Nikon Coolpix P100 Conclusions

CONCLUSION
I was surprised to see Nikon back in the market with another superzoom announced exactly one year after the P90. At least until I realized that Sony has had a compact digital with a BSI sensor on the market since September 2009. Or that Fuji was announcing a new 30x superzoom with BSI the same day as Nikon's BSI-equipped P100. Right now, BSI is perhaps the next big deal in digital imaging technology.

The P100 is definitely the current big deal in Nikon's Coolpix performance line. It's a camera that surpasses the P90 (a good performer in its own right) in so many ways. Shutter lag and AF performance are faster. The really nasty chromic aberration that popped up in certain P90 telephoto shots is a dim memory. High ISO noise performance is noticeably better and 1080p HD video is on board, along with some speedy continuous shooting options and other specialized image enhancers that owe their existence, at least in part, to BSI technology. The 3.0-inch monitor now boasts twice the resolution of the P90, and the lens has a little extra "tele" on the telephoto end of the zoom.

There's an annoying brief lag and monitor/viewfinder blackout between pushing the movie record button and the actual onset of recording. The need to recharge the battery in the camera (unless you opt to pick up a dedicated charger) is a pain. Beyond that, I haven't found much to gripe about with the P100. Good thing, too, since the camera and I aren't parting company just yet. We're off to China for 11 days in April - and if the P100 keeps impressing me maybe my next Nikon won't be a D400 after all.

Pros:

• Good image quality
• Very good shutter lag and AF acquisition times
• Good high ISO noise performance
• Versatile, user controllable stabilization options

Cons:

• Battery charges in camera unless you purchase a separate charger
• Short delay going to video recording

Individual Ratings: *

Image/Video Quality 
Features 
Design/Ease of Use 
Performance 
* Ratings averaged to produce final score