Nikon CoolPix 8800 review

Verdict:

Review Date: 27 Apr 2006

Price when reviewed: inc VAT

Our Rating 2 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Nikon's flagship fixed-lens digital camera has an 8-megapixel sensor, 10x zoom with optical image stabilisation and a magnesium alloy body.

There are three screens: a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF), a backlit passive LCD showing camera settings and the usual colour LCD. The LCD isn't that big, but it can rotate 180 for self-portraits.

The command dial makes shutter speed and aperture adjustments quick, but nearly everything else about using the 8800 is painfully slow. Basic settings such as ISO speed are buried deep within the menu, which is poorly laid out and slow to navigate. Manual focus is close to hand, but doesn't benefit from any visual feedback other than the EVF and screen images, which don't provide nearly enough detail for accurate focusing. This is unfortunate because the auto-focus isn't reliable.

When its auto-focus was on target, the 8800 produced some stunningly detailed photographs, and the image stabilisation proved its worth at extreme telephoto settings. However, at least half the shots we took were soft for one reason or another. The flash produced cold colours and artificial light gave a strong red cast, though the preview often looked fine. Both can be rectified with the white balance presets, but only if you wade through the menu to find them. Worst of all, image noise was evident at ISO settings as low as 100. At this price, these problems are a serious disappointment

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