Nikon Coolpix P3 review

The Coolpix P3 sits at the top of Nikon's Fun & Leisure range of cameras.

It's light on advanced photographic controls, with no manual exposure or manual focus, but it's brimming with impressive features such as optical image stabilisation, wireless networking - which explains the high price - and an 8-megapixel sensor. The 2.5" screen is standard at this price, but its 150,000-pixel resolution is less than we'd hope for.

Considering its high price and small 3.5x zoom range, the design is too big and bulbous for our liking, but it's comfortable to hold. The mode dial provides quick access to white balance, resolution and ISO settings, as well as the usual scene presets and Video mode, although it's not as convenient as dedicated buttons. Performance is below par, taking five seconds to switch on and take a shot, and three seconds between photos, falling to four seconds in low light or when using the flash.

Focus was a little soft in our image tests, but not to the extent that detail was lost. We quite liked the natural appearance of photos; there was barely any sign of digital image processing. Image noise wasn't too intrusive at ISO 400, the highest setting available, but softness was more apparent. Fortunately, the digital image stabilisation meant we could stick to ISO 200 and use slightly longer shutter speeds that would normally result in camera shake and blurred images. Colour accuracy was excellent, tending towards natural rather than punchy tones, although the white balance presets were needed to cope with artificial light.

The wireless implementation is the same as that of Nikon's P2, reviewed in Labs, Shopper January 2006, with support for 802.11b/g networks with WEP or WPA encryption. The setup routine seemed easy, with Nikon's software detecting our PC's network settings automatically and passing them on to the camera via USB. However, despite numerous attempts, the camera failed to connect to our network. Entering the network settings manually fixed the problem. But even then, the wireless mode was disappointing.

The convenience of transferring pictures wirelessly is offset by slow performance. It consistently took around 75 seconds to establish a connection, while transfers proceeded at 0.3MB/s. In comparison, it took us only 20 seconds to find the USB cable, plug it in and transfer pictures at 0.8MB/s, and five seconds to remove the SD card, put it in a card reader and copy photos at 10MB/s.

The best thing about a wireless camera is the ability to take a picture and see it on a PC screen almost instantly. It's a fun gimmick, and also genuinely useful for checking the focus and colour accuracy of shots when you need to be sure you're getting the best possible results. The P3 has a Shoot and Transfer mode, but only the most basic photographic controls are available in this mode. You can't even change the resolution without exiting Wireless mode and dropping the connection. Worse still, the camera is inoperable for the 15 seconds it takes to transfer a picture at maximum quality. This defeats the purpose of the Shoot and Transfer mode.

The camera ships with a li-ion rechargeable battery, but its battery life is below par. Using the wireless mode will reduce it further.

Given the low price of the P2, its wireless capability could be seen as a fun free extra. But at £291 including VAT, the P3 doesn't invite the same logic. The P4, a wireless-free version, is available for £245 including VAT, but if you want an 8-megapixel point-and-shoot camera, we'd recommend Sony's DSC-N1. This camera, which we reviewed in What's New, Shopper May 2006, costs £255 including VAT from Amazon.co.uk. Alternatively, Canon's Digital Ixus Wireless, which we reviewed in What's New, Shopper June 2006, has excellent WiFi support and costs £240 including VAT from Dabs.com.