Nikon CoolPix P900: I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are...

wackyquilter64

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

SpyderJan Loc: New Smyrna Beach. FL

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

I have the P900 Wacky. Aside from the reach, I use it for events where things are happening too fast to change settings. I must admit that I mostly use it on Auto.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

Why not try it yourself at different focal lengths. Flowers, landscapes, street, etc. and see how you like the results.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Welcome to the forum! Be sure to check "all sections" (located at bottom of this page) to see specialty forums that might be of interest.

Here is a link to your user manual:

https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/products/221/COOLPIX_P900.html

Try the "scene mode" settings (see page 27) for fun, and then perhaps the special effects (page 28).

There is not really any subject unsuitable for a bridge camera if this is the only camera you own. One drawback is at the wider angles is it may be hard to achieve shallow depth of field (blur the background) due to the properties of small sensor.

wackyquilter64

Thanks for the info. It is not the only camera I own. I was just wanted to maybe be able to use it for more than just the distance shots. I love it for those.

btbg

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

For a bridge camera it does pretty well for close ups of flowers, and also insects because of how close it focuses and it's zoom range.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

It's my wife's camera and it's almost all birds. There are some good reasons, however, to use the "P" setting, especially for birds. Perhaps the most important is that you can then get it to use the small central spot for focusing. There are other settings, too. They are available when you use P and not, for the most part, on full Auto. If I were using it I would use S for shutter priority when shooting birds but usually, P is good enough.

wackyquilter64

Thank you.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

Check out the new Nikon P1000, it has a native 24-3000 mm ED lens. That should be good for photographing birds and moons. Sorry I did not answer your question directly. Could not help myself.

GPappy Loc: Finally decided to plop down, Clover, S.C.

Just got one and still learning the ins and outs with all the menus! Not impressed with macro mode yet but getting there. Starting to play with nd and cpl filters and having some focus issues. Seems like a very good all around camera and wish it had raw capability. (Like the just announced P1000)

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

I guess we can expect a whole new round of discussions with Nikon announcing the Coolpix 1000.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

While it is no high quality DSLR, it is a fine camera in its own right, Wacky, but you need to play around with it in many different settings. Take it to your family get-togethers. Take it to an outdoor art show/garden show/festival, etc. Take it to a local park where there is lots of activity. Lots of other summer activities still to come in your area, in am sure. Force yourself to use only it for a while. I think you will be pleasantly surprised as you learn the camera better.

ppage Loc: Pittsburg, (San Francisco area)

I use one almost every day. It does a good job on Auto most of the time but not always. If it if really bright out your highlights get blown. I use it on shutter priority on bright sunny days set on 1/2500 and auto iso. I have played around with double exposures and it does a nice job. I shot the moon by itself and then took another shot of a nice hill and was able to position the moon just to the side of the hill and it looked quite natural. I use shutter priority a lot to get sharp photos and combat hand shake. Took these recently. I don't bother with aperture priority.
I shoot wildlife so am always fully zoomed so I am always going to be between f/6.3 -8. I don't do portraits. It does a good job with macro but you can't zoom very much with a maco shot but you can get right on top of your flower or bug.

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

(Download)

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

I use the p900 for everything...

Ed

NIKONUT Loc: San Diego

wackyquilter64 wrote:

I mainly use this camera for moon shots and photographing birds or anything at a distance. I guess my question would be if anyone out there has this camera what are other ways to use it and any settings you would use other than auto.

Thanks

I read this comment with a big smile on my face. You spend all that money for such a limited scope of photography. I have used my P900 for almost everything that I used my DF and D800 for. Don't under use the P900.

I also used it to take indoor close up pictures at four museums in Albuquerque and the Getty museum in L.A. I personally use Aperature priority with great success.