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Nikon Coolpix 8800 By: Shawn Barnett & Dave Etchells Nikon improves on its flagship 8 megapixel prosumer camera with a longer zoom and vibration reduction to improve long handheld shots. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet 8800 Sample Images 8800 Imatest Results --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. User Report 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 8800 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Viewfinder :(Previous) | (Next): Exposure & Flash>> Page 5:Optics Review First Posted: 09/16/2004, Updated: 11/23/2004

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The Coolpix 8800 features a 10x Nikkor 8.9-89mm ED lens, the equivalent of a 35-350mm lens on a 35mm camera. The maximum aperture varies from f/2.8 to f/5.2, depending on the lens zoom setting, with the largest aperture available when the lens is at its maximum wide angle focal length. Minimum aperture is f/8, regardless of focal length. Apertures are adjustable in 10 steps with one-third EV increments, and are created by a seven-blade iris diaphragm. (The seven-blade diaphragm is a nice but subtle touch - it will produce less distortion in sharp, specular highlights than apertures made by diaphragms with fewer blades in them, and hence more irregular shapes. The seven-blade iris also provides finer aperture control than simpler designs.)

Focus on the Coolpix 8800 operates under automatic or manual control, and features Macro and Infinity focus modes as well. The Coolpix 8800's autofocus mechanism employs a contrast-detection method, which determines focus from a nine-area array of autofocus points, distributed across roughly the central 60% of the overall frame area. The Focus option under the settings menu allows AF area selection under automatic control, or lets you manually set the location of the autofocus area. (This last is a nice feature that works well when combined with the spot metering mode, which can likewise be directed to link exposure to the same zone.) In the "Auto" option for focus area selection, the camera chooses the area corresponding to the subject closest to the camera. When the area focus option is set to Off, the camera bases focus on the central area. Two AF modes are also available: Continuous AF and Single AF. Continuous AF mode means that the camera constantly adjusts the focus, good for moving subjects. In Single AF mode, focus is only determined when the Shutter button is halfway pressed. Some users are confused or bothered by Continuous AF, because there's a subtle but constant clicking sound as the camera continually checks and adjusts focus, so many will want to stay in Single AF mode. (It's also worth noting, that while Continuous AF may help in tracking moving subjects, it provides no reduction in shutter lag whatsoever, when working with stationary subjects.) Continuous AF also naturally uses more battery, because the focus motor, sensors, and processor are always on.

The fully manual focus option is accessed by pressing the AF button on the camera's side and turning the Command dial. A distance scale in the LCD monitor reports current focusing distance in a very general sense, showing a bar that extends from a macro symbol on one side to an infinity symbol on the other. The minimum focusing range depends strongly on the lens zoom setting, so the focus-distance display turns red if you try to manually focus closer than the lens can support at its current focal length. I have to say that I dislike the 8800's distance readout because it makes it difficult or impossible to know the actual focusing distance you've selected. I've often had occasion to set an approximate manual focus distance in advance of a shot, based on my estimate of the subject's distance. (After-dark candid and wildlife photography are two situations where I've frequently needed to do this.) I would think Nikon could use the combination of lens focal length and focus-motor position to derive the actual focusing distance.- Certainly, I've seen numeric distance readouts on cameras from a variety of other manufacturers, so it's technically possible.

For those situations when you can actually point at your subject long enough to set the focus visually, a "Focus Confirmation" option (available as a menu selection in Record mode) applies a strong "sharpening" operator to the LCD display. The result is that the LCD image very clearly "snaps" into focus when proper focus is achieved, making the LCD display much more useful than it ordinarily would be for manual focusing. Focus Confirmation can be set to be on all the time, off all the time, or only on when the camera is being manually focused. This is another Nikon trick that I'd like to see more camera manufacturers adopt.

The Coolpix 8800's digital telephoto feature is enabled through the Zoom option under the Setup menu, and enlarges images as much as 4x. An indicator on the LCD monitor displays a bar graph showing the approximate level of digital zoom. Keep in mind though that digital telephoto only enlarges the center of the image, reducing resolution in direct proportion to the amount of digital zoom used. Also under the Zoom menu option, you can turn the digital zoom off and activate the Fixed Aperture function, which keeps the aperture fixed as the lens zooms. (This last being a very handy option when working with studio strobes or other strobes with fixed output levels and no exposure feedback from the camera.)

There's a set of body threads around the end of the lens barrel (the part attached to the camera, not the portion that telescopes out), protected by a metal ring, for attaching an adapter barrel for accessory lenses. The 8800 can accept wide, telephoto, and fisheye lenses with the use of an optional adapter.

Autofocus performance under low light on the 8800 seems similar to that on prior Coolpix models, but there is an AF-assist light nestled next to the hand grip for better results. In my informal testing, the AF system could focus on sharply-defined, high-contrast objects in total darkness out to about 6 feet or so, but it did considerably better with at least some ambient light, and the focus performance was also very dependent on the contrast level of the subject involved. In incandescent room light where other cameras perform reasonably well though, when set to telephoto focal lengths, the 8800 sometimes took three or four seconds to focus, or focused right past what was clearly in focus, and settled on a very out-of-focus setting. You really have to pick your contrasty areas; and even when you do, it can be hit and miss. Our production sample did quite a bit better in this regard than the prototype we first looked at, but there still seems to be some room for improvement. (The good news, is that the camera focused quite a bit quicker at wide-angle focal lengths under these conditions. - And most indoor shots call for wide angle rather than 10x telephoto zoom settings.)