Nikon Coolpix P7000 Preview

Preview based on a Nikon Coolpix P7000 with firmware v1.0

It wasn't all that long ago that the so-called 'luxury' compact camera market was one of the most important (and lucrative) for the major camera manufacturers. Before DSLRs were affordable, high-end compacts, with DSLR-inspired ergonomics and full manual control were extremely popular amongst enthusiast photographers.

Inevitably, as soon as DSLRs started dropping in price to below $1000, demand for high-end compacts dropped as well. In recent years, only two manufacturers - Canon and Panasonic - have maintained a convincing presence in this segment of the market, with the venerable Powershot G-series and Lumix LX-series respectively - the latter especially gaining a deserved reputation for high-end ergonomics, as well as image quality. The latest cameras in these two ranges - Canon's Powershot G11 and Panasonic's LX5, are cast in the same mold as their predecessors, and both offer a range of advanced features in tough, metal bodies with plenty of external controls.

It has been a while since Nikon seriously threatened the 'luxury' compact camera market, but the Coolpix P7000 is Nikon's latest attempt to grab a slice of the action, and follows two rather disappointing models - the P5100 and P6000 - which, despite their high build quality and RAW capture modes, offered (amongst other problems) relatively poor image quality compared to their competitors.

With the P7000, Nikon has made a very clear break from the industrial design of previous P-series compacts. So much so that from every angle, the new camera much more closely resembles the Canon Powershot G11 than anything which has ever carried the 'Nikon' badge on its front plate. Like the G11, the P7000 is a fairly large, square camera, with plenty of external controls. Like the G11 it features a 3in LCD on its rear (albeit not an articulated one) and chunky, 'old fashioned' mode dials on its top plate. A flash hotshoe and optical viewfinder complete the impression of a camera that is a near-clone of its closest competitor. Even their sensors have almost identical specifications - 10MP CCDs with a similar 'standard' ISO range from ISO 80 (Canon) and 100 (Nikon) to 3200 at full resolution.

So what are we to make of the P7000? Nikon's enthusiast DSLR users have been crying out for a G11-type compact camera as a more portable alternative to their DSLRs for some time, and it looks like they've got exactly that. Is the P7000 the answer to their prayers? Read on to find out. We've had a working sample for just long enough to produce a hands-on preview, including a gallery of images.

Nikon Coolpix P7000 Key Features

• 10MP CCD sensor
• 720p HD video recording with mic jack for external microphone
• ISO 100-3200
• RAW capture option (.NRW format) and NRW+JPEG (fine)
• 7x zoom (28-200mm equivalent) f/2.8-5.6 with 2 ED elements and built-in ND filter
• 720p (1280x720) movie mode with AF and lens zoom during recording
• 3.0 inch 921k dot LCD screen
• 4 Picture Control preset modes + custom mode
• EXPEED C2 processor
• Active D-Lighting
• Electronic virtual horizon
• HDMI output
• Zoom memory function
• i-TTL compatibility with Speedlight SB-400/600/800/900 flashguns
• Dual IR receivers (front and rear) for wireless remote control ML-L3.