COOLPIX P900 Digital Camera (Black)

I'm a semi professional photographer, been working part time at it since the 90's and needed a long zoom solution for vacation photos. I have a Canon 100-400 L lens and thought about coupling it with one of my APS-C bodies and a 2x teleconverter but something about carrying all that gear for photos with little to no commercial viability didn't appeal to me. This camera came up a a warehouse deal with an additional 15% off for Amazon Prime day and so I thought I'll get it considering I'm going on vacation to Yellowstone and could use an the extra long zoom reach. To put the camera to the test I took the obligatory moon shot but then I took a short trip. I visited a local wild life ranch and cavern here in San Antonio area called Natural Bridge Wild Life Ranch and Natural Bridge Caverns. In the wild life ranch I snagged a shot of a Zebra which I sold four copies of in a week just by word of mouth - so much for no commercial viability. Wildlife Ranch photos here:[...] Cavern Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1675684126085238.1073741885.1535609413426044&type=1&l=2f0cb6c5a6 It was a lot of fun to play with the camera, the zoom reach is beyond expectation and certainly has a bit of a WOW factor to it. The fact the camera has manual modes is a bit of a misnomer since the shutter and aperture range you're allow to play with are not the full spectrum but a very limited set, for example, when zoomed in you can open all the way up to f6.5 or stop all the way down to f8.0. Ideally with an inexpensive lens I'd have liked to stop down to f11 to ensure edge to edge sharpness. Do to this limitation I ended up using full auto and adjusting the scene selection as well as using exposure comp for almost every shot. As one might expect this kind of zoom range makes it easy to induce camera shake but the camera does a reasonably good job of suppressing it. For example, shooting at 1/500 of a second and zoomed to 2000mm yields a sharp image about 1/3 of the time. During shooting I was constantly pixel peeping to see if focus was sharp which it usually wasn't so the solution is to take lots of shots, bracing, holding breath, leaning on something (I brought a mono pod into the caverns). Shooting with it on the wide angle is great if you're not using flash (flash was too powerful and no flash settings, could possibly fix with a napkin or post-it over the flash), zoomed all the way out the P900 provides a nice f2.8 aperture which is faster than some of the competition in the range with smaller zoom lenses. Back at the computer it was disappointing not to have Raw files to work with. The jpgs were highly compressed and I suspect highly processed in camera to compensate for the inexpensive lens. My first test shots at home made me adjust the in camera processing to add one more notch (you can add up to three) of both contrast and saturation. None the less there is a stop or two of additional range in processing the images in Adobe LR. Highlights and shadows were unrecoverable when completely blown out something my 5D has probably spoiled me on. In the end I think I threw out 1/5th of the shots and about 1/10th of remaining were worth talking about (see links). Like I said before, the solution to the shortcomings of the camera are to take multiple shots of the composition and subj. you want. Honestly I think if I had used my APS-C body and teleconverter I wouldn't have fared too much better and the time spent taking extra shots with the P900 would have been spent catching my breath carrying an additional 5lbs of gear; not to mention shaking the cramps out of my hand. ---Summary--- Pros: Zoom Reach Relative portability Value considering the lens is unique Cons: Small sensor size compression noise ISO noise even at relatively low ISO (I was trying to keep it at or below 800) high rate of poor shots Slow to respond after taking multiple shots (serious problem if you intend to do bird watching) And not such a con but a note, there are better options out there in this price range if you're not looking the occasional bird photo or moon shot. I teetered on the edge of returning it but in the end it does provide unique shots at a price that doesn't hurt that bad. So if you can find a deal you're probably going to be very happy with it. Would I recommend it to a friend? Hell yes - gotta try this zoom, it's insane and worth the shortcomings especially if you have a little skill (or just patience) and can work at overcoming them.

