Swivel your Way into the World of Digital
Written: Jun 18 '04 (Updated Jun 19 '04)
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Pros: Swivel Design, Resolution, Expandability, Macros, Ease of Use
Cons: Screen, Speedlight, Changing Modes, Lag
The Bottom Line: This camera's performance, price, and name make it an unbeatable buy.
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| mrt2852's Full Review: Nikon COOLPIX 4500 Digital Camera |
Overview
The Nikon Coolpix 4500 is a great digital camera for new and casual photographers. It performs well in automatic mode and settings in the semi- or fully manual modes are easily changed. Sharp, saturated, and high-resolution photos can easily be created using the Coolpix 4500.
Pros
- Swivel Design - The Coolpix has a lot going for it. The most noticeable feature is the swivel design. I can't tell you how many times I have taken pictures from angles never before possible. One who takes pictures of flowers, items close to the ground, overhead shots in crowds, or discreet pictures will appreciate this feature.
- Resolution - Secondly, this Nikon's 4.1 megapixels render sharp photos suitable for enlargement. Enough said.
- Expandability - Memory, lenses, and filters are all easily added on to the 4500. Nikon has a wide range of lenses (telephoto, wide-angle, and fisheye) available, as well as polarizing, UV, and HD filters. Nikon speedlights are also compatible with the camera. The compact flash slot accepts both types of compact flash, making the capacity of the camera as large as you can afford.
- Macro - I have never come across a camera capable of such stunning close-ups. The 4500 will focus as close as an inch away from the subject. When shooting with my N65 SLR camera, I can't tell you how much I miss this feature. So, close-ups of flowers, insects, or static objects are incredibly sharp and easy to take. Combined with the swivel design and close focus range, this camera is ideally suited for macros.
-Ease of Use - The menus are well laid out and straight-forward. Pictures turn out great in automatic mode, but the photog can also switch to aperture or shutter priority mode, or full-manual mode and control all settings. For quick, general shooting, I prefer 'p' mode (allows me to control the flash, but picks all other settings) or 'a' mode (aperture priority, same as p but bases settings on my desired aperture stop).
Cons
- Screen - The Nikon Coolpix 4500 is not a flawless camera. For starters, the screen could stand to be a bit bigger. In bright light (outdoors), the glare off the screen makes it hard to impossible to view the screen. Normally, I would just switch to the viewfinder, but the viewfinder is far from the lens, rendering pictures that are cropped much differently than the photog intended.
- Speedlight - The built-in speedlight is less than satisfactory. It doesn't seem to be even, and the range is very limited. If you plan to shoot a lot of indoor shots, buy an external speedlight and the mounting bracket.
- Changing Modes - This isn't a huge problem, but changing between automatic and the manual modes involves holding down one button while spinning the wheel. One quickly becomes accustomed to this and it ceases to be a problem. However, the mode cannot be changed while the camera is recording the last image. So, one must wait for it to finish recording and then select a new mode.
- Zooming - Don't get me wrong, it is simple to zoom in and out, and the 4x zoom is more than adequate, but photogs used to SLR camera and the push-pull type lens will have to adapt. It isn't quite as easy.
- Lag - The 4500 takes a wee bit of time to focus. Rarely do I find this to be a problem, but some may be annoyed. You will especially notice when taking macros.
Would I Trade it for Another?
Heck no. I love my Coolpix, have used it for more than a year, and have shot nearly 5000 pictures. It has been used on vacations, graduations, proms, and family gatherings. It is an amazingly advanced camera that remains unintimidating to the inexperienced.
If it is in your budget, buy a digital SLR ($1000 upwards). If not, get the 4500. You won't regret it. Feel free to email me with specific questions. Also, check out sample pictures (color) at http://people.ku.edu/~twelch and http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?include=all&user_id=714964
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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mrt2852
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Reviews written: 30
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