Nikon's placing a lot in to the Coolpix range recently. The P330 model, which updates the prior P310, is not a light nudge forward within the company's "performance" range, it is a much wider step-up because of the P330's inclusion of the bigger 1/1.7-inch sensor size - as obtained from the very best-spec Coolpix P7700 - along with a new, longer contact lens.
See, Nikon's been playing catch-up for some time. Not when it comes to market position - it has that covered - but when it comes to aspirational compact cameras. It appears 2013 may be the year that changes: the development of the Nikon Coolpix A to be the company's first make an effort to set that straight.
READ: Nikon Coolpix An evaluation
The prior P310, despite its merits, just did not quite have what it really required to help keep its rivals away. The P330, however, looks well matched up in specs terms with its ?349 cost it undercuts a lot of your competition and, a minimum of in writing, sounds somewhat aspirational little compact camera.
With all of that in your mind may be the P330 its cracked as much as be or would be the Canon S110, Panasonic LX7 and Olympus XZ-2 types of our planet still one step ahead?
Design
Regardless of the P330's specs progression will still be the identical size because the P310. Well, when it is turned off anyway, because the inclusion from the new 24-120mm f/1.8-5.6 equivalent lens means a rather longer physical extension. Small is certainly the term overall, even though the Nikon is less than as skinny as, say, canon's PowerShot S110, will still be eminently portable.
READ: Canon PowerShot S110 review
Generally the Nikon does look just a little boxy, but handles to drag off a newly made type of style. It's certainly functional, because the layout attests: there is a rear, top-mounted thumbwheel and also the rear d-pad works like a spinning dial - together the happy couple behave as one for your typical Digital slr-type control.
The d-pad itself opens accessibility likes of macro, exposure compensation, expensive and drive mode and there is a prrr-rrrglable function (Fn) button on the other side towards the camera's front. But that is where it finishes - according to the P310, the P330 does not possess a fast access menu that shows on the watch's screen, whereas a lot of its rivals do. There is no touch screen either.
Rather the primary Menu button around the rear may be the entry way to a number of configurations, but entails lots of scrolling up and lower to tweak individuals specifics for example metering, autofocus type, whitened balance and so on.
Menu access can also be rather sluggish. There appears to become a slight lag upon every press from the Menu button before display, while exiting one menu and trying to spread out another through the d-pad also introduces lag in reaction. It simply does not feel lightning quick like we'd have wished for.
Performance
Very similar could be stated concerning the P330's autofocus ability. It isn't it's slow overall, but it is not as pokey as another cameras available that we have used. But it is not too speed that might be our critique: similar to the menu lag the P330's autofocus - and, indeed, capability to capture a go - is just active when nothing's being written towards the Sdcard. Shoot raw and that we were going through eight seconds of lag as the buffer removed - no immediate problem, but using the P330 it's really a nuisance because the camera is effectively from action throughout this buffer clearing time. If you are not shooting raw this time around is significantly reduced - it might be virtually no problem for JPEG-only photographers.
The P330 puts lots of autofocus types at the tips of the fingers: face priority auto area manual for user-defined positioning (99-areas) center normal/wide subject monitoring and target finding. But it is quality not quantity, right? Manual was our preference, but we did find this single-point system to become from time to time inaccurate. We always shoot and re-shoot within the real life to prevent focus slip-ups where possible, however, many full-extension shots that stated to stay in focus were only around the money a few of the time. Take this squirrel shot, for instance: there was a time important therefore we readily clicked four images - it could have been more otherwise for that shot-to-shot time delay - and located 3 to stay in acceptable focus. Another frames had elected for that trees behind, regardless of the by hand placed focus point being situated right within the target subject.
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample image at ISO 400 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
The P330 also provides a manual focus option that is utilized through the macro mode around the d-pad and controls focus distance through the spinning d-pad. When being used likely to infinity-.3m-macro-symbol measure which turns up right side from the screen to provide approximately focus distance guide.
Manual focus assist - which zooms in to the focus indicate reveal the preview at 100 percent scale - can also be available, however the P330 does not undertake board quirkier focus assist options like the embossed-edge "peaking" feature present in an growing quantity of models. We'd rather that Nikon had designed the P330 having a manual focus ring to the bottom of the lens, but we suppose with regard to cost that people can't get it all.
