NIkon COOLPIX P950 Superzoom Digital Camera | 83x Optical Zoom with Image Stabilization 16 MP 4K Ultra HD Video Wi-Fi Connectivity RAW Format and Rotating LCD Screen (Black)

Recently finished a photo safari in South Africa and was very pleased with the results of the COOLPIX P950. It provided great zoom pictures of wildlife subjects at a distance. Photos taken in low light were good with minimal editing in the free Nikon NX Studio and it generally handled high speed motion well on standard settings. I was able to compare with other people on the tour using more expensive Nikon mirrorless camera and lens sets and was not disappointed in the outcome, particularly given the ease of use and freedom of motion with the COOLPIX P950. Video capture was also good.

I received the camera 2 days after ordering. The 83X optical zoom is great for bird photos where it seems like you just can't get enough zoom. It has a small lens aperture for this much zoom so the trade off is shallow depth of field at high zoom levels. The image stabilization is really amazing with decent photos taken at full optical zoom while being hand held. This isn't a camera for those wanting very high quality photos from a distance but it does what it is meant to do very well for a very reasonable price. It does a really good job with macro images too. I'd say that the worst feature is the auto-focus, it often just won't focus on a bird that I'm zoomed in on. However this issue is made up for this by having an easy access manual focus wheel on the left side of the lens (you have to place another easy to access switch to us this feature). This is a big improvement over it's predecessor the P900. The digital zoom processing seems to have improved too.

It is an excellent camera. It has an amazing telephoto lens that goes to 2000mm. Its moon mode allows for pictures of the full moon showing great detail on the moon. It has features found on new full frame cameras. Still learning all the features. I like that is a closed system unlike the Cameras that switch lenses. No way for dust to get on the sensor. Very nice camera for the cost.

Absolutely amazing pictures! We got a great picture of the moon and didn’t even zoom in all the way!

I am a retired Commercial Photographer In the field I used 4" x 5" view cameras all the way down to 35mm film cameras. The digital age and my age coincided and I retired. Since then I have been using Nikon DSLRs D800e to be exact as well as the crop sensor Z50 my first fora into mirrorless. I Had seen the P900 and the P1000 and read the specks. I had no hesitation regarding the size of their 1/2.3" sensor, knowing that the images it produced far exceed anything I could get with film on my F4s of old. I did like the fact the P1000 had raw capabilities (Photo Shop had long replaced the darkroom of old after I'd retired) but the thing was just too big.Then along came the P950 a souped up version of the P900. It had raw it had 4K and the only thing it lacked was the plus size of the P1000 and an extra 1000mm. The camera came in at just about the size of the D800 with a 24 -70mm f2.8 on it, but a couple of pounds or so less.So as something to do as the flu hit. I perchesed one. I have been playing with it for a couple of days now and am getting to know it. There isn’t jack as far as instructions except for the menu. It took me a while of surfing the screen to find all of what I needed to operate the camera in the modes I have become accustom to using with my digital equipment.I cranked out some images and dropped them into my 27” iMac. I was quite pleased with the lens and operating test I have so far tried. This instrument is touchy. You have to conform to it. It will then conform to you. If that makes any sense. In order to get tack sharp results. And this thing WILL produce tack sharp images at all millimeters, you have to use it in bright light and ISOs of 100 -400. Hand held is good up to about 600mm with the image stabilization on. After that I shut off the VR and put it on a tripod.I am not concerned about shooting the moon as much as using it to get close to subjects 10’ to 100’ away from me. This is my “back to nature” camera. It also has a fine closeup capability. You use manual focus and the lower power wide and telephoto settings and you can get some great images. You also have the advantage of better depth of field do to the small sensor.I am still messing with it but wanted to give my initial impressions. I like it so far. In this case I feel I’ve gotten far more than the price point would indicate. If the camera has perked your interest, get one. You can always return it if it’s not right for you.

I am a complete novice photographer. The bald eagle is about 250 ft away, the Cooper's Hawk about 25 ft and the cat about 12 ft.This is a "bridge" camera - takes a little learning versus a simple point and shoot - but nothing too difficult. I bought it primarily to take bird pictures and the zoom is incredible! I take the photos in .RAW and use Nikon's free software to fix/make into JPEGs. I also considered a P1000 - but it felt too large. Of course, the first time I used it in the field there were several other birders taking pictures with these incredible lens cameras that made my P950 seem quite small - but it is so easy to carry, and great for my needs. It does super well when the day is bright. Sometimes (<5%) I have to go to manual zoom - because it seems to love to focus in on green leaves/needles. I am completely happy with the camera - I understand it's limitations, but for me it is perfect.I gave it 1 star because I ordered a "new" camera on Amazon - when it came it was clearly "used" (first hint was the used sticker on the box) - I tried to exchange for a new camera but that seemed impossible - so I returned it. It took several weeks but I got a refund. Then I went to a nearby camera store and bought a new Nikon CoolPix P950.