5.1-megapixel effective recording * 12MB of built-in memory * 1-1/2" color LCD * optical viewfinder * 5-point autofocus with AF Assist illumination *
Introducing the first digital camera to remove redeye
in the camera--the Nikon Coolpix 5200. This metal-bodied compact digital camera features a thinner body and more stylized feature than its predecessors (the Coolpix 2200 and 3200). It offers a resolution of 5 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom, and image storage in the 12 MB built-in memory or Secure Digital memory cards.
Optics and Resolution
The 5.0-megapixel CCD lets you capture spectacular images at resolutions up to 2,592 x 1,944 (a 15 MB file) and print enlargements at sizes up to 16 x 20 inches. It also features 2,048 x 1,536 (3 MP), 1,600 x 1,200 (2 MP), 1,280 x 9,600 (1 MP), 1,024 x 768 (PC), and 640 x 480 (TV) resolution modes. The retractable 3x Nikkor zoom lens has a focal range of 7.8 to 23.4mm (equivalent to a 38-114mm lens in 35mm format), and features aspherical elements and an ED glass element. The Coolpix 5200 also has a 4x digital zoom.
Movie Mode
Capture video with audio at 30 frames per second (fps) at three different settings: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, or 160 x 120 pixels. Movie length is only limited by the amount of storage you have on hand (either in internal memory or on external memory cards).
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| Enjoy in-camera red-eye reduction |
More Features
Nikon's exclusive in-camera redeye fix function analyzes image data and corrects typical instances of redeye in less than 3 seconds. It's activated when the camera is set to redeye-reduction flash mode, where the typical preflash first minimizes the redeye effect. The camera then analyzes the picture using powerful image processing and analysis technology, which is completely automatic and transparent.
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| The 5200 features a 3x optical and a 4x digital zoom |
You have a choice of automatic, preset, and seven manual white balance modes. Additionally, the Coolpix 5200 divides the shooting area into segments to determine the most appropriate setting for the faithful capture of colors. There's also a white-balance bracketing function, which takes a series of three shots at different white-balance settings with just a single press of the shutter release.
Other features include:
- 1.5-inch, 110,000-pixel LCD and real-image zoom viewfinder
- Built-in flash with redeye reduction, auto, anytime flash, flash cancel, and slow sync modes
- 15 scene modes, including four with Scene Assist (Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Sports); others include Sunset, Close Up, Museum, Beach/Snow, Fireworks Show, Back Light, Party, Copy, Dusk/Dawn, and Night Landscape
- Best Shot Selector (BSS) takes a series of shots, then automatically picks and records the clearest one
- Macro shooting capability as close as 1.6 inches
Printing  |
| Get as close as 1.6 inches in macro mode |
The Coolpix 5200 is PictBridge-compatible, which enables you to transfer pictures from your digital camera to your printer without a PC or image-editing software. All PictBridge devices share three basic features: camera-to-printer connecting, single-image printing, and uniform error messages in case something goes wrong.
Storage and Transfer
Images are stored in either the internal 12 MB flash RAM memory (with a capacity of approximately 10 high-resolution images) or on optional Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards. Images can be downloaded to either Macs or PCs via USB 1.1, which means the camera can be connected to any USB-based PC running Windows Me/2000/XP or Mac running OS 8.6 or later without your having to install any software.
Power and Size
The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (EN-EL5), which has an approximate battery life of 150 frames. It measures 3.5 by 2.3 by 1.4 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 5.5 ounces without the battery or memory card.
What's in the Box
This package contains the Nikon Coolpix 5200 digital camera, a hand strap, USB and A/V cables, a lithium-ion rechargeable battery (EN-EL5), a battery charger (MH-61), a quick-start guide, and an instruction manual. The CD-ROM features PictureProject photo management software, VideoImpression to edit QuickTime video files, and Panorama Maker to stitch together a number of images captured using the Panorama Assist Scene Mode.
1 Reasonably good with a few glitches
Nikon Coolpix 5200 is my first digital camera, bought after siginificant web research. I used SLR cameras in the past and was initially reluctant to use digital point-and-shoot. After having used this new camera of mine, I must agree it is not bad at all. Let me list down some positives and negatives that I have noted so far:
Positives:
1. Very light weight. When I compare with my friend's Canon A85, etc. this one is really light.
2. Clear picture, nice color balance. Quality lens.
3. Decent battery life + rechargeable battery.
4. Great look, nice design. You feel proud.
5. In-built Red Eye.
Negatives:
1. The auto focus is not up to the mark. Unless you are very careful, there is a high chance you will land up in out-of-focus shots.
