Nikon coolpix 5700

Help please. I'm currently in the process of buying a digital

camera. I was thinking of the nikon coolpix 5700 and have heard some

mix reviews for it. I would love to hear from people that have used

one before. All i'm a little concerned about the price which is a

bit pricey. I was wondering if nikon would be coming out with

another model to replay this one soon? Or if not does anyone know

when the price might drop again? Thanks For the help!!!

Hi nicole. How are you thinking of using your camera? Different cameras are better suited to different people/uses. Also, is money a deciding factor in your choice?

 

I have owned a coolpix 4500, which is like a downgraded version of the 5700. It's an overall capable camera, with some strong points (macro) and some weak ones (action photography, low light focusing). Of course the 5700 has 5mp and a 8x zoom (instead of 4mp/4x zoom in the 4500).

 

If I were in your shoes I would consider the new Canon 300D as well. The complete kit (body and some lenses) will cost a bit more than the 5700, but for many people the difference in quality and performance will clearly outweight the added cost. But again, it all depends on how you plan to use your camera.

 

There are also excellent "prosumer" digitals which are cheaper than the 5700 and are worth considering. If money is a top factor, I would consider the Canon G3/G5, Fuji S602/S5000/S7000, etc.

 

Am I confusing you even more? if you tell us your intended use of the camera we'll be able to give more concrete advice.

Thanks Pablo Well the major thing i really like about the 5700 is the 8x zoom. I travel alot and love taking pictures when i go. Other factors that was sort of interesting was the shutter speed and aperture on this. However because i just started this i don't really know what is a good range on those. I love taking night pictures of the skyline so what shutter speed do you think i need? By the way thanks again for the help.

My overall impression from using the 5700 quite a bit is I don't really like it.

 

It's compact, and crams a decent lens with a good zoom range in to the body. The 5mp sensor isn't too bad, image quality is fairly good. The lens is slow however and the AF can be miserable, no AF assist light makes this thing a pain to use in low light.

 

Also I'm not entirely enamored with the EVF (the Electronic ViewFinder) in this camera.

I own one. I like it. Stop by my folders to see shots taken with it. The Canon 300D might be a better choice.

partial crop of a fully zoomed out optical zoom shot with 5700 converted to BW

<p>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/1735862&size=lg">the shot</a>

May I suggest the Fuji s602? Check out the Fuji forum at www.dpreview.com to see how actual owners like the camera. Since it has come down in price from its original MSRP of US$800, it provides one the best values in digital prosumer cameras. I have made 12 by 18 inch prints with mine ($2.99 at Costco) that were indistinguishable from film.

Hi again! When considering zooms, not only the x number is important, but also the actual range. Some cameras start wide angle (at 28mm) while others, like the 5700 start only at 35 or 37 mm, which may not be enough for architechture and another typical city shots. I'd say that unless you want to shot animals, or are in special situations like shooting the land from a boat, a 6x or even 4x zoom should be enough. If you plan on taking shots in narrow streets and so on, look for cameras with a zoom starting at 28mm.

 

As for night shots, I'd say that 8s is more than enough for any situation you may encounter in a city (usually 2s or less is all you need). But as other user pointed out, many digicams (including the coolpix line) have a terrible low light autofocus, so taking the shot may become quite tricky. Look for cameras that feature an AF assist lamp.

 

There are several good cameras with a powerful zoom by fuji (S602, S5000, the new S7000) which are good value for money. I think they don't have an AF assist lamp. Minolta has some extended zooms as well but I don't know too much about their cameras. The canon G3/G5 has "only" a 4x zoom but it's a very capable camera with a fast lens (i.e. large maximum aperture, which allows you to shoot in lower light) and it does have an AF assist lamp for night shots. And the G3 is only $500! In case you really need the extended zoom range, there are some decent extenders (but be sure to buy the more pricey ones, as the cheapo are of really bad quality).

