Nikon AW100 Overview

This digital camera was featured in our Waterproof Digital camera Shootout 2012. To learn the way it compares head-to-head with 5 different rugged, element-defying compact digital cameras, click on right here!

Nikon Coolpix AW100 Overview

by Mike Pasini and Stephanie Boozer
Posted: July 10, 2012

The Nikon Coolpix AW100 is a water-proof digital camera that takes a tricky shell (one thing Nikon is aware of greater than a bit of about), provides GPS (ditto), tosses in gestural management, and makes it waterproof (are you able to say Nikonos?) in addition to shockproof and freezeproof. There’s nothing fairly prefer it.

The hazard with a novel set of options, although, is how sensible the digital camera is in abnormal use. However right here too, Nikon took no shortcuts with a 5x optical zoom (and Vibration Discount) and Full HD film functionality. The Coolpix AW100 makes use of an Expeed C2 picture processor with a 16-megapixel sensor with ISO sensitivity to three,200 and provides topic monitoring and a sensible portrait mode. And the built-in world map with an digital compass would not damage a bit.

Even the Nikon AW100’s colour has a perform, the intense metallic orange being straightforward to identify in murky depths, winter storms or darkish digital camera luggage. Black and blue choices are additionally accessible.

Briefly, I discovered the Nikon AW100 an intriguing digital camera, value an extended look than we often give a compact digicam.

Look and Really feel. Whereas the Coolpix AW100 is each compact and light-weight, it is also straightforward to inform from all the opposite digicams on the shelf. From the frog-eyed lens bump to the GPS hump to the battery/card compartment hatch, all positioned on its black edges, it appears to be like the a part of an underwater digital camera. A child Nikonos. And but it stays pocketable.

Nevertheless, as properly designed as I discovered the Coolpix AW100, it does have a few points.

The primary is the stiffness of the Nikon AW100’s buttons. After greater than two months with the digital camera, they by no means loosened up. That implies the waterproof seals are responsible, maybe due to water strain at 33 ft. And it is a matter in abnormal day by day use. You actually should press laborious.

The second problem was the battery/card compartment hatch. It jogged my memory of the submarine doorways in “Run Silent, Run Deep” that, as soon as slammed shut, needed to be sealed with a number of cranks of a wheel. Nikon has gotten it right down to a quarter-turn however the precept continues to be the identical.

A locking button needs to be depressed to make the quarter flip and there is a approach to do it in a single movement, however it took me some time to determine it out. Contemplating what number of instances you need to get in there (for the cardboard), that is one a part of the Coolpix AW100 that actually appeared over-designed.

There’s greater than the reminiscence card and battery in there, too. Nikon has tucked the HDMI and USB ports in there, as effectively, saving itself from a second sealed compartment. So once you join the Coolpix AW100 with a cable, you might be exposing the battery and card.

Nikon supplies a grid of six small bumps on the again of the Coolpix AW100 to function a thumb grip, however nothing on the graceful, slick entrance. Nonetheless, it by no means dropped out of my hand. It is light-weight, so it would not current any extra of a problem than some other compact digicam.

The lens itself sits behind a chunk of optical glass so it’s by no means involved with water or the weather.

Controls. I discovered the controls a bit dated. They’re all easy push buttons with no levers or switches. After all, that is not a lot retro as it’s waterproof.

The Nikon AW100 follows the latest transfer away from Mode dials. There’s the Shutter button and the Film button. Then there’s an odd little toggle button that switches between Playback and Scene mode, which accesses 19 customized digital camera setups.

A Menu button beneath the sq. four-way navigator can also be on a toggle button, oddly toggling with the Delete button.

The four-way navigator makes use of the arrow keys to manage Flash with the Up arrow, EV with the Proper arrow, Macro with the Down arrow, and the Self-Timer with the Left arrow. A traditional association.

Zoom is dealt with with one more toggle button, however on the high of the management panel.

The Coolpix AW100’s Shutter button on the highest panel is generously giant, which is fairly useful if you happen to’re scuba diving. The Energy button to the left of it, nonetheless, is each tiny and recessed. I needed to search for it. Each time.