2. The potrait mode comes with default Red-Eye reduction and you cannot permanently change it. The problem with Red Eye reduction is that several flashes are triggered and wastes battery life. Note that you don't necessarily need Red Eye for all potrait shots. So for every shot you need to change the mode to single-flash.
3. Too many modes unnecessarily create confusion. Pictures taken in different modes not necessarily are different.
4. In-built Red Eye works, but not always. I have got quite a few Red Eyes even using Red Eye reduction mode.
5. 3x optical zoom is barely enough.
A few tips on purchasing digital camera:
1. Don't go by the megapixel bandwagon. I rarely use the 5 megapixel feature of this camera and almost always use it in 2 megapixel mode to store more shots in my 128 MB flash.
2. 2 megapixel shots are good enough for up to 8x10 enlargements.
3. A good camera is defined by its lens, metering ability, focusing, zoom, low distortion, color balance, etc. They come from the digital processing and the lens function.
Hope this helps.
2 Wonderful camera!
I bought this camera 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I have two Nikon SLR cameras already, so I decided to go once more with Nikon for my first digital camera. I bought an extra battery (batteries take 2 hours to charge, but battery life is good), a 512 mb card, which holds a LOT of pictures, and a camera case. Most of my pictures have turned out pretty good. I have had a few that were blurry. I have also had some reddish skintones, but by trial-and-error, I have come to the conclusion that it was from poor indoor lighting. The red-eye feature is great, but if your kids more around as fast as mine do, using this feature slows the shutter speed, and you miss the actual picture you were trying to get! I think the few minor problems I have found with this camera are due to my mistakes. I have yet to try out several of the other features. You will have little problem with this camera if you READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL!!! I looked over mine while the battery charged the first time. It saved me a lot of time. Nikon wins again!
3 Great Camera!
I purchased this camera and have been very happy with it. It is a great size and weight. My pictures have turned out great!
The program it comes with to edit your pictures has a great email feature... It automatically reduces the size of the picture from 5MP (or whatever you took the picture in...) to 640x480 for easy and quick emailing. It sends the picture(s) directly to your email software.
I have only 2 problems with the camera...
(1) you can't rotate pictures on the camera. If you take a picture lengthwise, usually a camera (like many Cannon and many Sony cameras) will have a feature that allows you to rotate the picture so you can view it without holding the camera sideways. Nikon should have added this simple, but useful feature. You can, however, rotate the pictures once you upload them to Picture Project before emailing them. But, it takes time to go through each photo and make sure it is positioned correctly for email, but at least you can do it so people don't have to lay their heads on their desks to view your pictures!
(2) the Picture Project software that comes with the camera makes it very easy to post your pictures to Nikon's website, but it takes alot of time to post your pictures to (for example) Ofoto.com or Sams's Club.com. Both of those companies print cheap digital prints (Ofoto is .29 cents and Sam's Club is .18 cents per print)... I think Nikon.net's price was .45 cents per print (no thanks!).
A BIG plus to buying this camera is their technical online help. They were GREAT!!! I emailed my questions about my two "problems" above and they emailed me back with solutions within 3 days and it was FREE! I can wait up to 3 days for an answer if it is free. No problem!!
All in all I think this is a GREAT camera and I would purchase it again even with the two MINOR problems I've had!! It was even rated "Editor's Choice" in a few magazine's. I'm very happy with the Nikon 5200!
4 It just works
It is a great camera. It takes great action shots in the light, good portrait shots anywhere. and really great regular shots. Battery life is great and size is perfect. It just works and does the thing its supposed to do, TAKE GOOD PICTURES. You won't be disapointed.
Don't forget to get at least 256MB for memory card)
5 Fast!
This is an excellent camera!
I particularly like the speed of wich it takes picures in the "sports" mode. No other cameras I have experience with is anywhere close to its 2,5 pics per second (you'll probably need a good quality SLR to match this). If you, like me, plan to take action pictures (skiing, etc.), no other compact camera is better.
The picture quality is very good, and the "red eye-fixer" is working allmost perfectly (I think I've seen red eyes ONCE during my first couple of hundred pics). The user friendlyness is also very good, logical and easy to understand, even for me that have little prior experience with Nikon.
The only downside with the camera is the screen size which does not match many of today's new cameras. Besides the size the screen is good, with excellent visibility in most situations. And in my opinion, cameras are constructed to TAKE pictures, slide shows should be on your tv or computer..
