ivy-rose's Full Review: Nikon COOLPIX 5200 Digital Camera
I wasn't planning on a new camera, at least not another compact. However, fate would have it another way. My previous digital camera, the Nikon Coolpix 880, was dropped by my lovely husband and the battery cover completely broken off. Of course, to repair such a damage costs more than the value of the camera itself. So, I inadvertently became in search of a replacement.
My eye immediately focused on the Coolpix 5200, a newer, sleeker, sexier version of my beloved 880. I saw it online a couple months before release and knew I just had to have it.
Let's get the boring stuff out of the way first, shall we?
In the box
- Nikon Coolpix 5200 camera
- Camera strap
- EN-EL5 rechargeable battery (with terminal cover)
- MH-61 battery charger with power cable
- UC-E6 USB interface cable
- EG-CP14 a/v cable
- Ferrite core (for optional EH-62A AC adapter kit)
- Picture Project software
Technical specs
Resolution: 5.1 megapixels (2592 x 1944)
Lens: 3x Zoom-Nikkor; f=7.8-23.4mm (35mm format equivalent to 38-114mm); Digital zoom up to 4x
LCD monitor: 1.5" TFT LCD with 5-level brightness adjustment
Focus range: 1' - infinity; macro mode 1.6" - infinity
Focus area selection: Auto (five area automatic selection), Manual (99-area manual selection), Off (center focus)
Metering: Matrix, Center, Spot
Exposure control: Programmed auto exposure with exposure compensation (-2.0 - +2.0 in steps of 1/3EV), Auto bracketing
Shutter speed: 4 - 1/2000 sec
AF-assist illuminator: Automatically fires in low-light conditions
Built-in flash: 1' - 14'9"
Storage media: Internal memory ~12MB, SD card
Shooting modes: Auto, Scene Assist (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night portrait), Scene (Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Fireworks show, Night landscape, Close up, Museum, Dusk/Dawn, Copy, Backlight, Panorama assist), Blur detection, Date imprint, Date counter, Self-timer (10 sec.), BSS (Best Shot Selector)
Movie: TV movie (640) at 30fps ~26sec, Small (320) at 30fps ~52 sec, Smaller (160) at 30fps ~211 sec all with sound stored on internal memory
Weight: 5.5 oz without batter or memory card
Dimensions: 3.46" x 2.4" x 1.44"
And now on to my highlights. I won't touch on every possible aspect of this camera, only what I've found most useful.
Shooting Modes
You are provided with several to choose from. Auto is generally good for most shots as you can manually change things such as white balance, sharpening and other options. You can also choose from four Assist Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports Assist, Night Portrait Assist) or the 11 Scene Modes as listed in the Technical specs. For a point and shoot, you are given quite a bit of control should you wish to exercise that.
I've noticed the only thing you really can't control precisely is the shutter speed. You can somewhat work around this by switching to a Scene Mode like "Dusk/Dawn" which selects a slower shutter speed for you or go to Sports Assist which will give you a faster shutter speed, but there's isn't a particular setting that will give you a 3 sec or a 1/1000 sec. Small drawback.
White Balance
This has got to be the most crucial option, being able to set your white balance. I've found that if nothing else, this will make or break a shot. You're given eight options (Auto, Preset, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent (1&2), Cloudy, Shade, Speedlight). All you have to do to make sure you have the proper white balance is selected while in Auto mode and you're set! It's that easy.
Movie mode
This is a great little mode as it takes 640 x 320 movies with sound. These are recorded in MPEG format and are easily watched on the computer or emailed to your best friend. One catch though. You need to turn OFF continuous focusing otherwise you will capture the sound of the camera trying to focus. Sure you have to settle for single focus, but it's not really a big deal when shooting quick little movies. You won't even be able to tell the difference.
Battery
I've found that I can shoot continuously for about 2-3 hours before draining a battery completely with the LCD monitor on with no flash for a full day shooting on and off. A completely drained battery takes only about two hours to fully charge. I do have a spare though, just in case ;)
Conclusion
After a month of use, I can honestly say that this camera is truly a joy to own. It's so tiny I can fit it in even my smallest of purses! I'm loving it! Even without ALL the manual controls I'm used to, I can honestly say for the size and performance of this camera it's well worth it. It's a great everyday type of camera for someone on the go.
Now let me show you what this baby can really do.
- White balance set to "Daylight", Auto mode, Manual Macro
(http://images5.fotki.com/v71/photos/8/87795/1097011/GGChain-vi.jpg?1089738909)
- White balance set to "Daylight", Panorama assist
(http://images6.fotki.com/v86/photos/8/87795/1097011/GGBay-vi.jpg?1089738896)
- White balance set to "Incandescent", Auto mode, Manual Macro (http://images5.fotki.com/v88/photos/8/87795/1096913/DSCN0691-vi.jpg?1089738659)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 414 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.