Evaluation:     
Conclusion: Another positive for P80 Review: I can't believe I haven't reviewed this earlier since I now have had it for 4 months. It was my first "real" digital and the one that gets used the most.
Many reviewers have said that you need to read the manual, and i n this case even Ido it. You can find many things you can make this puppy do, (like B&W). I don't know if it's my imagination but when I put the card into the computer with Vista, then replay them through Picasa, the latter look 50% better. Could it be like the old "worst phot processing in town ala 35mm)?
Set this up during a rainy day on vacation (bummer) so I'm more in tune with it than any of my other purchases.
Will reveal my ignorance, but can't decide on a #1 among similar grade from Panasonic (sharpness, but color seems off) or Sony (no complaints) Just don't like Canon-some are great, most a lot of blur and funky color.
So I draw no professional opinion other than that I'm very happy with this camera and with digital photography in general for the instant gratification. Also think thta you could help any cause with a class 6 8GB memory card if the camera will take it.
Someone said the battery recharge doesn't last long enough- have gone 500+ then charged because I felt guilty.
Evaluation:     
Conclusion: Great for concerts Review: I got this camera specifically to take concert photos. I was following the Pearl Jam tour--in large stadiums and arenas--and then the Eddie Vedder solo tour--in small theaters and concert halls. This camera worked GREAT for both! I could zoom right in on the band and capture every drop of sweat. I did my research to figure out which settings would take the best shots, but it turned out that the "Automatic" setting took the best shots of all, so the camera was smart enough to let me point and click and enjoy the shows. I'm glad to have it.
Evaluation:     
Conclusion: Lightweight and great for nature pictures Review: I bought this camera to carry in my backpack for nature photos instead of carrying one of my DSLR's. I just downloaded some pictures I took this weekend and was very pleased with the quality of the picutres of some quail and deer I photographed. My only complaint is that the viewfinder could be a little brighter. Sutter lag isn't bad. I think I am going to love this little camera.
Evaluation:     
Conclusion: Works best outside. Review: I have had this camera for about four months now. My initial impression was that this camera was extremely noisy in low light conditions. I attributed that to me not using the camera properly. But then after getting really comfortable with using it in manual mode for a few months, it looks to be even worse under low light situations. It does really well with outdoor shots of course, but when it comes to take quick pictures of my one and a half year old, my old 3.1MP Nikon 885, does a far better job both indoors and outdoors!
Evaluation:     
Conclusion: Just the Thing for documenting a Quick Trip! Review: I like this camera!
I just returned from a three-week trip to Italy, Holland, and London, and I found my Nikon P80 to be easy to manage, after several readings of the manual. Not too small, the P80 fits comfortably into my hands and does not wobble as the smaller cameras tend to do. Although I do miss taking splendid photos with my 1974 Rollei SLR with the three lenses and polarizer, I do not miss the weight, the limitations of rolls of film, and the encumbrances of all the accompanying paraphernalia.
I especially like the P80 because it is inconspicuous, and one can get candid shots of street life without being intrusive. The easily managed diopter allowed me to use the viewfinder without my glasses. The monitor made it easy to view photos quickly; and the battery charger worked splendidly (I took two Nikon batteries, and charged one every night.). I was also pleasantly surprised at the macro feature which allowed me to copy family photos from my brother-in-law's album, which were taken in the 1940s and '50s.
As other reviewers have suggested, reading the manual is indispensable, but one ought not to be tied to it. For instance, I discovered that in the northern latitudes with their bright autumn light, so beloved by the Dutch painters, the "sunset" setting worked better than the automatic, or even the plain "landscape" settings (I didn't care much for the automatic setting which tended to over-expose the pictures). I also experimented using the shutter and aperture priorities; took night pictures that were eventually successful, and discovered the video option, getting some fantastic shots of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (As I discovered when I downloaded the photos onto my computer--a painless process--the sound of the guards' commands and their marching feet, as well as the clip-clop of the horses' hooves, comes through loud and clear. Unfortunately, so does the yak-yak of the surrounding tourists!). Not knowing how much memory I would be using, I took two 4G memory cards and shot 1800 pictures and 31 short videos, which improved remarkably during the second week, as I was getting used to the intricacies of the camera (and was recovering from jet-lag). As a result, I have a thorough documentation of my trip, which I wouldn't have gotten with a cumbersome SLR.
Although for the next trip, which I shall take by myself and take my time, I might invest in a real DSLR (with a polarizing lens), the Nikon P80 was perfect for what proved to be whirlwind tour of Europe. And any lapses in color or light and shadow, I'll compensate for for with my Adobe CS3.
|