6 Pretty Good - Well Priced
I purchased a 5200, primarily due to the $100 rebate they have going with Epson for the Picture Mate. As it turned out, the camera is very competitive with others and takes great pictures.
Pros:
- Color - I had a Minolta and a Pentax before this and the Nikon provides the best color saturation and true color. The Minolta had a habit of making everyone look slightly red and the Pentax made darker skin people look even darker.
- Design - although not as shirt pocketable as the Minolta Dimage X, the new Canon SDs or the Pentax Espios, it is still pretty compact. The "handle" on the right side of the camera makes it easier to hold, but makes it a little bulkier than the other cameras
- Flash - a decen flash for a camera this size. Some of the others I have used can't illuminate anything more than 6-8 feet away. This camera can go a little farther and wider.
- Lens - a true Nikon lense, you can see the difference in the clarity and when playing with the "depth of field"
Cons:
- Pictures can be soft - They look great at 4x6 prints, but you can tell a little fuzziness on a large LCD monitor. I think it might be on purpose, as I can sharpen up the image considerably using some photo software.
- LCD - only 1.5". The competition is using 2" LCDs now.
7 Just whant to say
Hi-I just wanted to say that the guy who gave this 2 stars wrote that same review for a lot of cameras so dont be fooled by there review. Its a GREAT CAMERA!
8 Great Pictures--Sometimes
While seemingly well-built, this camera was returned after a few weeks of use. After using Canon's for years, this camera took great picutres, when they weren't blurry or over/under exposed. There are too many settings that change the white balance, etc. that made shooting quick photos a pain. Movies worked well until you played them back (only in quick time), but were choppy and crackly. Recycling between pictures took forever, so you missed a lot of shots. The red-eye-reducer did not work at all. I fiddled with it until I had enough. I returned it and got a Canon SD300. No hassles, no adjustments, just point-and-shoot for great picutres.
9 Great camera - easy to use like a professional!
My hubby gave me this camera for my birthday and I must admit that I love it! First, it is very easy to use and takes fantastic pictures! It is lightweight and compact and fits well in your hand! I have smaller cameras, but I'm always afraid I'll drop them - the Nikon Coolpix 5200 is much eaiser to handle.
Previewing pictures is a snap with the large LCD screen, and you can switch from picture mode to sport mode (takes loads of pictures in rapid succession) to movie mode. The zoom works well and you can even add voice. Battery life is good - which isn't always the case (you know what I mean when you've taking pictures at a parade and when your child finally shows up the battery has died - argh!).
The price is a little steep, but you can usually find it on sale somewhere and the quality and ease of use definitely justify the price! A great camera - a perfect holiday gift!
10 Great photos from a little-bitty camera
This cute little thing works like a mule to get you good pictures.It was up and running in about 10 minutes,after I charged the battery for the first time.The instruction manual,and the layout of the various operations is clear and logical.And the ergonomics of the camera are fine.Feels good in the hand.Not flimsy,as you might expect with such a little camera.The software was easy to install,and it works well,but it is pretty basic.I just bought PSP here at amazon,and I am anxious to see how I can tweak my pics.
I had a perfectly wonderful digital camera,but it was too large to fit comfortably in my jeans pocket, so I opted for the Nikon.
Also..I have read in other reviews that there is a problem with reddish skin-tones,and I can truthfully say I haven't run into that problem at all.
Ease of use:5 stars. Picture quality:5 stars(in macro-mode,as well)Cuteness factor:10 stars.
Coupled with a quality printer(which I have),I see a long partnership with this little cutie!
11 A beatiful camera
It's a great camera, a little expensive I think, but it is worthwhile. The Coolpix 5200 5.1 effective magapixels, a 3X
Zoom Nikkon Lens ED Glass (38 - 114mm) and 15 Scene Models.
It offers advanced red-eye reduction function, 2.5 fps high-speed
continuos shooting and 640x480 size movies complete with
sound.
12 A great camera!
I got this camera as a birthday gift and I love it! First and foremost, it takes incredible pictures. I've had prints made and they look just as good as the ones from my old 35 millimeter, if not better. The Nikon 5200 is compact and lightweight, but not so small that it's uncomfortable to handle. It's easy to use and has a large LCD screen for you to preview your pictures right away. The zoom is also pretty good, although it took me a little while to figure out how the enhanced digital zoom works.