[Edit: After years of use, this camera is still going strong! I am raising my rating to five stars because this camera has been such a reliable performer and a delight to use. My favorite settings for birding are P-mode with spot focus and spot exposure. I don't always nail focus, or capture birds darting from branch to branch, with this camera when I am zoomed all the way to 2000mm (in 35mm full frame equivalent), but when I have the time to get a bird in the frame and nail the focus the results are spectacular. The zoom reach of this camera has totally spoiled me. Even though I have played with the Sony RX10IV and loved it, the 600mm zoom reach of that camera seem paltry by comparison to the 2000mm reach of the p950. Nikon, you have won the hearts of us birders. Keep up the good work!] This is a fun camera, and I realize that there is nothing like it available from other manufacturers, but I still want Nikon to make some improvements to the next version of this camera so they can compete with Sony and Panasonic in areas other than zoom reach. Make no mistake, buy this camera if you like to look at birds and animals like seals that are typically too far away to get a good picture of. I have had the camera only a few weeks and already I have found that the P900 is the perfect complement to my bird watching hobby.The P900 is light enough to carry around my neck without any fatigue, and the massive zoom can capture pretty much any bird or animal I see on my nature walks. I think of the camera as the ultimate pair of binoculars, and the photos are helping me appreciate nature more than ever. I saw a seagull in the distance and couldn't make out what it was doing, so I trained the P900 on it and saw that the bird was eating a crab. I never would have been able to see this scene without this camera and I am thrilled to be able to delve into nature this way. The auto-focus works very well for most subjects. The jpegs of non-moving birds and animals have a great amount of detail and the auto exposure settings typically produce good results. The video works surprisingly well when locked down tight on a tripod. When you are into the long zoom reach you have to account for atmospheric distortion, which should temper your expectations, but also make you realize that the reach of this lens is colossal. Any camera movement will ruin your shot with a Jello-like shake, so for video it is best to lock the camera on a tripod and focus on non-moving subjects or plan for animals to walk into your frame and then let them walk out of the frame rather than panning to follow their path. The Timelapse feature is a joy to use and the menu settings for it are easy to navigate and understand. However, I would love to see the timelapse videos look a bit smoother. And, that brings me to my final thought on this camera. What I would love to see from Nikon in a future version of this camera is better image quality overall. For still photos I would love to see the option to shoot RAW, and for video I would appreciate having 4K. A microphone input and built-in ND filters would be nice, too. I don't know what Nikon's plans are, but if they make a fancier version of this camera to compete with bridge cameras like the Sony RX10 III and the Panasonic FZ2500, then I will be among the first in line to pick it up. [Edit: Nikon now has the p950 and the p1000, and I have played with both. When I am ready to upgrade I will probably go with the p950 or something like it over the p1000 because I found that the p1000 with its smaller aperture produced grainier photos than the p900/p950. I like the longer reach of the p1000, but the photos from the p900/p950 just look more clear to me than the p1000 images.]

I like this camera more than I thought I would. I bought it for its ridiculously long zoom range, hoping that I could make use of the longer end of that range during certain circumstances. My intent was to use the camera as though it was a specialized lens (albeit with a camera already attached) – to be used infrequently, and in lieu of my other camera/lens combinations when it was not practical to physically reposition myself to get an acceptable image of distant subjects. I was surprised to find that it does this well, and it is comfortable enough to carry and use on many general purpose occasions. It is a relatively large, heavy, comparatively expensive, superzoom bridge camera with a good selection of auto and manual controls. It is not a substitute for a more technically capable (and even more expensive) DSLR or mirrorless camera. Its most notable shortcomings are due to its .43 inch sensor, lack of a hot shoe, lack of an external microphone port, and lack of RAW image output. Its crowning feature is its big 83x zoom lens, having greater range and magnification than any of its competitors. That lens takes up more than one half of the camera’s volume. Zoom and manual focus controls are available on the lens barrel as well as in the typical positions on the camera body. Most functions are intuitively accessible to those accustomed to typical “PSAM” controls, but manual focus is not so straight-forward. Going through the steps required to use manual focus (a necessity at extreme zoom range) requires a bit of learning and practice, but is definitely worthwhile. Still and HD video images are very good as long as subjects are well lit. It takes 67mm. lens filters (They don’t interfere with lens travel, but vignette at shorter focal lengths.) At least one company makes a collapsible rubber lens hood that works well with this camera. I have not tested or used its GPS location utilities, nor have I used its (Android and iPhone-centric) Wi-Fi functions. If you need the extremely long focal length, this camera is a good buy. If you don’t, there are other bridge cameras that offer comparable performance at much lower sizes and prices.

