1 SYSTEM ERROR
Okay, for 18 months it was a reasonable--not great--camera. It's not big and looks cool, but it is also slow and performs poorly in low light. Red eye is a huge problem.
But, after 18 months, the camera failed to work and displayed SYSTEM ERROR.
SYSTEM ERROR is apparently a common Nikon problem and requires the camera be sent to Nikon for a costly fix. Thus, my one-star rating; I don't have enough cash for my digital cameras to be disposable, I need them to be reliable.
I recommend heartily against the Nikon brand and am awaiting delivery of a new Canon A95.
2 Still kickin
I have had this camera for a year and a 1/2, and I still find it a great camera for casual photos.
I love the swinging lense-it keeps the lense covered well when not in use, and you can take self-portraits very easy. I also like that you can angle up/down for awkward shots. Extreme closeups are sharp, but you have to fool around to guess where the focal point is. I haven't even played with the video clip part. I do like that you can make small images as you go. The Nikon software was mediocre. I stopped using it. Too bad they didn't continue with this design.
I decided to write this review after looking at similar cameras this past holiday season. While it sucks at indoor pictures (dark and RED)unless there is A LOT of light (the triple flash is obnoxious), it generally delivers. It took better shots of fireworks than my friend's newer camera. [...]
It's holding up very well to being tossed about in my bag, even without a case. The batteries don't charge as well as they did, but it's still usable. It uses Compact Flash, which I feel is better media than the starting-to-fade-away SD or MMC.
If you see it at a good price, go for it. I paid $150 for it and a case and more memory. Should be a lot cheaper now.
3 it's the best for a casual user
ok, I'm a casual user, I don't take pictures too much, I don't go on trips alot and I don't print. Now, I have had this camera for a long time so I can tell with certainty that I have not even thought of buying another camera to replace it.
Likes:
looks so much better than other cameras.
you can adjust the angle of the lens, that gives you a lot of freedom to take pictures yourself, without asking strangers for help, which you don't know how it will turn out.
Great value since it's very inexpensive now.
Still work just the same as the first day I got it, at least a year now.
The auto-scene mode is a must for novice users.
Easy to use, not filled with a bunch of feature that a novice like myself would never use.
Dislikes:
2MP is too low by the standards today.
Can't take moving pictures under bad lighting (few cameras can, though).
if you aren't crazy about photos, this one will suit you fine and save you money. I saw it on sale at WhoSave coom, a site that lists sales from Amazon and other places on the web, but that was awhile ago. I am not sure if you can still buy this camera new. Either way, I put in a recommendation for Nikon products.
4 Some people can't shoot!
I have had this little thing as my emergency camera for the last three years, I got it when it was released in the UK. I have found it to be an excellent little thing - remember, it is for snapshots. I never use the flash as it bleaches the picture...by 'night scene' enables you to take some excellent pictures. Of course, by increasing aperture time one needs to steady the camera, therefore I have a little tripod that fits in a pocket - or I wedge the thing against something solid. I have an amazing array of pictures from it...and have had some win prizes and sold others. So, all those of you who are knocking the camera...I suggest you look at yourselves before blaming your tools!
5 Loooove
I absolutely adored this camera! It was my first digital camera, and I took over 2,000 picures with it during the time it lasted, however it has now died completely (won't turn on most of the time and when it does the screen reads "Error") and I have only had it for about a year and a half. So, now I have to look for a new camera.
6 Terrible design.....
I agree, it looks really cool. Everything on this camera is perfect OTHER than the flash. It is less than 1/8th an inch from the lense, this cameras only major downside. When you take a picture everything up close is white and everything behiend that is black. Trying to take a picture of somthing that might be a little reflective? Too bad! I tried to take some pictures of a plastic computer case, and the flash created a lovely white glare on it, obscuring everything but the background, which was turned a lovely shade of black. Turn the flash off you say? Well, then the pictures get even blurrier. Yes, the pictures are always blurry. I am yet to get a good, non blurry picture from this camera. The camera figures "Well the flash is off so I should keep the shutter open for a half of a second". Most pictures from this camera make it look like a huge earthquake is in progress. Avoid this camera at all costs! I give Nikon some credit for trying to give this camera a cool look, but they could have moved the flash! Have they ever heard of product testers??
7 Doesn't Last!!
I really enjoyed this camera the first 16 months I had it. Like the others, mine suddenly went dead after having taken pristine care of it. Even worse is Nikon's service center. It took me over 2 hours to get through to someone over the phone. When I finally was able to talk to someone, he had no idea what my problem could be. No one in their tech department would admit to having heard of this problem before, and no one could give me even a professional guess for a diagnosis. I thought it might be my battery and searched at no less than 15 different camera and electronics stores for a replacement. You can't find that battery anywhere other than online. Unfortunately, it wasn't the battery. After mailing the camera back to Nikon for service, I received an estimate that it would cost $130 to fix the camera. Still, there was no description of what the problem was. Why would I pay $130 to repair this defective camera, when I could buy a new one for the same price? I had always been a big fan of Nikon's non-digital cameras, and I am beyond disappointed with this purchase. Suffice it to say, I will NEVER purchase another Nikon digital camera.
8 Don't waste your money
The camera went dead after 18 mos. You could view the menu but the lens would not display an image. I doubt I will ever own another Nikon digital camera.
9 Ain't is not a word
I'd like to point out to the reviewer who stated "It Ain't that simple to use" two things.............
#1 -- the camera is ultra simple to use
#2 -- ain't is not a word
10 BAD build quality and so-so image quality
My coolpix 2500 suddenly went dead after 14 months. This is the first tech product I owned that has ever died on me. I will never buy another Nikon product. The picture quality is so-so, tends to have red-eye.
11 Bad, bad focus
After using this camera for a week I think there are MUCH better options out there. Granted, the swivel lens is cute, and the size and heft are great. The delay between swiveling the lens and the time you can actually start taking pictures is extremely annoying and caused me to loose several great pictures. The worst feature however is that it is extremely difficult to tell if the image is focused or not, as you take it. The focus is terrible. A huge percentage of the pictures we took were blurry or completely unfocused. Lastly, by this time it is just better to invest in a camera with more megapixels.
12 Horrible Customer Service
I received the camera with a large scratch on the LCD monitor and was referred to Nikon customer service for a replacement and they have been horribly unhelpful. Also experienced similar problems as others have with poor indoor picture quality and battery life. Do not buy this camera.
13 Could be better
I wanted an easy to use digital camera for vacation pics, hobby use etc. This is my first digital camera. Picked this one after much reserach, and due to some sale pricing I found.
Things I like:
1. Camera looks good and is very compact.
2. Swivel lens has a few uses. (not very significant.)
3. The price of the camera is fairly low for the features.
4. Takes good outdoor and closeup photos.
5. Controls and menus are OK. More than enough options for me & comparatively easy to use.
6. Comes with a battery charger.
Things I don't like.
1. On / Off slider switch can easily get switched on by mistake.
2. The swivel lens is awkward, but is a little better than dealing with a lens cap.
3. Terrible red-eye when using flash. The flash is directly adjacent to the lens due to the swivel lens design. Therefore, red-eye is very bad, even when using the flash in the red-eye reduction mode.
4. The Nikon software (NikonView 6) did not work for me (using a Mac OS 9.0). Caused freezes and several functions did not work. I ended up deleting the Nikon software after many days of trying to work with it and fix it. Not sure I got it all deleted. Still some ongoing computer issues stemming from the Nikon software.
Overall, if you are going to be using your camera for indoor shots of people or animals using flash, I would not suggest this camera unless you like red eyes.
Also, if your computer is a Mac, the Nikon software may give you problems.
If I were doing it over, I would take a closer look at the Canon digital cameras, but they probably have their own list of shortcomings.
14 Here's why the swivel lens is important!
Most of the comments here have already covered this great beginner's digicam in plenty of detail, so I thought I'd hit on one thing specifically: why the swivel lens is actually quite practical. Besides allowing goofy but well-framed self-portraits ;), it's best used in situations where one needs extra height in order to take a shot. For example: I was recently part of a large crowd of people at a Thanksgiving Day parade. I swiveled the lens *down*, held the camera above my head, and angled the LCD screen toward myself. That let me view the framed shot clearly, and allowed me to take several photos *above the crowd* that would have been impossible to take otherwise. Brilliant!
15 Cute But Battery Strange
This is my first serious purchase of a digital camera. I like it very much, espcially the rotatiing lense. I am not pleased with the battery. Never has stayed charged for very long. I wonder if battery is defective. Will buy another battery very soon.
16 Pros and cons, but a good camera
Overall, a decent camera. Great function for size. Price has come down quite a bit recently, so a good deal for the money.
Pros:
Size -- nice and compact, fits in my pocket.
No junk to tote around -- doesn't need a lens cap or other stuff that comes off and gets lost since it folds up.
3x optical zoom -- especially in such a small camera.
Close and tight macro.
Lots of Scene selections available that work well (outdoor, indoor, macro, indoors no flash, night, landscape, portrait, sports, etc.)
Takes CF cards -- which are not too expensive and available locally.
No trouble with compatibility on multiple computers.
Good sharp details/colors come out good most of the time (see below about white balance)
Simple menus that are easy to use.
Cons:
Expensive battery/charger -- oddball proprietary size. Try to buy one of those batteries at the local WalMart or camera store.... No dice.
Needs a few more manual controls:
Ability to manual focus
White balance options when using scene selections,
Flash power control -- sometimes the flash blows out details on shiny things up close.
Hand-shake can be a problem up close when not using flash (because of reason listed above.)
No focus indicator crosshairs or little box in the display to show you what the camera is focusing on.