There are a bunch of different shooting modes that you can choose from, and they're very easy to figure out. I've been very impressed with the battery life, too, and that's a big selling point for me.
All in all, this is a fabulous camera. I suggest shopping around for it online, though, because I was able to find it selling for about $150 under the MSRP (brand new).
13 Nikon Coolpix 5200 needs help!!!
This camera of beautiful design and manufacture is not up to par with its Canon S400/S500 peers. The quality of the pictures leaves a lot to be desired with respect to clear/sharp focus, white balance and noise levels.
Indoor photos are especially noisy and this becomes evident any time you try to print sizes over 5X7" (not too big).
I have seen lots of prints from Canon S400 cameras that beat the crap out of this Coolpix. Even after sharpening on post-processing software the photos are still not up to par. Fuzzy/soft pictures are the norm and crisp pictures will be more of a rare occurence. Few manual controls definitely don't help to overcome any of the issues.
Nikon has definitely dropped the ball on this one!
14 this camera rocks!
slurged on this camera before a trip to europe. did a lot of research first and decided on the Nikon. then found it at electricsam.com for $360! score. also found cheap memory at bestbuy (256 mb/$35), score again. the size is perfect - small but no too small to get a good grip on. and very easy to use with all these pre-set options. i used a bunch of them: lanscape (w/ and w/out peeps), arcitecture (w/ and w/out peeps), museum, sunset, indoor, portrait, etc. and the settings really make a difference. i took some pictures of the alps in austria lining things up with the display on landscape mode and the pictures came out absolutely sick! we had several blown up (16X20!) and they look as good as the professional photos of the mts in utah we bought last winter. also very cool b&w and panaramic modes.
highly highly recommend the nikon 5200!
15 Nikon gets it!
While looking for a pocketable and powerful digital camera I tried out the Pentax 555, Optio, Sony T-1, Canon S500...and the Nikon 5200. And the 5200 simply takes the highest honors and my hard-earned cash--$410 from AMPhoto.com!
While each of the cameras I compared and tested are small and pocketable-the Nikon was the easiest to reach in/pull out and "know" which end you have-which is important when catching spur-of-the-moment pictures at parties or other events.
The grip and feel in the hand is great and can easily be operated one-handed-unless you have very small hands.
The display is bright and easy to read-even in regular sunlight. The auto-gain for the display the camera uses while "looking" at a dark area is ingenious and incredibly useful.
Controls/buttons are well-placed and thought-out.
The menu system is great and very intuitive-no guessing/digging for features in menus.
Pictures simply are wonderful. Contrary to other reviews-I have had no issues with color being off for people.
This is a FAST CAMERA. Start-up is under 2 seconds. Without the flash picture-to-picture time is just over a second. With the flash picture-to-picture time is about 2 seconds.
Nobody has talked about about how FAST the zoom is! While looking at the other cameras I thought all zooms were lethargic-but Nikon's zoom is incredibly F-A-S-T!!! I did heavily consider the Pentax 555 but its zoom was so lethargic that I'd miss the action before it zoomed all the way in!
Macro mode is a blast and VERY good. The focus for macro is as close as an inch which allows you to get up close and personal with the object/subject
The movie mode is just incredible! While not camcorder quality, the 640x480 30 fps rate is great and a lot of fun for clips. I don't know why other camera manufacturers put limitations on the amount of video you can take...but Nikon gets it-if you've got the memory the use all you want for whatever you want!
Battery life hasn't been an issue and the fast charger which is INCLUDED lives up to the promise of fully charging a dead battery in 2 hours. I do wish Nikon had included the AC adapter but no matter...it can easily be picked up for $30.
I would recommend BUY AN EXTRA BATTERY! They are small and light-and you'll definitely be taking lots of pictures with this baby, and while battery life is good-the last thing you want to do is run out of juice when the party is just getting started!
Also buy as much SD memory as you can afford!
**Please note-this is a point-and-shoot camera with a few advanced features to play and have fun with... it takes the guesswork out of pictures. While the camera has a host of features to help you take better pictures based on the situation and lighting, it does not prevent or protect the user from taking bad or poorly composed pictures. Read the manual for the basics then get out there, take lots of pictures and find out how to improve yourself!
16 a HUGE disappointment
I really wanted to love this camera - but alas, it was not to be. The ability to capture video with sound at VGA was a real big selling point for me, but of course, it is primarily a still camera....which is where it falls terribly short.
