Nikon Coolpix P7700 Summary

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 is an impressive camera with an unmatched feature set. Already its stabilized 7X wide-angle optical zoom lens is unique among premium compacts, making it the only one in its class with telephoto reach. It is also the only one with three control-dials other than its predecessor. Add to that a digital level, a mini-jack for an external stereo sound source and a rare hot-shoe, and it becomes easy to understand the unprecedented versatility of this digital camera. The P7700 introduces a redesigned lens with a bright F/2 maximum aperture which only stops down to F/4 at the long end.

This digital camera delivers a solid performance for its class. Image noise is low and delivers usable results at ISO 1600 without much trouble. Colors, white-balance and exposure are also very good. Particularly impressive is the lens which is consistently sharp across the frame and impervious to chromatic aberrations or vignetting.

Where consideration for the Nikon P7700 becomes tricky depends on its intended use. For those already equipped with a DSLR and lenses, the P7700 makes an excellent second camera to use when the bulk of a DSLR system is cumbersome. For those moving from a point-and-shoot but not comfortable yet with a DSLR, the dilemma is to choose between a premium large-sensor compact camera with a limited zoom or a P7700.

Neocamera detailed review Read the full Nikon P7700 review.