Choose a Camera Brand

Write a Camera Review

Choose a Lens Brand

Write a Lens Review

Nikon - Coolpix P5000 Review

What's Hot: Auto and manual controls in a small and easily held camera with a big (2.5-inch) LCD screen, as well as an optical viewfinder for the old-fashioned types.

What's Not: No capability to shoot RAW images, although the JPEGs seem to be very good quality.

Review: This camera seems a happy compromise between a pocket-size point-and-shoot and a DSLR. It combines the ease of use of the Coolpix auto and scene modes with P, A and M settings for more complete control over your shots. Wide-angle and telephoto lenses are available, although I've not tried them yet. The Nikon speedflash system is also compatible and offers a good choice, especially for portraits. Clear, good-color images are produced with the help of the optical VR stabilization feature. Possibly too much camera for a rank amateur, but for those of us who are aspiring photographers it offers the ability to shoot quickly when photographing a toddler as well as allowing full control experimentation when more time for shooting is available. A purse- or pocket-size camera with all these capabilities for a reasonable price and including the Nikon quality makes for a winner in my opinion.