JohnR Loc: The Gates of Hell

I am utterly amazed ! Just this week I received my new Nikon Coolpix P950 - for a number of years I have used the big zoom Coolpix's for their smallness, lightness and versatile lenses for taking on bushwalks (hikes?) and bike rides. I started off (I think?)with a Coolpix P500 moving over the years to the last one a B700. All exhibited the usual small sensor issues - poor low light performance with quite restricted ISO ranges - max ISO 1600 on a couple, ISO 3200 on the others. The last the B700 was the best having RAW capabilities which helped a bit especially with Lightroom Classics new Noise reduction tab. Anyway it, like all the previous models, had very poor IQ at maximum zoom of 1440mm (35mm equiv) being quite good at lesser values under 1000mm. One other thing I didn't like about them was their poor quality EV's - I'm most emphatically an eye level viewfinder photographer rarely using the LCD's (- known to put my iPhone up to my eye in a vain attempt to find an EVF!) Reading that the later P950 had a much better EV as well as a longer zoom I splashed out. Very happy with it I am even though its a good bit heavier and larger than the B700 et al. Seems easier to hold steady at long zooms - inertia I think they call it!

Anyway to cut a long story short, I did as I usually do on receiving new gear, I did a few comparison tests - nothing scientific mind - just a few different shots with each of my main cameras. 1 a Nikon D5500, 2 a Lumix GH5 and 3 the P950. Sat in my Study with just one low wattage LED desk lamp and took a shot of one of my book shelves with each set on P mode handheld with exposures as follows.

GH5: ISO 6400, f4.9, 1/20s. D5500: ISO 6400, f4.5, 1/25s. P950 ISO 1250, f3.5, 1/8s. All similar focal distances of course.

I still find the results a bit unbelievable - maybe Nikon is using mobile phone photo technology to enhance their results in the later cameras?? I do know though that the RAW files from the P950 are not really totally RAW having some processing applied in camera. None of the photos have been retouched other than size reduction for uploading to UHH. The RAW files were converted to TIFF for the size reduction.

Finally - yes I have a strange taste in literature (another 3 full bookshelves out of view!)

D5500 - JPG file.

(Download)

D5500 - NEF file

(Download)

GH5 - JPG

(Download)

GH5- RW2 file

(Download)

P950 - jpg file.

(Download)

P950 - NRW file

(Download)

ELNikkor

Viewfinder lag was my main problem with the B700 too. I had borrowed it from my neighbor for some close-up winter bird photos. I was happy with the photos, but couldn't get used to the lag. Glad that Nikon improved things to your liking with the P950.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

What really counts is that you are happy with your Nikon P950 and continue to take photos.

John when you said, "I still find the results a bit unbelievable - maybe Nikon is using mobile phone photo technology to enhance their results in the later cameras??" That is a quite a statement on how our technology has changed... to copy from Cellphone technology... if it is better, why not. Humm, the Tesla Pi-Phone may amaze us further.

Looking up the price and specs on this bulky "Bridge Camera" it has a 16MP 1/2.3" CMOS sensor and costs about $800. For that price one could by one of many 1" sensor Superzoom pocket cameras. Any deficiency in IQ with the 16MP 1/2.3" or 1" sensor can be taken care of by AI plugin modification and enhancement such as Photo-zoom to increase pixel count. However, the 1" most logically, is superior to the 16MP 1/2.3".

My Panasonic TZ100 with its 1" sensor is aging but is quite amazing. With the modification it can take filters and screw-on lens modifiers. When TZ200 came out I bought the TZ100 for $500. Side by side the old TZ100/ZS100 is better than the P950.
https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=nikon_cpp950&products=panasonic_dmczs100

Too easy to stick with what we know.

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

Can't comment much on the cameras, but the similarities in the range of book titles between yours and mine is scary.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Glad you are happy with your new purchase. I got mine some time ago and have been really pleased with my results.

When it comes to cameras, if you are happy that is all that matters!! Enjoy your P-950 in good health!!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Enjoy it! I was lucky enough to get a nice P900 for $127. The zoom is amazing!

Experimenting and comparing cameras can be fun, but it can also be hard to get good, comparable results. It's nice when "good enough" is good enough.

cliff Hilbert Loc: Plano, TX

I've read many of the same books you have on your shelves, it's too bad Stephen Coonts has quit writing.

maxlieberman Loc: 19027

I am happy you are enjoying your new acquisition, and I wish you the best of photographic success with it. I had purchased a refurbished one from Nikon about a year ago, and I could not come to grips with the fact that everything was motorized. I finally traded it in on a long lens for my D7 XXX bodies.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Am playing around with the OM-1 and find the computational abilities phenomenal. it’s fun to experiment 😄

ad9mac

Suggestion for authors; Vince Flynn, Lee Child
If you haven't read them.

delder Loc: Maryland

To my UNTRAINED eye, the P950 JPG shows the most clarity [sharpness].
I like your comment about Cellphone Technology and feel that SOMEONE could market a SMARTPHONE/CAMERA combination with a great "Pancake" lens or small interchangeable lenses and find a good market. Samsung actually made small Digital pocket cameras 📷 in the day, so...

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I see considerable noise in all those shots.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I’ve use Live Comp and Live ND quite a bit. And Pro Capture is my default for wildlife.

JohnR Loc: The Gates of Hell

Gosh how amazing you can see noise! That was the point of the little test - to get an idea how each camera performed in low light!

JohnR Loc: The Gates of Hell

The EVF in the 950 is far far better than that in the 900. Thanks for looking Jerry.