Coolpix P series?

[ees101]

I have been using cameras like the Coolpix 990 and now a 4500 since "the beginning of digiscoping time" and I am looking for a potential "upgrade" with fasting shooting, larger LCD, and at least similar digiscoping abilities using a Swarovski 80mm 20-60x HD scope.

I haven't been able to find anything yet on th Coolpix P-series cameras. Does anyone have any initial thoughts regarding their compatability.

The NEW Coolpix P4 is very enticing with 8MP, Image Stabilization, 11-point AF. (I dislike not having Shutter Priority which at times I liked to set so I could underexpose at 1/60th if low light - Are there other downfalls to this camera?)
ISO settings? I can't find this anywhere.

Other suggestions are welcome as well (eg. Canon's, ect.), but I really want to know about experiences with any of the newest models.

Eric Secker

[Brian Stone]

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/p4.html

[horukuru]

im thinkin of buying P1 for my nikon ED82 ...


I have been using cameras like the Coolpix 990 and now a 4500 since "the beginning of digiscoping time" and I am looking for a potential "upgrade" with fasting shooting, larger LCD, and at least similar digiscoping abilities using a Swarovski 80mm 20-60x HD scope.

I haven't been able to find anything yet on th Coolpix P-series cameras. Does anyone have any initial thoughts regarding their compatability.

The NEW Coolpix P4 is very enticing with 8MP, Image Stabilization, 11-point AF. (I dislike not having Shutter Priority which at times I liked to set so I could underexpose at 1/60th if low light - Are there other downfalls to this camera?)
ISO settings? I can't find this anywhere.

Other suggestions are welcome as well (eg. Canon's, ect.), but I really want to know about experiences with any of the newest models.

Eric Secker

[Neil]

I'm not sure that the P series would be an upgrade for serious digiscopers as it seems a bit short on the features you are used to on the CP4500 (no remote,no rotatable screen, no RAW or TIFF, no lens screw thread ). You are paying a premium for Wi-Fi which I wouldn't image is of interest. Have a look at the Nikon CP 8400 which is an upgrade to the CP4500 although not a new model. If you like the simplicity and size of the P series you might be better off with one of the Sony's or Fuji's which appear to have better lenses. Neil.

[Brian Stone]

The P4 has no WiFi (but is only GBP16 less than the P3 with WiFi) and is landing at over GPB130 less than the 8400 in the UK. It also has vibration reduction which might be beneficial. RAW and TIFF don't matter to me and the P4 has most other feature needed. The larger 2.5inch monitor (1.8inch on the 8400) is useful.

Does anyone know when these become available in the UK?

[Jonathan B.]

The P4 has no WiFi (but is only GBP16 less than the P3 with WiFi) and is landing at over GPB130 less than the 8400 in the UK. It also has vibration reduction which might be beneficial. RAW and TIFF don't matter to me and the P4 has most other feature needed. The larger 2.5inch monitor (1.8inch on the 8400) is useful.

Does anyone know when these become available in the UK?

I find no information on when the P4 will be available anywhere. Like you, I don't need RAW or TIFF, nor a rotatable screen, nor threads. As I stated in another thread, I am interested in point-and-shoot cameras with image stabilization, and the P4 is one of the most interesting. I don't know if you have actually handled any of these, but I find that some (Panasonic FX9 and the forthcoming Canon SD700 for example) are excessively small. I am interested in handheld digiscoping, and handling is a factor for me.

[Brian Stone]

Our requirements sound very similar Jonathan. I find the lack of manual control a problem with the FX9 which I have briefly tried with my scope and was very impressed. The LX1 has manual control (aperture priority will do) but is much dearer and I don't know how the multiple aspect ratio features will affect it when used with a scope. The P4 would seem on the face of it to meet most requirements.

The Canon also looks good and is 6MP where the P4 is 8MP.

[Jonathan B.]

Our requirements sound very similar Jonathan. I find the lack of manual control a problem with the FX9 which I have briefly tried with my scope and was very impressed. The LX1 has manual control (aperture priority will do) but is much dearer and I don't know how the multiple aspect ratio features will affect it when used with a scope. The P4 would seem on the face of it to meet most requirements. The Canon also looks good and is 6MP where the P4 is 8MP.

The LX1 is a specialized camera, and I have not considered it seriously. The FX9 works well, but I mentioned in another thread that I am concerned with a potential innate problem with color balance. If you look at reviews on dcresource.com you will find that when the reviewer handled them, the FX9 and at least one other camera in that series exhibited strange behavior that did not respond to adjustment of white balance. I agree that the SD700 and P4 may be at the top of the heap, and perhaps they will both be available by April??

[avan]

The P1 are very small but deliver excellent image, the only real drawback are it's LCD, that are not very good (the P4 suppose to come with a 150,00px instead of the actual 110,00px). it look like cheap but it's not: metal body, excellent nikkor lens. The new camera are way faster than the old CoolPix technology, it got a fixed LCD, but it's like having a DSLR with a big lens in digiscoping set-up. In the shooting menu you can opt for the continu H and take up to 5 pictures at 2,3 image/sec. at full resolution. With this fonction the writting time for 5 it's very close to the writting of one CP4500 picture, not bad. In very low light (when barely see what's on the lcd) you have an AF assist that lighting up the lcd to help making the focus, and it work.

