Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

The Nikon Coolpix 3700 is a compact, lightweight digital camera with a 3.2 megapixel imager and a 5.4-16.2mm 3x optical zoom lens. The dual brushed and matte metal finish adds to the streamlined design, and the reflective metal accents not only add to the look and feel, but help users get a better handle on the camera. Style aside, the Nikon Coolpix 3700 is poised to make those in front of the lens, as well as those behind, look good; but only as long as you’re in automatic mode. There are few actual manual features that can be manipulated on the Nikon Coolpix 3700. Point-and-shoot consumers may rejoice, even at US$399, but digital camera enthusiasts who want real manual control on a small camera should perhaps keep shopping.
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Conclusion
The Nikon Coolpix 3700 is a great starter camera. With 3.2 megapixels under the hood, and the 3x optical zoom, it’s kind of like a digital camera with training wheels. As bad as that might sound, it’s really just designed for a specific crowd: point-and-shoot consumers. For users who don’t want to fuss, and want to store a decent number of decent looking images on their memory card, this is a good option. For users looking for manual controls, look elsewhere, as you will likely be frustrated.

The look, feel, and overall handling of the Nikon Coolpix 3700 make it a real winner. The only complaint is the somewhat claustrophobic menu system that left me always wanting to see what was on the next screen. Only 3 options are available at a time and, since the menu rotates with no beginning or end, it was a few times through before I realized I was scrolling through repeat options. The Nikon Coolpix 3700 doesn’t offer much room for growth, leaving users who would like to advance their interest to the hobby or professional level out in the cold. Overall, this should be read as a pretty positive review, but we must highlight the fact that, outside of point-and-shoot consumers, the Nikon Coolpix 3700 has some glaring limitations. The camera is a great option for the right type of point-and-shoot consumer.


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