Essentially the most attention-grabbing button is on the left facet of the digital camera, which often has nothing on it. It is only a massive, lazy lozenge. You employ the Menu system to set its perform to both show a map or activate the Coolpix AW100’s shake and bake perform that Nikon calls Motion Management: You shake the digital camera to make it do issues. Which, once more, turns out to be useful below water or within the freezing chilly once you’re sporting gloves.

As a Map button it will probably, with GPS enabled, reveal your present location on a street-level detailed map. It has a number of different tips up its sleeve as effectively, revealed by the Menu, which is just seen once you first press the Map button after which the Menu button, as described beneath.

The LCD is a pleasure to make use of. The Coolpix AW100’s 3-inch TFT-LCD has an anti-reflection coating so its 460,000 dots are seen in direct daylight. Body protection in taking pictures mode is rated at 98 p.c horizontally and vertically, however one hundred pc in playback.

Lens. The Coolpix AW100’s 5x optical zoom lens options Nikkor Additional-low Dispersion glass with 12 components in 10 teams. With a focal size of 5.0-25.0mm (28-140mm in 35mm format) it supplies a cushty vast angle view with good telephoto attain. Most aperture ranges from f/3.9 at vast angle to f/4.8 at telephoto.

Digital zoom goes to 4x, taking the telephoto attain to 560mm in a 35mm equal. At that focal size Nikon’s Vibration Discount, which is a lens-shift design, is crucial.

The lens itself is housed behind an optical glass protect, defending it from the weather. Even with drops of water on it from the rain the digital camera took sharp photos.

The retail package deal features a plastic filter adapter disc that slips across the rectangular lens housing to supply a 40.5mm filter attachment. The adapter merely snaps on, so a small wire is supplied to tether the disc to the digital camera. Notice, although, that the AF-assist lamp and film illuminator is blocked with the adapter connected.

Modes are greater than a bit of complicated on the Coolpix AW100. For one factor, Nikon calls Program mode Auto, however there’s additionally an Simple Auto mode. Scene Mode has a screenful of choices, however Good Portrait Mode is not one in every of them as a result of it is a mode all to itself.

Nikon features a Particular Results possibility amongst these taking pictures modes. They’re, in impact, extra modes.

AUTO. I spent most of my time in Auto mode so I may change issues apart from the Picture mode. You may alter White Steadiness, Shutter Launch mode, ISO Sensitivity, AF Space mode, and Autofocus mode. Not a really in depth listing, which might be why Nikon did not name this Program mode.

ISO Sensitivity has two Auto choices. One caps Auto at ISO 400. Handbook settings vary as much as ISO 3,200.

EASY AUTO. Often modes like Simple Auto simplify digital camera operation, and that is definitely true on the Nikon AW100, the place a press of the Menu button in Simple Auto offers you one possibility: Picture mode. You may change picture measurement and compression. That is it. However Simple Auto can also be Good Auto, mechanically choosing a digital camera setup for Portrait, Panorama, Night time Portrait, Night time Panorama, Shut-up, Backlighting, Underwater, and Different Scenes. Face detection is employed the place acceptable.

Nikon offers some odd recommendation about utilizing this mode, although. Different Good Auto modes I’ve seen all defaulted to Auto if not one of the Scene modes have been acceptable. However on the Coolpix AW100, Nikon says, “The specified scene mode will not be chosen in sure situations. On this case, choose one other taking pictures mode.”

SCENE. There are 19 Scene modes tucked into the Nikon AW100. You may in all probability guess a pair, together with Seashore and Underwater. However here is the menu: Again Gentle, Seashore, Black and White Copy, Shut Up, Nightfall/Daybreak, Fireworks Present, Meals, Panorama, Museum, Night time Panorama, Night time Portrait, Panorama, Social gathering/Indoor, Pet Portrait, Portrait, Snow, Sports activities, Sundown, and (after all) Underwater.

Like Simple Auto, the Menu button permits entry solely to Picture mode.

Nikon does embrace a contemporary Panorama Scene mode it calls Simple Panorama. You choose between both a 180- or 360-degree panorama, press the Shutter button, launch it, and swing the digital camera round. I wasn’t capable of really get the AW100 to construct the panorama shot, although. The digital camera mentioned it could not do it.

SMART PORTRAIT. This mode is a mix of Smile Shutter and the Pores and skin Softening filter. So to journey the shutter, one in every of as much as three detected faces should smile. After which it’s going to get blurred. Hmmm… fortuitously, there is a Portrait possibility in Simple Auto and Scene mode. A smile is not all the time the perfect portrait. This mode actually ought to have been referred to as Smile Shutter, though you possibly can simply press the Shutter button to keep away from it.