[avan]

Sorry,
those picture are taken making some experiment last night with my new P1, take both in low light situation. They are digiscoped with 82ED, 30DS eyepiece.
The little almond pastry bird are taken at around 30 ft inside. Ap.1/1, f2.7, -0,70EV, custom WB, 100 ISO
The car are at 60-70 fts, take trough 2 single window, AF assist fonction: Ap 1 f2.8, -0,30EV, tungstene, 200 ISO

[horukuru]

nice result avan !

[johnruss]

The P1 are very small but deliver excellent image, the only real drawback are it's LCD, that are not very good (the P4 suppose to come with a 150,00px instead of the actual 110,00px). it look like cheap but it's not: metal body, excellent nikkor lens. The new camera are way faster than the old CoolPix technology, it got a fixed LCD, but it's like having a DSLR with a big lens in digiscoping set-up. In the shooting menu you can opt for the continu H and take up to 5 pictures at 2,3 image/sec. at full resolution. With this fonction the writting time for 5 it's very close to the writting of one CP4500 picture, not bad. In very low light (when barely see what's on the lcd) you have an AF assist that lighting up the lcd to help making the focus, and it work.
While I have the same setup I have asked this question before to no avail. what size do you have your camera set for? I need to know as I do not want to have to reduce the size to post pictures. A reply would be treasured thank you.

[avan]

The image size in the camera are 8M/fine (highest quality and size). To post picture I dowsize it to 640X480 and dowsize the quality if needed to below 200K (usualy around 80-90 in photoshop in the option "save for the web")

[IanF]

I think it's the P1 that was reviewed in this month's Birdwatch magazine and got a pretty good review. For digiscoping though short of using the Swarovski DCB or similar swing away bracket, it would have to be hand held as it has no lens thread or adaptor tube facility.

The quality of images do look very good though.

[avan]

I have see a review in outdoor photography also, and also give a good review of the camera.They class it as the better point and shoot 8mp camera they try. That too bad that Nikon doesn't put a thread at least for an extension tube, but like you said a swing away bracket can work.

[Brian Stone]

I got hold of a P4 at the end of last week. I haven't had chance to really go to town with it but here are some inituial thoughts.

I can only really compare it to my trusty old 995 which has started to develop a few faults, hence the replacement. The first thing to note is speed. You can have a shot in the bag in 4 seconds with the P4, about half the time it took with the 995 (if everything was working properly). Focussing is also much quicker, especially working in macro.

The next improvement is the huge screen. It is large and very clear. My 95 has recently developed a fault where it appears to have focussed but in reality the entire frame was defocussed. It was difficult to spot this in the small screen. you can get a very good idea of what you are going to get with the P4 screen.

As a digiscoping camera it seems to be just what I am after. The drawbacks are a lack of a swivelling screen and no lens thread. Niether trouble me very much. My interest is being able to get a shot very quickly so I just want to be able to hold it up to the scope. I went to the local market and found a roll of insulating tape (for 0.50 GBP). The inner hole fits perfectly over the outer section of the P4 lens and I took enough tape off until it fitted snugly into the Leica eyepiece. See the attachments for how well this works. The lens is kept at the right distance from the eyepiece and perfectly centred.

In a while I'll post some digiscoping results and some macros to compare with the 995.

[Brian Stone]

Although you can't focus as close with the P4 you do have 8 megapixels so resolution should be similar or better than the 995. The following shots show closeups taken with the 995 and P4 at their miniumum focus distance then cropped to show the same part of the frame. The same area at 1:1 is 624 pixels square on the P4 and 443 pixels on the 995. So in theory the P4 has better resolution. But you will note that the 995 is sharper. The settings are the same on both camera (normal for in-camera sharpening).

On the whole I'm fairly happy with the macro capability but it makes me appreciate just how good the 995 has been in this area.

[Brian Stone]

Here are some examples of digiscoped shots. These were taken using the adapter tube and the 20x or 32x fixed eyepieces on a Leica APO77 scope. So far the sun hasn't come out while I've been taking shots so hopefully results will improve with better lighting.

Vignetting is not a problem at any focal length using this set-up. Pictures look to be quite soft at the telephoto end of the camera's focal length.

These were taken at ISO50 in aperture priority. Images have been cropped slightly and resized to 640x480 but otherwise are as they came out of the camera. Shutter speeds for the four shots: 1/28, 1/15, 1/256, 1/384. The final shot was taken using the 32x eyepiece, others the 20x.

For more pics taken with this set-up check my blog from time to time:
http://www.thenaturalstone.blogspot.com/

[avan]

I use the PI with the FSB-3 bracket for two weeks now, and my feed back regarding the result are really mitiged. The camera itself take good picture, but in digiscoping set up it's half and half. If the subject it's around 50 ft with good light you can have very nice and detailed picture (but softer than with the cp4500 or cp990). After 50ft, every picture I have taken are VERY soft in full format. When downsized for the web and with lots of unsharp mask you ended with acceptable pictures. What's faultry? the auto focus?made for the computer or the TV viewing?
I Just don't know.
here some sample before and after. the before are close to what it's see in full 8mp high quality format ( and they already have some unsharp mask).

[avan]

Just to be don't like too negative, here a sample of a house finch that is quite good.

[Jonathan B.]

Just to be don't like too negative, here a sample of a house finch that is quite good.

Very finely detailed, actually. What was the distance to the bird? Is this also with your 82ED and 30X eyepiece?