17 Where is the view finder???
I purchased my camera 11 months ago when it first came out.. I have never used a digital camera and was looking for an easy one,but good pictures. I loved the design.. and the pictures are outstanding. My problem is no view finder. I have to take mystery pictures ,as I call them. I think it would be my dream camera if everything was the same but included a view finder.. I did buy the hood for the viewing screen, but dosent help. I have to wave my hand in front the the lens to see if the camera is on after it automatically shuts down power. Ok thats it.. If the view finder was on this camera it would be 6 stars in my rating book
18 Great camera from Nikon.
This is an excellent camera for beginners. After a lot of research I made the choice to purchase this camera. The picture quality is excellent, even at night, and it's very simple to use. The scene modes are great, you can select different flash modes (no flash, auto, red-eye reduction), and one click upload is fast, the size and quality of pictures are very easy to adjust on the camera. The swivel lens is ok if you think you would like it. It also comes with rechargeable battery and charger (which many cameras in this class don't). The battery had pretty good life and can be fully charged in a couple hours. The optical zoom is also 3X which is better than most in its class. The USB upload is quick and easy. I haven't messed around the manual features so I don't know how well they work. My only gripes are the time from picture to picture can be slow, the flash produces bad red-eye, and the LCD screen can be hard to view in bright sunlight. Also I recommend getting the upgraded memory card to at least 128MB and the camera case for protection.
19 Small, good quality
I like the swivel lens, good for candid photos.
Could use a longer zoom.
20 coolpix 2500
This camera is really neat with it's features, and being small its more versatile. Takes great pictures up close, and beautiful ones from far away. Works well and efficently.
21 OK - but has some major issues
The camera take very nice pictures. And the memory card that comes with it is fairly adequate. I have two major complaints about the camera however, and I wouldn't have bought this camera if I'd know about these things...
Firstly, unless the camera is 'off' the battery gets wasted VERY quickly (like 1hr)! It doesn't turn off automatically. So, if you take a picture or download your pictures (the camera has to be 'ON' to download pics) and forget to turn the camera 'OFF', when you go to take pictures, the battery is totally dead. This has happened to me many times. Also, the slide level which is the 'ON-OFF-PLAY' control can easily slide into the 'ON' position without your knowing it if it's in a pocket or purse.
Secondly, it's very difficult to take indoor pictures of people. I have tried several different 'scenes', nothing seems to help. You have to hold the camera VERY steady in order to not get a blurry pic.
Maybe some of the higher priced Nikons are better.
22 Not for Flash Photos
If you take lots of indoor flash pictures, this is probably not the camera to choose.
Irrespective of the other attributes of this camera (whether it can be bounced on the floor and survive, whether it takes reasonable outdoor still pictures, macros, has lots of scene modes, etc.) this camera should be avoided if you intend to take lots of photos of people indoors using the built-in flash.
I find that severe red eye is practically inevitable with this camera, even if one uses the anti-red eye flash setting on the camera, and one has to retouch practically all flash pictures of people. In addition, flash pictures indoors will sometimes show white filled-in circles, located at random throughout the photo. They may ruin the photo depending on their location in the image.
These problems have been mentioned by other reviewers, both in this forum and in other camera discussion forums. Both problems have been attributed by many to the location of the flash, which is immediately adjacent to the lens.
Problems with the Nikon CoolPix 2500 flash (and probably with the 3500, which is the 3 megapixel version of this camera) are very real, and if lots of your pictures involve photos of people indoors with a flash, this is not the camera for you (unless you intend to spend time with photo editing software).
23 Versatile and Easy to Use
I'm not a gadget freak but when I asked my parents for a digital camera for Christmas I made sure they knew I wanted something top of the line yet easy to use. That about sums up this camera. There are about 20 different fuctions to customize the type of picture you want to take including portrait and nightscapes which makes taking consistantly beautiful pictures a possibility for photography novices.
Coupled with this is the beautiful and sleek design. It's really nifty and I've gotten so many comments on how beautiful it is. The fact that the lens slides around into the camera also keeps your lens protected.
The only cons I can think of are that I wish the battery lasted longer (it ran out in the middle of my African Safari at disney this jan) and that the neck strap is too long and not very functional. I usually carry it in my pocket.
24 Good for starting; Frustrating for artists
I received the Nikon Coolpix 2500 as a gift, and had I known that it was going to be purchased for me, I would have chipped in an extra $... to get myself a really nice camera. The 2500 is fine for amateurish photography, but I find it lacking when I want to be a little more creative with my photography.
Pictures that use the flash, no matter what special scene setting is used, come out too pale and whitewashed. Additionally, red-eye is a MAJOR problem with this camera, and the proximity of the flash to the lens creates a series of mysterious light "bubbles" on the pictures.
The scene selections are nice, but often incorrectly labeled. I find myself using the Backlight setting for pictures that aren't backlight, and the Snow/Beach setting for the pictures that are neither snowy nor at the beach.
Also, the LCD is easily scratched, and the small pixel count on it makes your pictures look much nicer than they are. Nothing is more frustrating that snapping a picture, okaying it via the LCD screen, and then finding it to be awful upon uploading. On the topic of the LCD screen, there is no option to turn off the screen because it has no viewfinder, which is a major drain on the battery life on the camera.
On the upside, the software the comes with the camera is nice and the swivel lens is handy for getting pictures at angles that you normally would be unable to see. If you purchase this camera, definately consider purchasing three other things: a more managable necklace, a much larger memory card (at least 64 mb) and an extra battery for long trips.
25 the worst I ever seen
I bought it online, it looks cool, but when u take pics, u will find the pics color is worst, too bad, and too dark, pic r not clear too, it's the worst I ever seen, it's made in Malysia, that's why it price drops so quick, I recomand Canon power shot s30, it's realy good stuff, and it's made in Japan. that's the answer, even more expensive
26 Amazing for the price
I own a Nikon Coolpix 995 but wanted something smaller for occasions where I didn't want to be bogged down with a large camera. Except for the difference in resolution this little guy can go toe to toe with the 995 and even win in some cases. The "sunset mode" made possible a professional looking shot of Big Ben in London at night that I have never been able to accomplish with the 995. This one blows up to 7 X 11 easily and hangs on my wall beside a huge 16X20 night shot of Big Ben that was taken by my film SLR. No one can tell the smaller one is digital!
27 very good but not at night
It is a very good little camera to stow away in your bag but I would not recommend it for flash photography or to get a good close-up. THe red-eye reduction is just not there and the flash is less than desirable.
28 actually 4.5 stars, Great Camera!
This camera is fantastic! This camera takes great pictures. I still can't believe the quality and detail that this camera produces. Every article you read says you can't make 8x10 prints from 2mp cameras. This one proves that wrong. I have made large prints with the crispness and clarity of smaller ones.
Fantastic camera. If you just want a fun digital camera with a ton of features this is the one to get.
I took off 1/2 a star because I would like a traditional viewfinder. You only have the display on the back.
29 Awkward To Use
Though adequate as a replacement for an APS pocket point-and-shoot, this camera has several drawbacks that should give pause.
The too-clever signature Coolpix "twist" to expose the lens takes just that much longer and is just that much more fiddly than simply removing a lens cap--and one misses too many photos as a result. A sliding cover would have served much better, especially one that also turns the camera on. (The twist doesn't turn the camera on, that's a distinct step.) Controls, menus, and features are generally good, as is the LCD, but the power switch is easy to leave in the wrong state and is poorly constructed.
Sadly, the real failing of this camera is its image quality. Maybe I'm comparing apples to oranges, but when I bought this as an easier to carry substitute for my Olympus C-3040Z I was prepared to loose some quality for the sake of convenience. However I was not prepared for the glaring failings I encountered. First off, Nikon compresses its highest quality images more than is necessary. Far worse are the strange washed-out or saturated colors I get with this camera. In side by side comparisons between my two digital cameras, where the Olympus produces striking results, the Nikon's are consistently over-saturated and blurry. I have taken both cameras on several trips, and find myself discarding almost every shot taken with the Nikon, even when I have no equivalent from my Olympus.
Overall, a convenience not worth the disappointment.
30 a great camera!
...by far the best camera that I could get for a 2MP and that price range. I've had the camera a few months now, and I think it's wonderful! The pictures are so clear and the camera is really easy to use- the photo software it comes with is a great way for me to store all of my pictures on my laptop! I'm traveling this summer to Australia for 3 weeks, and I can't wait to get there and use this camera! I've already taken it on a lot of trips, and it has really worked!!
It's so easy to travel with because the camera can fit right in my purse!! I take my camera just about everywhere with me. It's small, light weight, and also really cute too!! the swivel feature is great because (I'm short) so if I hold the camera over a crowd and point it down, I still get good pictures! Also, when I point the swivel back, I can take self-portraits of me and my friends when no one else is around to take our picture! the self-timer is also really handy, too! The "scene" button helps a lot when you take pictures in different atmospheres and lighting!
This is a great camera and you can't go wrong with it! ...it works perfect for me, and my parents love this camera too!! It's really a good camera for people of any ages to use! It's really easy to learn to use and always takes GREAT pictures!
31 Great camera
I'm quite happy with my Nikon Coolpix 2500. It's cute, small and easy to use for a first time digital camera user, such as myself.
I've been using it for a couple months now to take pictures of just abot everything and overall, it takes some really great pictures. Although, lighting is a big factor for a picture to turn out well, without the orange glow that seems to be quite common from this camera. Any slight movement, such as a small hand twitch, can really the image.
Be sure to have Windows 98 SECOND EDITION or higher. It didn't say that anywhere when I bought it, and sadly I only have Win98. Thank goodness it's compatible with a Mac or I wouldn't be able to use it.
In a nutshell, it takes good pictures with good lighting. The 20 second movie capability could be a bit better, but it works and is great for spur of the movement fun. Lots of different settings to use in different conditions: portrait, landscape, fireworks, close up, sunset, party/indoor, night time, night landscape, back light, museum, beach/snow.
Worth the money.
32 "I have to admit--I was pleasantly surprised!"
This isn't my first digital camera, but I am certainly no expert.
To be honest, I bought a Canon S-45, but it was WAY more than I need for school photos of my middle schoolers. I had school funds, so I went to Wal Mart, and got this 2-mega pixel (really cool!) camera for $297.
My first impression was that it was tad expensive for a 2 mega pixel, but on school $$$, who cares? My second impression was "there's no viewfinder!". But the bright LCD is great (you can increase the brightness too!), and after the initial 'getting used to it', I have never missed the viewfinder!
