Nikon Coolpix 5400 As digital technology continues to leap forward, some stand by and watch while others take the lead and shape the future. As one of the few companies capable of mastering and guiding these new developments, Nikon has challenged the present and realized the future in the form of the new COOLPIX 5400. The COOLPIX 5400’s 5.1 effective megapixels deliver outstanding image quality. But the true beauty of this digital compact is found in the carefully selected suite of advanced photographic functions, features and capabilities that are the trademark of Nikon digital imaging products. The COOLPIX 5400 has been designed to help you to capture all of the images you see around you and those you’ve yet to imagine — faithfully, in luminous color and striking clarity and detail. The newest COOLPIX has been conceived to serve the fundamental aspiration of digital photography — to capture your unique vision of the world and deliver it faithfully into the vast creative arena of digital imaging. Grab a COOLPIX 5400 and prepare your senses for the journey of a lifetime.
Nikon's exciting, advanced 5.1-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5400 digital camera adds a new dimension to the popular Coolpix line of digital cameras and combines a host of enhanced features and design elements. With superior 4x Zoom-Nikkor ED optics, wide-angle coverage and the exclusive new Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature, the Nikon Coolpix 5400 provides the ideal tool for digital photographers who are serious about the art of photography. The durable and lightweight Nikon Coolpix 5400 is the perfect tool to enhance any advanced photographer's creative imagination.
Optics and Resolution
The Coolpix 5400 uses a 5.1 effective-megapixel CCD to capture images at a maximum native resolution of 2,592 x 1,944 pixels. This allows for clear printouts up to 20x30 inches in size. The camera incorporates a wide angle Zoom-Nikkor lens with a maximum optical zoom of 4x coupled with a stepless 4x digital zoom for a 16x total zoom. The lens contains nine elements in eight groups, with the Zoom-Nikkor lens using Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass and two aspherical lenses completing the setup. With a focal length range of 5.8 mm to 24mm, the 4x optical zoom is equivalent to a 28-116mm lens on a 35mm camera.
The camera has fifteen preset shooting modes for easily shooting portraits, panoramas, landscapes, and many more. Users can select center-weighted, spot, AF spot, or a special 256-segment matrix metering mode in conjunction with TTL white balance to provide incredible exposure and color balance. Shutter speeds vary from 1/4000 second to ten minutes, making it possible to capture a wide variety of shots, and the Ultra Macro Mode allows for close-ups from a range of .4-inches.
Storage and Transfer
The 5400 stores images on either Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards and is compatible with 512 MB and 1GB MicroDrives. Shots are stored in either uncompressed TIFF-RGB format or compressed JPEG format. The camera uses a USB 1.1 interface and also outputs (selectable) NTSC or PAL video.
Movie Mode
It is possible to capture 70 seconds of video with audio using the 640 x 480 TV mode, or 180 seconds of video with audio using the 320 x 240 Small Movie mode.
More Features
It's always easy to get the perfect pictures thanks to the 5400's Best Shot Selector. In this mode the camera snaps five consecutive shots, analyzes them, and saves only the best of the bunch based on several selection parameters. A similar Auto Exposure Best Shot Selector mode does the same thing by comparing the tonal range and gradation of five consecutive shots snapped in quick succession. All the other pictures are then discarded to conserve storage space. All this is made possible by the camera's integrated 64 MB buffer that can quickly store several shots without committing them to the slower CompactFlash card.
Other features include:
- Advanced flash modes including Rear Curtain Sync and Repeating flash
- Record up to three minutes of QuickTime video with audio
- Hot shoe for adding powered accessories
Power and Size
An included rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL1 battery powers the camera for up to 110 minutes when using the LCD monitor. The camera measures 4.3-inches by 2.9-inches by 2.7-inches and weighs 11.3 ounces without the batteries and storage media.
What's in the Box
The 5400 comes with a lens cap, camera strap, AV cable, Nikon Coolpix Starter Memory Card, USB cable, rechargeable Li-ion battery, external battery charger, and a Nikon View software CD-ROM.
1 GREAT CAMERA, WONDERFUL SHOTS!!!
This a beautiful camera. We just love ours...
Now I want to get one for free for my daughter. You can get one for free too... Just go to this link follow the steps and your on your way and I'll be closer to getting mine too!(...)
THANKS AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 professional look, solid construction, long battery life
Great quality pictures. I have this camera for a month now and did not run into any troubles yet. Camera feels great in my hands.