[Brian Stone]

Attached is an undoctored 1:1 crop (552 pixels out of 3264) of a Blackbird taken at about 20m handholding to the 20x eyepiece of Lieca APO77. The blur could be a bit of camera shake. Resized and sharpened a bit the result looks fine.

[avan]

Yes it's with my 82ED and 30XDS eyepiece. The finch was about 40 ft in my backyard. The cooper's hawk was at the maximum telephoto zoom and the deer about half.Both the AF was on the head. The finch it's quite good, but if you look carefully at the plumage, you see there's a lack of detail, especially at the head where the focus was. Maybe I ask too much of the P1.
Brian, your blackbird are very good. I just hope to see more picture taken with adapter to compare more. Maybe my AF are faulty.

[Brian Stone]

Another shot of an active little bird. Same setup as before. First attachment is a resized version of the original taken at f6.1 1/304s. The camera appears to have underexposed the shot (using spot AF area) but you can still crop out a half-decent pic.

[Blackstart]

Brilliant adapter, Brian.

Have you used the camera much for general photography: landscapes, etc? If so, how did it perform?

Does it have a manual exposure option?

Adam

[Brian Stone]

There is no full manual but with a combination of Aperture Priority, Programme AE, exposure compensation you can get pretty well any combination you are likely to want.

No landscapes as yet but here's a couple of pics of flowers to be going on with.

[avan]

There is no full manual but with a combination of Aperture Priority, Programme AE, exposure compensation you can get pretty well any combination you are likely to want.

No landscapes as yet but here's a couple of pics of flowers to be going on with.

To complete Brian, there's a landscape. It's taken with the P1, but it very close the same.

[Neil]

So far the images recently posted out of the camera only show it's a good general camera. The landscape and the flowers were good but I'm not seeing any evidence that it's a good digiscoping camera. I'll look forward to seeing more bird photos as I'm still in the market for a small point-and-shoot myself.Neil.

[barongcw]

Am considering buying a P3. If anybody has advice after all I read I would appreciate it.

[Brian Stone]

Getting some better results today. This is definitely performing much better as a digiscoping camera than my old 995. Shots are easier and quicker to obtain and the quality is improving all the time. The first peacock shot is just resized with no other adjustments. There was not much tweaking needed to obtain the crop.

Still not had much call to take landscapes but include a fairly lacklustre scene here for interest.

Data for the two digiscoped shots:
Peacock - 13mm, f4.9, 1/342s
Willow Warbler - 16mm, f4.8, 1/222s

[Forcreeks]

I too am still waiting for steves-digicams to put up their review of the P cameras, particularly P-3. I wonder why Nikon would use ED glass in the CP-8400 and then not in these top line coolpix cams?? I notice the P lenses are slightly faster than many competitors' cameras, but so little as to be of no help. BF's gary t gets excellent pics with CP-5600 and I would expect the new P series to be even better performance. The EN-EL-8 battery is only 750 mili-amp hr rated, (weak these days) but steves-digicams review gives it a pretty good rating, at over 100 shots plus some tests on the P-1. I can't imagine why they'd want to reduce creative shooting by eliminating Aper.-priority and manual exposure modes . That's all but unacceptable.

[Forcreeks]

BTW Brian, first, thanks for continuing to share your learning experience with the P camera, as obviously several of us are very interested in digiscoping it if it works out. Second, your butterfly shots are indeed much better as you stated. I think it's getting to a good level of detail now. Third, another thing Nikon ommitted I guess, from early top CP cams is manual focus... yes?? This is something I've never had in my three digiscoping cams and was really hoping to add by switching to Nikon. It's amazing how few tech-specs on this P line of cams Nikon has put on their site, and steves-digicams doesn't seem to have it either; as someone mentioned, no ISO list is shown. You say it goes from ISO 50.... to what? and I assume ISO is manually selectable, yes? Thanks very much for all this review help. I'm off to see if dcreview has all the details.

[Brian Stone]

ISO setting fo P4: 50, 100, 200, 400

It has aperture priority but no shutter priority. Shutter speeds appear to top out at 1/1000s but sometimes it seems reluctant to set higher than 1/500s.

[avan]

The P1 have the Nikkor lens as the CP4500, it's not an ED, but fairly good. For digiscoping, the P serie are slighly better than the cp 4500 4mp in term of overall render, mettering and color, but you need good light or it's start to make grainy image especially for long distance subject. Generaly the camera in digiscoping tend to flatten small details. Where the P serie excell is it's way faster than the predecessor. As for the power consomption, friday it was 20 celsius here, and I go out with 3 batterys, but only use one for all the day (around 80 shots, lots of preview, lots of on/off, zooming, etc.with no sign of low power on the lcd). So with a good temperature it's pretty fair (below zero, it drain pretty fast). The manual focus area positioning work very good, even if you have branch in the way, so no more need of the infinity position. The final image don't take very well unsharp mask in post processing, so I shut it down in the camera.
There's 2 pictures taken this week end digiscoping with the P1, Nikon 82ED, 30XDS eyepiece. The Canadian goose was about 100-125 fts and the mallard at around 30 fts. Both at 50 iso and -EV compensation.

