Nikon 16.1MP P310 f/1.8 Camera

Nikon announced two new P-series Coolpix cameras, including the world's longest SuperZoom. The P510 has the biggest zoom range of any fixed-lens camera with its massive 42x, f/3.0-5.9 Zoom-NIKKOR ED lens from 24mm to 1000mm equivalent. It features a 16.1 Megapixels Backside Illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor with high-speed continuous shooting performance (at 5fps full resolution), fast autofocus (AF), 1080p HD video mode, 3-inch 921,000-dots LCD, an electronic viewfinder, full manual control and built-in GPS capabilities. Optical Vibration Reduction stabilization is included as well, though it'll need to be pretty strong to steady such a long zoom lens. The Coolpix P310 comes with a 16.1 Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, NIKKOR glass lens at 24-100mm zoom range. Other features include a 3-inch 921,000-pixel LCD, zoom memory, manual control, and creative filters and effects. 

The P310 achieves superior image quality in low-light settings with a wide ISO range up to 3200 (Hi1 6400 equivalent) and a fast f/1.8 lens. The COOLPIX P310 incorporates optical VR image stabilization with several scene modes including Advanced Night Portrait mode, Night Landscape mode and Backlight/High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode. The Advanced Night Portrait mode combines consecutive images of the background while the subject is captured using the flash, while the Night Landscape mode combines a series of consecutive shots taken at a fast shutter speed into a single image with reduced noise. The Backlight HDR mode merges images of the same scene at different exposures to achieve a single image with a broad range of tonal detail. The COOLPIX P310 is listed for $329.95 in black only. Here's the summary of review by Pocket-lint, giving the camera a rating of 4 out of 5:"As the P310 doesn't differentiate itself from most standard compacts it feels somewhat isolated by comparison to its competitors. 

But also the increase in megapixels from the P300's 12.1-million to the P310's 16.1-million seems unnecessary, particularly for high-end users where quality is of paramount concern. But the proof, so they say, is in the pudding. So just how good are the P310's 16.1-megapixel images? "Good enough" is the best we can muster. There's a lot of detail in the ISO 100-400 images that's particularly notable in close-up macro shots. ISO 800 starts to show signs of processing artifacts but is still perfectly usable. Hit ISO 1600 and things go downhill, increasingly so up to ISO 6400. These three top sensitivities also can't be used in conjunction with the dynamic range optimiser setting as it would only further enhance the image noise throughout the images. 

This in itself shows one of the limitations of a standard sensor size. And that's the thing: the camera performs well given its sensor, but it's hard not to put it up against the likes of the Canon S100. But other factors control how the P310's images look. The f/1.8 aperture at the widest-angle 24mm (equivalent) focal length makes it easy to achieve blurred background shots, or to capture subjects in dimmer conditions with greater ease. A small AF-illuminator lamp can also help out when it's extra dim. The 4.2x optical zoom extends up to a 100mm equivalent and handles distortion well throughout the full range. It's in this area that the P310 matches up to the likes of the Canon S100, if sensor sizes are hypothetically ignored. 

On the downside there is some slight colour fringing to be seen, but otherwise the pairing of Nikon's optic and sensor does a decent job.We weren't really sure we'd like the P310 that much: it's a tad confused in this market space as it doesn't challenge the larger-sensor advanced compacts of its competitors. But taken in isolation and given its reasonable price bracket the P310 is one cool, quirky (in a good way) little camera. The more we used it the more we liked it. 

Of course it's far from perfect: we'd like to see a quick menu system for easy access to settings; a brighter aperture at the top end of the zoom would be desirable, even if it meant a slightly larger body; and, as mentioned, the likes of the larger-sensor (yet pricier) Canon G1 X, Canon S100 and Olympus X-Z1 do put this Nikon in the shade on the image quality front. That said the P310 produces decent, detailed images, the close-up macro mode works a treat, movie mode has lots of control, and it's a small and therefore an easy-to-pocket compact camera. We'd reach for a larger-sensor compact over this Nikon, but if price is as much a drive as image quality in your hunt for an advanced compact then the P310 certainly has value in its favour."

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