The best part of it I got it for free in just 3 weeks here: http://www.FreeDigitalCameras.com/default.aspx?r=17723702
Very easy to use and user friendly menus make this camera a valuable gear for any user. Recommend.
3 Great Little Camera
I bought this camera with some trepidation after reading bad reviews about problems with focus in low light conditions. It has turned out to be a great little camera - sharp images, good colour rendition, wide angle zoom, and the option of full manual control. For enlargements at 8" by 10", it beats my venerable old Nikon FE with Nikkor 35-135 zoom. I also compared it with a friend's Canon Elph S400, and the 5400 is much sharper. Low light focus isn't much of a problem, particularly at wide angle. Digital cameras do take some getting used to, and you should be prepared to study the maual in detail - but the 5400 will produce great results. I'm a very satisfied with the 5400, after using film SLRs for 20 years or so,
4 Low Light Focus?
I tried and tried to get this camera to focus in low light situations in full auto mode and it just would not. Manually focusing is a pain and without some kind of light to assist with low light focusing, I can not recommend this camera and will be returning it.
5 Overall great camera - even better with rebate!
Got a $200 rebate from Nikon on this camera and couldn't pass it up and never happier. Very good all around performance, a few small problems (no Focus Assist light and fairly small LCD are some) but overall a solid camera with a lot of features and unbeatable at the price.
For those who are having problems focusing in low light I have to ask, are you shooting on a tripod or by hand? Take advantage of the nice feature whereby this camera shows you the exposure time right on the LCD when taking pictures, at medium and low light levels the camera will often have an exposure time of 1 second or more, this will lead to a blurry shot if it's not heald perfectly steady.
If you are having blurry shots at low light, try the same shot on a tripod or just sitting on something solid, I bet the shot will be crystal clear and very bright (I took some late twilight shots tonight and they look almost like midday with the right settings!).
Many features seems advanced for a camera of this price range, and sometimes at the cost of point and shoot ability, but if you are looking for a good prosumer level camera I have to say this feels like a solid bet.
6 Nikon
I decided to try the Nikon 5400. It has delivered consistent, fine images and allows many pre-set modes to shoot as well as manual control. A top piece of equipment with Nikon know-how.
7 Decent camera Nikons can always get the job done
I bought this camera because of the price. I had a Canon, a 75, which I liked for the size, but was only three megapixel. I got this camera for about 275 after rebate.
This camera takes great photographs and has good battery life. Has a ton of manual features, which is great with digital season experiment and learn about shutter speed, aperture etc.
one thing to keep in mind when buying this camera or any other Nikon is that they use battery packs and not AA or AAA batteries, which makes getting juice one on the run difficult. I own a Nikon 8700 eight megapixel camera. It is just awesome, and this one is similar. Shutter lag can be a hassle to deal with less than the second I believe, but not as snappy as SLR.
One thing the body is made of metal, which I enjoy makes it feel rugged and safe plus the flash is built in and not a pop up super bonus.
If you buy and I think you'll enjoy this camera. Check the reviews online for all the specifics. Peace out
8 Getting old - look elsewhere
The Coolpix 5400 is a model that's nearly two years old and, in digital photograpy terms, it's already a dinosaur. It takes good-quality pictures, better than most tiny point-and-shoots, but compared to Nikon's newer advanced compact digital cameras (8400, 8700, 8800, etc.) and the latest G-series from Canon, it's a very lackluster performer. I also have issues with the very small (1.5") LCD screen. The sensor on this camera is small, resulting in picture quality that cannot be compared to cameras with larger sensors.
Yes, this is cheap after the $200 rebate, but it's a camera that wasn't great when it was new and is definitely way out-of-date by now, and its picture quality just doesn't do justice to the Nikon brandname.
9 A digital beginner's impression: Very good, but not perfect
Although I have had years of experience with conventional cameras in both 35mm and medium format, the Nikon Coolpix 5400 is the first digital camera I have owned. I had grown weary of traveling with a 35mm and several lenses, or even more bulky medium format cameras.
Other reviewers have amply written about the features of this camera. I am going to focus on performance.
The Coolpix 5400 has good optics. I have shot the equivalent of several rolls of film on it. The photos have been crisp, had faithful color rendition without any glaring digital artifacts, and really don't need any software manipulation. So far, so good.