The first one I bought I had to return because the focus was defective. I called Nikon and they said to take it back. The second one took decent quality photos, but not only was there a pixel out on the display (which would be okay if the camera wasn't $525), but there was also a defect on the ocular viewfinder which showed as a "warped" area in the form of a line right across the center.
I have a Kodak DC290 2.1 MP that is about six years old and it takes much sharper pictures that this Nikon. I was really shocked by the lack of overall quality control (two cameras defective) and the lack of sharp images. For now, I will stick with my old Kodak until something with all the features that are in this Nikon comes along --- and works.
***UPDATE***
I returned this and got the Sony Cybershot DSCP100 instead. WOW! What a difference! With the Sony, all of the same horrible test photos I took with the Nikon came out excellent! Not only that, but I saved $100. Thank you Sony...
17 Nikon Quality Evident
This one is indeed stylish in design. An excellent camera in the 5.1MP, compact Range. Small but big on features. With such wide range of features, I am surprised how very intuitive the user interface is. You really dont need the manual. You will be up and running in minutes.
Picture quality is excellent in all its modes. The Nikkor Lens with its ED & Aspherical elements, provides an impeccable quality of pictures. Sharp, crisp and vibrant colours. Low light focussing is fast. Interface to the computer? You dont need any driver software if you are on XP, 2000 or Mac. All USB. Just Plug it and you see a drive configured on your windows explorer which you can manage it just like a hard disk. Pictures in seconds!! The 1"X1" 256 MB SD memory card can store 270, 6"X4" high quality images. Movie recording is smooth, not at all jumpy, very powerful microphone. Treats it just like a picture. Make movie in seconds and send it...
I indeed recommend that you look at this one before you make a decision.
18 Just bought mine.
I really like my new 5200. I am new to the digital camera scene but I'm glad I bought the Nikon. The salesman explained the diferences between the many 5 Meg cameras in stock and I found the Nikon to be the easiest to learn to operate. My wife is usually the camera person in the house but I believe this camera will be much more fun than a regular film camera. I love the idea of snapping loads of shots, looking at them on the computer, and THEN deciding which ones to keep. Digital is the way to go and this Nikon is the way to get there.
19 Studied for months and bought the 5200
I have been looking at digital camers for a very long time. I wanted a 5 mega-pixel at the consumer price range that was easy to use and small enough to place in a pocket. The Nikon 5200 meets these simple needs and far exceeds any other expectation. From the start this was an easy camera to operate. I was taking pictures right out of the box. After spending some time to read about it's other capabilities, I learned that there are some super cool things it can do. The "sport" mode is wonderful. I can take a picture of a golf swing, my son pitching, or any other action shot with a series of 21 pictures in rapid succession. You get to see the progression of the action through each frame. The Movie mode is also cool. It is very easy to move from pictures to movies. You don't have to be a member of Mensa to maneuver through the options. I love the ability to add voice memos to the pictures AND, this to is very easy. Nothing complicated about this camera. Loads of options, easy to use, OH and did I mention great looking pictures....So happy I waited for the Nikon 5200.
20 Poor Color but nice camera -
Bought this and the new SONY P100 yesterday and compared both in detail. We took the same shot on both and had both developed at a Professional photo lab so the prints would be able to be compared.
The Nikon felt awesome in the hand, Turned on fast and did almost everything right. We started to see problems when shooting in sunlight. The screen on the Sony was much more readable. Like 30-40% better readability.
Ok , now for the bad news.. The Nikon's color is way way off for pictures of people. What amazes me is all the reviews that get done are with pictures of frogs and flowers. How about most people take pictures of people. The skin tones on the Nikon 5200 Are terrible. Skin looks pink and burned. Not very real at all. Way to redish pink and not natural even a little bit. This was with flash on and off in both indoors and outdoors shots.
The sony pics were much more true to life. Believe me , I wanted to keep the Nikon and not the sony for the overall feel of the Nikon but after seeing what we saw. The sony is the ticket and goodbye Nikon..
21 Very nice
The new Nikon 5200 is much more compact and elegant than its predecessors. The first thing that struck me was the smooth design compared with the rather chunky 3700, 4300 and 2100. The main reason is the new grip and battery compartment - a vast improvement. The pictures are faultless for amateur use, the lens is above average (somewhat distorted in the edge), much better than the Canon 500, and on par with the Pentax 555.The menu system is very intuitive and easy and most importantly the recycle time is comparable to normal cameras - it has always annoyed me when I have to wait for a digital camera to be ready for the `Kodak moment', no such problems with this Nikon. The only fault I have come across is the rather weak flash.