 

The range of apertures in a digicam is much smaller than the range in a film or digital SLR; only about 4 stops. Also the effect of the different apertures is very different (digicams have much more depth of field at the same f value). When comparing cameras, look for the widest aperture (smallest f number). A value of f/2 is very good, while f/2.8 or greater isn't that good. The Canon G3/G5 has the most useful range among compact digital cameras: it has an f/2 lense (for fast shutter speeds) and also a built-in neutral density filter that allows you to shoot at speeds 3 stops slower that would be possible without it (for when you need slow shutter speeds).

 

If travel will be your main use, probably the 300D is not the right choice (too bulky, you have to change lenses, etc). Also, if you're just starting, an advanced P&S will do just fine. Later on when you outgrow your camera you can upgrade to DSLR (and prices will be much cheaper then).

 

Before you decide, be sure to check the reviews at www.dpreview.com. Good luck and let us know what you decide!

The Fuji is a good suggestion and I'll add in the possibility of the Olympus C740 or C750 ultrazoom. I don't like the use of the xD media but if you've not got anything already its not a big deal and because the xD cards are so small they're coming up with adapters to put them in anything it seems.

 

The C750 is a 4mp camera with a 10x optical zoom, and has an "equivalent" range of 38-380mm so as far as wide angle goes you're in the same trouble spot you are with the 5700.

 

This camera also costs less than the 5700. I've used it quite a bit and its a pretty nice little unit, I recommended it to a friend who wanted it for grab shots and shooting some sports just for fun. He is by no means a photographer but hes a sharp guy and he's had no problems with it. The lens is also faster than that of the Nikon 5700, being a 2.8-3.7 on a 10x instead of a 2.8-4.2 over a shorter zoom range.

 

Also if it matters to you the Olympus will take any AA batteries, while the 5700 (and the Canon G3 for example) take a proprietary rechargeable Li-Ion batter pack. The Olympus does come with 4 AA rechargeable batteries and a charger.

 

I believe the Olympus does have plastic tripod mount though. There may be some concern about that wearing out faster than if it was metal. If you don't plan to use it too much and don't jerk on it then there really shouldn't be a problem. All my SLRs and my Canon G3 have metal mounts, but I have used film P&S with plastic tripod mounts and never worn one out. Although given the fact most P&S aren't much use on a tripod I haven't used it enough to find out it if will happen that readily. If a tripod is something you might use a lot this might be of concern to you. Otherwise its a very good camera.

 

If you demand the higher image quality the 5700 would still be your best bet, the 750 will have more noise at high ISOs and the lens cant quite resolve the same level of detail on test targets. I don't shoot test targets though, and if the camera were to fit my needs I'd buy one. You'll have to decide which camera does more of what you need. For just travel the smaller c750 would seem like the ideal choice to me.

well when it comes down to it it's a choice do you go with the 28mm and not the f/2 or do you do vise versa. Because so far i haven't found a digital for a fair price that does both. So i guess my next question is which is better for the pixs i need? Sugguestiong???

 

PS thanks again all

Nicole, all the cameras you're considering are good and you'll take great pictures with them. If you plan to shoot buildings, people in reduced spaces and so on, i think the 28 mm is important. If you are planning to shoot animals, people from a distance (for candids) and so on, then the telephoto becomes more important. Whatever choice you make, you can't really go wrong.

I owned one and it was a mixed bag for me. It had the potential to take great photos, from a technical point of view. I found that I disliked the slow, noisy focusing, the lag time when pushing the shutter. The low-light focusing was poor and some images were out of focus for no apparent reason in good light. I loved the zoom ability and when all worked right, it took great photos. I sold mine and bought a different camera after about 3 months with the 5700.

my 5700 is great. EVF is outstanding, couldn't live without it. quality rocks. best point and the main reason i bought it is that EVERYTHING is overideable. it's basicly a DSLR, you just cant change a lense.

 

sour points?

low light focusing is not good, but easy to remedy by pre-focusing on a contrasting edge. ie a light

auto focus is fast on still or slow moving objects, but terrible on anything faster than a walk towards you.

 

regarding price. i got mine about £150 below average price. by going on Amazon.co.uk, i didn't buy it from them, but Jessops will price match with Amazon so i got it straight away from a repretable dealer at a cut down price. definately shop around.

 

you may also like the Minolta Diamage? 707 717 717i?

 

as stated before dpreview is great.