All is not roses, however. The Coolpix 5400 is very, very, very slow in writing from the a/d converter to the flashcard. Fire off a bunch of shots in continuous mode and get ready to wait. And wait some more. Smokers will have time for a cigarette or two; others could take a short bus ride or file their nails. It's that bad. I find this to be inexcusable in a camera sold at the original price point of the 5400. In fact, a lot of less expensive cameras are quicker. Canons don't seem to do this as poorly as the Nikon 5400 and Sony with its new V3 may be the fastest prosumer camera on the block for the time being. I think most other name brands will be quicker also. I should point out everything is relative: all point and shoot and prosumer digital cameras will be much slower than a digital SLR.
Another shortcoming: the autofocus in dim light problem that has been amply documented by other reviewers. This has not bothered me that much, but it is a problem to be aware of (this problem is not unique to Nikon).
A former shortcoming, the lack of a RAW file format has been rectified. You can now download firmware enabling RAW files from the Nikon USA website. It is up to you whether you want to utilize the RAW format. RAW is essentially uncompressed, but I doubt you'd be able to discern any real differences between a RAW or JPEG photo at normal print size.
Were it not for the glitches I listed above, I'd highly recommend the camera to just about anyone. As it is, the Coolpix 5400 is suitable for someone like a landscape photographer who takes a long time to compose a picture and has some patience; but it's not for the person who wants to take action shots and review them quickly.
The Coolpix 5400 has been recently discontinued by Nikon, and, depending where you shop. the price has dropped from a bit to enormously. That may make its few flaws more acceptable to the new buyer. My advice: shop around and try to use the camera you are interested in buying as much as possible. Online reviews can provide a good guide, but you really need to put your hands on a camera and run through the controls to see if it is right for you. What feels good in my hand may not in yours.
Hope this has been of some help.
10 A Pro's camera
Having had some doubt about the ability to get high performance from a digital camera (below stratospheric costs), I decide to try the Nikon 5400. It has delivered consistent, fine images and allows many pre-set modes to shoot as well as manual control. A top piece of equipment with Nikon know-how.
11 Powerful Camera in a Compact Size
This camera measures roughly 4"x3"x2.5". It weighs 0.8 lbs with the battery. As I am 200 lb size man, this camera definitely is compact for me.
The camera is powerful. It has a wide angle lens, standard. The optical zoom is 4x. Shutter speeds range from 10 mins (bulb) to 1/8000 sec (ultra high speed); but, 97% of my shooting uses 1/8 sec to 1/700 sec shutter speeds. f/ values range from 2.8 to 8.0 (8.0 reached at 4x zoom). In 1600x1200 jpg fine picture mode, it can snap 7 frames in 2.7 sec (high speed continuous), or 54 frames in 33.5 sec (low speed continuous). For faster continuous shooting, I recommend using the QuickTime movie mode (includes sound), rather than the ultra high speed continuous mode. The movie mode is 15 fps, 3 mins max at 320x240 pixels or 70 secs max at 640x480 pixels. You can combine and edit the movie clips, using QuickTime Pro software ($30 extra).
The camera can be used in fully auto mode, or for the best pictures, you will want to go to the fully manual mode ( this will be a learning experience for the novice). Also, available, if you need extra high quality pictures (better than jpg), you can use the TIFF 2,592x1,944 pixel mode (5 mega-pixels is also available for the jpg images).
The color accuracy of this camera is very high. While photo editing the pictures, I seldom need more than one click of adjustment to achieve perfect color, and half the time , zero adjustment is needed.
Auto focus will be 97-100% accurate in average or bright light, but if the light is very dim, then the auto focus quits working. Also, the natural focus of the lens tends to be soft, so that a setting of high image sharpening, + contrast, and +1 color saturation is recommended. The lens has rather low chromatic and linear aberration.
The auto ISO sensitivity and the auto white balance of the camera is generally very good , so no manual adjustment is needed or recommended. Image "noise" is almost zero at ISO's of 50 to 150.
The monitor measures 1 1/4" x 7/8" , 1.5" diagonally. It is easy to see the image in bright sunlight, and has good resolution at 134,000 pixels. The monitor is big enough for me - I am nearsighted, but a lot of people would prefer the 1.8" size monitor.
I can't give this camera a 5 star rating, because, then you would have to give the professional league cameras a 6 star rating. But, for its size and weight, Nikon has made a very powerful camera.
12 Doesn't deserve to be called a Nikon
In recent weeks, I put many hours into researching the pros and cons of particular prosumer cameras; finally I settled on the 5400, a camera that was to be an upgrade from my three-and-a-half-year-old Nikon Coolpix 990. The old 990 had proved to be a dependable workhorse; other than some self-inflicted problems that occurred after I spilled some sugary soda on it (I had to have it professionally cleaned to the tune of $200!), it never let me down. Still, I'm getting more serious about my photography, and wanted something with better resolution and more advanced options.