OK--here's the scoop. First the POSITIVES:
1. It is small, SLEEK, and ultra-cool style-wise. GREAT here!!!!!
2. The images touched up just a bit in photo-editing software, FAR exceeded my expectations for a 2-mega pixel camera! I had them printed at Wal Mart in a half-hour for 30 cents each, and they are BETTER than my 35 mm photos (at 4X6 or smaller in FINE mode).
3. The swivel lens is cool and sharp!! (Though I'm not sure how necessary). It does protect the lens, but you WILL smudge it OFTEN!!
4. The one touch transfer from camera to computer is easy (can you say EASY?)!
5. The lithium battery (in its charger) lasts me all day with no problem!
6. The twelve scene modes cover just about any shooting situation you could imagine--as does plain ol' automatic. The close-up mode focuses down to 2 inches--I practiced on a salt packet at McDonalds!!
7. Nikon really IS more than just the name. They provide everything you need including the USB cable. I would upgrade the CF card, though, to 64 or 128 MB. A quality camera.
8. It comes with an OK manual, and is reasonably easy to learn.
And now for the NOT so positives:
1. The cool case is sturdy, but will scratch if bumped hard. Not a biggie here.
2. The flash washes out the picture when you get TOO close, (forgivable), and is worthless altogether beyond about 10 feet (not forgivable).
3. The buttons are a bit small, so good eyes are required.
4. You get no sound in your 15 seconds of 'movie', but this isn•Ŕ?t great to start with. Get a camcorder!
5. The 3x optical zoom is great, but the 4x digital zoom increases the graininess--true in all cameras not just this one.
Bottom line:
Am I satisfied with this camera at $297 of school $$$? You bet!! It is all any teacher would need, and 60% of the human race too. Would I pay MY $$$ for it? Nope. I'd pay a little more for a 3-4 mega pixel. This camera does everything it is SUPPOSED to, WELL!
The pictures are OUTSTANDING!!
This is a FUN, cool, QUALITY, and slightly overpriced digital camera, that understanding these attributes, you will enjoy if you buy it!
33 Picture Quality of "big" digital Nikons
0. I had to return my new Pentax 430rs (4 Megapixel Ultra-Compact) because of the unexceptable level of digital color noise, very poor focusing system, light sensitivity (esp. at max resolution) and unnatural looking colors. Now I feel mutch happier with Coolpix 2500.
1. Professional picture quality provided by "256 segment exposure metering" system, "noise reduction" system, fantastic light sensitivity ("ISO400" auto-gain works - pure pleasure).
2. White balance is excellent.
3. No digital noise visible at 100% size picture (unlike most of the competitors).
4. Most definitely "not a 1st time user camera" (too many features, options), read few 1st time user reviews on this page - nonsensical comments. This is the camera for enthusiast or professional who wants to have a camera with him all the time (ultra-compact) and still get serious quality pictures.
5. Best value for $$$.
6. I hope Coolpix SQ will be even better Ultra-Copmact (not like 3500).
34 Surprisingly underwhelming
I bought this as my first digital camera five months ago, largely on the strength of the Amazon reviews. I intended to use it for routine snapshots. I can't state how well it stacks up against other digital cameras, of which I know nothing. But I can say I was surprised by deficiencies it has, when compared against my $100 Olympus 35mm film camera.
First, the indoor exposure quality is pretty poor. Its sensitivity reminds me of ASA 100 speed film. A flash is always required indoors. The flash is quite anemic: anything 8 feet or more away will be dark. In photographing a kids' soccer team two rows deep, the front row was slightly overexposed while the rear was underexposed. The line was about 3 feet deep total. There is very little exposure latitude with the flash.
Second, I have never seen such red eye in my life! The flash is about 3/4" from the lens in the same horizontal plane. I have to spend a couple minutes in Photoshop to clean up every single shot. I'm used to seeing eyes like this on flash photos of cats, not humans.
Third, the battery is tiny, proprietary and very expensive. This probably explains the weak flash - there's very little power and Nikon needs to preserve it. Plus, after about 30 seconds idle time, the camera hibernates to save the battery. One has to press the shutter and wait about 5 seconds for it to revive each time.
Fourth, while outdoor exposure has been good, the LED screen is too weakly backlit to view at the beach or ski slope. And there's no optical viewfinder, so you often can't see what you're photographing in these circumstances.
Fifth, one must swivel the lens assembly open in order to use the camera. When doing this, it's very easy to put a fingerprint over the fixed transparent lens cover. And a little bit of smudge on that cover gives plenty of artifact on the pictures.
Finally, while I shoot at the unit's maximum resolution, it's still not acceptable to press the shutter button and wait two seconds before it takes the shot - and then wait another 3 or 4 seconds for it to be ready for the next. And if the flash is involved, that adds another 2 seconds before the picture is taken. Like I said, I was looking for family snapshots; but far too many pictures have the subject moved out of the frame because of these delays.
So, this camera is okay for some things - especially outdoor daylight shots that are not too bright. But my 35mm performs a lot better in many circumstances. And its Costco-developed pictures are about 30% the cost of those from a digital camera. And I don't have to spend hours engineering Photoshop corrections, or burning the images to archival CD.
If I had it to do over again, I'd be more fussy about cycle time, battery capacity, flash distance from lens and exposure latitude. Live and learn.
35 Limited use camera
I guess this is a good camera. But let me tell you the places you can NOT use this camera: You can't use it indoors. This camera has the worst case of flash flare I have ever seen. The flash is just too close to the lense. You can't use this camera at night. The flash is too wimpy to take anything but a close up.
So, I guess if you want a camera that you can use outside during the day, then this camera will work for you.
36 Easy to use camera in a compact form-factor....BUT......
I've been living with this camera since last Sept. when I took it on a month-long trip to NYC and Europe. I come from a 35mm SLR background (two college photography classes). I've been waiting for Nikon to create a form factor that utilized much of the features of their higher end cameras, but more compact. This camera is perfect in that regard, so I made the plunge into digital.
I've taken over 1000 photos with this camera and overall I'm very happy with it. I don't have much to add to what others have posted, but I'll point out what I consider a major design flaw: the LCD screen used as a viewfinder scratches VERY easily -- in the next iteration of this product, Nikon needs to add a sliding door to protect this LCD panel. Even with a camera case, this thing will get scuffed up -- I liked to keep my camera at my ready, sometimes in a pocket or nylon bag with other solid objects -- if they rub against the LCD, forget it -- Scuff City.
On a positive note, I wanted to point out something a lot of other reviewers have neglected to mention: the ability to capture motion video in Quicktime format. If you use digital editing software you can string these together, add a music track and make some cool little movies to post online or email friends and family Very cool. Wish the camera could capture sound, but I suppose that's not the market Nikon is addressing with the Coolpix. It's still a very cool little extra you should explore if you buy this camera.
Otherwise, the menus -- once you've used them for a few days -- are quite intuitive and easy to access. However, you should play around with the different presets as well as the manual exposure adjustment to get a feel for what kind of results you'll get. The presets will probably fit most needs, but it's nice to be able to "open" and "close" the aperture for darker or lighter exposure (okay, it's a CCD chip, not a mechanical lens and aperture!).
One minor interface gripe: I wish the camera remembered its last settings (like extra sharpening) between powering off and on.
If Nikon's goal was the create a simple point and shoot camera in a compact format, the Coolpix 2500 fits the bill. Overall I'm very happy with the purchase. BUT as others have noted, you really need to get a 128MB or larger Compact Flash Card to really put this camera through its paces.
37 Very good camera with one drawback
We bought this camera when our baby was born and have been very happy with it. The one drawback which has proven to be a challenge is that many, many photos we take have a significant red-eye problem. I've been told that this happens often with babies and animals, but it seems to happen more with this camera than it does with others.
Overall, however, I would recommend the camera -- it's light, takes generally good photos and is in an affordable price range.
38 disadvantage
i wrote a review about this camera before but i forgot to
write a big disadvantage which is:
WHEN LIGHT IS POOR THE CAMERA CAN NOT FOCUS!!!
THERE IS NO INFRA-RED SENSOR IN THE CAMERA OR A BUILT-IN LIGHT FOR THE CAMREA TO FOCUS IN POOR LIGHT CONDITIONS ( THIS OPTION IS AVAILABLE IN SONY CAMERAS)
NOTE : MY PREVIOUS REVIEW TITLE WAS (i love it) please read it i think it is helpful
39 i love it
advantages:
- brand name
- nice looking
- excellent print results for 10cm*15cm , very good 21cm*15cm prints
- great picture quality (compared to any other 2MP camera and even to 3MP cameras)
- the swivel lens is a very helpful and protects the lens when not in use
- fits easily in your pocket
- very easy to use (does not have many manual settings ; great for beginners)
- best shoot selector is a very good option
- u can choose from 12 scenes ( useful option)
- the quick button lets u see the picture you shot without having to change the mode
disadvantages:
- any person who holds the camera even for just a second will put his finger on the lens
- does NOT have optical finder (i think it is not important ; my friends have optical finders in their cameras and they never use it)
- the quality of the view you see in the LCD before shooting is bad ; you can feel it very much when you use a SONY )
- u can NOT resize the photo after shooting (this would have been very helpful when there is no disk space in your camera so u can choose the least important photos and change them to less resolution to have space for more photos)
- u can not view the photos on a TV
- i do NOT like the supplied software (nikon view 5); it is easier to download the pictures by making your computer see the camera as a removable disk
- the video is limited by 15 seconds each , and it does NOT record audio ( anyway it is a still camera not a video camera)
- i had some problems using the macro (close up) mode ; it was very difficult to set the focus
comments:
- if u really need to display your photos on a TV and u can't wait till u go home and view them on your desktop PC do not buy this product , OTHERWISE GO AND BUY IT NOW !!
NOTE :if u need better quality prints for larger size prints(larger than 21cm*15cm) and u can spend some more money , buy the coolpix 3500 it has exactly the same features for coolpix 2500 except for the resolutin which is 3.2MP instead of 2MP
40 Just got mine
I just got my camera, and it is great.
Once you learn the menu structure it is very easy. The free software is very good also and better at removing red-eye than Photoshop.
41 Mostly Excellent
This camera is extremely portable and durable, and it takes beautiful photos in most situations.
