Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

The 3.2-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 3200, announced in January 2004, is popular among photographers new to the digital format. With its 1/2.7-inch CCD, the Coolpix 3200 is aimed at entry level point-and-shoot users who will appreciate the automatic functionality and minimal expertise required. At about $200, the 3200 is at the less expensive end of the Coolpix line, mainly due to its smaller LCD screen (80,000 pixels, 1.6 inches), limited manual control options, and minimal megapixel count. But this Nikon model still competes in the market, what with its compact body, 14.5 megabytes of internal memory, and 12 preset scene modes. This camera shoots in four still image format settings and three formats for video at a frame rate of 15 frames per second with simultaneous audio. The Nikon Coolpix 3200 also has a 3x optical and 4x digital zoom control. It has a continuous shooting mode and is direct-print capable with compatible PictBridge printers.
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Viewfinder (4.0)
The real image optical viewfinder is located on the back of the Nikon Coolpix 3200 camera body, directly above the LCD screen. It is raised slightly from the rest of the camera body. Despite this, the small size made it difficult to actually utilize it when capturing an image and this was quite frustrating. Also, the viewfinder is not electronic, nor an SLR; therefore, the image being viewed through the window is not necessarily being sent through the lens or captured to the CCD below. In reality, the user sees only about 82 percent of the image being captured.

LCD Screen (4.5)
The LCD screen is easily viewable from a variety of angles, allowing for more complicated shooting positions. The LCD screen measures 1.6 inches and has a pixel count of 80,000. Focal adjustments and other camera movements are quickly noted by the LCD screen. The view in the screen covers about 96 percent of the image captured through the lens. The display does not become overly muddled by control setting icons, thanks to the straightforward design of the camera. The brightness of the LCD screen can be adjusted to five different levels.

Flash (6.0)
The in-camera flash is located on the front of the camera in the center of the body. To control flash settings, the user must press the up arrow on the four-way controller. Once engaged, the user can choose between On, Off, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Anytime Flash, and Slow Sync.

Zoom Lens (5.5)
The zoom lens on the Nikon Coolpix 3200 is controlled by the wide angle and telephoto control located on the back of the camera in the upper right-hand corner. The camera is capable of up to 3x optical zoom with an additional 4x digital zoom, although using digital zoom will compromise the overall image quality. It is possible to engage in up to 10x digital playback zoom as well, when viewing previously captured images.

 

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