I had been really looking forward to receiving the 5400 and was predisposed to liking the camera a lot. In reality, I soured on the thing within 72 hours.
First of all, BELIEVE what camera cognoscenti say about the inability of the 5400 to autofocus in low-light conditions. What I hadn't understood until I was shooting with the camera is that 'low light' doesn't necessarily refer to broom closets or dinners by candlelight. I was snapping pics of my two-year-old in the living room today, on a sunny afternoon, with the blinds mostly open. Half the time, I couldn't get the camera to lock no matter what. Moving to the hallway, where there's only indirect light sthat streams in from the living room and dining room, effectively rendered the camera inoperable. I encountered no such problems outside, so if the great outdoors is where you do all your shooting, the 5400 may be for you.
Except for one other thing -- and this is a biggie. What absolutely DESTROYS this camera's performance is its pathetic color accuracy. Maybe I got a lemon -- I find it hard to believe that Nikon, the top-of-the heap manufacturer of pro-quality imaging equipment, would release a model that is so wildly off in how the internal chip processes color. But at least with the specimen I have, all the colors come out hyped. I photographed a still life that included some salmon-colored paper; it acquired a distinct, troublesome reddish tint in the picture I took with the 5400. This is a CRITICAL area for any camera; if it doesn't render reds and pinks accurately, it's an almost useless tool, as Caucasian faces, especially, will look ruddy and unappealing. And my 5400 has trouble with other hues, too, first turning a purplish blue shirt into a something much more like ROYAL blue, then pulling the exact same feat with a baby blue yogurt lid in another still life. It makes no sense to me either, but there it is.
I spent HOURS tweaking white balance and playing with the camera's saturation settings, all to little avail. Was the 5400's (too-small) display at fault, perhaps, as opposed to its internal color-rendering chip? I wish. After transferring the pictures to my Mac G4 and opening them in Photoshop 7, the same problems were immediately evident on the big monitor. To a degree, the 'off' colors can be corrected in Photoshop, of course. But sorry Nikon, I'm not prepared to do that kind of digital cosmetic surgery on virtually every picture I take.
My old Nikon 990 has better color accuracy by a mile; so does a more recent four-megapixel Canon A70 point-and-shoot that a friend was using to photograph the same test scenes on which I trained the 5400.
I should note that I am not a professional photographer, and that I'm probably much more forgiving of mild deviations in color and sharpness than a pro lensman would be. But the problems I mentioned are far from mild. They were, in fact, easily picked up and commented on by my wife, who is supremely uninterested in tweaky, geeky stuff, and who would presumably be happy with an old Kodak Brownie if it took halfway decent pictures.
I still give the 5400 two stars because the macro pictures it takes are nothing short of astounding (if you can forget about the patently incorrect colors for a moment). A picture of the engraving inside a ring brought out awesome detail, even specks of dust and scratches that were hard to pick up with the naked eye. A photo of a piece of transparent sticky tape I'd pulled off an envelope showed paper fibers in such detail, it seemed that by zooming in just one step further, actual atoms would appear in the image...
Still, all told, I'm sorely disappointed, and so this camera is going back to Amazon for a refund. Guess I'll be trying out the twice-as-expensive Nikon D-70 next, hopefully with much better results.
13 Excellent Camera!
After having read through all the reviews I thought I'd contribute my input on this camera since a lot of people had something negative to say.
I'm a former Coolpix 5000 user and went for the newer version handing down my older version, and I must say the 5400 is indeed a better camera.
Before I get into that, I must first say that if you're a beginner user or searching for your first digital camera, the 5400 is probably not for you and I would recommend investing your money on a high end Canon which focuses on point and shoot, quick and easy, no fuss photos. Although this camera does have point and shoot capabilities, the camera is clearly designed to be tweaked and played with to get a professional image. This camera is the grade in between a consumer and professional camera and you'll immediately see and feel that when you begin to use the camera.
As for what remarks I've seen regarding fuzziness, blurriness or quality of images... the 5400 produces crystal clear, professional images once you've taken the time to learn how to use the camera and produce the images. If you're not willing to sit down and learn how to use the camera, you're wasting your money. Of course, if you're a previous Nikon Coolpix user it will be a relatively easy learning curve.
Frankly, who cares where the camera was made? Every element on the 5400 works and functions great. Nothing on the 5400 has been overlooked or "skimped" over. This camera's been on the top 10 at PC World for months since its release and for good reason.
