Extreme Close-Up: Nikon’s Latest CoolPix Camera Has a Whopping 42x Zoom
February 02, 2012 By Peter Pachal on MashableNikon just unveiled a swarm of new compact cameras, but let’s cut right to the chase and target the real highlight: a point-and-shoot model with an incredible 42x optical zoom. According to reports, that makes it the world’s longest zoom of any point-and-shoot.
The CoolPix P510, available February for $430, looks similar to a DSLR camera with a large wide-angle lens and swivel LCD. The extreme zoom is definitely the star, pulling in faraway objects with a zoom that ranges from 24 to 1,000 millimeters.
Of course, such a long zoom will exacerbate concerns about blurred images due to camera shake, but Nikon says it’s way ahead of you. The camera’s advanced optical Vibration Reduction (VR) tech beefs up the image stabilization so your close-ups will have “increased stability.”
The other area that Nikon says the P510 excels in is low light, with a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor that’s said to capture good pics after dark. The P150 also has a built-in GPS for geotagging photos, and it can record HD video at full resolution (1080p).
Nikon also announced several point-and-shoots aimed at families on a budget (the CoolPix L810, L26 and S30), with prices ranging from $120 to $280, as well as a line of ultra-slim CoolPix models (the S9300, S6300, S4300 and S3300) from $140 to $350. The top of the slim line, the S9300, is just 1.5 inches thick and still packs an 18x optical zoom.
You can browse all of Nikon’s new CoolPix cameras for 2012 in the gallery below.
Looking for a point-and-shoot with outstanding zoom ability? And more important, are you willing to lay down $430 for one? Let us know in the comments.
The Nikon CoolPix P510 has a whopping 42x optical zoom, making it the longest-zoom point-and-shoot ever made.
The P310 has special features, like extra night modes, that help it capture pictures in low light.
The CoolPix S9300 leads Nikon's line of "super slim" point-and-shoots. It measures 1.5 inches thick.