[avan]

The P1 have the Nikkor lens as the CP4500, it's not an ED, but fairly good. For digiscoping, the P serie are slighly better than the cp 4500 4mp in term of overall render, mettering and color, but you need good light or it's start to make grainy image especially for long distance subject. Generaly the camera in digiscoping tend to flatten small details. Where the P serie excell is it's way faster than the predecessor. As for the power consomption, friday it was 20 celsius here, and I go out with 3 batterys, but only use one for all the day (around 80 shots, lots of preview, lots of on/off, zooming, etc.with no sign of low power on the lcd). So with a good temperature it's pretty fair (below zero, it drain pretty fast). The manual focus area positioning work very good, even if you have branch in the way, so no more need of the infinity position. The final image don't take very well unsharp mask in post processing, so I shut it down in the camera.
There's 2 pictures taken this week end digiscoping with the P1, Nikon 82ED, 30XDS eyepiece. The Canadian goose was about 100-125 fts and the mallard at around 30 fts. Both at 50 iso and -EV compensation.


There is some other sample of digiscoped bird (and animal). all at 50 ISO except the american tree sparrow and the muskrat at 100 ISO. Aperture priority mode

[Paul Jarvis]

Nice shots avan what scope are you using with that P1.

[avan]

Nikon 82ED, 30XDS eyepiece, FSB-3 bracket.
Like Brian said, the more I use the P1, better Is my touch with. And also know it's limitation.
I'm working on an "universal" bracket based on the FSB bracket design, for using my other lens with 28mm thread and eventualy the eagleeye 10X DS eyepiece with the P1 and so other scope than the Nikon. It's made of an L shape aluminum plate and a Nikon UR-E6 extension tube, that have a 28mm thread and fit perfectly the P serie lens. When it was done I gonna send the picture, that can be usefull for the non Nikon scope user that have an interest in the Nikon P serie camera.

[Modular]

Very nice picture's Avan ... I may be interested in getting a P1 with the result's your
getting ... Very nice capture's, I'd like to see your adapter,

[avan]

The downside of the P serie are the lcd that even it's big and clear, it's of low resolution and are on the soft side and so difficult to make a very fine tuning of the focus. This combined with a not really precise autofocus lend to slighly soft image. He 2X loupe viewfinder is a must with this camera. Photosolve in USA.( In UK eagleeye have it in stock) was out of order of is excellent viewfinder (wide model for 2.5" lcd) so I made one with a cheaper plastic slide viewer hold with velcro, and this help me a lot with the focus.

[Neil]

These results are good. I'll have to add the P series to my short list.Neil.

[Forcreeks]

Agreed, Avan. These are good digiscopes! You found good equipment in combination, and learned quickly how to optimize them.

Let me ask, Avan, after reviewing all your posts in this thread, you have 30x e.p., but will you describe to us how much zoom, if any, is necessary of the P1 to eliminate vignette. Could you also describe the vignette amount, with the camera on full wide angle (1x), assuming you mount or hold it as close or as far as necessary from the eyepiece glass to make the vignette as small as it will get (best case scenario.) Thanks much.

[avan]

with the combination of 30XDS eyepiece/FSB bracket and the P serie (also the 5900, 7900) there are no vignetting at all. With the 990 also no vignette and with the 4500 there a very slight vignetting at the beginning only and sometimes if the corner are darker you dont see it at all. The picture of the robbin are taken at camera widest angle.

[avan]

This is the bracket I made for my P1. It's made with an aluminum L shape plate, a Nikon UR-E6 extension tube and a 58-46mm step down ring. The Nikon tube are made for a 3X zoom camera (the P serie 3.5X), so the step ring give a couple of mm longer it need. The inner diameter of the tube it's also a bit larger than the metal ring of the camera, so I put 3 little strip of sel-adhesive velcro (soft side) in an Y position inside the tube at the larger opening to help of the alignment and a snug fit. finaly I made the shutter release arm in a swing away type. The extension tube it's glued with 24h epoxy to the aluminum plate. All it's made with electric hand saw (skillsaw), hand drill,file and a set of tap and die (metric a imperial). The adapter give a 28mm thread at the end for an eyepiece adapter like the eagleeye digimount.
Hope this help to other.

[POP]

The old P1 is now discontinued and they have launched a new P1 8.0 megapixels and in black.

POP

[avan]

It's the same P1, mine are 8mp, black. Anyway this bracket can fit any camera of the P serie, as the most important part are the extension tube that can fit the lens of the P.

[Brian Stone]

Some recent results from the P4 handholding to the Leica APO77 using the roll-of-tape adapter. All these and more available in larger format by clicking on pics on my blog:
http://www.thenaturalstone.blogspot.com/

[avan]

excellent result brian

[RedBishop]

Very good results Brian, How's the feeling with a non rotatble LCD ? is that manageable ?

[Modular]

Beautiful picture's Brian ... Very very nice m8, ;) , The "P" Serie's is definetly doing
a very good job for Digiscoping, Well done,

Avan ... That is excellent, I would buy that in an instance!!, Very well made,
I was admiring it just and noticed a Shutter Bracket!, ... Now that is a good idea,
I've tried making One myself but with no luck to be honest, That look's Shop quality
or better m8, If you ever consider selling these ... Please put me down for One,
I would so like One of those ... It would fit the 7900 a treat!, And the P4 i'm getting ;) , I just don't have the tool's to do this type of craftsmanship, Very clean,
Great adapter ... Want to sell One? lol, ;) ,
Thank's for the Pm too ... Very appreciated Alain,
Take Care,

[avan]

Thanks for your comments regarding the bracket, but I don't think to go in production mode. My idea was to give an exemple of what it's possible for the handy(wo)man to make one themself. The problem also are that every camera of the 5900, 7900 to every P model of the serie have a different body, it's why you got 3 different FSB bracket (maybe a fourth for the P3-4), and so the base of the L shape plate differ from model to model of camera. If you don't have in hand a particuliar model, you can't positioning the lens hole.

