Nikon CoolPix 3200

Auto Mode (7.5)
This camera is set up with the point-and-shoot consumer in mind. The camera controls ISO, white balance, flash, focus, and exposure; the user can select from Scene and Portrait presets. The only other choices left to the user in many modes are the zoom and the image size and quality. Otherwise, the camera’s decisions override those of the user of the Nikon Coolpix 3200. Auto white balance and focusing on this camera are more competent than expected from most point-and-shoot cameras.

Movie Mode (6.5)
When the camera is set in movie mode, the user presses the shutter button to engage video capture. It is possible to set the auto focus in movie mode to change constantly or remain at a single focus, depending upon the situation. It is important to remember not to place the thumb of the right hand on the microphone during movie capture, as it is located directly behind the shutter button and this can muffle the sound. Movies are recorded at a rate of 15 frames per second and are available in image sizes of TV (640 x 480), Small (320 x 240), and Smaller (160 x 120). At the largest size, the user can record up to 26 seconds of simultaneous audio and video with the internal memory; at the smallest size, up to 211 seconds of audio and video are possible. The frame rate is a bit slow, but playback on the camera is smooth, even if the audio quality is poor.

Drive / Burst Mode (6.5)
It is possible to shoot continuously by entering the shooting mode on the mode dial and then delving into the onscreen menu. The continuous shooting subsection allows the user to choose between single, continuous, and multi-shot modes. When in continuous mode and when the shutter is depressed, 3 images are captured at a rate of 3 frames every two seconds. Multi-shot allows the user to shoot 16 shots at a rate of three frames every two seconds.

Playback Mode (6.5)
Playback is simple and can be quickly engaged by pressing the play button located on the back of the camera body, next to the lower right-hand corner of the LCD. When it's pressed, the user can view images individually while scanning among them by pressing the left and right arrows. To view multiple images, the user depresses the wide angle button in the upper right corner, bringing up thumbnails of images that can be highlighted using the four-way controller, then magnified using the playback zoom. When viewing movies in playback mode, the user can play, stop, fast forward, and rewind by using the left and right buttons on the four-way controller.

Custom Image Presets (7.0)
If the user sets the mode dial to portrait mode, the following custom image presets are available to the user of the Nikon Coolpix 3200: portrait, portrait left, portrait right, portrait close-up, portrait couple, and portrait figure. When in landscape mode, the user can choose among landscape, scenic view, architecture, group right, and group left. When in sports mode, there are a few more choices: sports, sports spectator, and sports composite. In night portrait, there are night portrait, portrait right, portrait left, portrait close-up, portrait couple, and portrait figure.

There are also 12 preset scene modes available on the Nikon Coolpix 3200: Party/ Indoor, Beach/ Snow, Sunset, Dusk/ Dawn, Night Landscape, Close up, Museum, Fireworks show, Copy, Back light, Panorama Assist, and Image Mode. With such an excessive number of presets, the user of the camera is bound to turn the mode dial and scan menus for long periods of time.