Nikon Coolpix P60

Viewfinder
The Nikon Coolpix P60 uses an electronic viewfinder, which is expected for advanced point-and-shoots. Cameras with manual shooting controls, like those found on the P60, sometimes include the electronic viewfinder to cater to users who like to keep the camera close to their face, instead of shooting via the LCD. The other benefit of having an electronic viewfinder is that it helps conserve battery life, which the LCD usually hogs up. The electronic viewfinder measures 0.2-inches and has a resolution of 201,000 pixels. It is activated by the LCD/EVF button that switches between the viewing modes.

LCD
Nikon increased the LCD screen on the P60 with its new 2.5-inch screen with 153,000-pixel resolution, versus the older 2.4-inch, 115,000-pixel screen of the P50. We know 2.5 inches is adequate for viewing, but competing cameras are offering 3- or 3.5-inch screens.

Although the screen has a standard 4:3 aspect ratio, it also has a wide 16:9 viewing mode which adds borders to the top and bottom of the frame; it’s a preview for the panoramic shots the camera is capable of taking. Users can add grid lines, change brightness up to five steps, and elect to display photo information. When selected, the LCD screen shows Photo Info with the following information: autofocus mode, aperture and speed values (in Manual mode), shooting ratio (4:3, 3:2, 16:9), image compression, flash, vibration reduction indicator, and remaining shots. Users can also change the welcome screen, similar to changing the opening screen of a cell phone. Users can switch between the Coolpix logo and a personalized photo taken with the camera.

Flash
The Nikon P60 has a built-in flash. At the time of publication, specifications of range and recharge time were not available. Keep an eye out for the full review in the coming months when DigitalCameraInfo.com tests the camera in our imaging lab. There is no hot shoe for external flash connection, which is sometimes found on higher-end compacts.

Zoom Lens
One of the major upgrades on the Nikon P60 from the P50 is the lens. Constructed of 9 elements in 7 groups, the new Coolpix camera has a 5x Nikkor optical zoom, up from the 3.6x optical zoom of the predecessor. The new lens has a greater shooting range of 6.4 to 32.0mm, equivalent to a 36-180mm in traditional 35mm film terms. The P50 had a 35mm equivalent of 28-102mm, which means that the P60 can't go as wide as the P50, but can get closer with the longer zoom.  For extended zoom, the camera has digital zoom for up to 4x, an equivalent focal length of 720mm. Users should note digital zoom is a point-and-shoot gimmick that allows expanded zoom, but at the cost of greatly reduced resolution and image quality.

The P60 carries over optical image stabilization from the earlier P50, which Nikon calls "Vibration Reduction." The system uses lens-shifting technology to compensate for picture blur, which some point-and-shoots skimp on. Optical image stabilization is preferable to digital image stabilization.

Zoom is accessed through the wide/telephoto zoom toggle on the back of the camera. Zooming is smooth, but the camera takes a second to focus after the zoom has been adjusted. Keep in mind, the P60 model we handled was a prototype. Readers can expect a full review of the final version of the camera in the coming months.