In two months of using mine as a snappy, I have found only three consistent problems:
1) The shutter release is slow compared to film cameras, so you have to be patient when taking photos. Hold the camera still until it's done, or it will take blurry pictures. The slowness also means that you have to anticipate action shots, such as a child in motion, or you'll miss the subject. (This is true mainly when the subject is within a couple of yards. It's fine with longshots.)
2) The flash unit really does create some nasty red-eye.
3) It takes practice to use the swivel lens. Early on, you might miss some great shots because you're fumbling with it.
Despite these problems, I have grown to appreciate the Nikon 2500's simplicity and excellent optics. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants a low-profile camera that delivers great results.
(NOTE FOR THE COST-CONSCIOUS: Make sure to include the cost of a larger (64-128 megabyte) compact flash memory card in your product comparison. The card sold with this camera and most digital cameras holds very few photos at maximum resolution.)
42 A fantastic little camera - but learn its features:
We decided to purchase this camera because of it's size and weight; we thought, if it's small and light we won't mind actualy carrying it around and using it. We have been VERY pleased with this camera, however, you cannot rely solely on it's automatic settings. If you take time to experiment a little and learn the camera's features you'll get great shots (clear, sharp, colorful) almost every time.
We used this camera in France to take over 1,200 photos (on 3 or 4 cards).
We had Kodak prints made of our favorite 250 shots from online, using iPhoto. Everyone who has viewed our pictures has expressed how sharp, clear, and colorful the photography is. One of the best photos was taken from the Eiffel tower at dusk. We did have to hold the camera very steady and manually adjust the settings, but the color and sharpness is superb - the blue sky fading to black, the moon, the reflections in the Sein, the city and lights - all crisp as could be and good color too.
We also had very good luck in museums with low-light and no flash. Again, you will need to manually set the camera and hold it quite steady - or rest it on a rail.
The swivel lens is a feature in itself and allows you to take stealth photos - over your shoulder, for example - as well as protecting the lens. You can get great candid shots, which are usually the best ones.
While the battery does well, if you plan to use it a lot (like on a vacation) I strongly recommend purchasing an additional, larger FlashCard and extra battery. We took three of each to France with us.
I'd absolutely reocommend this camera.
43 Great camera - lives up to reputation.
I've had this camera about a month and I have been very pleased with it. There is a CD and manual that walks you through set-up and use, which you will need if you never owned a digital camera before. It was a cinch to connect and set-up on my computer. No additional drivers were needed, although I run Windows ME on my system. The picture quality is excellent. The size is nice and compact too, which was important to me. I compared this model with several other ones and ended up choosing it because of the Nikon reputation. I have not been disappointed. I only rated it 4 stars because of the amount of effort I had to put into learning all the features before I could start shooting pictures. It is not a shoot and go camera, but it was not hard to understand the directions, only time consuming.
44 Good point and shoot digital camera
Easy to use and great as a first digital camera. Good quality pictures on fine setting. Only downfall is lack of through the lens view finder. LCD screen is hard to view in sunshine.
45 A Little Camera That Can
I bought the 2500 as a point & shoot for work and light/fast travel, to let my son learn photography without running up a huge film tab, because I've been impressed with a different Coolpix I use at work, because it received special mention in a recent CU test despite not being top rated, and based on consistently strong web review.
Let me preface my comments with a recommendation/requirement: read the manual carefully cover-to-cover, practice to become facile with the many functions, and take the time to understand how each "scene" makes the camera behave. Sometimes the "scenes" are useful for more than their intended purpose. Skip this step and it's just a point & shoot. Take a few hours to figure it out and you can capture great images in most shooting situations. Nikon has worked very hard to provide quick access to the full range of functions through a small set of controls.
Man, was I in for a surprise after getting this camera! My aging but beloved SLR gear will get very little use in the future. We shot several hundred images over the Christmas/New Year break, most of which was spent sightseeing in DC. Indoors & out. Day & night. Museums, fireworks shows, parties, set shots, grab shots, painting with light on street corners at night, riding the Metro, and so on. The images are sharp, vivid and true to color, and distortion-free. I can't remember ever coming home from a trip with a better set of images.
There have been plenty of thorough reviews of this camera, so I'll just tick off a few things I find special about it:
-- IMHO it is the most pocketable/capable digital camera on the market today. Some are smaller, but they don't have the 2500's capabilities.
-- The Best Shot Selector is an amazing and vital feature. You can capture hassle-free and surprisingly crisp images at night and in flash-prohibited museums.
-- The rotating lens is a major plus. Excellent lens protection with no cap to lose. The 1.2" camera thickness (lens stowed) is a lot easier on the pocket than the 1.5" standard digital camera thickness. In a crowd? Tilt the lens 45 degrees down and hold the camera overhead. Working a camera-shy crowd? Tilt the lens 45 degrees up and shoot with the camera in your lap. People think you're scrolling through stored images instead of shooting new ones. Unlike some previous reviewers, I have no problem deploying the lens and keeping my fingers off it.
-- The white adjustment feature is very useful and powerful. White correction is a common post-shoot task, and a sad one since it sucks color and range out of the image. The 2500's white adjustment takes care of that. Add the 2500's exposure control and you can land images that are ready to be printed and framed.
No honest review can be gripe-free, so these are mine:
-- Yes, there are a limited number of times when a conventional viewfinder would be handy. IMO those few times wouldn't be worth the added bulk and cost. Nikon, if you're listening, stick with the current design.
-- I would like a faster minimum shutter speed on the "party/indoor" scene. This would lose a little background and make the flash more evident, but would produce many more sharp images.
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far. I highly recommend the Coolpix 2500. The strongest testimonial might come from my wife, who was shocked at the images when I printed a few test sheets. She's practically stopping strangers on the street and telling them to buy this camera.
46 Good basic digital camera
I got this camera for my birthday a few months ago, and since then I've used it a lot. I hardly ever take my videocamera out anymore, since it's more fun to take digital pictures and put them on the computer, and send e-mails, and whatnot.
The images are crisp and clean. I'm really an amateur when it comes to photography, so I don't know enough to say how technically good it is, but for family pictures at Disneyland it's just fine.
Instead of looking through a tiny eye hole, you have to look at the viewscreen to get your shot, and that took some getting used to, though now it's no big deal. Also, since the flash is so close to the lens I get lots of red eye in the pictures all the time. I know I can edit out the red eye with the software, but it would be nice to not have the red eye there. Also, it's very hard to take pictures at night, or with little light. I can turn off the flash, but then the shutter opens up so much that I can't keep my hands still enough to avoid blurry pictures. So I don't have many pictures from the nighttime soccer games I like.
I'd recommend the camera for someone who is just getting in to digital photography and wants to create nice pictures for a website or sharing through e-mail. I like how the lens can swivel around, allowing me to hold the camera above my head, or waist high, and get more interesting pictures.
47 small camera with big features
I am extrememly impressed with the ease of use and the wealth of features in such a small camera. The swiveling lens is ingenious. The instructions are very clear and simple, especially the instructional video CD that makes even the novice user comfortable with using a digital camera for the first time.
The 15 second movie mode is fun as well!
48 Nice design & compact but not so good for indoor photos
I bought this camera for a vacation to Europe and overall, I had a good experience with the camera. It was lightweight, compact and easily fit in various pockets. When I came home, I found the photos of scenes in the outdoors with decent natural sunlight came out fine. Outdoor night photos results were typical for digital cameras - usually a little blurry (I think this is because the auto exposure keeps the shutter open longer to capture more light, but the tradeoff is blur).
I was disappointed by the quality of indoor photos where the Nikon flash was used. I found most of the indoor photos with flash had annoying "flash spots" that seem to be a result of unwanted reflections. Another small annoyance was the battery-life - I seem to need to recharge after 200 or so shots.
I'd recommend this Nikon as a reasonable "second" digital camera for travel or situations where a bulkier camera is not suitable, especially if most of the photos are outdoor daylight scenes.
49 Good image quality, poor design.
Like most Nikon digitals, this camera offers excellent image quality. A good zoom, excellent macro mode, and pretty good ease of use. However, I think the design is awful.
For starters, the swiveling lens. Due to the design, people have a tendency to put their fingers all over the lens while swiveling it. Also, tilt it up too far and you'll be taking a picture of the plastic housing of the camera--oops! Perhaps the biggest design flaw in this camera is lack of a viewfinder. I guess depending on your situation it may not matter, however if you live where I live (bright, SUNNY Florida) and you take pictures outside, that LCD screen is virtually useless. It gets washed out, you're not going to be able to see what you're doing, and you'll wish you had bought a camera that has an optical viewfinder. I don't understand how Nikon could have omitted that from a camera.
The only real advantage this camera has over competing manufacturers' cameras is the macro mode. Nikon is tough to beat in that respect. That aside, look at a Canon Elph if you're looking for a small camera. The image quality is just as good, you still get a zoom, and you get an optical viewfinder.
50 Very good but not the best
I'll get one thing out of the way. I bought this camera mainly because it looked cool. I was shopping for a digital camera in an electronics market (I live in Asia) and was looking for something in the 2.0 megapixel range. I ran across the CoolPix 2500 and the design of it definitely caught my eye. I looked at it for a while, toyed around and decided I wanted to buy it. While it's definitely a good camera, it's not the best.
On the whole, I thought this camera was pretty good. One thing that sets the Nikon CoolPix line of cameras apart from everything else is its swivel lens design. This is clever because when you're not using it, it covers the lens. No need to worry about broken lens covers or scratched lenses anymore. Plus it helps getting angled shots much easier. No more craning your neck to get a shot above of below you, just tilt the lens. It's a whole lot more useful than you'd think.
The picture quality of this in general is pretty good. The colors come out accurately and the pictures are clear. However, the night exposure could be better, although it's good enough to pass without any qualms. A big problem that's related to night time shots however is red eye. It's always there and it never seems to go away. I managed to minimize it using the different scene settings, but it just never completely leaves. It gets sort of annoying after a while, but it's something most people can live with.
