Nikon Coolpix P5100

Viewfinder (3.75)
The P5100 has the same optical viewfinder as its predecessor, the P5000. The viewfinder doesn’t protrude any farther than the LCD screen below it, so expect it to pick up some nose grease. The optical viewfinder is small – about a quarter-inch wide – so users will have to squint to see inside the little window. The view looks foggy when looking at bright subjects as there is some glare with the internal glass. The view isn’t very accurate either. Nikon’s specs indicate that it is only 80 percent accurate in both the vertical and horizontal directions – not to mention the visible distortion that causes straight lines to look bowed. They call it a “real image optical viewfinder,” but the view isn’t that “real” because of its inaccuracy. When zoomed out, users will capture their subjects and then some because the viewfinder doesn’t see the outer boundaries. The view is shifted though; the image will have more space on the right edge and along the bottom than anticipated. If zoomed in, users risk cutting off the top of their subjects but also record much more along the bottom than expected. Group portraits would look awful; heads chopped off and too much foreground.

LCD Screen (7.25)
Like its predecessor, the Nikon P5100 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels. The view is nice and smooth thanks to the high resolution and quick refresh rate. This LCD has some of the widest viewing angles we’ve seen. Users can see the LCD whether it is high above the head, held at the hip, or propped to the side. Friends can gather round the P5100 for a slide show and everyone will be able to see.

There is an anti-reflection coating but it isn’t as impressive as the viewing angles. The LCD was still tough to see in sunlight or other strong lighting. The view washed out and took on a purple tint from the coating. The 5-level brightness adjustment can be boosted in the setup menu to help a little, but even at top power the screen’s view is a challenge to see.

The screen is located just below the viewfinder so carrying around a cloth to buff the nose grease off the screen might be a good idea. The viewfinder is horribly inaccurate so the LCD monitor makes a better viewfinder in most cases. However, the LCD’s view still isn’t perfect. As a live viewfinder, it has 97 percent accuracy vertically and horizontally. This won’t bother most users, but could be a major annoyance to photographers who are very particular about cropping. There is some consolation: images are 100 percent accurate in the Playback mode.

The display on the screen can be changed with a touch of the display button on the left. It can turn the screen off, display shooting info with the image, show only basic info, or show only the image without any other info. There is no live histogram while shooting but a histogram can be viewed in the Playback mode.

Overall, the LCD screen is a high-quality component but the slight inaccuracy in the view could be a deal-breaker for some picky consumers – especially among Nikon’s DSLR clientele that this camera targets. Some of the P5100’s competitors, such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 and Canon PowerShot G9, offer superior 3-inch monitors with 100 percent accuracy, which may entice these consumers.

Flash (8.0)
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 has a powerful built-in flash unit along with a hot shoe that is compatible with i-TTL Nikon Speedlight flashes. The flash is located in the upper right corner of the front, so left fingers must be wary or else they may block the flash.

The off-axis placement translates to slightly uneven coverage. Even more noticeable than the off-axis placement is the darker left and right edges. Most digital cameras’ built-in flashes have dark corners, but the P5100 has darkened sides of the frame. The flash can reach from 1 to 26 feet, 2.9 inches when zoomed out and to 13 feet, 1.5 inches when zoomed in.

The light from the flash can be adjusted to be less or more intense in the recording menu. There is a flash exposure compensation option with +/- 2 values in steps of a third. Usually the flash is inaccessible in the Burst mode, but the P5100 has a special continuous flash Burst mode that allows the flash to fire with less intense light at the same pace as the continuous mode – which in our opinion isn’t as fast as it should be. Still, this is much better than the 4 seconds between flashed shots that the camera usually affords.

The Flash mode can be changed by pushing the top of the multi-selector. Auto, on with red-eye reduction, off, on, slow sync, and rear-curtain sync are the flash options.

The Nikon P5100 is compatible with Speedlight SB-400, SB-600, and SB-800 flash accessories with its ISO 518 hot shoe, but it looks funny because those flash units are just about the same size as the camera. Still, when strong light is needed the hot shoe and compatible flash accessories can save the day.

All in all, the Nikon P5100’s built-in flash is a quality component with more versatility than most built-in units on compact digital cameras.

Zoom Lens (7.25)
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 has the same Zoom-Nikkor lens as the P5000. The 3.5x optical zoom lens has an optical image stabilization system, which Nikon calls “vibration reduction.” This feature can be turned on and off in the setup menu, but it’s best to keep it on so the pictures are less blurry and the videos less bumpy.

Perhaps the 3.5x zoom power used to be impressive but many compact digital cameras currently on the market are offering more impressive zoom ranges. The Panasonic TZ3, for instance, has a 10x optically stabilized zoom lens in a body similar to the P5100. Even the high-end direct competition, the Canon PowerShot G9, has a stabilized 6x optical zoom lens and image stabilization. Nikon lags behind in this area.

The lens is built with seven elements in six groups and measures 7.5-26.3mm, equivalent to 35-123mm in 35mm format. This isn’t very wide when compared to the 28mm Panasonic TZ3, but is the same width as the 35-210mm Canon G9.

The 4x digital zoom can be turned on and off in the setup menu. This should be used sparingly, if at all. In the Movie mode, the optical zoom lens is locked but 2x digital zoom can be used.

The high-end and super-versatile Nikon P5100 is compatible with wide angle and telephoto conversion lenses, which can be purchased from Nikon separately and attached with an adapter ring. This flexibility is nice, but other cameras have built-in lenses that are wider and longer. Is Nikon taking notes?

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