More Nikon P900 Discussion
Jul 11, 2015 16:34:45 #
I recognize that I've been pretty critical of the Nikon Coolpix P900, so I contacted a friend who is an outstanding wildlife photographer and we arranged to meet and travel to the Conowingo Dam in Maryland. There my friend broke out his Canon and my P900 and shot some test shots.
Here's what he had to say, followed by the shots he took.
Neither of these images is very good as the very dark bird against a bright sky doesn't capture very well. I'm not sure how to interpret this, except to agree that the Nikon P900 is one helluva value at $600. My rig was roundly $15k and IMHO the P900 cropped image is slightly better than the Canon 1Dx. The analysis is complicated by the fact that I had to crop the Canon image to 367x367 and no image would hold up to that type of extreme crop. The Nikon cropped image was 922x922 - better but still not great.
Also, we talked about the P900's optical & digital zoom. I think my educated guess was correct i.e. that the vertical bar on the zoom slider marks the divider between optical & digital zoom. When I imported the P900 images into Lightroom, the software reported 357mm focal length. Doing the calculation, 357mm * 5.62 crop factor = 2006mm full frame equivalent.
Now I'm thinking another valid test would be... a full frame image in the Canon (i.e. the bird does not require cropping) vs. the same shot with the P900 (zoomed such that the bird is also full frame).
Here's what he had to say, followed by the shots he took.
Neither of these images is very good as the very dark bird against a bright sky doesn't capture very well. I'm not sure how to interpret this, except to agree that the Nikon P900 is one helluva value at $600. My rig was roundly $15k and IMHO the P900 cropped image is slightly better than the Canon 1Dx. The analysis is complicated by the fact that I had to crop the Canon image to 367x367 and no image would hold up to that type of extreme crop. The Nikon cropped image was 922x922 - better but still not great.
Also, we talked about the P900's optical & digital zoom. I think my educated guess was correct i.e. that the vertical bar on the zoom slider marks the divider between optical & digital zoom. When I imported the P900 images into Lightroom, the software reported 357mm focal length. Doing the calculation, 357mm * 5.62 crop factor = 2006mm full frame equivalent.
Now I'm thinking another valid test would be... a full frame image in the Canon (i.e. the bird does not require cropping) vs. the same shot with the P900 (zoomed such that the bird is also full frame).
Canon 1Dx Uncropped
(Download)
Canon 1Dx Cropped
Nikon Coolpix P900 Uncropped
(Download)
Nikon Coolpix 900 Cropped
(Download)
Jul 11, 2015 17:11:58 #
Jul 11, 2015 17:55:43 #
Check out Software and Computer Support for Photographers section of our forum.
Jul 11, 2015 18:53:33 #
JPL wrote:
700 mm
Thanks; it would also be rather interesting to set the P900 to 700mm (equiv) and reshoot both cameras. (I know the bird has flown by now :D )
Jul 13, 2015 13:25:07 #
Searcher wrote:
My friend wrote: "My lens is a 500mm Canon F/4L IS USM (model I) + 1.4 TC => 700mm."What was the focal length of the lens on the Canon?
Jul 9, 2016 10:38:05 #
Jul 10, 2016 15:15:48 #
Check out Professional and Advanced Portraiture section of our forum.
Jul 10, 2016 17:49:53 #
Dick Duffy wrote:
great to see searcher back on the hog
I thought that too. But this an old thread and Searcher's comment is from 2015. He's still MIA.
Aug 24, 2017 12:19:02 #
Solar Eclipse with P900 Nikon
Built my own, got bulk material from Thousands Oaks Optical.
An event to remember. Right before the Totality the Humming birds came in for night feeding, the Tree Frogs began to sound off in the timber right behind our place and the Katy's starting make their buzz. It was near stone quite for a short time during the Totality. A camera will not even come close to a visual sighting. We observed the sunrise colors on our NW horizon, very weird feeling. One Corona I skipped on my post.
Built my own, got bulk material from Thousands Oaks Optical.
An event to remember. Right before the Totality the Humming birds came in for night feeding, the Tree Frogs began to sound off in the timber right behind our place and the Katy's starting make their buzz. It was near stone quite for a short time during the Totality. A camera will not even come close to a visual sighting. We observed the sunrise colors on our NW horizon, very weird feeling. One Corona I skipped on my post.
Nov 28, 2017 08:29:51 #
I bought a P900 last year for about£430.00.
Very happy with the camera until difficulty with charging (none) and On / Off switch not functioning.
Returned it to Nikon - reply stated that the Printed Circuit Board had failed.
Replacement cost £202.00 LABOUR ONLY.
That is the PCB has failed - not been damaged - and there is no charge for parts, so this is acknowledged.
HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE P 900?
I wrote back as follows:
"Your response is entirely unsatisfactory.
The printed Circuit Board is an integral part of the camera.
It has not been damaged – it has failed.
I paid over £400.00 for this camera just over a year ago, and now you are expecting me to pay a further £201.00 JUST FOR LABOUR, and a £0.00 charge for parts thus acknowledging that it was faulty.
I assume that you have had many failures such a this and are trying to mitigate your losses.
I wish to take this complaint further and would be grateful to receive your head office address and the name of your CEO by return.
John Richardson
Very happy with the camera until difficulty with charging (none) and On / Off switch not functioning.
Returned it to Nikon - reply stated that the Printed Circuit Board had failed.
Replacement cost £202.00 LABOUR ONLY.
That is the PCB has failed - not been damaged - and there is no charge for parts, so this is acknowledged.
HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE P 900?
I wrote back as follows:
"Your response is entirely unsatisfactory.
The printed Circuit Board is an integral part of the camera.
It has not been damaged – it has failed.
I paid over £400.00 for this camera just over a year ago, and now you are expecting me to pay a further £201.00 JUST FOR LABOUR, and a £0.00 charge for parts thus acknowledging that it was faulty.
I assume that you have had many failures such a this and are trying to mitigate your losses.
I wish to take this complaint further and would be grateful to receive your head office address and the name of your CEO by return.
John Richardson
Nov 28, 2017 08:59:53 #
Check out Photo Critique Section section of our forum.
Nov 30, 2017 05:04:15 #
Nov 30, 2017 11:36:20 #
If you bought it online, John, you can usually go to the website and get a copy of your sale receipt.
Nov 30, 2017 11:43:59 #
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