The Nikon Coolpix 3100 is one of the smallest digital cameras on the market. The Coolpix 3100 is designed to fit nicely into shirt or jacket pockets There is a 3x optical zoom lens built into the Coolpix and a 3.2-megapixel CCD for capturing high quality images, and a great amount of preset shooting modes. The camera works mainly under automatic control and both control layout and menu display are very easy to use.
The Coolpix 3100 comes with a real-image optical viewfinder (recommended) and a 1.5-inch color LCD screen. Though the LCD monitor provides more accurate framing, its battery consumption is excessive. The camera is fitted with a 5.8-17.4mm zoom lens equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a
35mm camera. Again in a digital camera we find ourselves with a moderate wideangle and an also moderate tele. I know that this model is aimed at begginners but…
Other camera features include both a Self-Timer mode and a Continuous Shooting mode.
The Coolpix 3100 is just a little bit taller than a credit card. I don’t know about you , but I have fairly big hands used to work with photographic gear as big as Nikon’s F4’s and F5’s. So, I found it really awkward to use such a tiny camera. But what for me is a drawback may be heaven to a great number of users.
CAMERA OPERATION
Despite the Coolpix 3100's limited exposure control, the camera offers a nice selection of external control buttons, making for an easy-to-navigate user interface. Flash mode, Self-Timer mode, Macro mode, zoom, record mode, and an Erase function are all accessible via external controls. The Mode dial on top of the camera accesses the main operating modes, and a multi-directional Arrow pad on the back panel navigates through on-screen menus, in addition to accessing camera features directly. The good thing is that you’ll only need the instruction manual for the odd reference. I think this camera is extremely easy to use: beginner’s paradise!
Camera Modes and Menus As I stated above, this Nikon model is very easy to use. It’d better be because it’s aimed at the novice market. The menus (terribly easy to navigate on) include the incredible array of features this camera are provided with. Some of them are listed below. · Welcome Screen. · Language: · Date:Sets date. · CF Card Format: Formats the CompactFlash card · Reset All: Resets all camera settings to default ones.
Shooting menu offers the following features:
-Image Size and Quality: Sets the image resolution and compression level White Balance: Adjusts the overall color balance of the image.
· Exposure Compensation: Increases or decreases exposure from -2 to +2 EV.
· Date Imprint: Prints date, time or both on your images. Can be deactivated.
· Continuous: Accesses the camera's drive mode.
· CF Card Format: Formats the CompactFlash memory card.
· Image Size and Quality: Sets the image resolution and compression level.
Thera are different factory set programs. I don’t use them usually, but there’s no account for tastes.Here they come without descriptions of what they can do because I find their names to be self-explanatory.
Power The Coolpix 3100 can use a pair of rechargeable NiMH AA batteries, one CRV3 lithium battery or two LR6 AA nickel manganese batteries for power.
THE COOLPIX 3100 IN USE.
As I mentioned above this camera is so tiny for me that I found myself unconfortable using it. Anyway, as I love you so much, I run it through some tests and found interesting things: 1- The camera handled pastel tones as well as highly saturated ones nicely. Skin tones were particularly good and overall colour performance is better than the camera’s size. I was really impressed by the way this tiny machine managed different light situations. The blue was captured well, not very often done by other more expensive cameras. Also turned in a much better than average performance under the very difficult incandescent lighting.
2- The Coolpix copes very well too in the exposure deparment. Maybe the only drawback is the flash performance. Shots with the camera's flash were quite dim . Nikon take note.
3- Sharpness and resolution are quite good for a 3.2 megapixel camera. Anyway don’t expect a slide like performance here.
4- If you are a close-up buff like me you’ll enjoy the close up mode. It can cover a minimum area of 1.99 x 1.50 inches. My advice is not to use this mode with the built in flash because the results are simply disappointing.
5- The 3100's optical viewfinder is a little tight, showing approximately 86 percent of the frame at wide angle, and approximately 85 percent at telephoto. This is a very typical performance among consumer digicams, but I still would strongly prefer to see the viewfinders show more of the final field of view. The LCD monitor did much better, showing approximately 95 percent at wide angle and about 97 percent at telephoto. Given that I like LCD monitors to be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the 3100 performed fairly well here.
6- The Coolpix 3100's battery life is about 83 minutes in its worst-case power drain mode.
7- If you turn off the LCD this life can get as long as 4 days!!!! Amazing.
8- Last but not least a final question: What do you get in the box where the Coolpix lies waiting for you to use. Well, A wrist strap; a 16 MB lexar CompactFlash card; video cable; USB cable; two non-rechargeable AA batteries; a CD-ROM with the drivers and Nikon View software and the usual instruction manual.
Verdict. From the sharp Nikon optics to the full range of exposure control, this Coolpix may satisfy a wide range of users. As in the earlier 885 and 775 models, Nikon continues to extend the Coolpix line toward the novice user. In the 3100, this focus is expressed in the new Framing Assist modes, providing nearly infallible framing and exposure for entry-level users. The Coolpix 3100 is an extremely flexible point-and-shoot camera, with just enough features to produce great images with little hassle. Best of all, the 3100's image quality lives up to almost every potential users’ expectations. The price around 179 pounds won't break your bank.
For further tech specs you can go to: http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/PDF/coolpix3100.htm
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Advantages: Small (Pocket sized) but not fiddly, Good instructions and easy to use and excellent pictures. Disadvantages: Batteries don't last very long but this is always the case with cheap Digital Camera's
Julie_ha_francis 19.05.2004 (20.05.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Nikon Coolpix 3100
Advantages: This camera is easy to use. If you are hopeless at framing a picture its photo wizards help. They give an outline of a figure for you to line up with your subject. There is a variety of these template available. I found them a great help ! Disadvantages: Occasionaly pictures taken in the dark look ok on the cameras screen but when placed onto the computer may seem blurred.
k_11_uk 02.02.2004 (02.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Nikon Coolpix 3100
Mar 29th, 2004
exceptional by (5%):
very helpful by (95%):