[Modular]

You have a point there lol ... I thought that all "P" series and 7900's etc
Body's were the same ... No idea why i thought that,
It's still a excellent adapter ... One that i'm sure i'm going to copy some how,
Could you tell me a little more about the Tube and thread at the front please
... As i have a Eagle adapter for the 4500 which as a 28mm thread on it and
i'm sure this would work, Scopetronix do a similar adapter like your's but your's
seem's a lot stronger and the Shutter cable arm is a bonus,
I've attached a picture of the Eagle adapter ... Don't think Eagle done it but
it's very much the same,
Thank's Alain,

[avan]

"No idea why I thought that" : Because they all look like the same.
This digimount adaptor from eagleeye can fit my bracket as it's made for the CP4500 with a 28mm thread. The UR-E6 tube are made for the CP5000 for the use of the different lens with 28mm thread Nikon made (wide angle, TC-ED3 telephoto lens, etc...)

[Jonathan B.]

Some recent results from the P4 handholding to the Leica APO77 using the roll-of-tape adapter. All these and more available in larger format by clicking on pics on my blog:
http://www.thenaturalstone.blogspot.com/

Very impressive, Brian. I now plan to order a P4. Some have said (on this forum or another) that shooting an IS camera braced or mounted on a tripod can damage the IS system if it is left on. Are you shooting through your roll-of-tape adapter with IS on? I will be shooting through Nikon Fieldscope III ED, and plan to buy a WA lens with the broad digiscoping eyecup. I will attempt to come up with something resembling your mount.

[iporali]

Some have said (on this forum or another) that shooting an IS camera braced or mounted on a tripod can damage the IS system if it is left on.
This is a silly urban legend. The first generation IS systems "needed" some shake to work properly (otherwise the IS caused image blurring). Modern systems should work even mounted on a tripod. But it is NOT possible to damage the IS just by holding the camera steady.

Best regards,

Ilkka

[yossi]

Most Nikon's VR lenses still "hate" tripods...The only one that works fine for me on a tripod is the 200-400.
I do not see how activating VR/IS while mounted on a tripod can cause any damage, even though there are some warnings in the Nikon literature (quite scaring...)

[iporali]

Most Nikon's VR lenses still "hate" tripods...
I think this is the case with the Canons as well. If you have a stable tripod, the "unstable" IS/VR element can only reduce sharpness - no matter how sophisticated it is.

Ilkka

[Modular]

Silly question ... Can you turn the "VR" ... "IS" ... Off?, So when mounted on the
Tripod it does'nt damage it if that is the case?,

[Forcreeks]

A new review on this series has just come in at www.steves-digicams.com
for the P3. It's a mixed bag, but there's nothing seriously wrong and a number of very good attributes.

[jvanoyen]

Although you can't focus as close with the P4 you do have 8 megapixels so resolution should be similar or better than the 995. The following shots show closeups taken with the 995 and P4 at their miniumum focus distance then cropped to show the same part of the frame. The same area at 1:1 is 624 pixels square on the P4 and 443 pixels on the 995. So in theory the P4 has better resolution. But you will note that the 995 is sharper. The settings are the same on both camera (normal for in-camera sharpening).

On the whole I'm fairly happy with the macro capability but it makes me appreciate just how good the 995 has been in this area.
I have followed your testing and noticed you have experience with the 995. I have a cheap Burris 20X by 50 and want to connect the 995 with it. (very limited budget) Have you any advice? Thanks!Jerry

[Modular]

I have followed your testing and noticed you have experience with the 995. I have a cheap Burris 20X by 50 and want to connect the 995 with it. (very limited budget) Have you any advice? Thanks!Jerry
I actually don't know that scope ...
If possible could you attach a picture of it and the measurement's across
the Eyepiece ... This will help, Thank's and Take care,

[Brian Stone]

The IS certainly works sometimes. This shot taken with the P4 with a 1 second exposure.

[Brian Stone]

A Little Tern at c.200m range using the P4 handheld (using the tape reel adaptor) and panning in flight. f6.1, 1/287s, ISO50. I prefocused on something at approximately the right distance.

[PWG]

Silly question ... Can you turn the "VR" ... "IS" ... Off?, So when mounted on the
Tripod it does'nt damage it if that is the case?,

The VR is controlled by a button on top of the camera and has three settings. Off, on, active. The active setting is for panning.

[horukuru]

anyone have tried the Nikon P3 ?

[FrankD]

anyone have tried the Nikon P3

I may be off base but isn't the P3 the same as the P4 but one has the WiFi feature and the other does not?

[horukuru]

any other results with the P1 and P4 ?

[Brian Stone]

The attached pictures are taken with the P4 handheld with a collar to the 20x eyepiece of a Leica APO77. I have not applied any processing to the pictures. Each picture appears full frame resized to 640x480 and with a 640x480 portion cropped with no resizing.

The first shot is taken at the widest lens setting (reported as 13mm, f/3.5, 1/222s) and the second just beyond the half way point of the zoom range (26mm, f/5.3, 1/54s). The lens is noticably soft at the higher zoom positions.

