Nikon Coolpix P5100 12.1MP Digital Camera with 3.5x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom

I've had/used this camera for 2 weeks now and i'm pleased with my purchase. It performs well but based on expert reviews does not beat its main compeditor i.e. canon G9 but still gives good performance in its class...and for $150 less than its rivals...THIS IS A DEAL!
I believe its even better that the P6000 that has the same sensor size but costs more.
Get it if you can, while not as popular as others its a much better deal if cost is a factor.

I have owned semi-professional Nikon film cameras for many years but somehow got sidetracked into buying Canon for my point-and-shoot digital cameras. No more! This camera is GREAT. The build is soooo substantial you know you're handling a serious machine. Controls are extra solid and intuitive, with the right balance between function-specific "real" buttons and screen menu selections. The fact that it has a hotshoe makes it extra flexible, eventhough the built-in flash normally does the job. It's fast and really easy to handle, eventhough it's aimed to a serious amateur segment. Finally, regarding the image quality: SUPERB. I was astounded at the sharpness, detail, color accuracy, and saturation of my latest set of prints. My only quibble with this awesome camera is that it doesn't have a wide-angle lens... its zoom starts at 35mm equivalent which is a bit of a pain for taking panorama or quirky wide angle close-ups, which happen to be my favorite! If you're OK with the lens, do not think twice and buy this baby. You'll love the photos it takes.

I purchased a P5100 from Amazon - one week into its first use (during a vacation), it stopped working - the lens refused to exit the body. I just have been in touch with Nikon where I learned that I will need to pay for the return of the camera for warranty repair. I will never ever again buy a camera from Amazon since unlike a bricks and mortar shop, they seem to have no responsibility for products like this once they sell them.

I have been a Nikon digital user for several years, usually having multiples for different uses. My main camera is currently a D40X SLR, but I like to have a pocket size also. I bought the Coolpix P5100 to upgrade from a Coolpix 4200 which I had for 4 years. It was highly recommended by sales people at 2 different camera stores over other models I was considering. But it is a big disappointment. Because I am primarily an SLR user, my expectations are high. But even comparing it to my old 4200, this camera is a loser. It is extremely slow to focus and take the picture (the worst I have ever used). It does great on landscapes or posed pictures, but forget anything that is moving, such as kids at play or animals. It seems not to be able to focus on moving objects at all. Other features (or lack of them) that I dislike:
- the mode dial does not have frequently used modes such as landscape or sports; you have to use scene and then cursor through a whole list of modes to get to them (very annoying)
- I'm used to using the viewfinder (no other option with the SLRs), and monitors are difficult to see in sunlight. This camera has a viewfinder, but there is no way to turn the monitor off (there is with my old 4200), so the battery drains much faster.
I expected something better than what I had, but I didn't get it. Sorry, Nikon, but you let me down on this one. I would return it if I could.

OK, so it was my "friend" who spilled my beer on the camera; I probably shouldn't have left it on the table, but it's so light and fun to use that I like to keep it handy. (The beer only splashed onto the front lens area, so not much damage. I was on it right away with napkins then cleaned it later with rubbing alcohol. The auto lens cover still sticks a little, but no long term effects as of yet.)

Two months ago, I was shopping for a camera for my first ever trip to Yellowstone Nat'l Park. I was torn between the Nikon P5100 and the Canon G9. I agonized over all the reviews and sample pictures. The Canon was great, but cost $200 more and weighed a lot more. The Nikon was lightweight, more pocket friendly and still 12 megapixels.

Believe it or not, this is my first digital camera. I have a couple film cameras, a Nikon 35Ti point and shoot and a Canon T90 SLR. I used to be a professional, toting bags of heavy equipment with me everywhere, and I wanted to get as far away from that as possible, even if it meant sacrificing "picture quality." And by that, I mean the difference between something you'd see in a scrapbook versus in a published book. This little camera does a great job; overall I was very happy with it. Most of my disappointments came from the rustiness of my own photography skills.

However I did hit a enough snags to reduce the rating to 4 stars. The camera sometimes had a hard time metering, especially at the Paint Pots or waterfalls. I usually used either Aperture or Shutter priority, depending on whether I wanted depth of field or stop-action -- I love having that ability. But when the meter was fooled, I would have to switch to Manual. I never tried the preprogrammed settings (Portrait, Landscape, etc). The other problem was focusing -- the camera does great with people, but terrible on landscapes with no contrast (again, the paint pots or thermal features with lots of steam). I found that setting the focus from AF to landscape helped a lot, but I was frustrated enough to take away a star.

So I'm sure I would have gotten much better pictures had I spent $1500 on a new SLR and lenses and a tripod and hauled 40 pounds of equipment with me instead of carrying a $300 camera (with the extra telephoto extender too) that fits in my pocket. But would I have had as much fun? I doubt it.

P.S. I spilled coffee on it too. That I can't blame on anyone but me.