Along with Pores and skin Softening (which might be disabled by way of the Menu system), the Smile Timer may also be disabled. The Menu system additionally supplies a Blink Proof possibility, which takes two photos for each shot to keep away from closed eyes (however it disables the flash).

SPECIAL EFFECTS. There are six Particular Results you possibly can shoot with. Why Fisheye and Miniature Impact aren’t amongst them, I do not know.

Comfortable provides a slight blur to the picture, in all probability not a nasty thought for portraits, however then you have already got Good Portrait. Nostalgic Sepia merely creates a sepia monochrome picture. Excessive-Distinction Monochrome is a disturbing description of black-and-white mode. Excessive Key brightens an image when the scene is brilliant. Low Key darkens the image when the scene is darkish. Selective Coloration creates a black and white picture through which solely the colour you specify stays.

MOVIE. Do not search for Film mode. There is not one. The one approach to shoot a film is to press the Film report button (or, with Motion Management energetic, to make use of a gesture). A tab on the Menu system permits you to preset Film choices it doesn’t matter what taking pictures mode you have chosen.

Each optical and digital zoom can be found, however if you happen to begin in optical you need to launch the zoom toggle earlier than it’s going to change to digital zoom. There is no clean transition.

EV and White Steadiness settings are honored throughout film seize, and optical VR is supported.

You may report in a number of modes at 30 frames per second. Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) at 14 Mbps is the default. A barely decrease high quality 12 Mbps mode can also be accessible. HD (1,280 x 720) is offered at 9 Mbps.  iFrame 540 (960 x 540) at 24 Mbps is an Apple-supported format. A VGA mode (640 x 480) at 3 Mbps can also be accessible.

Excessive Velocity choices embrace HS 240 fps (320 x 240), HS 120 fps (640 x 480), HS 60 fps (1,280 x 720), and HS 15 fps (1,920 x 1,080). And you may change between regular and excessive velocity recording simply by urgent the OK button, a really good contact for slowing down these particular moments like blowing out the candles on a birthday cake (though no sound is recorded in HS modes).

Different film choices embrace:

• Open with HS Footage, which begins recording in excessive velocity somewhat than regular
• Autofocus mode, which presents Single AF because the default and Full-time AF to focus repeatedly
• Film Gentle to help in recording darkish scenes
• Wind Noise Discount to scale back wind noise

Menu System. I am a card-carrying fan of Nikon menu programs. I like the colour scheme and the hierarchy. However not on the Nikon AW100. Even after weeks of utilizing the digital camera, I couldn’t bear in mind easy little issues like the way you allow/disable GPS recording.

The GPS menu is an efficient instance of the issue (and possibly a future bar trick). GPS is off by default. See if you happen to can work out allow it. I will even let you know it is within the Menu system (which, in spite of everything, is what we’re speaking about).

Hand over? I did. Repeatedly. Even when I discovered the answer within the guide, I could not bear in mind the trick.

It’s a must to press the Map button on the facet to show a map earlier than you hit the Menu button. I suppose they name that context-sensitive menuing. There’s plenty of that occurring within the Nikon AW100. Pores and skin Softening, for instance, solely reveals up within the menu system if you end up in Good Portrait mode.

Sadly, that Map button can also be the Motion Management button, relying on the way you outline it within the Menu system.

I had an identical downside with the Menu system making an attempt to vary taking pictures modes. I had taken the Nikon AW100 on a two-hour hike up Twin Peaks when it first got here in, earlier than I had an opportunity to undergo the guide. Once I stopped in entrance of the bleached tree limbs I exploit for a monochrome gallery shot, I searched and looked for black and white mode. Simply could not discover it.

There is no Mode dial. And nothing on the Capturing menu. Hmmm.

The trick is to press the Scene button, which is definitely not only a Scene button however a Mode button. You may choose Simple Mode, Good Portrait, particular results like sepia or black-and-white, Scenes (after all) and Auto.

These are fairly severe breeches in usability. You should not should be instructed and it is best to be capable of discover this stuff with out a lot bother. Even if you happen to do handle to recollect quirks like these, good luck explaining them to anybody else who makes use of the Nikon AW100.

