Nikon’s new P950 bridge camera shoots 4K video

Nikon has revealed the P950, a superzoom bridge camera with 83x optical zoom that serves as a mid-point between the P900 and P1000.

The P950 was announced at CES 2020 in Las Vegas (where Nikon also introduced the D780 full-frame DSLR). Granted, its extraordinary 83x optical zoom has since been bested by the 125x zoom found on the Nikon P1000, but the P950 brings something different to the table: 4K video recording.

In terms of major new features, however, 4K video recording is pretty much all the Nikon P950 brings to the table. Indeed, the core specifications remain unchanged from the P900, which launched in 2015: an 83x optical zoom with an f/2.8 aperture and a 16-megapixel sensor.

Certain features have been updated to closer resemble the Nikon P1000 –including the zoom controls and the new 2.36-million dot resolution EVF. In fact, the P950 is perhaps more P1000 than P900, excluding the 83x zoom; the P950 also supports the same 4K/30fps video recording and Raw shooting as the P1000.

To complement the new video recording capabilities, Nikon has also included a built-in mic jack alongside a top-mounted accessory clip, so you can attach your own external microphone.

Commercial Planning Manager at Nikon UK Gabriela Januario said in a statement: “The COOLPIX P950 is a feature-packed update to the COOLPIX P900, which changed the market for superzoom cameras with its 83x optical zoom.

This new camera keeps the impressive zoom range of its predecessor and adds many of the features people have been asking for, including: 4K movies, an improved eVF, RAW support, and a hot shoe for accessories. It’s a great addition to the Nikon family of superzoom cameras: people can choose between an 83x optical zoom and the extraordinary 125x optical zoom of the COOLPIX P1000 depending on their passions.”

The P950 will be available for purchase within the next few months (Nikon says “early spring 2020”), and will cost £799.