NIKON P500 36X WIDE SUPERZOOM POINT AND SHOOT: SUPERZOOM MODE

This is the purpose for which I bought this camera - - - its 36 x wide superzoom! I am happy with the zoom it reaches, which is about 800+ mm, and farther than what my D90 18-200 mm zoom could reach.


I initially chose the Canon SX30 IS while I was in Singapore, but all the camera stores in the Digital Mall declined saying there are no stocks due to the tsunami in Japan! One Filipino sales person introduced the new Nikon P500 superzoom and as we went around, we found out the price was much less than the Canon counterpart and cost around P 18,000.00, which I know is a very good price. [ The Canon SX30 IS cost about P28,000.00 in the Philippines but also not as available]


Of course, the camera is much, much lighter weighing about 18 grams  than the Canon one, and it came in a fancy red color...the black one was not available that time.

Here is an excerpt from shopping.yahoo.com

Product Description: Nikon COOLPIX P500 Red Digital Camera (12.1MP, 36x Opt, 4x Dig, SD Card Slot)

You've never been closer to the action than you are with this 36x wide-angle optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens. Its optical zoom (22.5-810mm) pulls you in from wide panoramas to crisp close ups. Plus, a side zoom control marks the end of shaky zooms-freeing you to capture great action photos with minimal blur. So whether you're shooting a mountain vista or zooming in on a snowboarder, say goodbye to missed shots. This lens catches it all. It even allows for macro shooting as close as 0.4 inches!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


The other advantage is that I already use a Nikon D90 and so some of the editing modes in the Nikon P500 are easy to understand and use!


Here are some of our shots from wide 22.5 mm to 810 wide:

at wide...

just tried the border edit

to superzoom

another view which we almost couldn't see from afar...

And the sweep panorama is also easy to use.

this is the 180 sweep...

Here are some of the night shots taken with a tripod....the good thing it also has manual settings which allows some adjustments for effects intended.

not an ideal shot because of the blur, but we will use this as the sample of the wide shot...

Good Friday at Crus Mayor at 36 x zoom...

at 36 x zoom...

at 36 x zoom... devotees flock to the Crus Mayor after completing the 14 Stations of the Cross

Pitfalls of point and shoot cameras are usually the nightshots, especially without the tripod! Also lag time is longer during nightshots.


Appreciating a camera is more of knowing its best assets and accepting its limitations... 
This can't replace the DSLR images and speed, but I love the Nikon P500 for the features I bought it for...it has its share of very nice shots in good light... the superzoom....the macro...and the panorama!


One of the cameras to consider for the traveler and for those interested in landscapes and for fun family activities and sports. Try it!