All shots taken in fine mode 3264x2448.

[ray2758]

The downside of the P serie are the lcd that even it's big and clear, it's of low resolution and are on the soft side and so difficult to make a very fine tuning of the focus. This combined with a not really precise autofocus lend to slighly soft image. He 2X loupe viewfinder is a must with this camera. Photosolve in USA.( In UK eagleeye have it in stock) was out of order of is excellent viewfinder (wide model for 2.5" lcd) so I made one with a cheaper plastic slide viewer hold with velcro, and this help me a lot with the focus.

I have the ED82 and P4 got it just a month ago. I got the same problem as Avan & brianhstone mentioned that dgiscoped pictures by P4 are quite soften just like inaccurate focused. However I believed I have tuned the focus to the best position afterward when I found the problem. Please see the attached picture taken by P4 with lens zooming out almost to max.

Avan and Brian, can you tell me what magic you have played to make your later posted pictures taken so sharp so clear as I read carefully you didn't mention the remedies, just got from Avan mentioned a 2X loupe viewfinder was added to enhance the focus tuning. So, isn't it P4's soften problem was only caused by inaccurate focusing? Also, can you please tell me the "soften" problem is not exisitng or not in zoomed pictures after using the 2X loupe to provide accurate focusing?

Thanks a lot !

Ray

[Brian Stone]

I've attached a couple of unprocessed crops. These are quite tight one-to-one crops and are not resized at all.

There is definitely an issue with focussing. The Grey Wagtail shot shows that the picture is really sharp at the left hand side despite focussing on the wagtail. this has happened quite often with the point of focus usually just behind the subject, which then inevitably looks soft.

To prove it can be done the Meadow Pipit was at the point of focus. Is this because there is no background to fool the autofocus or did I just get lucky?

I still can't seem to get an acceptably sharp shot once zooming in beyond half way.

One thing I've changed recently on the camera settings is to set the in-camera sharpening to high.

[Brian Stone]

To answer your other point once they are in the computer I crop, adjust brightness and contrast, sharpen a little, resize and add a final bit of sharpening - in that order. The two shots above end up as attached.

[Neil]

The DpReview does mention focusing issues with the camera which would be magnified when on a scope http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonp3/page8.asp
If this is inherent in the camera then you may to to go to Manual Focus mode (Infinity Focus ) if the screen is up to getting acurate focus this way. Also bumping up the in-camera Sharpening may be the way to go. Neil.

[Neil]

The first shot is taken at the widest lens setting (reported as 13mm, f/3.5, 1/222s) and the second just beyond the half way point of the zoom range (26mm, f/5.3, 1/54s). The lens is noticably soft at the higher zoom positions.

Brian, Are you sure that the zoom numbers are right? I would have thought that wide zoom would be about 7 mm and full zoom about 29 mm. If you were at 26 mm and that is almost full zoom then that would be the reason that the images are coming out a bit soft. Neil.

[Brian Stone]

You are quite right I must have been zoomed in on those shots. Just taken a set of three, one at fully wide, one mid-way and one fully zoomed and the reported focal lengths are 8, 16 and 26mm.

How do you set infinity focus on this camera?

[Brian Stone]

Focal length for the Grey Wag shot was 13mm and the Mipit, 10mm.

[Neil]

Brian, Normally Infinity Focus is a Mountain symbol. Neil.

[Brian Stone]

That mode still seems to try to focus on closer objects and more distant ones are out of focus.

[ray2758]

These 2 photos are the sharpest and clearest among the all I took from P4 +ED82 (I got them just 1 month), birds were around 1X M away. For me as a beginner, pictures in such quality are beautiful, pleased me and my family very much already. But, I am still unhappy with the sharpness particularly on the feather which is quite soft. I think P4 will get a much better picture if it was used alone.

Anyway, I will try Neil's suggestion to use "mountain" focus mode, Avan's way a 3X plastic map viewer (US$4) good fit to the screen of P4 was bought and Brain's PS.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[ray2758]

Do you think if I adjust the appertures to smaller to obtain deeper depth-of-field can impove it ?

[Neil]

The quality of light makes a big difference to feather detail over distance. For best results stick to 7-10 meters for small birds. These photos were taken at about 20 meters in slightly hazy but bright light. If the bird is moving you are unlikely to get sharp photos at the magnifications that we use. Don't expect to get sharp photos of feeding wagtails or waders. Neil.

Nikon CP8400 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter

[Bob Thompson]

The quality of light makes a big difference to feather detail over distance. For best results stick to 7-10 meters for small birds. These photos were taken at about 20 meters in slightly hazy but bright light. If the bird is moving you are unlikely to get sharp photos at the magnifications that we use. Don't expect to get sharp photos of feeding wagtails or waders. Neil.

Nikon CP8400 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter

The attached shot was taken in the rain at Olympic Park Wetlands in Sydney Australia at a distance of 20-30 metres. As Neil states it is very difficult to get feeding waders in bad light conditions

Nikon 8400 with Swarovski ATS 80HD, 30x eyepiece and fixed DCA

[Neil]

Bob,
Nice one despite the conditions ( I had 7 days straight of sunshine when I was last in Sydney). The advantage of low light with black and white birds is that you get get more feather detail while holding detail in the white areas. Now if you had used the Fuji F30 you would have been able to use iso 800 and freeze the action. It's nice to have in the bag for days like this. Neil.

