Nikon Coolpix P80 Samples

Here we compare the Nikon Coolpix P80 with the Fuji Finepix S100FS. Images below are all 100% crops from their respective cameras. ISO was set on each the camera. Every other setting was left on automatic. All images were taken at the highest resolution possible for the set ISO sensitivity. For the P80, ISO 100 to 2000 support a full 10 megapixels, while ISO 3200 and 6400 are limited to 3 megapixels. For the S100FS, ISO 100 to 3200 are crops from 11 megapixels images, while ISO 6400 is limited to 6 megapixels and ISO 10000 is limited to 3 megapixels.

Both these cameras are the flagship ultra-zooms from their respective manufacturers. They each offer a wide range of ISO sensitivities and a full complement of manual controls. However, these camera's differ greatly in their form factor. Where as the Nikon Coolpix P80 is a small ultra-zoom with an electronically controlled 18X stabilized optical zoom lens, the Fuji Finepix S100FS is a DSLR-sized ultra-zoom with a mechanically controlled 14.3X stabilized optical zoom lens. The S100FS features a relatively larger sensor with higher sensitivity and wider dynamic range.

Nikon Coolpix P80	Fuji Finepix S100FS
ISO 100 - 1/12s F2.8	ISO 100 - 1/18s F2.9
ISO 200 - 1/22s F2.8	ISO 200 - 1/34s F2.9
ISO 400 - 1/44s F2.8	ISO 400 - 1/60s F2.9
ISO 800 - 1/62s F3.2	ISO 800 - 1/125s F2.9
ISO 1600 - 1/99s F3.5	ISO 1600 - 1/240s F2.9
ISO 2000 - 1/106s F4	The ISO 2000 image from the P80 to the left is as devoid of details as can be. There are apparent diagonal lines in the image background but that is it. As shown from the P80 crops on the left column, the Nikon becomes just about useless at ISO 1600 while the Fuji still delivered enough details to see the bricks at the same ISO.
ISO 3200 - 1/96s F4.5	ISO 3200 - 1/480s F2.9
ISO 6400 - 1/150s F4.5	ISO 6400 - 1/350s F4.5
Up to here we can see that the Fuji always delivers at least one full ISO stop of better detail and sharpness. The Nikon Coolpix P80 suffers from noise and noise-reduction from ISO 200 onwards. Things get worst quickly and ISO 800 may give a small usable print but that is it. Color and exposure are different between the cameras with the real color lying somewhere between the two and the P80 choosing a brighter exposure thus blowing highlights (not included in the crops) faster than the Fuji.	ISO 10000 - 1/420s F5