Also, the camera tends to feel on the fragile side. Whenever I put it in my pocket, I always feel like it's going to break any second. Of course it's never happened and I realize that it'll take quite a bit to knock it out of commission, but it does have that light easily breakable feeling that I can never seem to shrug off.
Some other minor complaints is that there is no video output straight to a TV and there is no optical viewfinder, although the optical viewfinder part isn't really too big of a problem. Also, there is no protection for the LCD screen. Something along the lines of what Sony does with their cameras would have been a good protective measure to take with the screen.
With all these negative aspects to it, you would think that I wouldn't like it, but that isn't the case. It still is a good camera and it's a blast to use. The visual quality is still fairly good and has a bunch of nifty features to it, namely the swivel lens. And besides, whenever you pull it out in front of other people and you swing the lens, everyone will go "ooohhhhhh."
51 Compact and Powerful, a good combination
I researched several cameras, including the Canon PowerShot and greater and lesser Nikon Coolpix, before deciding on the Coolpix 2500.
Things I like about it:
1. The size is great. I carry it in my purse or around my neck at all times. You can't get the shot unless the camera is with you! This is one camera you CAN have with you all the time. The swivel lens helps make it more compact because there are no protruding parts once you close the lens, no lens cap to worry about, and the lens is totally protected. I slide mine in an inexpensive zippered makeup bag and throw the strap around my neck. Wha-la! - instant [inexpensive] camera bag.
2. The quality of the pictures is amazing! The resolution is fantastic, much better than I needed or expected. It does a good job in low light situations too, which was something I was looking for.
3. Scene modes: These are very useful for someone like me who wants to be creative and get good shots, but doesn't have the time or patience to figure out the correct shutter speed and what-not.
I don't have any negatives that are bad enough that I would take the camera back, but just so you know...
Things I don't like:
1. People have complained that the flash is too bright. For this reason, I usually rely on natural lighting when photographing people. Fortunately, the camera is usually able to handle this. You have to hold it steady because the shutter speed is slower. I'm usually able to get one that is clear if I snap several. The nice thing is that it is digital, so you can see what you are getting, and retake if necessary.
2. Buy a 128 MB or at least 64 MB memery card the same day you buy the camera. I have not even messed with the starter card they give you. Way too small.
3. This is just an oddity, not really a problem. When you are in close-up mode, the lens is constantly refocusing and/or resetting the lighting, not quite sure. Consequently, it makes a lot of clicking and buzzing sounds. Not so great if you are trying to sneak up on a butterfly or something. Hasn't really bothered me, except that I thought my camera was broken. I decided it wasn't when my replacement camera did the same thing.
4. If you can afford it, buy a second battery. It lasts a decent amount of time, but it would be nice to have an extra.
So, these are minor problems, with solutions. I'm very pleased with the camera. It's great to have a digital. My photographic skills have improved just by buying this camera because 1. I can take as many pictures as I want, without worrying about wasting film 2. I can re-take until I get the shot. 3. I always have it with me, so I rarely miss that awesome photo-op. 4. It's a Nikon!
52 Nikon Coolpix 2500
I really liked the small size, swivel lens and general ease of use.Because the lens swivels inwards when the camera is not in use, and in zoom mode the lens is still in the camera body, it is virtually indestructible. My cat grabbed the wrist strap and dropped the camera onto a cement floor from a 5' height and it didn't hurt it one bit. HOWEVER, I am sorry it has no viewfinder. In bright sunlight it is very hard to see the LCD screen. Also unlike a regualr camera, if longsighted you will have to put your reading glasses on to see the display!
Dowloading to the PC is a snap, and the software was easy to use.
53 rough use ofnikon coolpix 2500
As a geologist I have used the Nikon coolpix 2500 almost exclusively during fieldwork in the Betic COrdillerea in Spain, the Bristol Channel in Britain and in the Swiss alps. My previous bulky Canon served me well, but it is all so much easier with the coolpix 2500. This small robust camara fits easily in a small hip pocket it is readily accessable and one does not even feel its presence. I have used it for documenting details of rocks as well as for panorama's. Especially the panorama feature is powerful. Often it is not possible to stand far enough away to fotograph a geological scene, with the panorama feature it is very easy to make a seemless overview. Teaching in fieldtrips for students and professionals, I can now in the evening give an overview of the day. Critical engineers have complemented me on the quality of the foto's on the screen in the evening of the same excursion day. Everyone was amazed about the sharpness of the 2 MP images. The camara is beautifully compatible with my Macintosh Titanium laptop. The comby with a small beamer ensures a quick high quality fotoshow in the evening of a days fieldwork. It has improved my teaching and ensured high customer satisfaction.
Documenting fieldwork foto's is quick and easy with the software that is provieded with the camara (how did I ever manage without?).
The camara is also amazingly sturdy. This was tested unintendedly when I slipped over a wet rock, fell and dropped the camara. It landed on pebbles from about 0.5m height but showed no sign of damage and has worked fine ever since (the lens was turned in the closed position).
54 It's okay
I bought this camera a few months ago, and I've come across both good and bad features since using it.
This is a 2MP digital camera that comes with about 12 scenic features - including portraits, landscape, sunset, close up, indoor, fireworks (though I've never used it ..), backlight, night portaits/lanscape, etc. It has a LCD moniter, swivel lens, self-timer; and I believe a video option but I would never recommend using it.
It's an easy one-touch upload. You simply attach the camera to the provided USB, go into the program and hit "transfer" and you're all done.
The Negative:
It contains no veiwfinder, only a LCD moniter. In bright light, such as sunlight, it's practically imposssible to know what you're taking a picture of!
Also, forget about taking any action shots. Unless you're planning on taking still-life pictures, I wouldn't recommend it. All of my pictures where something is moving, even in the slightest, such as somebody walking, the picture is blurry.
And for some reason, pictures taken at night or in the dark come out bad. The flash sometimes makes the subject look very bright, while the background is very dark, and I've had some weird spots show up on my pictures before, due to dusty conditions or something.
The camera comes with an 8MB card, which only holds about 15 pictures taken in the best settings (Fine, 1600 x 1200). If you're planning on taking lots of pictures in an extended amount of time, I would recommend buying another card, preferably one that is bigger than 8MB.
The Positive:
It's lightweight and easy to carry. I've kept it in my pocket, or in my purse, and it is comfortable and convienent.
The pictures come out good, as far as I know. This is my first camera, so I can't really compare. I had no problem understanding the manual. It was simple and direct, and I liked the easy features.
The best thing about this camera is the swivel lens! It allows for cool angles and is terrific for self-portraits.
Overall:
It's been a pleasure using the Nikon Coolpix 2500. I'm a beginner to photography and had no problem mastering this camera's features. I bring this camera everywhere, it's so compatible and easy to carry. I love the slim design and the swivel lens, as well as the basic upload and quality of the pictures.
But it does have some problems that I mentioned. I wish they would have put in a veiwfinder, and the delay is about 2 1/3 seconds so any movement in pictures shows up as a blur. Those are my only real complaints, though.
I would recommend this camera to anybody who wants a fun, simple, easy-going camera and is planning on taking pictures of still-life.
55 Mac Compatible!
I've been using the Coolpix 2500 for a few months now and I'm thrilled that I chose it. Here's why:
- Fully compatible with a macintosh computer and iPhoto. Just plug the camera into a free USB slot and turn it on to the view mode.
- Excelent picture quality (2MP). Both printed (up to 8x10) as well as computer images are crisp clear and bright.
- Senic settings that actually work! I've tried taking the same picture with each seprate pre-set and got different results. Even better, the recomended setting was the best.
- Small, swivel lens (for protection and intesting angles), easy to see LCD monitor and price.
The only things I would improve are:
- Faster response time when turning the camera on
- Shorter pause between pictures.
For a point and shoot, I don't think you can do much better in this price range (especially if you're a mac user).
56 Best camera for the money
The Nikon Coolpix 2500 is a great camera. It may only be 2 megapixels, but unless you decide to print photos larger than 4x6, maybe even 8x10, then 2 MP is fine. I use this camera for web pictures and just showing pictures on a computer screen, so 2MP is more than enough.
The camera comes with 12 scenic modes that you can choose from, or just choose either manual or automatic mode. The 12 scenic modes are for diffrent situations, like snow, indoor/party, portrait, nightscape, night portrait, and (one that still seems strange to me) fireworks. Basically, the scenic modes adjust the camera's setting to adapt it to work better in a certain situation. I find that I use manual the most, cause I like to play with settings. The auto mode works quite well too.
The LCD monitor is the only way to take pictures on the camera. Nikon, probably for lack of space and the design of the camera, decided that they wouldn't include a optical viewfinder. What does that mean? It makes it a little harder to take pictures in direct sunlight, but the LCD is still decently visible when compared to other LCDs, like my Nikon Coolpix 990.
And now, picture quality. Pictures on average, very good quality. On a computer screen, its difficult to notice the diffrence between my Coolpix 990, which has 3.34 MP, and the Coolpix 2500. I did notice a little "noise" when taking a picture in lowlight, especially on wooden color things, on the LCD, but they don't seem to show up in the final print. The optical zoom is very good, and the camera lets you know when you've started using the dreaded "digital zoom". The digital zoom produces a horrible amount of noise on the LCD. I recommend avoiding the digital zoom.
The size of the camera is one of the best parts of it. Its small enough to fit conviently in a cargo pocket or in the palm of your hand. The size doesn't detract from the feel of the camera though. My hands seem almost perfectly fitted to the camera, even though my hands are on the larger side. The styling of the body also stands out, and makes it prettier to look at then the usual boring camera.
When searching for a digital camera, I ended up with two finalists; the Coolpix 2500 and the Digital Elph s200. I chose the Coolpix in the end for a few reasons:
Price-The found the Coolpix at a much cheaper price on another website than I could find the Elph
Compactness-The Elph is about an inch shorter, but I was more worried about width than length.
Styling- I liked the look of the Coolpix more than the Elph.
And the final, biggest reason:
The swivel lens! This feature took the cake. Swivel lenses make getting shots so much easier, as well as allowing for more creativity. With the Swivel lens, you can shoot in almost any directiong without moving the main body of teh camera. Also, the swivel lens allows the lens to be protected with it is inside the body.
