Nikon Coolpix AW130, L340, L840, P610, S33, S7000, S9900 Hands-On Preview

Nikon has announced its Spring collection of Coolpix cameras, featuring three Bridge models, 2 tough cameras and 2 superzooms. 

New Nikon Bridge Cameras - P610, L840, L340

Available in black and red, the Coolpix P610 features a 60x optical zoom, an electronic viewfinder and large high-resolution 921k-dot vari-angle screen. It has built-in GPS and GLONASS to track shooting locations, Dual Detect Optical VR (vibration reduction) and one-touch Full HD movies (1080/60p). Plus, for those who like to share images quickly, Wi-Fi and NFC support are built in. The P610 has an RRP of £339.99 and will be on sale next week. 

The Coolpix L840 has a back-illuminated 16MP CMOS image sensor and a 38x optical zoom that's extendable to 76x when using Dynamic fine zoom. The large LCD screen is tiltable and images can be shared instantly with Wi-Fi and NFC support. For those wanting to experiment with the full reach of this camera, Moon and Bird-watching modes are built in. The L840 will be available towards the end of February with an RRP of £209.99 in black, red or plum.

The final camera in this group is the Coolpix L340, also available towards the end of February but only from Argos stores. It features a 28x zoom, extendable to 56x with Dynamic Fine Zoom and is powered by AA-size batteries. As with the other two models, the L340 features a large LCD screen and can capture HD movies. It features a 20MP CCD image sensor and Target finding AF. 

All three cameras are light-weight, fit well in the hand and have a good grip. They're also simple to use and the menu systems are easy to navigate.

Key Features – P610

• 60x optical zoom lens
• Dual Detect Optical VR (vibration reduction)
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC support
• Built-in GPS and GLONASS
• Back-illuminated 16MP CMOS image sensor
• Full HD movies
• Large vari-angle LCD screen

Key Features – L840

• 38x optical zoom lens
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC support
• Back-illuminated 16MP CMOS image sensor
• 7.5-cm/3.0-in 921k-dot LCD tilt screen
• Moon and Bird-watching modes
• Full HD movies

Key Features – L340

• 28x optical zoom lens
• 20MP CCD image sensor
• HD movies
• Target finding AF

New Nikon Super Zooms - COOLPIX S9900 & S7000

The retro looking Coolpix S9900 features a 30x optical zoom, extendable to 60x with Dynamic Fine Zoom, a large vari-angle LCD screen on the back and built-in Wi-Fi. NFC support is offered along with built-in GPS and GLONASS so up to 30 locations can be tracked on a built-in world map. Movies can be captured at Full HD and time-lapse can also be experimented with. The S9900 has an RRP of £279.99 and will be available in silver or black from 26 February 2015. 

The 16Mp Coolpix S7000 features a 20x optical zoom, extendable to 40x with Dynamic Fine Zoom, and like the S9900, can capture Full HD as well as time-lapse movies and Wi-Fi / NFC support is built in. The S7000 has an extremely compact body and will easily fit in a pocket when heading out for the day. The Coolpix S7000 will be available in red, black, gold and pink from 26 February 2015 with an RRP of £169.99.

 Key Features – S9900

• 30x optical zoom lens
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC support
• Built-in GPS and GLONASS
• Vari-angle TFT LCD screen
• High-performance VR (vibration reduction)
• Time-lapse movie mode

Key Features – S7000

• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC support
• 20x optical zoom lens
• Back-illuminated 16MP CMOS image sensor
• Easy panorama mode
• High-performance VR (vibration reduction)
• Full HD movies

New Nikon Waterproof Cameras - Coolpix AW130 & S33

The Nikon Coolpix AW130 is designed for those with an 'active lifestyle'. The camera can be used to an impressive 30m depth underwater (the previous model could only be taken down to 18m), is cold resistant to -10ºC, plus it's dustproof and shockproof to 2m. 

NFC support and built-in Wi-Fi make the AW130 a 'social' camera, allowing images to be shared instantly by tapping it to an NFC-enabled smart device, or using the dedicated Wi-Fi button.

The AW130 features a wide-angle 24mm f/2.8 lens and a 5x optical zoom that can be extended to 10x with Dynamic Fine Zoom. Full HD movies can be captured with stereo sound and those travelling can track their journey with the help of built-in GPS and GLONASS support. Improvements have been made to allow shooting locations to be recorded at quicker speeds with more accurate longitude and latitude measurements. Up to 30 locations can be saved on a built-in World Map and altitude or depth data can be imprinted too. The AW130 will be available from 26 February 2015 with an RRP of £279.99 in red, black, blue, camo and yellow. 

The 13Mp S33 is a waterproof camera that's more family friendly with menu systems designed with children, as well as adults in mind. It has a 3x optical zoom, extendable to 6x with Dynamic Fine Zoom and can capture Full HD. The S33 is dustproof, waterproof to 10m, cold resistant to -10°C and shockproof to 1.5m. The curvy and colourful S33 will be available from 5 March 2015 with an RRP of £89.99 in the following colours: yellow, blue, pink and white.

Both models are very well built and feel sturdy in the hand. The AW130 as a slightly better grip but the interesting and colourful designs of the S33 will appeal to photographers of all ages. 

Key Features – COOLPIX AW130

• Waterproof to 30m
• Adventure-proof
• NFC Support and Wi-Fi Connectivity
• 5x optical zoom lens
• Built-in GPS and GLONASS support
• Back-illuminated 16MP CMOS image sensor
• High-performance VR (vibration reduction)
• Time-lapse movie

Key Features – COOLPIX S33

• Tough and reliable
• 13 MP CMOS sensor
• Adult and child menus
• 3x optical zoom lens
• Full HD movies
• Underwater face framing
• Easy to handle

For more information on the cameras, visit ePHOTOzine's news section: 

• Two New Nikon Adventure Cameras 
• Nikon Announce 3 New Bridge Style Coolpix Models
• Nikon Coolpix S9900 and S7000 High Zoom Cameras Announced