Nikon Coolpix 7900

Manual Control Options
As with any camera, users might expect that there are some manual controls on board the Nikon Coolpix 7900, which (to some extent) is the case. White Balance, Exposure, Metering, Shutter speed, and aperture are somewhat available for use in manual mode. I say somewhat, because more often than not the user is required to pick a pre determined setting that they feel best fits the scene. This is perfectly normal for compact digital cameras and brief descriptions are listed below.

Auto Focus
The auto focus mode on the Nikon Coolpix 7900 is quite versatile and offers three separate types of auto focus options: 99 point Auto focus, 5-Area Auto focus, and Center Auto focus. This allows the user a multitude of auto focus possibilities within the confines of an automatic setting. There is an additional auto focus feature, but the camera has to be set to portrait mode. Once in this mode the Face Priority Auto Focus mode is engaged and the user can take the portrait photo with confidence that the face will be in focus. According to Nikon, the mode automatically finds the subject’s face, identifying it based on the proportional space between the eyes and makes it the focal priority. As many as three human subjects can be recognized in the same shot, giving priority to the closest subject. Seems like a good idea for an automatic point and shoot camera, but only testing will tell how reliable it actually is.

Manual Focus
Manual focus on the Nikon Coolpix 7900 is restricted to selecting a section of the frame and having the internal processor make the adjustment automatically. The manual 99 point selection and the center point selection are about as close to manual focus as users are going to get. On these compact cameras, for the user just interested in capturing vacation or celebration moments, even scenic shots, the on-board options for "manually" adjusting focus are adequate. If users crave the ability to adjust the focus themselves without having to select a spot, then an upgrade to a small SLR style camera is in order.

Metering
Metering options abound on the Nikon Coolpix 7900, and include Matrix, Center weighted, Spot, Spot AF Area. Each of these options can be accessed through the menu, by selecting the metering option. Each mode has a different method for handling proper exposure, and users can select which they would like to employ within their shots. Matrix meters the entire scene, Center Weighted meters and sets the exposure, prioritizing the center of the frame within the rest of the composition. Spot allows users to define a spot in the scene to independently meter, and Spot AF Area works in unison with the auto focus area mode feature. The available metering options should satisfy even the manual control freak, to an extent. Selecting each option was simple, as are all manual control options within the Nikon Coolpix 7900’s menu.

Exposure
Users can manipulate the exposure on the Nikon Coolpix 7900 by pressing the control dial to the right (towards the -/+ icon). Exposure readout on the screen will indicate how much more light or how little light the CCD is receiving. It’s great that it’s included on the back of the camera body, for quick access, and not buried within the extensive menu.

White Balance
There are a plethora of white balance options available on the Nikon Coolpix 7900. White balance is accessed through the menu by pressing the menu button and then scrolling to the white balance option. White balance modes of Auto, Preset (which is the true manual mode) as well as daylight, incandescent, fluorescent, cloudy, shade, speed light, and white balance bracketing. This is a healthy selection of white balance options for a compact digital camera: few manufacturers give more, most give less. The white balance menu is very intuitive and user friendly and I encourage even the most intimidated user to take advantage of the benefits of color balancing with the white balance settings available on any digital camera.

ISO
There are a few manual control settings for ISO on the Nikon Coolpix 7900. These include Automatic, 64, 100, 200, and 400. This is a fairly typical selection of ISO speeds for a compact digital camera. The options are accessed through the menu by scrolling to the ISO option.

Shutter Speed
Multiple shutter speeds are available on the Nikon Coolpix 7900 ranging from 4-1/2000^th of a second. The selectable shutter speeds provide the user with control over the exposure and clarity of the image, granting added flexibility in setting the camera’s light sensitivity rating.

Aperture
There is a two-step aperture range on the Nikon Coolpix 7900, f/8.2 (wide angle) and f/4.9. It is however unclear (even after spending some time with the camera and scrutinizing the menu and spec sheet) exactly how the aperture is controlled, if at all, manually. Most users would benefit from the automatic aperture adjustments that are surely taking place within the processor and within the preset modes (which encompasses just about every possible shooting scenario). It is a bit of a bummer to not have direct control over aperture, but at this price point it’s about 50/50.