I love taking photos and over the years I have had many different types of cameras from old Kodak Instamatics to current digital cameras. My latest camera I got for getting harder to get close in on photos is the Nikon P900 digital camera. I have had older Nikon P500 and P510 about 6 years ago with decent luck and good photos and decided to give this P900 camera a try. Priced barely over $500....it did not seem a bad price considering what you get with this digital camera. PROS: Large 83X optical zoom Uses SD, SDHC or SDXC cards Fairly easy to navigate menu system Wi-fi capable Takes decent outdoor photos in daylight Manual settings possible Good hand grip Program mode Many scene modes to choose from Image stabilization is pretty good Flip out & swiveling rear LED viewfinder Optical view finder with eye sensor next to it CONS: Fair battery life [get several extra batteries for this camera] Charges battery in camera [get separate battery chargers & spare batteries with this camera] Rather large in size for some folks [for me, the camera feels good] No external flash hot shoe Small standard "point & shoot camera" size sensor inside this camera No RAW photos [just JPEG] Optical viewfinder needs improved & a rubber eye cup around it would be nice in sunny weather outdoors Video qualities so far at 1080p is pretty good indoors and outdoors. Photo qualities varies from great photos outdoors during daylight hours to very good photos indoors with flash on and finally to fair to poor photos in low light conditions with no flash indoors or outdoors. I would invest in a lens hood, lens filters and better strap for this camera to get slightly better photos. I am still playing with this camera to try out the scene modes and taking moon photos and so on with this Nikon P900 camera. I wish this camera had a 1 inch sensor for better photo qualities....but if so...it would come at the expense of the long zoom lens for sure. For general indoor and outdoor photos, this camera will do well and for getting zoomed-in photos of animals, birds, clouds, scenery that you cannot really get close to or do not want to get close to. As I have just touched some of the features of this digital camera so far, at this time....I would rate this Nikon P900 at 4 of 5 stars as it needs a little bit improvements in some areas, but overall a great camera still to have!

I did a lot of research prior to buying this camera. Most of the reviews nitpicked this or that. But they missed the forest for the trees. The bottom line is Nikon is offering a camera with a single lens that zooms from 24mm to 2000mm for 500 bucks. Let that sink in. I recently bought a 24mm-300mm lens for my Nikon DSLR and paid more for that lens than I paid for this camera. This thing can zoom in and get a clear picture of a license plate on a car a quarter mile away. Its quite amazing. And the digital zoom takes you beyond even the 2000mm barrier. If you need to bring things far away up close and you can't afford $10,000 for a professional set up, this camera does the trick. POSITIVES: Single camera and lens. Eliminates the need to carry the bulk and weight of multiple lenses. Relatively compact and light given the zoom reach. Easy to operate. More than decent video. Integral stereo mic. Bluetooth and wi-fi capable. GPS stamp on pics for exact pic location. Decent phone app. Good LCD screen that rotates and extends from camera. Decent flash. 3lbs overall weight. NEGATIVES: Not the best in low light conditions. Battery life could be better. Wish it was 24mp instead of 16mp. Phone app controls could be better. SUMMARY: If you spend a lot of time hiking or trekking or looking for wildlife, your on a budget, and you only want to carry one camera, this is an astounding option. Yes, it isn't the best at anything. But it is pretty good at a lot. And when this costs $500 and the best with comparable features is $10,000 for a camera and at least 3 or 4 lenses that all together weigh 10 or 15 lbs and take up all the space in your daypack it not really a hard decision unless you are selling your pictures for a living.

