Model Design / Appearance (7.0)
The Nikon Coolpix 7900 has a sleek black body that makes it one of the most stylish Coolpix models that Nikon has on the market. The petite jet body coupled with the silver lens barrel and other aesthetic highlights makes the 7900 quite attractive. The specifications for this camera claim it is aluminum, but the 7900 is mostly covered in hard plastic with some subtle aluminum highlights. The shape of the Nikon 7900 is nothing new; it keeps the traditional rectangular form and adds a slight handgrip for comfort. This model is about as fashion-conscious as Coolpix cameras get.
Size / Portability (6.5)
The Nikon Coolpix 7900 is small, but not skinny. It’s like the little tea pot – short and stout. With measurements of 3.46 x 2.4 x 1.44 inches, this model is small even for a compact. There are smaller models, but usually when they are smaller they are also skinnier and more flat for easy pocketing. The Nikon 7900’s thickness disqualifies it as a model to transport in your pants hip pocket, but it’s still small enough to stash in a baggy cargo pants pocket or in a small purse. The wrist strap allows users to wear the camera and dangle it like jewelry; it is light enough to do this, but dangling a few hundred bucks from my wrist makes me nervous. At 5.3 ounces without the card or battery, the Nikon Coolpix 7900 is definitely small and portable.
Handling Ability (7.0)
With its traditional shape, the Nikon Coolpix 7900 provides neither innovations nor hurdles for handling. It has a small body that isn’t even tall enough to fit all fingers on comfortably. The thumb naturally rests where the zoom buttons are on the back, while the index finger rests right on the shutter release button atop the camera. The middle and ring finger curve around the built-in grip, while the pinky finger supports the bottom of the camera. The buttons are all properly placed within reach of the right-hand fingers and there are bumps and divots on the housing for easier handling and tactile navigation. Overall, handling the lightweight Nikon 7900 is easy and intuitive.
Control Buttons / Dial Positioning / Size (5.0)
The actual buttons on the Nikon Coolpix 7900 are properly sized and placed. They are easy to differentiate and activate. The hardest button to activate is the power button, which is recessed in a divot in the camera body. This is purposefully done to hinder accidental activation of the camera when it is in a pocket or bag… except the playback button can be easily activated and when pressed for a few seconds, it turns the camera on. Weird? Yes. Intuitive? No. The biggest problem with the buttons is the scores of icons surrounding them; the interface is confusing to look at. The most illustrative example of this is the multi-selector with its six scattered icons. The icons are at different distances from the selector; for example, the flash icon is almost touching the selector but the self-timer icon is located about a quarter inch away on the LCD’s edge. The lack of consistency definitely contributes to the chaotic appearance.
Menu (7.0)
The menus in the Nikon Coolpix 7900 aren’t anything to get excited about. They are composed of black text on a gray background – unless the Menus option is selected to Icons instead of Text. When in Icons mode, the menus look like a tiled floor with black icons on them. The selected tile turns yellow to differentiate it from the rest. Further, the icons are not completely intuitive; for example, a flag represents the Language option. I see the connection, but associating the flag with language wasn’t my first impulse. Fortunately, when users scroll over the icons a text title appears at the top of the screen. At the top of the text menu is an indicator that shows what “page” of the menu the user is on; i.e. 1/3 for one page out of three. The full shooting menu is available in the Auto mode and includes these options: Image Mode, White Balance, Metering, Continuous, BSS, Color Options, Image Adjustment, Image Sharpening, Sensitivity, Auto Bracketing, Saturation Control, AF Area Mode, Auto-focus Mode, and Noise Reduction Mode. There are live views in the white balance and color options selections, but the rest have the traditional and slightly boring gray background.
When the Menu button is pressed in the Scene mode, the menu only consists of the various scene modes and image quality settings. This menu always appears in the icon mode even when the Text selection is made. For the four scene modes located directly on the mode dial, the Menu button accesses the framing assist modes. The movie mode menu has limited options: Movie Options, Auto-focus Mode, and Electronic VR. The Movie Options title is quite vague; the “options” are the different movie sizes. The Setup menu hosts the following options: Welcome Screen, Date, Monitor Settings, Date Imprint, AF Assist, Sound Settings, Blur Warning, Auto Off, Format Memory/Card, Language, Interface, Auto Transfer, Reset All, Menus, and Firmware Version. Perhaps the best part about the menus is the Help button, which is also the ‘T’ of the zoom buttons (there is a question mark beneath the button to identify it). This Help button can be pressed at any time to explain menu titles, icons, or options.
Ease of Use (7.0)
Overall, the Nikon Coolpix 7900 is easy to use. The back may be a little overwhelming to look at and there are a few quirks about the camera (switching images from the internal memory to a card to view in playback), but all in all it is fairly simple. The menus are easy to navigate and read - especially with the inclusion of a Help button. The Coolpix 7900 is essentially a point-and-shoot and its ease of use confirms it.
