Nikon Coolpix P330 Review

A Post By: Barrie Smith

Nikon has again upped the ante in its compact digicam lineup and the Nikon Coolpix p330 is an excellent example of the movement.

A biggish 15mm CMOS sensor, moderate pixel count plus a fast f1.8 lens leads to a surprisingly high performance in such a moderately-priced camera.

Coupled with this is the camera’s small size, easy pocketability and light weight.

Nikon Coolpix P330 Features

After months of wading through high end DSLRs, MILCs and other complex babies it was a relief to handle this easy to use camera from the well known house of Nikon!

It was indeed a surprise and confirmation in one sense that, in the pursuit of taking images, flashier is not always finer! And, as I’ve often said, it’s the driver not the car!

In many respects this camera is a top buy.

For one thing its maximum still image size is 4000×3000 pixels or 34x25cm as a print is notable.

Video can be shot in MPEG4 as Full HD 1920×1080 pixels. And yes, you can stills during a video shoot without interrupting the latter.

Rarely seen on a camera at this price level, you can capture in JPEG and RAW formats.

The camera has lens-shift VR (Vibration Reduction) which worked well in my time with the camera.

There is built in GPS which logs where shots are taken and this data can be stored for later reference. An onboard database of approximately 1.86 million POI (Points of Interest) lets you confirm and record the name of the location.

Controls

At the front is a Function button which gives quick access to such matters as ISO, single/continuous shooting, AWB etc.

Top deck: at left is the pop up flash cell; at mid position is the mode dial to access PASM settings plus auto, as well as 20 scene modes (sports, fireworks, panorama etc) and a custom user setting; power button; zoom and shutter button; command dial.

Rear: replay; rotary selector to select flash options, exposure compensation, single/continuous shooting and macro; menu; trash.

And tass all. To my mind the external control layout is exemplary. And the menu selections are sufficient.

Nikon Coolpix P330 ISO Tests

In my tests, the camera handled all ISO settings up to 3200 very well …a good performance for such a low priced camera.

Startup Time

Two seconds from startup to first shot; follow on shots about two seconds apart. Not the fastest kid on the block!

Distortion

No problems at the wide or tele ends of the zoom.

Nikon Coolpix P330 Review Verdict

Quality: above average image quality.

Why you would buy it: pocketable; zoom range for average shooting; easy to use.

Why you wouldn’t: you may want a longer zoom.

Impressive camera. If you’re on a tight budget and still want above average quality, go for it!

Available in black or white.

Nikon Coolpix P330 Specifications

Image Sensor: 12.2 million effective pixels.
Metering: Multi, centre-weighted and spot.
Sensor: 15mm CMOS.
Lens: Nikkor f1.8-5.6/5.1-25.5mm (24-120mm as 35 SLR equivalent).
Exposure Modes: Program AE, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Shutter Speed: 60 to 1/4000 second.
Continuous Speed: 10fps.
Memory: SD/SDHC/SDXC cards plus 15MB internal memory.
Image Sizes (pixels): 4000×3000 to 640×480. Movies: 1920×1080, 1280×720, 960×540, 640×480 at 25 or 30fps.
Viewfinder: 7.5cm LCD (921,000 pixels).
File Formats: JPEG, NRW (RAW), MPO (3D), WAV, MPEG4
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 12800.
Interface: USB 2.0, AV, HDMI mini, WiFi, DC input.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, AC adaptor.
Dimensions: 103x58x32 WHDmm.
Weight: 200 g (inc battery and SD card).
Price: Get a price on the Nikon COOLPIX P330 at Amazon.