| Likes |
- Hot shoe
- Good resolution
- 52MB internal memory
- Great color accuracy
- Low noise under ISO 400
- Updated face detection |
| Dislikes |
- No RAW files
- Slow processing time
- Slow autofocus
- Awful Movie mode
- 0.7-second shutter lag
- Poor videos in low light
- High noise above ISO 400 |
Conclusion
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 creates the illusion that consumers can have DSLR components and quality in a camera the size of a pocket. It has a 1.6-inch thick body with a decent handgrip, extending 3.5x optical zoom lens, optical image stabilization, a hot shoe, and a full set of manual exposure modes and controls. However, it is missing a key component that DSLRs have: speed.
Speed was also an issue with the old P5000: slow processing time, slow Burst mode, slow shutter lag, slow everything! Despite a new image processor, slowness seems to be the lasting legacy of Nikon’s “Performance Series.”
Its speed is most disappointing, but it is otherwise a decent digital camera. Its colors are fairly accurate, it kept noise acceptably low when the ISO is set under 400, and its resolution renders detailed images. The Nikon P5100’s performance is above average, but competitors like the high-end Canon G9 perform even better and do so faster. The P5100 doesn’t have the speed of the G9, but its lower price makes it a fair contender.
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