The coolpix 2500 is my favorite digital camera of the ones i've tried, including the Elph. Always research for yourself, though, as the best camera for one is the worst camera for another.
57 It aint simple to use.
They call it 'point and click'. Well, maybe that's true after you spend a day or two with the owner's manual. Maybe all digital cameras are like this, but understanding all the options and setup is difficult for me. Then, transferring the pictures to my pc and actually producing prints is not trivial (to me).
Someone else remarked that the LCD can't be read in the sun. I wish I'd listened before I bought this camera. It is IMPOSSIBLE to see. The camera has no veiwfinder. Nikon should have at least included the LCD hood with the camera. And, AMAZON, should at least sell it! I ordered one from another online retailer. Maybe I should just return this hard to use toy?
58 Great camera, but still room for improvement
I researched 2mp cameras for 2 months before settling on the 2500. I was worried about it's lack of viewfinder and proprietary battery, but ultimately went for it because of the compactness, pic quality, and the swivel lense.
The camera itself is a bit big for the pocket, but I switched from a 35mm SLR, so it's much more mobile than I'm used to. The batteries seem to last a long time, but I picked up a spare for peace of mind in long events.
My one big complaint before purchasing was it's lack of viewfinder, but the LCD is bright and clear even outside in the sunlight... the only problem situations are in dark bars/resturaunts. I think Nikon could have moved the Flash to the part of the case were the red-eye light is and put a small viewfinder on the swivel lense. I don't really miss the viewfinder now, however. I find it much better to compose the shot using the LCD on most digicams because of parallax.
I was also wondering how it would fare in action shots without many of the manual controls I was used to, but after a big road race this weekend, I'm very pleased. The shots were sharp and the color was very good... even on runners sprinting over the finish line. The swivel lense was great for getting shots over the crowd on the sidelines. I experimented with the continuous 16-shot, but found the quality sub-par... and was dissappointed that the Nikon software wouldn't automatically separate the shots out into 16 smaller individual images.
Overall, a great camera and great pictures from a small package that's easy to take along anywhere.
59 Great camera for stills
I purchased the Coolpix 2500 because of the compact size, the swivel lens, ease of use, how comfortable it is to hold, the attractive design, and the quality of the images.
But after four months of use, I have found drawbacks. It is difficult to see the display in daylight. Also, the auto-focus feature and shutter speed are slow, making it difficult to take decent pictures of a very mobile 11-month-old.
While this is a great point-and-shoot camera, it is best used for still shots.
60 Cool pic quality but the LCD is hard to see under daylight
Good pic quality, good looking but the LCD is very hard to see under daylight. A old fashion picture hole should added back to the camera.
61 Good but...no viewfinder
Very good features, but there is NO viewfinder. This means you have to use the LCD screen to see what is in the cameras view. This does NOT work if either: 1) you take pictures outside which makes seeing the LCD very difficult; or 2) you need reading glasses, which I do. In this case, you need to put on the glasses to see what the camera sees and take them off to see what's going on around you. A big pain!
62 Not for indoors
If you want to shoot some indoor pictures of your children, stay away from this model! Even in a sunny day, you can't shoot clear pictures without flashlight. This maybe an ideal camera for shooting still objects. Not a good choice for parents.
63 Not for indoors
If you want to shoot some indoor pictures of your children, stay away from this model! Even in a sunny day, you can't shoot clear pictures without flashlight. This maybe an ideal camera for shooting still objects. Not a good choice for parents.
64 Coolpix 2500 is indeed COOL!
This digital camera provides exceptional picture quality... In addition, it is a pleasure to use, extremely portable, and has an outstanding battery life. I shot hundreds of pictures on my trips in US and Japan in last two months under various lighting conditions: portraits, landscapes and close ups. Also, the camera looks and acts cool.
Let me go into more details about pictures. The pictures taken at daylight have exceptionally accurate colors, portraits come out very nice and without distortion (Note! For very accurate portraits use tele (zoom in) mode, because in zoom out mode the camera gives the so called 'barrel distortion' or 'fisheye') The pictures taken with flash are also good and sharp. But two exceptions must be noted that result from flash being to close to lens. First, Coolpix 2500 is very prone to redeye. Practically every shot of a human or an animal taken with flash guarantees beastly look and leaves you with no choice but to use software to fix your scary shots. Second, with flash in the rain or dusty conditions the camera gives mysterious bubbles all over the shot, which is a defect but does look kind of artistic.) Another problem with the camera is that its antiglare screen is very prone to scratches, even you wrap the camera in a plastic bag. Nikon made mistake by not including the case in the package (I highly recommend to buy this inexpensive case).
Enough bad stuff, what else is good about CoolPix 2500? Battery life! Nikon says battery lasts for two hours, but they mean continuous use. In reality, it lasts for hours and hours in real on/off use and is enough to take about 100 shots (but it is anyway a must to have an extra battery). Also, the camera comes with 16MB flash card (not 8MB, as mistakenly noted sometimes, 8X is the speed of the flash card not its memory).
What is even more important, the camera indeed provides ONE TOUCH upload with included Nikon software. Also, its swivel function is nice for self-portraits and picks at a parade. Just lift the camera above those annoying heads that block your view on a parade and swivel the head (of the camera not of the guy in front of view...): camera sees the parade, you see the camera!. Even though it is only 2 mega pixels, for 4X6 prints it is more than enough to produce excellent prints that ravel prints from more expensive cameras. Oh yes, its close up (macro) mode is outstanding and pictures of flowers or insects come out like from National Geographic.
In short,
PROS: excellent image quality, superb macro mode, easy of use in taking and downloading pictures, excellent battery life, cool looks and pleasure to carry.
CONS: flash gives redeye, flash gives funny bubbles in dusty or rainy conditions, and screen is prone to scratches...
65 THE TRUTH
Let me just start off and say, This camera is everything you could want. I am a graphic designer, i own a Fuji S1 PRO digital camera and wanted a second durable more portable camera which i could take everywhere with me.
I was convicned with the Nikon 2500 mostly because of price and the fact that the image quality was great and plus it came with a rechargable battery.
There were only 2 things i was worried about and i am writing this review to clear this issue up.
1] Shooting speed is NOT slow
I read a lot of complaints about the shooting speed and I was worried that i would have to wait 2 seconds or more to take a picture. this is NOT TRUE. It takes pictures with practically no lag. You press the button it takes the picture. The people who complained about the speed might have been having problems focusing the image.
2] Colors come out Perfect
Some people mentioned a problem with the colors of the pictures. NOT TRUE. pictures look very realistic and are great quality.
these 2 issues were making me very insecure about the purchase. i was afraid this nikon would be a waste of money. I am now VERY glad i got this. Not only is the price incredibly [inexpensive] but in the end you are getting a NIKON!! So basically do not worry about anything when you get this camera. It will more then satify all your needs...
66 Great deal for a quality camera
I bought this camera after reading a multitude of reviews on the internet, and I have to say it's lived up to my expectations. The first thing you'll notice is its compact size, which means you'll conveniently be able to take it with you anywhere. Despite it's small size, it's surprisingly easy to hold and use(and I have big hands).
The rotating camera lens is as useful as it is innovative. It enables you to aim your camera without having to compromise your view of the LCD screen on the back. Speaking of the LCD display, it's very bright and pleasing to look at.
Use of the camera is not tricky at all. I found myself zipping through the various menus and settings with ease after only a few uses. And I think you'll really appreciate the 12 different scene modes it has to offer (particular "indoor", "close-up", and "museum" mode). I thought the different modes were just a marketing strategy, but I use them all the time!
Despite all this, the most important thing the camera has to offer is its clarity and ability to capture rich colors. At 2 MP's, it produces pictures that are 1600x1200, which makes great 4x6 photos, and adequate 8x10's. Since most of us can't print pictures larger than that, there's not much need to spend [money] more for a 3-4 MP camera. For outdoor photos, the colors and sharpness of the images are outstanding. Sometimes, pictures taken in dimly-lit settings tend to have more "noise" sometimes, so I'm still trying to find the right camera setting to compensate. But of course, it's always harder to take good pictures in dimly-lit environments, despite what camera you use.
Another nice feature is the ability to capture up to 15 seconds of video. My only gripes: why the 15 second limit? and why not the ability to capture sound?
Finally, the battery: trust me, you'll appreciate not having to use 4 AA batteries (which drain quickly and add lots of weight to a camera). The rechargeable battery is small, light, and lasts surprisingly long. Charging only takes 2 hrs (about the time it takes for me to upload pictures and play around with them anyways!).
With all this in mind, I can say that for this price, the camera is a great deal. Throw in the 3x optical zoom and a 16 MB starter card along with all the features I mentioned above, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a similar camera that costs less than [$$$]!
67 great camera
I recently purchased this camera along with a viking 128mb card and a simpletech reader. I have not had problems with anything. The camera works nicely and once you get used to it, you can open it with out touching the lense. The problem I read about with the lag, I have not seen it. Like a regular camera that has to focus before shooting, this camera has to do the same thing. You can focus the camera then take a picture, no lag.
I am also running windows 2000, I haven't had any problems with any software from the camera or the reader. I did not have to install anything for the reader, just plug it in. Everything works like a charm. I love the camera and the reader. The card works great with the nikon, no problems there.
I hope I helped answer some of the question that previous reviews raised. This is a great camera, small, lite, compact, fun and easy to use. If you get one, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thanks for reading my rambling.
68 Cool Camera
Really nice camera for a low price. In fact Amazon might want to double check their price, Best Buy now has it for $248!
69 Great Medium-Resolution Camera
This is my first digital camera, and it's been great so far. It's not quite film quality, but it's fun. The swivel design, movie mode, and adequate included storage make it easy to capture much more of an event than traditional film cameras. The included 16-meg compactflash card is fairly big, holding anywhere from about 15 to over 200 pictures, depending on the size and compression options which are accessed through an intuitive menu system.
The design of the camera is very smooth--when the lens is rotated back into the body, there are no protrusions, making it nice for carrying in a pocket.
As others have noted, the lag time before the camera actually takes the picture can be annoying, but choosing the right "scene" (a preset of various camera settings) or using a tripod eliminate much of the problem. The "Museum" scene is pretty impressive, and does a good job of capturing vivid colors in indoor situations without the use of the flash.