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample macro image at ISO 80 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
Where we found manual focus probably the most helpful was at close-up focus. Oh boy, the P330's macro mode works a goody - it may slide subjects into focus only a mere 3cms away at its largest-position 24mm equivalent. Autofocus can function here, but we did discover the camera would judgemental to bypass close-up subjects if the simpler, more distant target was available - despite macro mode particularly selected in the menu options.
Another feature that is impossible to miss may be the P330's vibrant aperture range. At f/1.8 in the largest-position there's lots of scope for delicious, blurred-background shots. This dips lower to f/5.6 once the lens is fully extended, which is expected only at that size and price. Still, that's within the remit of the items the Coolpix's rivals offer.
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample image at ISO 250 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
Inside the menus you will find several greater-spec, more-detailed possibilities. There is a three-setting noise-reduction control, a built-in Neutral Density (ND) filter, as the contact lens can "remember" its position between switching your camera off and back on again.
If a person factor appears to lack then it is Wi-Fi, yet Nikon's enabled the P330 to operate with the WU-1a wireless adapter. Wi-Fi as optional is sensible to all of us as not everybody may wish to utilize it - however the accessory will definitely cost around ?55 should you choose want the extra functionality.
Picture quality
Nikon's been bold and decreased the P330's megapixel count in comparison to the predecessor. This will make us wish to erupt into small cheers. The dip from 16-mega pixels lower to 12-mega pixels on the bigger image sensor size makes sense: individuals sensor-level "pixels" is going to be substantially bigger than ever before and can capture more light for any cleaner signal and, therefore, enhanced picture quality. Would be that the situation?
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample macro image at ISO 80 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
In a nutshell, yes. The P330 produces better images than its predecessor, however it's still not the category-leading option that we'd wished for. Its utilisation of the P7700's sensor sure entails you will find some high points, along with the inclusion of NRW raw file capture.
READ: Nikon Coolpix P7700 review
The ISO 80-3200 range is basically lacking of aggressive image noise, aside from more notable colour noise in shadow areas in the greatest of ISO configurations. It's from around ISO 800 where this becomes most noticeable, though grain within raw files from ISO 200 and beyond may also possess some effect on quality.
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample macro image at ISO 800 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
We all do think the P330 has got the edge against something similar to the Panasonic LX7 if this involves high ISO image noise, regardless of the LX7's greater achievements within the design and gratifaction departments.
READ: Panasonic Lumix LX7 review
ISO 80 is how shots are sharpest, but that is largely determined by processing - yes the P330's lens is fairly sharp, although less sharp compared to P7700 in our opinion, nevertheless its rather "mute" raw files do not have anywhere as much maintenance applied his or her JPEG alternatives. No large problem if you would like additional control, yet between raw and JPEG files there isn't an enormous difference of profit from one to another it is all about that publish-production control - if, say, exposure is off - that's achievable in the NRW files.
Nikon Coolpix P330 sample image at ISO 80 - click for full-sized JPEG sample
One control to keep close track of is Nikon's Active D-Lighting mode - which changes dynamic range by pushing shadow and mid-tones up a notch to face facing better uncovered areas - because this is only accessible as much as ISO 800. If Auto ISO is chosen this is when your camera will maximize - irrelevant whether Auto 80-3200 is chosen - unless of course the mode is turned off.
Overall the P330 signifies an absolute advance within the picture quality department. Will still be less than the very best of the bunch, but it is generating its stars among a powerful selection of rivals.
Verdict: The Nikon Coolpix P330 is really a definite advance in comparison to the predecessor, also it throws the P-series in to the high-finish compact camera mix. But it is also a game title of two halves.
Picture quality is really a step-up the look quality ladder, the cost point is extremely competitive and also the new 24-120mm f/1.8-5.6 equivalent zoom is flexible.
But it is performance this is the camera's ultimate disappointment: we found from time to time inaccurate autofocus, sluggish menu access and slow file write occasions - which lock your camera from use because the buffer clears - actually was disadvantages. These weak points don't add up to an overall total failure at all, but they are holding the P330 back. Polish up individuals elements, give a touch screen, quick menu and manual focus ring and we'd possess a champion.
Because it stands we love to in which the P330 has steered the series, but although it steps some misconception it isn't advances ahead in most the departments it ought to be. Great for the cost, but lacking the greatness we'd initially anticipated.
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Nikon Cameras Nikon Coolpix P330
Nikon Coolpix P330 initially made an appearance on http://world wide web.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:01:00 +0100
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