A must have for the outdoor enthusiasts easy to carry, rugged build that can standup to dust, pet hair and hot\cold. I have super glued (gel) the rubber grips back down but other than that all is good. I wanted a big zoom camera to photo wild life, mostly birds, and have been very satisfied. I mostly shoot hand held and the vibration control is excellent a big plus for the walker/hiker. With that said i boost up the sutter speed to help with camera shake but not a must do. Every function of the p900 seamlessly works with my Mac Book , iPhone and Photos/ iMovie. I can use wifi in the field or coffee shop and share pictures...note this does not work with Raw so i am good with a jpeg only camera.... Like the GPS function never turn it off ,helps keep a good satellite connection and as time goes on you can't forget where a shoot was taken when the pic is logged into Photos. The graphics of GPS linked to a picture is the same whether the photo was taken by iPhone or p900 you have to read the description to know what camera was used. I like the electronic lcd as you make custom justments from the shooting menu a live histogram is displayed and the exposer you see is just what the picture will look like it really helps exposer setup. Great for landscape , slower moving objects and portrait... not great for faster moving objects. There is an FN button on the top of the camera you push that and you can surf the shooting menu on the lcd which allows you to charge to custom settings quickly the p900 is very friendly to the user. Last but not least any customization you do will showup on the lcd as some sort of symbol so no matter how much button pushing you do you can keep track and return to default settings easily. A fun camera. As long as you have good sunlight and your not doing sports events or doing just about any evening events (basically the holidays and winter birthdays) you will like this camera. Personally i bought a DSLR to back fill the holes that the p900 has. With that said if you want great zoom and like getting great wild life shots this is for you.

I bought this as a packed deal from Amazon. My initial impressions (out-of-box) and first trial run: Real World Usage Review: As mentioned earlier, this is week # 3 review from real-world usage, I believe that I may have received a 'lemon' out-of-the box, and this camera has played a bit of Hawaiian Big Island vacation spoiler (at least for me), but fortunately I had 2 additional cameras as a back-up (muy wife and son). Also, fortunately, this is my 4th Hawaiian escape. The initial impressions about this camera is still excellent, and overall lens (83x) is mesmerizing for point-n-shoot. This is perfect camera to avoid changing lenses and rough (and unforgiving) terrains of volcanic Big Island, especially for those exploring the depths of volcano national park. Now about the Camera, and please READ this before buying, and if You do BUY, this should be your FIRST test of the Camera: 1. Almost all pictures from the top of the lens has a (weird pink) discoloration patch (smear), as if there was no Quality Testing done at NIKON (I guess folks at Nikon must be on vacation)!! 2. Yes, for those photography geeks, I have all the extra gizmos (filters, etc.) and I have tested this camera extensively in almost all settings (in-built features and external attachments), and this weird discoloration just doesn't disappear in all light conditions (in-door, out-door, low light, day, night, etc mode). 3. Please review the attached pictures. PLEASE NOTE: Amazon Customer Services is flawless, and buy this camera (or other products) with 100% CONFIDENCE. Customer Service has dispatched a new replacement for me urgently (upon my arrival back home). As we all know, Amazon doesn't make NIKON. Out of 1,000 Pictures from Real World Testing, I have attached just a few examples (others are family pictures and for privacy reason, not attached). However, almost all pictures have discoloration at the top of the screen (indoor and outdoor). I will test the replacement camera and update Amazon (and potential customers) over the next 2-3 weeks, again from real-world testing. My other cameras (yes, NIKON COOLPIX B500 is amazing and flawless with incredible picture quality as well as all mobile phone cameras). Thanks to Amazon for dispatching a replacement (which is yet to be tested). However, the 1st purchase is a 'lemon,' thus a defective P900!! I suggest if you are purchasing this camera, to buy directly from Amazon.com as customer service from other buyers may not be up to par with Amazon. And this is not a cheap camera from Nikon!! 3rd review to follow soon over next 2-3 weeks.....

