Nikon Coolpix S3000 and Nikon Coolpix S1000PJ

I am on Foxtel television tonight (Sunday 5th April) talking about 2x Nikon Cameras, the D3000 which retails in Australia for $999 AUD with a twin lens Kit configuration, and the Coolpix S1000PJ projector camera. I have lots of pictures of the D3000 and have certainly demonstrated the S1000PJ's projector camera feature, but realised that I had never really used it and tested it, and so I chose to put the camera through it's paces, with the new Coolpix S3000 compact camera which will sell here for $199 AUD.

I could not resist taking out the Coolpix P100 again either and showing more samples of the wide angle, the 26x optical zoom, the 678mm zoom and the macro again. I honestly feel that IF there was ever a camera that "most" people would want that covers everything, this Coolpix P100 from Nikon IS the camera. It is really sensational.

Again as in times past, I will simply just show some pictures with a brief description underneath and you can be the judge. Please note, that again, apart from adding my name and the data on the bottom right of the pictures, NO digital manipulation has taken place and ALL the pictures are taken hand held by me on what was Good Friday here in Sydney.

Cheers

How sharp and crisp this image is, it is a huge improvement on the predecessor and it is only $199

This was taken through the glass display cabinet of ice cream and the scene looked identical to the picture, the rendering of colour, contrast and brightness was exact.

This shot inside Sydney's Botanical Gardens is amazingly sharp and the sky details and intersecting lines from the pyramid and buildings is edge to edge sharp!! for only $199, I was honestly blown away by this.

This was the first shot I took using the S1000PJ and boy I was impressed with its metering of the scene and its colour and sharpness. this camera retails in the shops for $699 and has a built in projector to display the pictures on the walls and ceiling. Just loved the capability of this camera.

Again, loved the colour and sharpness of this image, but particularly chose a dark / shadowed scene to test the cameras dynamic range in the dark, and was suitably impressed.

This was sunrise over what was a patchy morning and I just loved the contrast of the clouds and scene, the grey building to the right of the chimney stacks did not lose any detail and still looked great.

I wanted to see how well the camera and light would show the darker red leaves and the green leaves with the white tips, and it showed it exactly. I have tried compacts in this type of shot before from Kodak, Canon, Samsung and even some early Nikon's but this was tremendous AND accurate.

This was using the full digital zoom on the camera, and whilst I have been spoiled by the P100, I was more critical of the zoom, but whilst for most people it would be acceptable, IF there was a slight downside to the camera overall, the full digital zoom would be it. BUT that said, how many other cameras have a built in projector as well! - NONE

Now, the camera really gave me an unexpected surprise in the macro or close-up arenas where I was able to zoom in on some beautiful shrubs.

You can even see clearly, the fine hairs or filaments on the banksia, just beautiful.

Now I could not resist going back to the P100 to show some more examples of the massive optical and digital zoom, I love this. Now for those of you who are not aware, a true 600mm zoom from Nikon sells in Australia for a massive $16999 AUD, that's right $17k. Admittedly, the quality is significantly better than this digital zoom in a camera selling for $599 AUD, but wait a minute, this doesnt have the weight of that lens either, and that is what I am saying. When you have a single camera that does all of this for $599, producing this sort of quality, you have my full attention!

Full Wide angle looking from Sydney's Botannical Gardens past the Conservatorium of Music, north to the Harbour bridge

Full 26x Optical zoom - Handheld!!

678mm Full Digital zoom, hand held!!! Try handholding a Full 600mm zoom lens and see how you go!

Full wide angle looking from Glebe East to the City of Sydney

Full 26x Optical zoom - Handheld!!

Full 678mm Digital zoom...again Hand held

Full Wide angle looking up at a city building from the edge of the Botannical gardens

I never knew there was a koala on the side of this building ! Full 26x optical zoom

Full 678mm zoom - incredible! look at the detail.

a fountain in the gardens dedicated to Captain Arthur Phillip, I went to Arthur Phillip High as well.
Macro zoom

See the pinkish bits in the right hand corner, that is my fingers forcing the plant up against the lens, that's right it's leaning ON the glass of the camera. Try doing that with a $17k lens - NO can do!

Last macro shot with the p100, I love it.

I feel pretty good testing all of the cameras, because I have it confirmed all the time exactly what I personally want in a camera and find much joy in taking pictures. I know that Chase in the US has pictures, dozens of them taken on his phone and published in a book and whilst they are nice they just do not compare to having nice images to start with.