Price: $390
With an impressive 42x optical zoom, the
16MP Nikon seems like an attractive option for those stepping up from a
point-and- shoot. It’s a neat enough design that doesn’t radiate the quality of
the Panasonic but doesn’t feel cheap, either. It’s simple to use, with a layout
that will feel familiar if you’re coming from a standard compact, while the
top-mounted dial handles more manual settings.
Nikon
Coolpix P520
Dual controls govern zoom - one around the
shutter and one on the lens barrel. Annoyingly, the autofocus has terrible
trouble if you zoom all the way from wide- angle up to max magnification. In fact,
it’s unlikely to focus at all in this situation; we found we had to back it off
a bit, give It a moment to settle on a focus point, and then complete the rest
of the zoom. Even then it has a habit of pushing and pulling its focus around
when the zoom is fully extended.
Dual
controls govern zoom - one around the shutter and one on the lens barrel.
Photo quality comes in behind the Panasonic
and Canon with a slight reddish hue In many shots, but it trumps the Fujifilm
with Its finer details. Video is disappointing, spoilt by that indecisive
autofocus, jittery image stabilization and noise from the zoom motor. Still, at
a wide-angle setting footage is fine. A solid snapper but no more.
Bigfoot hoaxers should beware the Nikon’s
built-in GS location tagging skills. One look at the EXIF data will reveal it’s
your mate Dave in a monkey suit.
Video
is disappointing, spoilt by that indecisive autofocus, jittery image
stabilization and noise from the zoom motor.
There are plenty of tricks including art
effects, 120fps Slow Mo Video 640x480 and a 3D stills mode in which you take
two photos, lining up the second with a guide.
Is his fetching red a little too
conspicuous for your street photography? Not to worry. The P510 also comes in
black and dark silver. Go forth, and Cartier-Bresson.
Tech Specs
·
Sensor 1MP 1/2.3in
·
Screen 3m, 921k dots
·
EVF0.2in, 201k dots
·
Lens 42x optical + 2x digital 124-1000mm
equivalent) f/3-5.9
·
Burst 7Fps, 5 shots
·
Video 108Op130fps
·
ISO range 100-12,800
Swap shot
A logically placed, dedicated button
toggles between the P510’s main screen and its viewfinder. The latter is on the
small side, but still bright and colorful.
Pulling all the angles
Rather like on the Fujifilm, the Nikon’s 3m
rear display can be pulled out, up and down for help when you’re framing shots
or shooting at challenging angles.
Panasonic Lumix FX200
At just 24x It may have the smallest zoom
on test, but the 12MP Panasonic Impresses from the start and it rarely drops
the ball. That constant f/2.8 Leica lens and solid exterior promise great things,
and that’s what you get.
In Auto mode the Panasonic has the knack of
nailing an almost perfect exposure every time, pulling out more detail and
texture from the shadows than any of its rivals but at the same time, it exerts
enough control over highlights to stop them from bleaching out. Colors look
vibrant but natural and its tops for detail, though the Canon isn’t far behind.
That
constant f/2.8 Leica lens and solid exterior promise great things, and that’s
what you get.
Video is a mixed bag. It’s the only camera
here capable of shooting 1080p footage at a silky 5Ofps, and wide-angle shots
are superb. Problems creep in when you start snooping around, with fairly poor image
stabilization - the twin mics will pick up some noise from the zoom motor,
which mars the soundtrack.
When it comes to usability it can’t compete
with the Fujifilm’s mini-DSLR form, but set against its more conventional
rivals the Pan comes out on top. It’s easy to live with, in either point and shoot
or full manual modes. This is a bridge camera that’s worth the stretch.
This
is a bridge camera that’s worth the stretch.
Nighthawks will welcome long exposure times
of up to 60s – ideal for long exposures of starry night skies. You van Gogh,
you.
At 24x, this is the smallest zoom in the
rest – it’s worth bearing in mind you can get up to 20x from a compact snapper
without going up to the bridge cam format.
Design and build are great. Control layout
is solid, with busy but well-paid out dials and twin zoom controls – one around
the shutter and one on the barrel.
Design
and build are great. Control layout is solid, with busy but well-paid out dials
and twin zoom controls – one around the shutter and one on the barrel.
Tech Specs
·
Sensor 11MP 1/2.3in
·
Screen 3m, 4SOk dots
·
EVFO.2lin, 1312k dots
·
Zoom 24x optical +4x digital, I2S-00mm equivalent),
f/2.8
·
Burst l2fps, 12 shots
·
Video 1OBOp5Ofps
·
ISO range 100-3200
A view to a thrill
It’s a bit on the small side but the
Panasonic’s electronic viewfinder is one of the best here: sharp and bright
with accurate colors.
Flip show
The Panasonic’s 3m screen goes for the side-flipping
approach to articulation, with a sensibly placed EVF/LCL3 toggle switch. It’s a
well thought out design.
Test Winner
Panasonic FZ200
Pros: Excellent stills; quality build;
pro-friendly features
Cons: IFFy 15, smallest zoom
Panasonic
FZ200
Canon SX50HS
Pros: Good stills; excellent video’ huge
zoom’ goof IS
Cons: A few control niggles
Fujifilm HX30 EXR
Pros: Lovely to use; ideal for portraits
and landscapes
Cons: images lack detail; video
Nikon P510
Pros: Big zoom; good stills
Cons: Poor autofocus at high zooms; noisy
zoom motor
Olympus SP-820UZ
Pros: big zoom; great video
Cons: Over-processed stills; lack of
advanced features
Olympus
SP-820UZ
The winning team
1. Panasonic FZ200
Price: $660
Small but with big picture talents, the 24x
zoom Panasonic will get you close to the action wherever you are and it'll
take some killer photos while you're there.
2. Triggertrap
Price: $526.5
Website: triggertrap.com
Hook up these cables to the IOS app and you
can trigger a camera remotely on a timer, with long exposures, or in response
to sound or movement. Cool.
Triggertrap
3. iPad Mini
Price: $405
Website: apple.com
An iPad Mini Is the Ideal tablet for
Triggertrap and doubles as a means of reviewing and up loading your shots when
you're out in the field. Or in a cafe.
4. Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader
Price: $37.5
Website: apple.com
A small investment on this cable ma import
images camera's SD card onto your iPad Mini, fuss-free.