My favorite feature compare to the 5000 is that I'm not always removing the lens cap to do simple tasks such as downloading images into my computer. The menu is also a lot better and it's a lot easier to navigate between the different shooting modes.
The features have already been thoroughly reviewed by other users, but overall this camera is an excellent camera with more features and absolute control then you could imagine. If you want to be creative about photography and get quality, professional images, then this camera is undoubtedly meant for you.
14 Sounds great, but doesn't deliver
This camera looked like the perfect thing--many of the same capabilities as the 5700, but a more compact body. I was very excited when it arrived. After using it for a while, though, I realized what a mistake I'd made. Number one problem: focus. The camera has no auto-focus assist lamp, and does a TERRIBLE job of focusing in indoor light situations. Nikon would have us believe that the flash is normally required for those times, but my 4-year-old Canon Powershot S10 handles similar situations perfectly. In fact, the Powershot S10 outperforms the 5400 in a lot of ways. Compounding the problem of the 5400's inept autofocusing is the small, grainy LCD. So even if it looks like your picture's in focus, chances are when you see them full-size you'll realize they weren't. Too bad I took too long trying to figure out whether all these problems were user-error, or I'd have returned the camera to Amazon. Now I'm stuck with it.
15 One of the Best
This camera is one of the best cameras I have ever used. My university bought three of them for our yearbook staff to use for our entire range of photographs. To date, I cannot be dissapointed. Each picture has exceptional quality and looks extremely professional. I would recommend this camera to anyone interested in photography.
16 Noisy display
Unter normal indoor lighting conditions the image in the 1.5 LCD display is extreamly noisey and blury
17 I love it, it's the best thing I got for Christmas!
I had a Sony 1 MP camera before I was given this one, and I'll tell you 5 MP is a big diffrence! The camera has all kinds of settings, but they aren't realy good, the indoor settings have a slow shutter speed so the pictures almost always come out blured or they don't work with the flash. If you want to take a good indoor picture you need a tripod, and your subject must not move for several seconds. I learned the best setting is M, it has a fairly quick shutter speed, and you can turn the flash on, off, or there is a good red-eye reduction setting.
18 A camera you'll want to play with every day
Other reviews describe all the features, and still others tell how people feel about the camera -- many people love it. Rather than repeat that, let me just say that this camera is a lot of fun to play with. With a mode dial, a command dial to shift shutter speed or other settings, and other dials and buttons, it's easy to get at all the features here. It invites you to try things, and as you do, you'll learn alot about how to take better and better pictures.
If you just want to press the button, have a great picture and be done with it, this camera is overkill. Cheaper cameras can do that -- mabye get a Canon S50 or a Sony p10. But if you want a small camera you'll want to pick up every night and experiment with, this is your camera. You can put it in green auto mode and get great pictures if you want, but this camera can provide you a lot more fun than that.
19 Beginner to Advanced
What can I say? I love the 5400! It is my second from the Coolpix series. My first was a CP 880 that took a fall so the 5400 was a replacement. It's well worth the money. I looked around a lot and couldn't find anything I liked from other manufacturers that packed the features and flexibility of the 5400.
If you are a new digital user, the auto mode and scene modes are great. I usually shoot in P or M modes and can turn the dial to Automatic mode and hand it to my wife who likes the ability to point and shoot without thinking about adjusting anything. You can grow into this camera if you don't know yet how to shoot manually.
The 15 different scene modes to choose from are excellent. The panoramic assist mode is particularly cool. You can shoot a panoramic horizontally, vertically or in a 360 degree circle. You take photos and then put them together after download with the ArcSoft software that comes with the camera. It even allows you to fine-tune the pictures in case they do not align they way you want them too.
Pros:
Turn a fully automatic camera into a fully manual camera with the turn of a dial. I haven't found anything this camera cannot do that my recently auctioned SLR could do. Picture quality is equal to me.
The camera feels great to hold. All of the buttons are in convenient locations. Menus can be customized to show what you adjust frequently and you can store two different user settings using the function button.
5-shot buffer is great. It will take photos as long as you hold down the shutter release. It only stores the last five frames even if you have held the shutter release down long enough to make 20 exposures. Also does time lapse.
Shutter speed from Bulb to 1/4000.
Crisp Macro shooting.
The Vari-Angle display is much better than a fixed position display.
Three metering options- Matrix, Center-weighted and Spot are very effective.