[ray2758]

I think I have progressed a bit on the skills. Last Saturday I took these 3 pictures I am quite happy with the sharpness. What mainly remedied was I used a 3X map-magnifier to see the DC display screen which gave the focuing more precise. So, P4 is a good camera in digiscoping I will keep practicing more and more.

I would like to thank all here for sharing your valuable experience on settings of various cameras and shooting skills. As a new birder, you saved me a lot of wrong roads.

[Bob Thompson]

Ray,

Keep up with the practice, as with any new hobby it takes time to develop your skills. Unfortunately in Hong Kong we also have to fight with the polluted skies. In Australia, for example, even on wet days it is possible to obtain sharp shots.

Bob

[Brian Stone]

You may have overdone the glue you used to get that one to sit still Bob.

[ray2758]

Ray,

Keep up with the practice, as with any new hobby it takes time to develop your skills. Unfortunately in Hong Kong we also have to fight with the polluted skies. In Australia, for example, even on wet days it is possible to obtain sharp shots.

Bob

Oh my God !
Absolutely the effect I prayed long. Beautiful portrait !!

Yes, even though born here, Hong Kong is always misty I hate. The only way to get closer and closer I am looking these outfits :

http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk/
http://www.bird-watching.co.uk/myequipment.htm

And this guy got a big big full frame with the help of an army camp :
http://www.dchome.net/viewthread.php?tid=322516&extra=page%3D1

Few more photos and thanks to those egrets patiently stayed to let me practice hours long.

[ray2758]

You may have overdone the glue you used to get that one to sit still Bob.


Ha Ha Ha !!

[horukuru]

nice pics ray and we have the same nikon scope and you are opening up my mind to rethink about this camera as i was planning to buy the P4 last time for digiscoping ...

[ray2758]

nice pics ray and we have the same nikon scope and you are opening up my mind to rethink about this camera as i was planning to buy the P4 last time for digiscoping ...

If I were you I would stay to get more information from the users over internet of using other DC on ED82. P4 I am still not very confident to get fully satisfied pictures. Unfortunately, there are too few users over internet talk about ED82 connected with non-nikon DC. I am quite interested to know the quality of Fuji F30 if it is coupled with Nikon ED82. Japaness has more to use ED82 + E7900, pictures of this set are very shape and impressive taken by this kingfisher lover :
http://wbpohya.exblog.jp/pg/blog.asp?eid=f0003418&iid=&acv=&dif=&opt=2&srl=3272308&dte=2006%2D09%2D07+22%3A27%3A59%2E000

I would say the set Nikon scope ED82 + FSB-4 + P series is painless save you time to get around finding the adaptor and DC but you need time to get know of its pros and cons.

[horukuru]

yeah i agreed ray. i've been searching through the forum about the P4 especially combining it with the nikon scope. even with different scopes, it is still produced soft images (someone told me the ccd size is small) ...

and u can PM lachlustre, he's using the F39 together with the nikon ED82.

hope to see more pictures from you ray :o

[avan]

I experiment with the AF system in the P series. Usualy the setting are the flower symbol for the 4500 and 990., So this is the setting I use in the P1 with mitiged result to date (some very good to unacceptable). Recently I try the AF mode in the menu (AF in top of the menu), this setting are slower but seem to give sharper result.

[ray2758]

Have these pictures taken by P4 the day before yeaterday (cloudy). I used Marco (flower), what do you grade ? My comment is still a bit blur.

[westi]

Have these pictures taken by P4 the day before yeaterday (cloudy). I used Marco (flower), what do you grade ? My comment is still a bit blur.

What sort of range were these taken at?

BR
Ian

[Brian Stone]

The P4 is certainly capable of much sharper. The attached shots show a one to one crop (800x600) of an original taken at the weekend (f4.9, 1/161s, 13mm, ISO50) and the final tweaked shot. The main drawback with this frame was the noise introduced because I was underexposing.

My main reason for unsharp shots now is the point of focus not being accurate.

[HokkaidoStu]

My main reason for unsharp shots now is the point of focus not being accurate.

Could you expand on that Brian?

I've pretty much given up on the P4 for the moment and have gone back to my Coolpix 4200. It may be time to have another go with the P4 soon maybe.

[Brian Stone]

Could you expand on that Brian?

See the attached pic (only resized - no sharpening). The pebbles behind the bird are sharp but the bird is not. This is either something to do with my eye when I set the focus on the scope or it could be the camera finding the background but it happens quite a bit. When it happens it is always just behind the subject that appears sharply focussed.

[ray2758]

What sort of range were these taken at?

BR
Ian

Ranges are printed on the photos (bottom) you may see them clearer after enlarged.

[ray2758]

Some more.......

[westi]

Hi Ray,

I'm probably being a bit dense! All I can see on each of the photos is aperture and shutter speed and a measurement in mm (ranging from 7.5mm to 26.3mm) which I assumed to be the zoom position on the lens. How does this relate to how far away the birds were? I was looking for something in 'metres' or 'yards'.

BR
Ian

[ray2758]

Hi Ray,

I'm probably being a bit dense! All I can see on each of the photos is aperture and shutter speed and a measurement in mm (ranging from 7.5mm to 26.3mm) which I assumed to be the zoom position on the lens. How does this relate to how far away the birds were? I was looking for something in 'metres' or 'yards'.

