Nikon CoolPix 5200

Model Design / Appearance (7.5)
The Nikon Coolpix 5200 has a retractable 3x optical zoom lens which, when retracted, leaves the slightly raised right-hand grip as the largest protrusion from the camera’s otherwise sleek and square design format. The metallic silver body of the camera is not overwhelmed by external controls or buttons, and the 1.5-inch LCD monitor fits neatly onto the back of the camera. The viewfinder is awkwardly placed, relegated to the upper left-hand corner on the back, and its dull gray design and minuscule size leave something to be desired aesthetically. The microphone is placed so my left hand covers it completely and obscures the audio.

Size / Portability (8.5)
The design of the Nikon Coolpix 5200 makes it a great candidate for a user looking for a portable digital camera that is capable of being slid into a pocket and forgotten about after use. It doesn’t need its own carrying case or excess gear. The lightweight body is highly appreciated, although I worried during testing about its durability or strength if it were dropped or mishandled.

Handling Ability (7.5)
The Nikon Coolpix 5200 is fairly straightforward for a beginning user. Set-up is fast, the menus are easy to navigate, and with 12MB of internal memory, one can take pictures almost immediately. The concerns I have come from its small size. The placement of the microphone and the position and size of the viewfinder make shooting in some modes or situations more complex than necessary. For example, my fingers overlapped the left side, effectively blocking not only the microphone, but the flash as well.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.5)
The Nikon Coolpix 5200 has few external features on the body of the camera. Those that are present are large and placed comfortably for quick and easy access without the aggravation of mistakenly pressing the wrong button or nudging the wrong dial. The Mode Dial is small, but has only eight different settings, making this feature even simpler for the point-and-shoot user. With settings like "scene" being located on the Mode Dial, but accessed through the LCD menu, the Nikon Coolpix 5200 consciously splits the control process into appropriate subsections. My only major concern is with the viewfinder. Other manufacturers have done away with this feature entirely, admitting that stunted viewfinders are hardly ever used if the user is given the option of a clear and easily viewed 1.5-inch LCD screen directly below it.

Menu (8.0)
The Coolpix 5200 has an extensive Menu that is accessible by pressing the "menu" button, located directly below the LCD screen. The menu varies depending on the mode that is being used. In the general shooting mode, there are 13 subsections to select from in total, depending on the aspect of the image you want to alter. The sections available to choose from are: Image Mode (image size, image quality), White Balance, Metering, Continuous, BSS (best shot selector), Image Adjustment, Image Sharpening, Sensitivity, Auto Bracketing, Saturation Control, AF area mode, Auto-Focus Mode, NR – Noise Reduction. This is an elaborate menu, providing the user with opportunity to customize the image far beyond most point-and-shoot cameras. The menu mode is easy to access and navigate and is one of the best features the Coolpix 5200 has to offer.

Ease of Use (8.0)
With easy-to-follow menu settings, for the most part the Nikon Coolpix 5200 is a camera intended for the point-and-shoot consumer who has basic knowledge of some manual control settings and their appropriate parameters. However, some controls, like the manual manipulation of the Auto Focus, are too slow and discombobulated to make any sense. (Unless, say, your subject is dead or inanimate.) Otherwise, the only major complaint is that my hand obscures some of the features located on the left half of the camera’s front face, like the microphone and, at times, the flash. I was greatly pleased that the small size still allowed for neatly spaced controls and fast and easy access to the camera’s modes.