Takes Type I and II compact flash. I wouldn't go with anything less than 256mb. Make sure it is USB compatible memory if you plan to use a Compact Flash reader in a USB port.
Hot shoe for accessories is a great addition. When a speedlight is attached, you can set the camera to fire the internal flash and speedlight or you can turn off the internal flash and use only the speedlight. This is great if you want to bounce your speedlight and use the internal for a fill-flash. It also works with a SC-17 remote cable if you want to get the flash off the camera for close up/macro shots. (If you are thinking about getting a Nikon speedlight, go with the SB-80DX or find an old SB-28 or SB-28DX versus going with the SB-50DX. It's worth the extra money if you are going to do any manual shooting/adjusting of speedlight. There is no manual mode on the SB-50DX so you can't really fine tune lighting if you are shooting with the camera in manual mode.)
Battery life is good (about 1.5 - 2 hrs.) It comes with a charger and 1 battery. A second (or 2CR5) as a back-up in my case has come in handy.
Cons:
The autofocus is not very good in low light situations. I have a Nikon SB-28 speedlight with autofocus assist but the 5400 doesn't activate it. I knocked off half a star for that.
You have to go through a 1/4 view screen before going to full-screen view when using the Quick Review. I think it would be better if it went straight to the full-screen view and did away with the 1/4 screen view. (-1/4 star.)
The only option for adding filters is the HN-CP10 hood with 77mm filters. It's great to have a hood large enough to stay out of wide angle compositions but the 77mm filters are very expensive. (last 1/4 star)
Card cover is flimsy. I have a card reader and each time I open the door to remove the card, I think about how flimsy it is. The 880 had a much more sturdy door.
Area through the viewfinder is significantly different than what you see in the monitor. I read somewhere it is about 35% less through the viewfinder than the monitor.
Overall, it's a great camera for the beginner or advanced user. As a result of purchasing this camera, I shoot only digital and don't miss my SLR one bit. The owner's manual is 160 pages and thoroughly explains all the camera's features. I've had it for 3 months now and am still learning what this camera can do.
20 So glad I got this camera!!!
I love this camera. I am a fine artist and need to archive my work. In the past, that meant shooting everything in 35mm and then my better pieces needed to be shot again in 4x5 format as well in the event I wanted to reproduce them at a later date as large prints. I had to bracket each shot at least three ways to make sure I got the best shot. And at the end of a photo shoot, it could get pretty expensive with all the film and processing. Along with the 5400, I also purchased a 512mb flash card and a AC adapter so I wouldn't have to continually upload my images. In one session, I was able to shoot over 40 works, and only two needed to be reshot because they were soft. I shoot in bright natural light and the auto focus worked very well. I shot everything at the highest resolution setting as tif files which are pretty big. I was able to store about 35 images on the flashcard before it ran out of memory. The colors were so accurate, I hardly needed to tweak them at all in Photoshop. Needless to say, the camera paid for itself in one photo shoot and the ease and time saving qualities are priceless to me. I would highly recommend this camera, but get yourself a flash card with more memory if you want to store more images than using the card it comes with. (I think an 8). Also, I would suggest steering clear of sellers who are offering this and other similar items at a ridiculous savings. They will try to upsell you with incredibly high cost extras like extended waranty and cases and cards and lenses. If you don't agree to buy any, they will likely screw up your order, lie to you and make your life a living hell. I went through that ugly scene and then finally went through Amazon to purchase my stuff. They haven't let me down yet with anything I've purchased.
21 EXCELLENT CAMERA!
I absolutely love this camera. I previously owned the Nikon CoolPix 990...... Nikon has come a long way since then. THe Nikon CoolPix 5400 has great features, takes clear, crisp photos.... and I especially love all the "scene modes" it has.... and I love the macro setting. You can get as close as 1 centimeter. I've enjoyed this camera and I love the results I get!
Highly recommend!
22 I'm inept
I am 67 yrs old. After 340 photos I was unable figure out how to take an in focus photo at a range of 2 to 4 feet without a flash. So I calculate the camera is beyond me and returned it. Amazons policy of return is a real life saver.
my web site is www.angelica14709.com
My pervious camera was a Sony DSC-S50 the photo of the bridge is with the S50 and the second picture on the main page is taken with coolpix 5400.
23 solid 5MP camera with 4x zoom, but compare vs competition
the nikon coolpix 5400 is a solid 5MP, 4x zoom camera with a strong feature set. but it has a few shortcomings so make sure to consider its competition.
pros:
- 5MP and 4x optical zoom.
- good color response, average resolution for 5MP.
