Nikon Coolpix P6000

Photo answers review

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Nikon’s new flagship compact camera, the P6000, boasts a large 1/1.7in CCD sensor with an impressive 13.5Mp of resolution, the ability to capture RAW image files and a built in Global Positioning System (GPS) to record the exact location each image was taken. There’s a wide-angle 4x optical zoom that covers an equivalent 28-112mm focal range providing excellent coverage at the wide zoom end, with a respectable it not particularly long zoom. Nikon has also included their lens based image stabilization system VR for blur free shots using slow shutter speeds, and furthering enhancing low light performance the P6000 has a wide ISO range between ISO64-2000 at full resolution, which can also be cranked up to ISO3200 & 6400, which reduces the maximum resolution down to a mere 3Mp. As you’d expect from a top of the range creative compact there’s the normal point and shoot scene modes, as well as more creative control of exposures using Aperture & Shutter priority and full Manual mode. On the rear of the camera is a large 2.7in LCD monitor that has a brightness boost function, as well as a wide viewing angle, but if the conditions are still too bright to frame up using the LCD there is an optical viewfinder, although for us it is a little on the small side to be used regularly for composition.

That said during testing we generally found the P6000 a joy, with the textured rubber handgrip making it comfortable to get a good grip of what is quiet a modest size compact that’ll easy slip into most pockets. When you’re out shooting access to most of the settings you need are easy to control via the Mode dial, Fn menu or 4-way D pad, and where you do need to delve into the menu it is pretty straightforward to navigate. As we’ve seen on their pro and prosumer D-SLR’s, Nikon has done a great job of managing Noise at the higher ISO sensitivities, but with 13.5Mp crammed into what’s still quite a small CCD we were expecting to see a lot of digital interference. Not so however, all the way up to ISO800 Noise is handled extremely well, and while at ISO1600 it does become evident with a noticeable drop off in colour saturation, for a compact it is still pretty impressive.

At £370 the P6000 isn’t particularly cheap, but if you’re looking for a top quality compact as either a back up to your D-SLR or as your primary camera you won’t go too far wrong with this model from Nikon.

Specifications