Hasta La Gadget!

It seemed to me as though it was not too long ago that Nikon introduced a bunch of new digital cameras for the masses, and the “season” has hit yet again, with the Nikon Coolpix A. The Coolpix A will sport an exclusively designed wide-angle 18.5mm, f/2.8 fixed focal length NIKKOR lens, and Nikon claims that it boasts of similar rendering capabilities that is comparable to those of a digital SLR camera, although this one will obviously be crammed in a compact body.

In fact, the Coolpix A is the first Coolpix compact digital camera of its kind to be equipped with a DX-format CMOS sensor. That alone should be reason enough to check out the Coolpix A if you are out hunting for a new shooter. After all, thanks to the extremely practical wide-angle lens which covers a wide range of shooting scenes, you should see more compliments come flowing in whenever you show people your shots.

The entire Coolpix A tips the scales at approximately 299 grams, and it also supports recording of 14-bit compressed NEF (RAW) images, in addition to the ability of being able to record Full HD movies without missing a beat. [Press Release]

(more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nikon Coolpix P330 Announced, Nikon Coolpix S3500 Digital Camera,

Nikon has unveiled two new Coolpix cameras, the Coolpix A and Coolpix P330. The Coolpix A is hailed as the company’s first Coolpix camera to offer a DX-format sensor, bringing a dSLR element into a compact camera. The Coolpix P330, meanwhile, is designed to be a mixture between higher-end specs and a slim, pocketable body. Check out a gallery of both cameras after the jump.

The Coolpix A is Nikon’s first DX-format Coolpix camera, allowing photographers to snap very high-quality images from a compact camera, comparable in quality to Nikon’s DSLRs. The 16.2-megapixel camera utilizes a NIKKOR 18.5mm lens with an f/2.8 aperture. The camera offers a 4-frame burst mode, and manual P/S/A/M settings, as well as several scene modes for different shooting situations. The camera can shoot in RAW/NEF, and can be used in conjunction with the DF-CP1 Optical Viewfinder, UR-E24 Adapter Ring, and the HN-CP18 Lens Hood.

The Coolpix P330 features a wide-angle lens, offering 5x optical zoom, as well as a 12.2-megapixel 1/1.7-inch BSI (backside illuminated) CMOS sensor. This camera boasts having the fastest lens available in a Coolpix camera, offering low noise levels in low-light settings. The camera can record in full HD 1080p, and features Vibration Reduction IS for sharp, clear images. The camera gives users advanced control with manual P/A/S/M controls, and can shoot in RAW and NRW. There’s integrated GPS for photo tagging as well.

Nikon’s VP of Marketing, Planning, and Customer Experience Bo Kajiwara said, “The introduction of the COOLPIX A, as Nikon’s flagship COOLPIX camera, provides uncompromised image quality and incredibly sharp detail in a compact point-and-shoot camera. As the first COOLPIX to use a DX-format sensor, the COOLPIX A will exceed expectations for its unsurpassed performance. The COOLPIX A, along with the COOLPIX P330, demonstrates the forward-looking direction of the Advanced Performance COOLPIX line, and packs all of the benefits of Nikon’s optical heritage and imaging experience into a compact, yet powerful package.”

Both cameras will be released this month in Black and Silver. The Coolpix A will be priced at $1,099.95, while the Coolpix P330 will be priced at $379.95.

[via Nikon]

Nikon announces Coolpix P330 and Coolpix A, its first DX-format camera is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Regular people love everything about big DSLRs except for the “big”. Here’s Nikon’s first crack at taking the sensor from DX format DSLRs and smushing it into a point-and-shoot. Meet the Nikon Coolpix A. More »

Caution Coolpix P310 owners: Nikon’s latest point-and-shoot announcement may cause you to weep. The P330, as this year’s flavor is to be called, offers a handful of upgrades over its predecessor, which launched in February of 2012. First, there’s a new larger sensor on board, with 1/1.7 of an inch to work with, compared to 1/2.3 of an inch on last year’s flavor. It’ll also snap lower-resolution images, which may sound like a step backwards, but the 12.2-megapixel chip should offer superior image quality, along with a sensitivity range of ISO 80 through 12,800. Also new this year is RAW shooting — a feature that could help position this mid-range model as a companion shooter for advanced amateurs and pros alike, for those occasions where a full-size rig wouldn’t be practical. Finally, there’s a 5x, 24-120mm f/1.8-5.6 optic with lens-based VR, a 3-inch TFT LCD, built-in GPS, 1080/30p and 60i video shooting and WiFi connectivity with the optional ($60) WU-1a module.

In an atypical move, Nikon graciously permitted us to photograph the P330 before its official debut, so we have some hands-on pics and impressions to share. The camera itself looks very similar to the P310 — there’s a nifty mode dial up top, along with a zoom toggle, control dial, power button, stereo mics and a pop-up flash. It’s a solid-feeling compact, though Sony’s RX100 does offer a more premium feel (and shooting experience to boot, but for nearly twice the price). Overall, the P330 is a solid entrant to Nikon’s midrange lineup, but at $380, it’s a fairly significant investment, too. Expect the camera to hit stores later this month in black and white — you, dear reader, can thumb through our hands-on gallery for an up-close look today, though.

Filed under: Cameras, Nikon

Comments

Sometimes, it’s the behind-the-scenes deals that matter the most. See Aptina’s newly signed patent cross-licensing agreement with Sony as an example: the pact lets the two imaging veterans use each other’s know-how in camera sensors for everything from dedicated cameras through to smartphones and TVs. We know customers of both companies will be glad to see technology spreading beyond corporate borders, but we have a feeling that Nikon will be the happiest. When Nikon is using Aptina sensors in its 1 series mirrorless cameras and Sony sensors in its DSLRs, it’s likely to reap the benefits, regardless of which sensor maker got the better deal.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Nikon

Comments

Source: DPReview