BR
Ian

Oh sorry Westi. Those birds are about 50 M away, exactly how far for each one I have forgotten.

[HokkaidoStu]

Yesterday I photographed this very co-operative Ural Owl with both my P4 and my old Nikon Coolpix 4200. The 2 pics below were the best from both cameras.

The 4200 had the standard Coolpix settings as recommended by Andy (with the 4500 in mind but the shooting menus are largely the same). The P4 was on A mode, fixed apperture off, white balance on auto and image sharpening on high. It was on AF (macro and the "mountain" icon one were tried too but the AF was the best). Both were at minimum zoom.

Forgive me but these numbers don't mean as much to me as I think they should: Shutter speed was 1/15 on the 4200 (1/7 on the P4), ISO was 79 on the 4200 (50 on the P4) and the aperture/focal readings were about the same (f2.8/7.80 on the 4200 and F3.2/8.50 on the P4).

The 4200 is on the left, the P4 is on the right. Both are completely unedited except reducing file sizes. I think the 4200 is better. I took about a hundred shots on both camera with various permutations and these were the best from each.

[ray2758]

Not much different, if must to pick the better, I take P4.

[HokkaidoStu]

Not much different, if must to pick the better, I take P4.


I know I know.You're right.I suppose they aren't so different now I look at them again.

One thing though-most of the 4200 shots were of ok quality and most of the P4 were soft and blurry.

I think I expected the P4 to be better because it's 3 "generations" later than the 4200 and has double the megapixels it should be better.

I'll persevere with it anyway.

[ray2758]

I know I know.You're right.I suppose they aren't so different now I look at them again.

One thing though-most of the 4200 shots were of ok quality and most of the P4 were soft and blurry.

I think I expected the P4 to be better because it's 3 "generations" later than the 4200 and has double the megapixels it should be better.

I'll persevere with it anyway.

I don't have other Nikon to compare with my P4. I got soften photos when initially used it, later when I used the magnifier Avan taught under this topic. I got most of the pictures sharper, what I discovered there was still a little more range to focus when observing the object throught the magnifier.

[HokkaidoStu]

I don't have other Nikon to compare with my P4. I got soften photos when initially used it, later when I used the magnifier Avan taught under this topic. I got most of the pictures sharper, what I discovered there was still a little more range to focus when observing the object throught the magnifier.

I might try the magnifier too.

Yet another thing to buy! Where will it end?

[ray2758]

Some photos taken today at Hong Kong's wetland park.

Nikon ED82 Fieldscope + Nikon Coolpix P4

[Neil]

Nice series Ray. I'll have to get out to Wetland Park next week before the rains come.Neil.

[ray2758]

Nice series Ray. I'll have to get out to Wetland Park next week before the rains come.Neil.

Wait for you, take care as the weather changes really cooler this week.

[Gauze]

I have been using cameras like the Coolpix 990 and now a 4500 since "the beginning of digiscoping time" and I am looking for a potential "upgrade" with fasting shooting, larger LCD, and at least similar digiscoping abilities using a Swarovski 80mm 20-60x HD scope.

I haven't been able to find anything yet on th Coolpix P-series cameras. Does anyone have any initial thoughts regarding their compatability.

The NEW Coolpix P4 is very enticing with 8MP, Image Stabilization, 11-point AF. (I dislike not having Shutter Priority which at times I liked to set so I could underexpose at 1/60th if low light - Are there other downfalls to this camera?)
ISO settings? I can't find this anywhere.

Other suggestions are welcome as well (eg. Canon's, ect.), but I really want to know about experiences with any of the newest models.

Eric Secker

Rec'd a Nikon P4 today and took it out around noon. Was very windy so there was some tri pod shake but managed some good results. (I do need a better tri pod)

I use a swaro 80HD ATS with the DCB. There was no vignetteing at full optical zoom. There was some at no camera zoom but I did not play around much with the base position from my last camera so I imagine that can improve as well.

The results were best when used with the 3 second timer (less shake). I am trying to figure out how to leave the camera on timer mode as opposed to choosing it for each shot. I also need to figure out how to make sure the camera focus is centered. It seems very good at picking up images anywhere in the field of view and focused in on secondary images in the FOV several times.

It would seem that the camera has a very sensitive focus and has what I would call planes of focus that are very close together. It easily focuses at the plane just infront or just behind the image. I think this will be overcome by practice.

I used no vibration reduction. I am still working on the best settings for digiscoping for me. So I imagine the quality will only get better. I was too excited to read any of the manuals. Will sit down and read them now.

I have read alot about the softness of the images and I feel this can be partly due to the sensitivity of the focus and the fact that the camera does zoom in to 3.5x and the increase over the 3x I am used to, increases the degee of shake / image softness. I will back off the focus on my next trips out and compare.

My thanks to all who have posted on this camera. I am happy with it and look forward to some great pictures down the road. I am also excited about the macro settings that showed such good results in other posts on this camera.

Gauze

[Doug]

I have a friend considering the P4 but he can't find out if you can get a remote shutter release for it - the Nikon website doesn't mention one. Does anyone know if one is available? Thank you for your help.

[horukuru]

I have a friend considering the P4 but he can't find out if you can get a remote shutter release for it - the Nikon website doesn't mention one. Does anyone know if one is available? Thank you for your help.

check with http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm and they have the new adapter too