Nikon COOLPIX P7700 Pro Reviews

There's little doubt that that P7700 is a formidable compact camera, and only really compromised by its slow Raw write times and very minor handling issues. Images are detailed, exposures are largely accurate and the Auto White Balance system is particularly worthy of acclaim, while the lens performs admirably considering the focal range on offer. While it certainly true that its image quality cannot match that of larger-sensor Compact System Cameras, it's not far behind either. Indeed, for the target market, a slight trade off in terms of image quality may be a worthwhile sacrifice when the benefits of a pocketable camera with a 7.1x zoom range are considered.

The Coolpix P7700 offers an impressive feature set, a longer zoom range than most of its competitors, a fully articulating LCD, and very good photo quality. Unfortunately, it is marred by very slow write times, especially in RAW mode which makes continuous shooting a chore, and really forces you to use the fastest memory cards available for best performance.

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 is a very high quality camera that does a lot of things right. Its build quality is impressive, as are its quick shooting performance, sharp, low distortion lens, very good indoor image quality and excellent movie ability. It has every option a serious photographer could want. However there are a few issues I found troubling, especially for a camera of its overall quality and price. Having to press the on/off switch twice to turn on the camera is annoying, as is the three seconds it takes for the camera to shut down. Then there's the two second delay between pressing the shutter button and starting a movie recording. Finally, the camera occasionally overexposed outdoor images. With all the Coolpix P7700 has to offer it's hard not to recommend it, but potential buyers ought to be aware of its flaws.

Still commanding the same hefty price-tag as its predecessor with an RRP of £499.99 / $499.95, the Nikon Coolpix P7700 finds itself priced alongside key rivals such as the Canon PowerShot G15, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7, Samsung EX2F and Sony Cyber-shot RX100, as well as several entry-level DSLRs and the new wave of Compact System Cameras. We feel that there's still a place for a well-specified, fixed-lens compact for prosumers, and in that regard the new Nikon Coolpix P7700 certainly doesn't disappoint. Highly Recommended.

As the market for advanced cameras fragments and compact cameras with slightly larger sensors and fixed zooms become just one choice among many for enthusiasts and improvers, it's increasingly important for manufacturers to understand what their customers want and to provide it. It's interesting to note where Canon, with the PowerShot G15 and Nikon with the Coolpix P7700 take the same or differening views on this. Both upgraded the sensor from a 10 Megapixel CCD to a 12 Megapixel CMOS and provided 1080p HD video along with a brighter lens. Where they differ is on the composition, Canon still offers a basic optical glass window in addition to the screen (albeit now fixed in position), while Nikon has dropped the viewfinder in favour of an articulated screen. Arguably, a better option for both would have been to include an electronic viewfinder, but until that happens the choice is at least an easy one for those who have strong views about the necessity for a viewfinder - of any kind. Comparisons aside, the Coolpix P7700 is a compact camera that has 'enthusiast' written all over it. Nikon has got the fundamentals right and there are many nice touches, from the versatile auto bracketing to the indicator on the exposure compensation dial. Were it not for the lack of a viewfinder, slow buffer writing and poorly designed menu system it might have been Highly recommended. As it is, it's a worthy recipient of a Camerlabs Recommended award.

It's taken three tries but Nikon has finally produced a flagship Coolpix camera that stacks up well against its main competitor's class-leading cameras. No, the Nikon Coolpix P7700 isn't perfect and it still only uses a 1/1.7-inch sensor compared to the 1.5-inch chip in the Canon PowerShot G1 X and the 1-inch sensor in the Sony Cyber-shot RX100, but those are both considerably more expensive cameras. But we genuinely liked the new, more original design of the Nikon P7700, which makes it more portable and more handsome looking. It's small and light, but boasts a solid magnesium body with several nice ergonomic touches, including a comfy handgrip. Yes, the optical viewfinder is gone, which will likely upset some photographers. And, truth be told, we have never really liked optical viewfinders on compact cameras because of how inaccurate they are, particularly when you're zooming in.

Creative flexibility at your fingertips is what’s provided here, though potential purchasers will want to literally weigh that up against its extra bulk and a sensor that, although bigger than most compacts, is still small beer compared to actual DSLRs.

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 has the longest zoom lens of any point-and-shoot camera in its class, but the lens should be stopped down to increase sharpness.

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 has the longest zoom lens of any point-and-shoot camera in its class, but the lens should be stopped down to increase sharpness.

Although I never reviewed the predecessor to the Nikon Coolpix P7700, the P7100, I did review the model before that, the P7000, and I find the P770's image quality slightly better, if only because of improved color rendering. The lens on the P7700 is faster as well. So overall, unless you really need the optical viewfinder, it's a reasonable upgrade from a previous model. I also like it just a little better than the Canon PowerShot G15, mostly because of the shooting design. But most competitors are faster, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 still beats them for photo quality. Check out this roundup of enthusiast compacts for more comparative options.

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 offers the most optical zoom in a "serious compact" camera, and the new lens is brighter than the old lens at both the wide and telephoto end of the lens. This in combination with optical image stabilisation and a 12 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor gives this camera much better low light performance than the previous model. Other updates include quicker continuous shooting, automatic panoramic stitching and full HD video recording. The Nikon Coolpix P7700 is certainly a good camera, a great camera in fact. But for not much more money you can get the Sony Cyber-shot RX100, with a large 1 inch sensor. Although if you want more zoom in your compact camera and still want the lens to be bright, then the Nikon Coolpix P7700 certainly ticks all the boxes. Particularly if you want to be able to use the P7700 as a more serious compact camera, with RAW shooting, flash hot shoe, and tilting swivelling screen the P7700 is about as serious as they get. Image quality is very good and images have great detail, however it is at the higher end of the price range.

The Nikon P7700 looks and performs every part the high-end camera; it’s far better in almost every area than its predecessor, although the lack of a viewfinder (or ability to add one that works in conjunction with the zoom) is perplexing. This Coolpix isn’t shy of controls either. Buttons and dials not only come aplenty, but they’re intuitive and easy to use, which puts control firmly in the user’s hands. Strobist heads will also love the high flash sync speed thanks to Nikon's Creative Lighting System and electronic shutter combination. The 28-200mm f/2.0-4.0 equivalent lens is sharp and the latest 12-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor is a good match to pair it with. Image quality is great given the sensor size, but the bokeh effect at wider apertures can be a bit too much for some scenes.