Greetings Reviewer, I never thought I would like another camera like my former Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR, which I had to replace due to a terminal drop from a 6 foot height. I shopped extensively to find an equivalent digital camera, which I found in the Nikon Coolpix P900. Fantastic camera!! Sure, the YouTube reviewers PRAISE the P900 for its 83x zoom feature, but the proof is in taking many photographs during a trip. The YouTube reviews have mentioned the P900 camera does not perform well in low lighting, but I have not noticed this in the P900. I am pleased with the photo results in low lighting. Also mentioned in the reviews, the P900 camera is large and weighs more than your average digital camera, so it can be taxing when carrying the P900 all day, but that is why they made neck straps. PROs I like the grip and where the control buttons are located. I like the zoom how it pulls in objects from great distance. The camera comes with a one 1850mAh battery, but I recommend purchasing the two 2600mAh battery with AC-DC charger set, as the higher mAh will take about 500 shots per charge. You can set to alternate between the back monitor (for general shots is good) and the eye view monitor (for distance shootings for more precise focus), to save on battery power. I like the wide range of video options from 25-450 fps, so I can do standard, fast motion or slow motion videos. Nice! I also purchased the 67mm Vivtar Professional Goja lens filters and macro lens from 2x-10x, which helps protect the lens and helps with bright sunsets. I bought the wireless control for the Nikon by Foto&Tech, so I can take remote shots with me being in the photo with the family. I understand the P900 can be remotely controlled by using your WiFi mobile cell phone by adding a Nikon app. There are many more features offered on the P900, but that will take time and opportunities to utilize in recording stills and video images. CONs Having said that the buttons are well placed, I do have an issue with the placement between the Video button above and the WiFi button below it. I have on several occasions accidently pushed the WiFi button (which sets the WiFi search going) vs intending to press the Video button above. Its a bit frustrating, but given time I will train my thumb to know which button is for video. Outside of this issue, I am good to go take photos. I wish you well on your photo adventures.

Câmera maravilhosa. Satisfeitíssimo.

When you read the reviews the most common thing you see is "insane zoom." The camera is awesome when it comes to zoom. There are also so many other features too numerous to mention. When I showed the camera to my niece at a family gathering, she ordered one on Amazon two days later. A fellow member of out astronomy club is so impressed he is ordering one as well. The photo shows my first attempt at Star Trails that the camera does just by choosing that mode. Five stars for sure.

Por un precio demasiado conveniente, es una cámara que da un zoom extremadamete bueno. como en las fotos de prueba pueden ver, tomé una foto a mas de 3km de distancia, y conservando la calidad de la imagen. por supuesto hubiese sido mejor con un tripié pero a esa distancia focal, un tripié económico o muy ligero sigue siendo poco para tener un poco mas de firmeza. las fotos y video se han modificado para ponerlas en esta valoración. aun teniendo la foto a pulso, la calidad es muy buena, el visor es digital por lo que te ofrece toda la información que la pantalla grande ofrece, la configuración si es un poco tediosa y algo oculta, cosa que con cámaras como D5500 es un poco mas implícita. el lente no tiene una forma de hacer un enfoque manual de manera rápida, todo es desde la opción manual, eligiendo las opciones del botón giratorio de la cámara. y el movimiento es lento, por lo que si quiere enfocar algo de manera rápida en manual esto no es posible. incluye un gps, y el video no suele tardar mucho, pero suficiente para tener con una cámara personalizada para fotos.

If you love looking at the moon this camera is for you, its great how close you can get to the moons caters.. can even zoom in on Saturn with this great camera

Good and super fast delivery