- photos have very low noise.
- allows a great deal of manual control.
- macro mode better than most.
- low redeye occurrence.
- virtually free of chromatic aberrations.
- shadow highlights maintained.
- timed exposures up to 10 minutes.
- expandable with a boatload of lenses, flashes, and other accessories from nikon.
- wider lens than most.
- supports CF card types I and II.
- flip-out LCD display - protects LCD when not in use.
- high resolution LCD with anti-reflective coating that actually works.
- very comfortable to hold with a deep hand grip made of soft rubber.
- compact body feels solid.
- reprogrammable FUNC button, and initial record menu.
- above average battery life (i still recommend getting a spare though).
cons:
- some lens distortion, especially at maximum zoom.
- images occasionally appear soft around corners.
- slow response interface, non-intuitive menus.
- no AF assist light - very puzzling why nikon doesn't provide this.
- to add insult to injury, this camera has a hard time focusing in low light so an AF assist light would really come in handy.
- average auto focus speed.
- buffering issue? the camera locks towards the end of write process.
- slow CF write speed / processing.
- you're on your own when using manual focus - it doesn't show focus distance.
- LCD smaller than competition.
- RAW mode not supported.
- flimsy cover for CF slot.
- no live histogram in record mode.
- no support for external Speedlight features such as AF assist or flash zoom.
- connectivity options all over the place rather than in a central location.
- uses proprietary battery so make sure you add some $$ to your budget to get a spare.
- the supplied 16MB CF card is inadequate - again, more $$ for more memory.
the coolpix 5400 is a solid camera from nikon with a very strong feature set. it will produce very good pics in point and shoot mode but still has full manual control if you want to be more creative with your shots. i've given this a 4-star rating because of two important factors for me: the lack of an AF assist light and the dead time at the end of write process. i would suggest that you consider the canon g5 and the sony dsc-v1 before committing to the nikon 5400.
i hope this helps with your buying decision. peace.
24 Great camera, though expensive
In response to the made in Korea question, I received my camera a week ago and was terrified to see that it was made in Korea (having read the reviewer's comment). After a week of unneeded stress, I can personally say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my camera - it works perfectly. I'm sure the reviewer had a problem with his camera and simpy assumed it was the fact that it was made in Korea. More realistically, he simply received a lemon camera - it happens. (Incidently, the "Made in Korea" is located on one side of the box in tiny print, or on the bottom of the camera.)
So far this camera has been amazing. Super wideangle that no comparable competitor can surpass, and great macro capabilities. I went for this one over the 5700 for that fact (and the price difference - plus having to deal with rebates). I haven't yet had any reason to worry about the buffer speed as some reviews have nailed it on. How many times do I need to take 30 continous low res shots in a row (as in, holding down the shutter release) and then turn around and take more shots? Really, the only major drawbacks to this camera in my opinion, are the optical viewer and the price. The viewer doesn't cover the entire actual shot taken which can cause you to get a shot you hadn't intended. So I basically rely on the LCD screen usually. But isn't that what most people do anyway? The price is high basically because its a Nikon and built out of good materials.
There will be tradeoffs in any camera that you buy, and this one covered most of what I needed. You really have to look at what you want personally, rather than what a camera review is looking for.
25 Japan or Korea
Someone mentioned when getting the Coolpix 5400, make sure to get the one made in Japan and not Korea. How can you tell where it is made? Any information will be greatly appreciated.
26 nikon 5400
what the professional reviewers say about the problems w/ lack of AF assist in low lighting conditions is true: photos taken in low light are often out of focus. in addition, the viewfinder is inaccurate; you will eat up battery life because you will have to rely on the display to frame your shots accurately.
on the other hand, the ergonomics of the camera are great: it just feels perfect in your hand. and outdoor shots are detailed and colorful. the wider lens angle is also really nice.
27 Nikon's Coolpix 5400 is full of Great Features
Finally decided to get the Nikon 5400 from Amazon at the regular Nikon suggested price, because I have grown to trust Amazon, and my impression is that the "lower priced" 5400's out there are mostly gray market. This made-in-Japan wonder, has not let me down. Have been using the 5400 about 10 days now. I took camera and manual up to a lean-to in the Adirondacks for an overnight, and had a great time trying the various features. I took pictures in the deep forest in a misty rain, using a Leki Photo walking stick as a monopod and got great results. I set the white balance for "cloudy" and colors were rendered accurately. Subsequently, on a clear day in the shade, with white balance set to "shade", greens were nice and warm - not blue as with slide film (unless you put on a filter.) You can even bring along a piece of white paper, aim the camera at it, and set the white balance precisely for any lighting situation. I have methodically plodded through the manual, and pleasant surprises abound. The camera is a joy to use, controls are well deployed. And with battery, it only weighs 13 oz - a backpacker's dream camera, with 28 - 116 zoom. This is possibly the only 5 MP camera on the market with a 28mm equivalent wide angle lens integral to the camera. In macro, it will focus as close as 1/2 inch! If you are into scenics and nature, this is the camera to own. The only down side so far is the viewfinder (the glass one you look through) which has a somewhat restricted view.
