Nikon Coolpix 5400

The Nikon Coolpix 5400 is a very fine camera for those who want to take outside, static subjects. Its image quality is very good due to the superb lens and matrix metering. But try to use it with a moving subject, or when light is low (even with the flash) and you will be disappointed. Even if you can remember which control to set, the subject will have moved by the time you do it. Also, battery life is a problem. I keep 2 spares!

I have a lot of experience with this Nikon Coolpix 5400 digital camera - about 3,000 pictures. I mostly use one of the manual modes, not one of the automatic modes. That is, the camera was designed to be used as a professional would operate a camera. The auto mode is for people that don't have time to learn the finer points of photography. I seem to learn a little bit more every time I use the camera. If one does not want to move into the digital SLR camera category, if buying, then this is a very good camera that makes pictures almost as good as a SLR. The main advantage of the SLR camera is in the big size image sensor, which lets one use rather high ISO's (over 1000), while the Nikon 5400 operates well only for ISO's 50 to 200. I have used shutter speeds as high as 1/4000 sec with this camera, so its image sensor has very fast response. And for dim lit scenes, I have used shutter speeds as slow as 1 second, so, if you can hold the camera still, this camera can take no-flash pictures in dim light settings. The camera can also take rapid fire pictures when in JPG mode - for example 7 frames (full resolution) in about 2 3/4 sec. The TIFF picture mode is availabe - and gives the highest quality pictures, but it is not practical to use, because of very large file size and very slow processing speed. For higher processing speeds, I will normally use the 1600x1200 Fine JPG mode, and picture quality is not significantly different from the TIFF 2,594x1944 pictures. I highly recommend this camera, but have to say, I am partial to Nikon's.

This Nikon Coolpix 5400 digital camera is cute and lite. Writing speed is terrible. Using panorama mode is difficult due to screen quality. Lens quality is superb but low lite is difficult , no infra red beam. Battery life is way to short. Zoom is great but Nikon firmware software is terrible and the online registration process does not recognise some countries as even existing (Ireland).