Nikon VQA100EA COOLPIX P950, Black

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As is always the case with pretty much every camera, there is a compromise to be made when you choose something like the P950. This is a model which is designed to appeal to those for whom zooming is the most important thing – perhaps for those who like to go on garden safaris or day trips without being bogged down for multiple lenses. Even with the lens hood fitted, if the sun is in the frame or close to the edge of the frame, flare can be a significant problem.

COOLPIX 950 - Nikon

Due to the size of our test charts we're unable to get good test data at longer zoom settings. Field shots show that detail is good, but not stunning, at maximum zoom, assuming the autofocus hits properly. Other factors, like atmospheric haze and air pollution, also factor into real-world results when trying to bring distant subjects into view. 357mm (2,000mm equivalent), f/6.5, 1/500-second, ISO 110 Like the P900, the Coolpix P950 has a vari-angle 921-,000-dot screen on its rear. However, at 3.2-inches across its diagonal, it’s a bigger unit. Disappointingly, it’s not touch-sensitive.

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Electronic viewfinder, 1 cm (0.39-in.), approx. 2359k-dot OLED with the diopter adjustment function (-3 to +3 m-¹) The P950 will appeal to birders who want the versatility and handling of a DSLR, but without the weight or bother of carrying around a bag of lenses. The 24-2,000 mm zoom range means everything from distant or fly-over birds to butterflies and wildflowers can be subjects. As someone who uses a DSLR, this flexibility within one camera was superb. With 5.5 stops of VR image stabilization, 166x Dynamic Fine Zoom, Target Finding AF capabilities and 7 fps continuous, the Nikon P950 enables stargazers and birdwatchers to capture high-quality photos or 4K UHD videos at extreme distances with ease. Light seems bounce around inside the lens creating multiple hotspots and lowering contrast. On some occasions you can use it creatively, or reduce it by shading the lens with your hand, but at other times it ruins the image.

Nikon P950 sample gallery - Digital Photography Review Nikon P950 sample gallery - Digital Photography Review

Nikon claims that AF speed is improved over the P900, but there's only so much that its engineers can do with a contrast-detection system when it comes to overcoming a very basic, optical problem: contrast tends to drop when you're looking at distant subjects at long focal lengths, and the more you zoom in, the thinner the zone of focus becomes, which increases the amount of work that the autofocus system has to do. Fixed an issue that caused pairing between the camera and devices running the SnapBridge app under iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 to fail. Provided your subject isn’t wearing spectacles, Face Priority AF area mode is useful in social settings. Nikon Coolpix P950 Image QualityBy standard bridge camera sizes, the Nikon P950 is a very large offering. In fact, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a DSLR from first glance. Of course, what it offers is the equivalent of a DSLR and a bag full of lenses, so it still makes sense as a travel type of camera for those who want to travel reasonably light. One EN-EL20a Rechargeable Li-ion Battery (included) EH-5d AC Adapter; requires EP-5C Power Connector (available separately) The Nikon Coolpix P950 has 7 sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100 to ISO 6400 at full resolution for both JPEG and Raw file formats. JPEG In S, M mode, 1/4000 (at wide-angle position, with largest f-number setting (smallest aperture)-30 sec. (can be set at ISO sensitivity 3200 or lower) ISO100 to 1600, [100-400], [100-800], [100-1600] (default setting), [100-3200], [100-6400], [100], [200], [400], [800], [1600], [3200], and [6400] are available when using P, S, A, M, U, or Movie manual mode