Nikon Adds EVF to P-Series

2013.09.05

Today, Nikon took the wraps off their latest P-series of premium camera. The new Nikon Coolpix P7800 follows the P7700 reviewed here with a nearly identical camera except for the addition of a built-in EVF. This viewfinder has 920K pixels and shows 100% coverage. This is a very welcome addition and a sign that Nikon is engaged with the premium digital camera market.

Like its predecessor, the P7800 features a unique bright F/2 - 4 stabilized wide-angle 28-200mm lens. It offers plenty of external controls, including triple control-dials and a direct exposure-compensation dial. As expected, full manual-controls, including manual-focus and custom white-balance are provided.

This premium compact is built around a 1/1.7" CMOS sensor with 12 megapixels. It can output full-resolution images at 8 FPS and full 1080p HD video. The Nikon Coolpix P7800 has a built-in 3-stop ND-filter and a hot-shoe that allows for more creative options. This camera expects to ship this month at a price of $550 USD or CDN.

The Nikon Coolpix S02 was also announced today. This diminutive camera is about being smaller than ultra-compact. It features a tiny 1/3.1" CMOS sensor with 13 megapixels paired with a 30-90mm 3X optical zoom lens. 7.3GB of memory and a battery is fully integrated.

The S02 is controlled via a 2.7" touchscreen and a minimal set of controls. It works fully automatically and uses USB to transfer images and charge its battery which gives it a battery-life of 210 shots-per-charge.

The camera has a minimal set of capabilities yet manages to include full 1080p HD video. While ISO is only automatic, it does offer a choice of two metering patterns: Multi-Segment or Center-Weighed.

The Nikon Coolpix S02 ships this month for only $149 USD or CDN.

• Digital Camera