open long enough to capture the background.
  • Beach/Snow
    Vividly captures the brightness of subjects such as snowy fields, beaches, or sunlit expanses of water.
  • Landscape
    Captures distant scenes with exceptional sharpness and clarity.
  • Sunset
    Enables users to capture the natural beauty of sunsets.
  • Night Landscape
    Employs slow shutter speeds to capture stunning night landscapes.
  • Museum
    Produces clear indoor pictures without triggering the flash.
  • Fireworks Show
    Instantly responds to the shutter release button to capture fireworks at the ideal moment.
  • Close Up
    Takes up-close pictures with an artistically blurred background.
  • Copy
    Renders clear black and white reproductions of text or drawings from a whiteboard or printed matter.
  • Back Light
    Speedlight fires automatically to illuminate the shadows that cover a subject.

One-touch image upload

The COOLPIX 3500 makes sending images to one's computer simple. Just connect the camera to a computer with the supplied USB cable and press the Transfer button. Images in the camera are then transferred automatically to the computer with Nikon View 5 software (supplied). The Small Picture button creates a reduced-size image for easy e-mailing.

Nikon View 5 software

The supplied Nikon view 5 software allows users to browse uploaded images in thumbnail format for an overall view, and enlarge the image for closer look. This software also allows users to adjust the color balance or change the image size for e-mailing or Web posting, run a slide show of selected images and print them out directly.

Nikon COOLPIX 3500 Major Features

  • 3x optical Zoom Digital Camera featuring 3.2 effective megapixels
  • 3.2 effective megapixels for 2,048 x 1,536-pixel images
  • 3x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens with 5.6-16.8mm coverage (equivalent to 37-111mm in 35mm [135] camera format); digital zoom up to 4x magnification (12x when combined with optical zoom)
  • Nikon�s advanced image-processing algorithm ensures faithful color reproduction
  • Exclusive 256-segment Matrix Metering and Matrix Auto White Balance guarantee outstanding exposure and white balance control in every image
  • Macro shooting capability as close as 4cm (1.6 in.)
  • AUTO Mode for point-and-shoot operation
  • 5-Area Multi Autofocus for easier photo composition
  • 12 Scene Modes � choose from 12 different �scenes� (Portrait, Party/Indoor, Night Portrait, Beach/Snow, Landscape, Sunset, Night Landscape, Museum, Fireworks Show, Close Up, Copy, Back Light)
  • Advanced, built-in 5-mode Speedlight
  • Quick Review allows users to view captured images at the press of a button -- even while the camera is in shooting mode
  • Transfer function enables automatic uploading of selected COOLPIX 3500 image data to a computer
  • Small Picture function creates smaller size image data for e-mail attachment
  • Versatile White Balance settings
  • Automatic Noise Reduction function for superior images at slow shutter speeds
  • Plug-and-play USB interface for smooth connection to a computer (USB Mass Storage Class or PTP)
  • Ergonomic design features intuitive button layout for superb operability
  • Bright, clear 1.5-in., 110,000-dot, low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD monitor
  • Long battery life of approx. 80 min. with Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL2*
  • Comes with Strap, CF card, USB cable, Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL2, Battery Charger MH-60, Nikon View 5 CD-ROM
  • LCD Hood HL-E2500 and camera case CS-E2500 are available as an option
  • Supports Exif 2.2 (Exif Print) **

* Depending on the country or area, the battery and charger may not be included, but will be available as an option.
** "Exif Print" is the industrial term for Exif 2.2, which is a newly established standard for Digital Still Camera Image File Format.

Nikon Coolpix 3500 specifications


Body type Split body twisting lens portion
Sensor 1/2.7" 3.34 million total pixels
Effective pixels 3.2 million
Sensitivity Normal: ISO 100 (Auto ISO 200-400)
Lens 3x optical zoom, 37 - 111mm equiv., F2.7 - 4.8
Lens construction 7 elements in 6 groups
Focus distance  • Normal: 30 cm - Infinity
 • Macro: 4 cm - Infinity
Auto focus Auto 5-area AF
Digital zoom Up to 4x in 0.2x steps
Image sizes  • 2048 x 1536
 • 1600 x 1200
 • 1280 x 960
 • 1024 x 768
 • 640 x 480
Image formats (JPEG)  • Fine (4:1)
 • Normal (8:1)
 • Basic (16:1)
Shooting modes  • Auto
 • Scene (Portrait, Party/Indoor, Night Portrait, Beach/Snow, Landscape, Sunset, Night Landscape, Museum, Fireworks Show, Close Up, Copy, Back Light)
 • Manual (includes shooting menu for control of White Balance, Capture Mode, Best-Shot Selector, Exposure Compensation, Noise Reduction, and Image Sharpening)
 • Movie (up to 15 sec. of QVGA frames at 15 fps)
Metering 256-segment Matrix
Shutter speed 2 sec - 1/3000 sec
Apertures Wide: F2.7, F4.5
White balance  • Auto
 • White balance preset
 • Fine
 • Incandescent
 • Fluorescent
 • Cloudy
 • Speedlight
Drive modes  • Single
 • Continuous
 • Multi-shot 16 (16 frames on a single image)
Flash Internal, beside lens
Flash range  • Wide: 0.4 - 3.0 m (1.3 - 9.8 ft)
 • Tele: 0.4 - 1.7 m (1.3 - 5.6 ft)
Flash modes  • Auto
 • Flash cancel (off)
 • Red-Eye Reduction
 • Anytime Flash (fill-flash)
 • Slow Sync
Storage Compact Flash Type I
Viewfinder None
LCD monitor 1.5" 110,000 pixel
Playback modes  • Single image
 • 4 or 9 thumbnail
 • Magnify up to 6.0x in 0.3x steps
 • Picture information display
Connectivity USB 1.1
Compliance EPSON Print Image Matching (PIM), DCF, DPOF
Power Nikon EN-EL2 Lithium-Ion rechargable battery
Battery charger Included
Dimensions 114 x 60 x 32 mm (4.5 x 2.3 x 1.2 in)
Weight (no batt, CF card) 175 g (6.2 oz)
Supplied accessories Strap, 8MB CF card, USB cable, Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL2, Battery Charger MH-60, Nikon View 5 (COOLPIX) CD-ROM
Optional accessories Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL2, AC Adapter Kit EH-60, Various size CF cards, LCD Hood HL-2500, Case CS-2500