28 One thing is more important
Make sure you get one made in Japan (with fireware 1.3).
because Korea made has focus problem!!!
I had both, and return Korea's, which make me nuts.
29 Great Pictures
I have been looking at cameras for quite a while but was having a very difficult time deciding if a digital camera would take the type of pictures I am used to with a 35mm. I am happy to say that after about 30 minutes I had taken and printed pictures that are as good or better than my 35mm. This is a great camera for beginners. I used it for a vacation to Hawaii and the pictures were beautiful. I highly recommend this camera for the variety of features and the ease of use for beginners.
30 Nothing new
At this price you should be getting more for your money these days. The camera takes good photos but so do many other PS (that's piont and shoot for you southern folk, and you don't start a sentence with And). Getting back to reviewing this latest Nikon one good thing is it has 15 scene selections for those that are photo challanegd. This is a big plus for newbees but if you're paying top dollar you'll be in A or S mode anyway.
If you use the LCD for composing it's a bit small.
Good things are the 28mm wide end (but the Nikon 5000 had that).
The extra telephoto end is a little longer compared to the 5000 but comes at a price (smaller f stop).
A good camera but the new Canon G5 is already making Nikon lower the price.
31 Great Camera
Don't listen to this guy who said its a step backwards. The LCD is fine for all but the visually impaired, and excellent in bright sunlight (light that many LCDs have trouble in). 1.5 inches is fine, and is too small an issue to detract from its overall strength. Basically an LCD is for framing and reference, not for showing your pics to family and friends,; thats what prints are for, or even the TV out cable.
This camera takes stunning images with ease. Ive had it for a week. The more you get to know it and understand it, the better it will get, and so your pictures. To fully get the best out of it you'll need to be patient and read the manual, but out of the box shots on full auto are superb anyway.
The autofocus is quick, so long as you find some contrast to lock it onto, as with all autofocus, and shutter lag is virtually instant if you make sure focus is already locked onto the subject. Disable the 'shutter sound' beep via the settings menu, and you'll quicken shutter speed even more, to about 0.1 sec.
If people knock this camera its either because they dont have it and have only read about it or briefly tested it in-store, or because they dont understand how to use it. And maybe they have bad eyesight!
32 Nikon ??
In response to "that guy" who said " don't listen to this guy who said it is a step backwards". This is a review of a camera not a judgement of people and their eyesight or if they knock the camera they "can't afford it or don't understand it.
As stated I have years of photographic experience and compared the camera to the Nikon Coolpix 990. I have had the 990 since the first day it came out (about 3 years ago) and it has been one of Nikons biggest selling digital for many reasons. I also campared it to the camera it's ment to replace , the Coolpix 5000.
In my review I stated many people will like this camera and it does take good pictures, but compared to the new technology that's out there and the compitition from other camera makers (Canons new G5 for instance, and I don't own any Canon products) the 5400 as a whole is a disappiontment.
People shouldn't write a review based on having a product for a week and comparing it to nothing.
I've used Nikons for over twenty years. I have always expected improvements with new models and most time they didn't disappoint. I loved (and still do) my Coolpix 990. The 5400 is a downer.
First, it's made in Korea! The smaller sensor is stretched for quality. The dull 1.5" LCD screen is also a step in the wrong direction (if you can even see the image on it). Nikon's older 5000 had a larger chip and 1.8" screen. Nikon should be making better cameras. Cameras with larger chips and a nice 2" LCD (don't be fooled when they say the smaller chip is better technology, not!) Many people will love this camera and say they get great pictures with it. With the right know-how and software you can get excellnt images with a 2-3 MP camera. It's cute and does have a great amount of features (why I gave it 3 stars). If you want better images get one of the new SLR's.For your money stay with what you have ( 2-3 MP) or spend half the money and get a 3 or 4 MP (from [Amazon.com]) and wait for a better product from Nikon or something from the competition that's more reasonably priced...