All in all, it's a great camera. It manages to retain some of the high-end features found in the more expensive Coolpix models--although shutter speed, focus, etc. aren't accessible through menus, there are enough "scenes" to cover most situations. And it's unlikely that the average user would be able to do a better job of adjusting these settings anyway.
One thing it's missing is a video out for connection to a TV--which the Sony camera in this price range does have. But no camera in this price range has the Nikon's quality feel or graceful design.
Finally, the included software is great. I've used the software bundled with Sony products before, and it's just awful. The software Nikon gives you is unobtrusive--connect the camera via USB or compactflash reader, and a little window pops up, transfers the pictures, and leaves you alone. Also, a panorama maker takes a collection of pictures and makes great 360 degree views (viewable in QuickTime), as well as APS-like panoramic shots.
Pros:
-Swivel lens is fun and protects the lens when not in use
-Many "Scenes" which allow for professional camera settings at the touch of a button
-Intuitive menu system
-Great software
Cons:
-No video out
-Small delay before shot is taken
70 First digital camera
I was given this camera as a gift and took it to France with me the next day. The pictures I was able to take were amazing!! Sunsets, fireworks, night landscapes...I was able to take them all. The delay described in some of the other reviews can be gotten around. I have some great pictures of the running of the bulls (and if that isn't action, what is?). I did buy an extra battery, but rarely needed to use it. I also was given a 128 mb storage disk which stored about 330 pictures at the second highest setting (photo quality). The only problem I ever had was seeing the view finder in very bright sunlight. Also, Nikon has a great site for uploading the photos and sending the link to friends.
71 Best Point 'N' Shoot and Quality for The Money
First off, let me say unlike EVERYONE that praises the Nikon Coolpix 2500, I could NOT care less for the cool styling and design. What do I mean? Well, my number ONE priority was the ongoing search for a compact pocket "point and shoot" camera for the least money (of course not compromising quality!) that I can carry anywhere like I carry my cell phone, period.
Since then, that is exactly what happened. I've used it just about everywhere and anywhere without feeling I had to treat it with "kid-gloves" and worry about its well being whenever taking it out for any type of use. All of you who have owned expensive cameras will appreciate THIS priceless feeling. It takes great pictures and is LOADED with user-friendly features which at one time or another are all incredibly useful... and best of all? It remains a pocket camera!
If you are the creative and resourceful type, you will notice the swiveling inner zoom lens is useful to capture photos from just about any angle. In fact, I've used it many times to take a close-up picture of a friend and myself if there is no one to take the photo for you. Not to mention, you have a timer feature also. Given the professional field I'm in, I also use it for close ups to capture telephone numbers and names on signs, billboards, and magazine pages with any writing or information on it.
ONE negative (or else I would have given it 5 1/2 stars)...the 8 MB CompactFlash card that it comes with...well,... It's useless (for the 15 images it holds at default settings). Upgrade to at least a 128 MB CompactFlash Memory Card, hence add an approximate [$$]-[$$] to your original purchase price - well worth it. At default settings (which is GOOD quality) I've taken over 300+ pictures without worrying of running out of film,.. umm, I mean memory, before docking the Coolpix2500 to my PC for download. Speaking of, once you connect via USB port, in only ONE click, you are downloading your pics...and as for the proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery which is included? Very nice.
Ironically, I never read any reviews at the time of my purchase in the early part of the year. In fact, as I later found out it was the first few days the Coolpix 2500 was out on the market. Therefore for me, it was three and a half-hours of in-store experimenting with ALL the digital cams priced nywhere from [$$$]-[$$$].
Therefore unlike many people, the "cool" factor never did blur my analysis in arriving to my final decision. So when people approach me and mention how neat my pocket sized Coolpix2500 looks, I always have to respond, "but it also takes great pictures, and check out these features..." Today I view the slick factor and "cool" design as a bonus.
72 Another rugged Nikon
I just returned from a trip to Alaska where I took 450 images with a new Nikon Coolpix 2500. While riding my bike (fast!) down a packed dirt trail, the camera fell out of my vest pocket. It hit so hard, the battery popped out while the compartment was still locked. It continues to work flawlessly. I've owned Nikon cameras (35mm) for 30+ years and I'm glad they're still making them as rugged as ever.
I would give it 5 stars, but the camera comes with only an 8MB memory card. I had to pay [more money] for a 256MB card, plus [more]for a spare battery.
Also, I was nervous that 2 megapixels would be be enough, but it works great for 8x10s.
The swivel lens for self-portraiture is nifty, too, for capturing a shot with a fish you will soon release.
73 Bad night or dark pictures?
Well I bought this camera as a gift for someone and I am now regretting it. We can't seem to get it to take any night or dark pictures. There are 12 different modes on for the different background settings, like portraits, back light, etc. None will take a good picture. And, if you slightly move the camera in the darker settings, its ALL a blur. I am very disappointed. My old Olympus Camedia works awesome still. I am now thinking about returning this camera. Oh, and the video mode on this camera... forget it. Sure it will shoot video, but there is no sound and if you don't have day light and a lot of it, its no good. My next camera choice might be another Olympus or a Sony. I think the best way to judge these cameras is to ask others what they are using and look at their pictures. So far the sony is the best I have seen. Very rich in color.
74 this camera is not good
awsome when you take pictures that is not woving...because of the delay(about 2seconds)you cant take pictures the way you want.
75 Lag time is NOT a big deal
This is my first digital camera and it has performed quite nicely. I have been extremely pleased with the quality of the images. Using a mac connected to an epson photo 750 printer allows me to print some near photo quality 4x6 pictures (from pictures taken on the normal setting of the camera). The lag time other reviews talk about can be reduced by pressing the shutter button halfway down-- this allows the camera to auto focus on the subject. Then continue pressing the shutter down to take your picture. (You can hold the shutter button down halfway to autofocus for a short time before you actually take the picture-- this is Nikon's recommendation for taking action shots),
76 BOOOO!!! God Aweful!!!
I liked the way the camera looked but it lacks many features that the other 2mp cameras have that only sell for $[money]. It does look cool but they could have done much better. It does not have a viewfinder, which makes it difficult to take out pics since lcd screen is hard to see in day light. Because of this many of my pics were cut-off and off-center. It takes bad action shots because of the 2 second delay and makes the shot blurry. If you want a good 2mp entry level camera do your homework and go for the other 2mp cameras that cost $[money]or less.
77 Cool and Compact
I bought this camera for a recent trip to Disneyland. I have been several times and have always just had a regular point and shoot type camera. At the end of trips I always ended up with things I wished I could have framed better or pictures that weren't quite lit-up enough. So, I shopped around for a digital camera and my requirements were simple: something small and discreet, easy to use, and came with easy to understand software. I was not disappointed when this camera arrived! It is everything I wanted and more. One of my favorite features of this camera is that it comes with a rechargable battery and the charger. Not only does it charge up relatively quickly (60-90 minutes) but it held the charge through 2+ days of pictures for me! This was a great upgrade for me and in the long run it will save me money because I don't have to develop film any more! Plus, I can "discard" pictures I don't like and take them again before it's too late. All in all, I love this camera!
78 as cool as it looks
i'm not a professional photographer, and i don't have a need for a larger megapixel camera, so this is great.
first off, if you're a mac user, it works perfectly with iphoto. you odn't have to worry about installing anything, all you do is take it out of the box, take a picture or two, and hook it up to your mac. iphoto does the rest.
the pictures i've taken have been great. i can't complain about the quality. all my pictures have come out sharp and clean.
the swivel lens is great for taking pictures at weird, fun angles, and allows you a lot of options for different sort of pictures.
it's a very attractive little camera. everywhere i take it, people just want to play with it. the size is great, it fits in my pocket and in one of the front pockets of my computer bag.
the negative is there is a delay, which another reviewer mentioned. it's more for when it's dark, and not as much an issue in good light.
some of the issues i had with it before i bought it worked themselves out.
i was worried about getting fingerprints all over the lens because you have to move it around, but i haven't really had a problem with that. you only have to be marginally careful about it.
i was also not sure about the different angles and was worried about moving parts, but really, that is one of the best parts of the camera.
one of the reasons i chose this over the comprable cannons was battery life (this is great) and mac compatibility. i'm not too sure how the cannon is with the mac (the model i was looking at didn't work with iphoto) but the nikon is flawless in this concern.
79 Watch out for the DELAY!!!
This camera has 2 1/3 second delay. We got it to take pictures of our baby, and all the pictures turn out blurry because she moves after I snap the picture. It's hard enough to try to capture the smile of a 4 month old, never mind missing it because of a delay. Otherwise I like the camera, but this is a big drawback for me.
80 User friendly and good quality
As a professional photographer, I bought the coolpix 2500 for snap shots. It is very easy to use and so small that I can put it in my shirt's pocket and carry with me all the time. The image quality is good when enlarge up to 8"x10". I like the close up mode both the sharpness and colour are very good. The only drawback is the flash is too close to the lens that makes people always have red eye. But it can reduce by using the red eye reduction flash option.
I highly recommend this to anyone who need a compact and easy to use digital camera with a medium resolution.
81 Great product for everyday use
This is a great camera! It has all the features the $[money] nikon digital camera has (at least the one my friend has) and looks like it takes pictures at 300dpi which is great compared to the 72dpi ones of yore... it also has the nikor lens which is astonishing. The built in shot picture settings are great! I love to use the Museum one whenevre there is ample light in the room. The manual mode is great too with lots of customization settings. This is an awesome camera!
82 Easiest & Best Pictures Ever!
Having used over 15 different digitals cameras in the past three years, I found the Coolpix 2500 to be the best all-around camera available. The quality of the pictures is outstanding. This is the easiest camera to use and the fastest one to grab when that great photo-op appears. The Coolpix 2500 is light, easy to fit into a pocket or purse, comes with an adjustable string neckstrap and all of the accessories. Because the lens tucks away into the camera, there is no fear of scratching it by mistake. Truly a stroke of genius for Nikon - bringing digital to everyone!
