Nikon Coolpix P900
Announced March 2, 2015
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Good
The Nikon Coolpix P900 offers an unmatched 83x optical zoom range that reaches from 24mm to 2000mm, making it a versatile tool for wildlife and distant subjects. Although the lens provides impressive reach and effective stabilization, the camera is limited by a small sensor, the absence of RAW support, and inconsistent autofocus performance in challenging conditions.
Weighted from 21 reviewer scores
Pros
- Highly effective vibration reduction and image stabilization
- Versatile vari-angle LCD screen
- User-friendly manual controls and menu layout
- Comprehensive connectivity including built-in Wi-Fi and GPS
- Extensive 83x optical zoom range
Cons
- Lack of RAW file support
- Inconsistent or slow autofocus, particularly in low light
- Bulky, heavy, and plasticky build quality
- Poor low-light performance and noise at higher ISOs
- Non-touch sensitive LCD screen
- Launch price $599.95 (USD)
- Sensor 16MP Smaller than 1-inch CMOS
- Video 1080p 60p
- Burst 7 fps mechanical
What the Reviewers Say
All 21 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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All told, this camera is simply a great value. Yes, it has obvious limitations and trade-offs that accompany any long-zoom fixed lens camera as of this writing, but it does enough well at this price to warrant the “great value” seal [...]
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The Nikon P900 is a camera that tries to do everything from macro to supertelephoto, and does a surprising number of things well.
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For those that want the most optical zoom available, and a camera that can capture everything from 24mm wide-angle all the way to 2000mm at the telephoto end, the Nikon Coolpix P900 is recommended.
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Using zoom ratios seems to be the new way to sell cameras where once it was all about the megapixels.
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The Nikon Coolpix P900 boasts the longest zoom range of any camera on the market, but a lack of detail at higher ISOs holds it back.
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The P900 is pretty good for a camera of its type, but that type of camera (and that size of sensor) does have its limits.
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The Nikon Coolpix P900 is a delightful camera to use. It excels in the defining feature for this class of camera — optical zoom — not just by boasting the biggest spec, but also by offering the crisp optics and superior image stabilization [...]
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For me, this is a special use camera, and for the price that you can get these at, try to find anything with a 2,000 millimeter focal range on it; you're just not going to. And so for me, it's a special use camera.
- CNET 7.4/10
There are plenty of people out there who just cannot get enough zoom. The Nikon Coolpix P900 exists for them.
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[W]ould I recommend the Nikon Coolpix P900? That’s a qualified yes.
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The lens is technically impressive but, in practice, it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense, especially when you factor in the lack of RAW and the hard-to-reach controls.
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Whether you’re into birding, photographing craters on the moon, or if you’re simply looking for the best camera to take on vacation, the Nikon Coolpix P900 is hands down on of the most agile cameras you can buy.
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The Nikon Coolpix P900 provides a generally pleasant user experience. It has plenty of controls and its dual control dials help while working in Manual mode which is incidently the only mode where the EVF and LCD can show an accurate preview of exposure.
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An amazing super-zoom lens on a good camera and at an amazing price. Lance Ulanoff was Chief Correspondent and Editor-at-Large of Mashable.
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I think if you're looking for something simple to use, is inexpensive, has decent image quality—not the best, but decent image quality—and has probably the most versatile lens you will find on the market at the moment, this one is probably that camera.
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It's one of the better values considering the prices of cameras have been going up and up.
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So no, I would not buy it.
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Now this camera has so much of potential, only if Nikon had given you that RAW file support that would probably solve all my problem, that would probably actually replace many of the DSLRs with the largest telephoto lens and probably even I would have got one.
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This camera is all most of us will ever need.
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The image quality is not bad at all, especially when considering the compromises that no doubt had to be made when producing a lens with such a range.
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I highly endorse the camera if you need a camera with a very long reach. If you need something with a 2,000mm lens, this is your camera.
