Nikon P300
NikonsandVstroms
Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
I'll be testing it out tomorrow but my initial impressions are that it is a pretty solid little camera. The controls seem easy to use and so are the menus as I was able to set it up in a minute without having to open the manual.
Now while I do like this camera a lot I have to say a the keyword with it is compromise, though this isn't always bad. It is small and provides a lot of features like the LX-5, S95, etc. but has a smaller sensor along with the lens being slower on the long end, and it doesn't shoot RAW. So you lose a bit of flexibility in editing and low light work but it also costs roughly 2/3 of those cameras.
It does have an advantage over these cameras though with video....the P300 can do 1080P while the larger sensor compacts are limited to 720, the P300 also has a setting for 120 FPS at VGA resolutions which should be fun to mess around with.
My conclusion....unless you need the most possible flexibility in post processing and that extra stop for low light photos the P300 is a great camera and you save 150-200 dollars. For me since this is the always have on me type of camera it doesn't need to be the top of its class as for serious work I have other bodies. For anyone else if you don't feel like shelling out the 450-500 for the high end compacts this is definitely something to check out.
In the coming days I'll add some photos.
Also I haven't looked at a point and shoot since I bought my Nikon S600 back in 2008 and must say it is crazy what has happened. That one which is a rather basic camera with really no manual features and it cost about the same as the P300 3 years later. Nikon actually has a similar camera to my old one with all the specs being the same or very slightly improved and it costs 150 :jawdrop for those of you getting into photography now this really is a golden era. While not in the same class as many cameras out there you can still create amazing images on these cheap compacts around 100 dollars. My first digital was a Canon A75...in the 200's for 3.2 whole megapixels :barb, and I remember thinking how huge that 512 MB CF card I bought for it was :lol3
Now while I do like this camera a lot I have to say a the keyword with it is compromise, though this isn't always bad. It is small and provides a lot of features like the LX-5, S95, etc. but has a smaller sensor along with the lens being slower on the long end, and it doesn't shoot RAW. So you lose a bit of flexibility in editing and low light work but it also costs roughly 2/3 of those cameras.
It does have an advantage over these cameras though with video....the P300 can do 1080P while the larger sensor compacts are limited to 720, the P300 also has a setting for 120 FPS at VGA resolutions which should be fun to mess around with.
My conclusion....unless you need the most possible flexibility in post processing and that extra stop for low light photos the P300 is a great camera and you save 150-200 dollars. For me since this is the always have on me type of camera it doesn't need to be the top of its class as for serious work I have other bodies. For anyone else if you don't feel like shelling out the 450-500 for the high end compacts this is definitely something to check out.
In the coming days I'll add some photos.
Also I haven't looked at a point and shoot since I bought my Nikon S600 back in 2008 and must say it is crazy what has happened. That one which is a rather basic camera with really no manual features and it cost about the same as the P300 3 years later. Nikon actually has a similar camera to my old one with all the specs being the same or very slightly improved and it costs 150 :jawdrop for those of you getting into photography now this really is a golden era. While not in the same class as many cameras out there you can still create amazing images on these cheap compacts around 100 dollars. My first digital was a Canon A75...in the 200's for 3.2 whole megapixels :barb, and I remember thinking how huge that 512 MB CF card I bought for it was :lol3
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