83 Different from the rest
I had been searching and pricing Digital Camera's for several months, and then stumbled upon this new product from Nikon and really liked the way that it doesn't look like a camera. It's compact size allows you to put it in a shirt pocket or sun glasses case... you can take it anywhere! and the different angles that you can place the lens and then store it back in its own body is really cool. It's features are also among the best in it's class allowing the user the ability to change most settings. The 16MB starter card is just that, and depending on camera settings will get you a limited number of pictures, but if you plan to take alot of pic's w/out downloading you will need a bigger card. The battery lasts quite a long time and must charge 2 hours before first use. My only beef is that the flash and the lens are next to each other and this seems to cause quite a bit of red eye even with the reduction on, other than that if your looking for a great camera that gives alot of bang for your buck and you dare to be different this is the camera for you !
84 I love this camera!
I decided to get a digital camera in time for the birth of our first child, and I am very happy with my Nikon CoolPix 2500. It's very simple to operate, takes great pictures, and the swivel lens makes it easy to take unusual but very stylistic pictures. Being able to reverse the lens and take pictures of me, my wife, and our son is awesome. I don't miss the viewfinder at all. The only places for improvement are in startup times (from turning the camera on to taking the first picture takes a few seconds). Works with iPhoto flawlessly!
85 Coolpix quality
This camera has almost all the coolpix photography options as the more expensive coolpix 995. The menu is easy to use and its use improves the image quality. Pressing the shutter half way in will set the sharpness and lighting thus allowing for even more manupilation of the image quality. On the otherhand the camera can do point and shoot as well. Some reviewers questioned the lack of a filter to protect the lens, but the filter is but in and when broken can be replaced. Drawbacks? Digital photography has its limits (like color saturation, number of pixels compared to price) and this camera seems to handle them appropriately. For higher quality in resolution and color saturation I go back to 35mm SLR camera with film.
86 Almost perfect for my novice needs
I am a total novice to photography and wanted a camera for web posting and editing fun. The Coolpix 2500 is almost a perfect 5/5 stars except for a couple minor (very minor) drawbacks.
I have had the camera for 4 days and taken over 300 pics. All pictures come out great in auto mode and I have experimented with the different scene modes--no problems at all. The menu is very easy to use, bright and easy to see under most conditions which brings the first drawback. Being an lcd screen only without a viewfinder is a problem out in sunlight. The screen becomes very washed out and difficult to see. You can make out the general shapes and object positions but details are not identifiable when framing your photo in sunlight. This as frustrating as it sounds really hasn't bothered me and I have just adapted to it tho there is a "hood" for the screen that I will probably give a try.
The battery life seems to last a long time especially since the lcd screen is always on. I haven't yet needed to buy a second battery but will anyway. Charging the battery is stated to take about 2 hours but doesn't seem to go over 1 hour for me to get a full charge.
The camera is very small ( like a pack of 100's cigarettes) and lightweight. Even with my big hands I don't have any problem using all the buttons which are spaced nicely.
Now the second drawback for me--The Nikon 5 software--. WARNING before you buy just know that the software for downloading from the camera and editing WILL NOT WORK on Windows 98 First Edition. In small print it says Win 98 SE, Win ME and XP. It would be nice if they made an attempt to warn you that 1 version of Win 98 works and the other doesn't. This may not be a problem for most people but since my PC's have all worked fine I opted to bypass 98SE, ME and XP until now. Well rather than let all the software goto waste I went and upgraded to XP and I'm glad I did. Downloading from camera to PC is flawless and from there you can upload to the web or start editing with a button click. The editing software gets a novice 5/5 stars. It is VERY easy to use and has all of the best tools I could want in a very concise and clean format. Photoshop 6.0 for example has wayy too many buttons and menus for me to keep track of. Cheers to Arcsoft for their fine product IMHO.
The camera comes with a 16mb CF card but I opted to get the 128mb because Amazon.com had such a great deal when I bought it.
In all I'm sure advanced camera users will most likely want something like the coolpix 990 or Powershot G2 but if you just want basic picture taking fun I'm sure you will enjoy this camera.
87 Too Cool Nikon
I selected this camera based on Nikon's reputation and glowing online reviews, but disappointment set in right out of the box. The pseudo-metallic plastic case gives the camera a cheap, toy-like appearance that belies its cost. I found the twisting motion required to open the camera for use awkward in the extreme given the small size of the unit,its rounded edges and the need to keep fingers off the LCD screen and the lens. With no real place to hold on to, my hands got tired after a few minutes as I maintained a tighter than normal grip. Too bad. The specs show this to be a capable tool, but form should follow function, and the Coolpix 2500 is too cool to be a real camera.
88 A friendly camera that looks cool
Nikon Coolpix 2500 is a great compact camera. I wanted to buy a camera that can work in an easy to use automatic mode for point & click situations like parties, casual travel; and also provides manual mode for experimenting & control. My choice was mainly between Coolpix 2500, Coolpix 995 & Canon Elph Series. I just fell for the cool styling of 2500 and the ability to carry it in my shirt pocket.
I just took it out to Australia for a week long trip. It has performed well under different lighting conditions. All I needed to do was change the "SCENE".The camera allows me to identify the type of scene I am going to photograph. It has a bunch of "SCENE" that I can select from. Some of them are - Beach, Landscape, Party, Portrait, Night Landscape, Backlight to name a few. I was also able to take night shots of the Opera house & the Harbor Bridge in the "night landscape" mode. They came out pretty well. I was happy to see the result in about 2 seconds - the duration of the exposure. Pictures taken in bright daylight like that on a beach also came of well. What disappointed was the photgraphs that I took at a night Bar-be-Q party. In most photographs, the people close to the camera looked bright and those away by more than 7-8 feet away from the camera looked dark. Another "scene" that I found useful was "Close Up". I wanted to note down a recepie from a local magazine. Instead of taking notes I just photographed the page in the "Close Up" mode. Now, I do not have to write them down ! I just read the recepie off the picture stored on my computer. It is not much of a "Manual" camera. So if you want to control everything, I recommend look else where.
I found the controls easy to use. There are a bunch of on-screen menu items, buttons & knobs. They are well layed out and are intitutive to use. Let me add - I am a techie. I can handle complexity. I had my first picture in about 10 minutes opening the box and charging the batteries. It took me about 1 hour to understand all the controls & install the software.
You got to buy a memory card unless you intend to save your pictures in a very basic picture format (like 640 X??). I bought a 128 MB card. It stores about 140 pictures in best quality mode (called "FINE"). The camera can be put on a tripod. That is a big plus for night photography. It is very easy to put my fingers on the lens. So I have to worry about it all the time, specially while opening or closing the lens. A price for this cool design!
In a nutshell I find Nikon Coolpix 2500 a fun, easy to use camera for easy going photography.
89 Perfect Pocket Digital
This is a very solid little digital that should easily take care of 99% of your picture taking needs. It easily slips into the pocket, clever lens protector, nice, crisp LCD screen.
I had problems loading the software as once loaded, my PC could not see my camera. However, I used the Tech Support line which was quick and professional (had some issue loading the driver, but easily fixed).
90 Cute little camera
I have a Coolpix 950 and had the chance to borrow a 2500 over the weekend. This is a kewl little digital camera!
It does take some reading to understand all of its features, but you can start taking pictures without knowing all that stuff. Just set it on automatic and shoot away!
Features I really liked:
Camera lens that could swivel up and down - this is really handy for when you need to photograph something holding the camera over your head. You can see what you're getting on the monitor while pointing the camera where you want.
USB connections! No need for a card reader. Woohoo!
Small size - its more likely to come with to everyday places - where you might find something very worthy to photograph. (Note: Nikon should've included a small case with it. I found most camera cases too large for this camera, but a cloth eyeglass case worked great. A way to protect the lens would've been nice too. (Filters are not usable on this camera.)
Specialty settings: Camera offers settings for parties (red eye reduction) copies (I think it was in black in white), close ups and so on.
Battery didn't need to be connected to camera to recharge. If you purchase a second battery, you can charge one while using the other. Some camcorders charge the battery only on the camera - which doesn't work well for long events. I'm glad that Nikon chose the separate charging method. I haven't found an additional battery for it - so I have no idea what they run.
Didn't like:
Like most point and shoot cameras, the flash doesn't travel far and the focus in low light rooms where the subject is over 20 feet away is not good. But that seems to be normal for this kind of camera.
Battery/memory cover fell off and was tricky to replace.
Lens in likely place for fingerprints - would've preferred a replaceable lens filter for it.
Camera comes with a starter compact flash memory card. Nowhere does it state how much memory is on it. The package recommends 128mb, but I don't think that's what was included. My best guess is that it was an 8mb card. I filled it up the first day I had the camera and then switched to a 64mb that I had available.
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Overall, if I didn't already have a digital camera, I would love to have this one.
91 Nice Compact Point and Shoot
I bought this camera because I needed a point and shoot for an upcoming cruise. I already have a Sony Cybershot DCS-S30 that I am very happy with. I didn't want to bring my Sony on the cruise in fear that the elements (salt air and sand) would ruin it as well as be too awkward to carry around. When I saw this little Nikon it was love at first site. Not only was this camera stylish but its compact and has a lens that can swivel in (perfect for protection from the elements).
While I am satisfied with my purchase there are a few drawbacks to this camera. None of the drawbacks are too serious but for a spoiled gadget use such as myself they are inconvenient. I was disappointed that the battery was not pre-charged and I had to wait 2 hours to actually play with my new toy. After the battery was charged and I was putting it in place I noticed that the battery has to actually be removed from the camera to charge it in its charger (again a spoiled issue but still inconvenient). The operations (menus) of the camera are a bit clunky to get used to but I am sure in time I will get used to it. My last gripe would be the amount of time between hitting the shutter release and the time it takes to actually take the picture, its not very quick, actually pretty slow.
Enough moaning about the faults, what's so good about this little camera? Well it's little! It comes with some handy software. And it has an incredible lens (should you expect less from Nikon?). My Sony can't touch the quality of this lens. The digital zoom shows minimal amounts of pixalation.
If you are looking for a digital point and shoot camera I would definitely recommend this.
