Nikon Coolpix 800

Photographs you take with the Nikon coolpix 800 digital camera will speak for itself. This digital camera is worth it's weight in gold. This is my first digital camera and am very pleased. I have used a couple other cameras (2mp) that belong to friends and I am happy I chose the coolpix. I am thinking of upgrading to the coolpix 5000. If the quality is anything like the nikon 800 I know I will be happy.

I'm very pleased with my Nikon camera. If you like good picture quality , but lack fancy features (such as USB or infrared) this camera will suit you fine. I never had any problems with it and the interface is very intuitive.

The only thing that I'm a little bit sad about is that there is no support for flash type II cards.

I had my Coolpix 800 two weeks before I got an error message. The warranty does not cover shock damage!!! Now I have to spend >$200 (with shipping) to get this $500 camera fixed. I'm not pleased with this Nikon product and would never buy another Nikon. A friend has an Olympus that he dropped on a concrete floor and nothing happened to it. I'm not a happy camper. My family and I like skiing, hiking, biking, boating, and camping but are affraid to take this camera along. I've banged my old SLR around for years with no problems but don't feel I can now take the Nikon out of the house much less place it on anything over a foot off the floor.

I am new to digital photography, having primarily used "Push Here, Dummy" cameras. I've wanted to learn more and digital finally got me to do it because of instant results. The flexibility with the CP800 (for the money) and the quality of the shots makes this an excellent intro camera. I chose it over Kodak because of its better low-light results and I haven't been disappointed. Body design could have been better and accessibility to batteries and CF card needs improvement, but the feel is great.

After a few trials and experimentation, I basically feel like I am a novice expert. However, I already long for the ability to adjust exposure and aperture settings, which the 800 does not allow.

Check online resources for purchases - significant price reductions are available, especially now that the 990 is out. Given the vulnerability of digital cameras, look for a seller that has a 30 day unconditional warranty so that you have the opportunity to get used to the "care and feeding" of your camera.

The Nikon CP800 is a joy to hold. Right from that first moment, you can tell that this has been designed by photographers. The bulging grip fits the right hand perfectly, with shutter button falling nicely under the index finger, and zoom controls just so under the thumb. The viewfinder is at the very left hand side of the camera, so you don't have to smudge the screen with your nose using it.

The optics are Nikkor made, and perform as well as you would expect from these masters. The 2.11 megapixel CCD captures pics that are 1600x1200, with an optional 640x480 VGA mode for internet images. The quality is outstanding; colours are very natural, with neutral tones, and detail and sharpness are very, very impressive. My only gripe concerns the flash, which is perhaps a little too strong, as it tends to bleach the colour from faces. In natural light, nothing can touch the CP800 this side of a CP990 or an Olympus 2500, but indoors, it suffers from the flash.

The software bundle is impressive stuff; there's the obligatory NikonView for porting your images across, but the real gem is Adobe Photoshop LE, head and shoulders above what most of the competition offer.

My only concern regarding value is that the Olympus 2020z is the same price, has a 3x zoom (the CP800 has only 2x) and can capture short movie clips. Even so, I would rate the CP800 as the best camera in its class for quality, features and ease of use.

The Nikon Coolpix 800 is a beautiful, easy to use digital camera that gives the same results as the Coolpix 950 for a lot less money. The sharp Nikon lens produces amazingly precise, sharp images up to 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution. This is good enough to give breathtaking 11 x 14 enlargements. The compact size and weight make the Coolpix 800 easy to carry and use (you can put it in your pocket or the included camera case).

The only downside to this great camera is the software that Nikon includes with it. Unfortunately, "Nikon View" is prehistoric in comparison to Adobe Photoshop or other good imaging software. Shame on Nikon for forcing us to use this junk with such a fantastic camera. However, even this bad point should not deter a buyer from purchasing the extraordinary Coolpix 800. Believe me, my friends and relatives rave about the quality of my digital photos from this baby!