Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Nikon Digital Cameras > Nikon Coolpix 5000

Nikon Coolpix 5000 Nikon moves into the 5 megapixel era with a new chip, new lens, and new body, but no retreat from the legendary Nikon feature set! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet Coolpix 5000 Test Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on Coolpix 5000 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Camera Modes & Menus :(Previous) | (Next): Video, Power, Software>> Page 10:Image Storage & Interface Review First Posted: 9/18/2001

Image Storage and Interface

The Coolpix 5000 uses standard CompactFlash Type I or II memory cards, and a 32MB card is included with the camera. Given the size of the images though (not to mention the current low prices on memory cards), I strongly recommend buying a larger card. Captured images can be individually write-protected through the Playback menu, but write protected files are only immune to accidental deletion, not card reformatting. File formats include several levels of compressed JPEG files as well as an uncompressed TIFF mode (Hi quality setting). Available image sizes are 2,560 x 1,920, 3:2 Ratio (2,560 x 1,700), 1,600 x 1,200 (UXGA), 1,280 x 960 (SXGA), 1,024 x 768 (XGA), and 640 x 480 (VGA) pixels. The table below details the Coolpix 5000's approximate file sizes and compression ratios in all its various image size/quality combinations.

 

Image Capacity vs Resolution/Quality 32MB Memory Card		Hi	Fine	Normal	Basic
Full Resolution 2560x1920	Images (Avg size)	1 14.7 MB	12 2.6 MB	25 1.3 MB	51 0.6 MB
	Approx. Compression	1:1	6:1	12:1	24:1
UXGA Resolution 1600x1200	Images (Avg size)	-	32 1.00 MB	62 0.52 MB	117 0.27 MB
	Approx. Compression	-	6:1	11:1	21:1
SXGA Resolution 1280x960	Images (Avg size)	-	49 0.65 MB	94 0.34 MB	171 0.19 MB
	Approx. Compression	-	6:1	11:1	20:1
XGA Resolution 1024x768	Images (Avg size)	-	75 0.43 MB	138 0.23 MB	241 0.13 MB
	Approx. Compression	-	6:1	10:1	18:1
VGA Resolution 640x480	Images (Avg size)	-	217 0.15 MB	286 0.11 MB	455 0.07 MB
	Approx. Compression	-	6:1	8:1	13:1
(3:2) 2560x1704	Images (Avg size)	-	22 1.5 MB	28 1.1 MB	55 0.6 MB
	Approx. Compression	-	9:1	12:1	22:1

 

With its high resolution and large 8-frame buffer, the Coolpix 5000 is a camera that'll fill up a memory card plenty fast. Even though the 32MB memory card included in the box is fairly generous by digicam manufacturer standards, you should really consider it to be just a With its high resolution and large 8-frame buffer, the Coolpix 5000 is a camera that'll fill up a memory card plenty fast. Even though the 32MB memory card included in the box is fairly generous by digicam manufacturer standards, you should really consider it to be just a "starter" card, and plan on buying a larger one immediately. (Here's a tip, get the largest you can reasonably afford - I can vouch from personal experience that even a couple of hundred megabytes can vanish faster than you'd think! A nice thing about memory cards is that they're universal enough that you can pretty well count on using whatever extra card(s) you buy now with your next camera when you upgrade a couple of years down the line.) To help you shop for a good deal on memory cards that fit the Coolpix 5000, we've put together a little memory locater, with links to our price-comparison engine: Just click on the "Memory Wizard" at right to go to the Nikon memory finder, select your camera model (the Coolpix 5000, in this case), and click the shopping cart icon next to the card size you're interested in. You'll see a list of matching entries from the price-comparison database. Pick a vendor &

Nikon has officially certified the IBM MicroDrives for use in the Coolpix 5000, although only the more recent 512MB and 1GB models. (The camera may not start up properly with the original 170/340 megabyte models.) While their formal press release made no mention of it, in earlier communications, they expressed concern over higher power consumption relative to standard CF cards. I don't have a 1GB MicroDrive on hand, but did perform some power tests with the older, supposedly higher-power 340 MB model, with the results reported in the following Nikon has officially certified the IBM MicroDrives for use in the Coolpix 5000, although only the more recent 512MB and 1GB models. (The camera may not start up properly with the original 170/340 megabyte models.) While their formal press release made no mention of it, in earlier communications, they expressed concern over higher power consumption relative to standard CF cards. I don't have a 1GB MicroDrive on hand, but did perform some power tests with the older, supposedly higher-power 340 MB model, with the results reported in the following "Video, Power, Software"

The Coolpix 5000 uses a USB interface to connect to a host computer for image downloading. Like many higher-end cameras these days, it's a "storage class" device, which means that Mac users on OS 8.6 or greater, or Windows Me, 2000, or XP users can just plug the camera into their computers and have it appear as a removable hard drive. Connected to my 500 MHz G4 Macintosh, I clocked the data transfer rate at 632 KBytes/second, among the fastest I've seen.

Lost Images? - Download this image-recovery program so you'll have it when you need it...
Since we're talking about memory and image storage, this would be a good time to mention the following: I get a ton of email from readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. It's tragic when it happens, there are few things more precious than photo memories. Corrupted memory cards can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's immune. "Stuff happens," as they say. A surprising number of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive, easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digicam reviews. The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it. It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue for Windows or PhotoRescue for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the PDF manual and quickstart guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly scheduled review...