Storage & Battery. The Coolpix AW100 consists of 83MB of inside storage, good for about 10 full decision photos or 50 seconds of Full HD video. The cardboard slot accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC playing cards. You will desire a Class 6 card or quicker to maintain up with Full HD video captures. A 4GB card will maintain about 490 full decision photos or 35 minutes of Full HD video.

The Nikon AW100 is powered by a US$37.95 rechargeable lithium-ion EN-EL12 battery, one in every of which is equipped. Utilizing CIPA requirements, Nikon estimates a full cost can take 250 pictures or one hour and 35 minutes Full HD recording. That does not sound like a lot, however I went days with out recharging it. And if you happen to’re underwater, you are not going to be switching batteries.

An elective EH-62F AC adapter is offered for the Coolpix AW100.

GPS

The Nikon AW100 includes a International Positioning System radio to seek out the digital camera location, which may then be mapped on the LCD and recorded within the Exif header of every picture. A close-by named location may also be recorded.

The GPS radio syncs with quite a few satellites orbiting the Earth, the extra satellites it finds the higher your place data will likely be.

See the sidebar beneath for vital recommendations on getting a great GPS sign. It’s a must to be affected person — then depart it on.

Sync standing is displayed on the Nikon AW100’s LCD with 4 satellite tv for pc icons. If sync has been established with 4 (the minium wanted for altitude) or extra satellites, a set of three packing containers seems subsequent to the satellite tv for pc icon. Three satellites, the minimal wanted for location triangulation, are indicated by two packing containers. Any lower than that shows no packing containers and no GPS information is recorded. And the icon is on a coloured discipline when no sign is offered.

If a picture has GPS information, a satellite tv for pc icon is displayed throughout playback.

Menu choices can be found for displaying and recording location names or Factors of Curiosity. The Stage of Element may also be set. To report them within the Exif header’s MakerNotes part, you set Embed POI to On within the Factors of Curiosity menu possibility.

Nikon doesn’t present an Airplane mode choice to disable GPS communication. Airplane mode is beneficial not solely in business airliners but in addition in hospitals. As an alternative, Nikon recommends that you just flip off Nikon AW100’s GPS recording, which makes good sense.

When GPS recording is enabled, positioning is up to date each half-hour for as much as six hours when the digital camera is off. If unsuccessful, will probably be accomplished each quarter-hour for an hour. And will probably be canceled if positioning cannot be accomplished after three minutes.

GPS recording makes use of the Nikon AW100’s inside clock, not the time and date obtained from the satellites.

GPS Log. You may allow log recording for a gift size of time when GPS is energetic. Time intervals embrace 6, 12, 24, and 72 hours. Once you finish a log, it can save you it to the reminiscence card. You may view logs on the map.

GPS Fields. Listed below are the GPS-related fields captured by the AW100 within the Gallery picture of A Lady’s Eye Gallery:

	GPSVersionID: 2.3.0.0
	GPSLatitudeRef: North
	GPSLatitude: 37 deg 44' 41.91"
	GPSLongitudeRef: West
	GPSLongitude: 122 deg 27' 10.70"
	GPSAltitudeRef: Above Sea Stage
	GPSAltitude: 187.8 m
	GPSTimeStamp: 20:46:28
	GPSSatellites: 04
	GPSImgDirectionRef: True North
	GPSImgDirection: 4.63
	GPSMapDatum: WGS-84
	GPSDateStamp: 2012:01:26

plus in MakerNotes:

	Location: A Womans Eye Gallery

and within the composite part:

	GPSAltitude: 187.7 m Above Sea Stage
	GPSDateTime: 2012:01:26 	20:46:28Z
	GPSLatitude: 37 deg 44' 41.91" N
	GPSLatitudeRef: North
	GPSLongitude: 122 deg 27' 10.70" W
	GPSLongitudeRef: West
	GPSPosition: 37 deg 44' 41.91" N, 122 deg 27' 10.70" W

Lastly, only a warning that if you happen to publish your pictures publicly, you could not need to reveal location information. Flip off GPS when you do not need location information written to the Exif header.

Displaying Maps. While you’re strolling round with GPS enabled, you possibly can rapidly find your place on a map by urgent the Motion button on the facet of the Nikon AW100.

Digital Compass. The Nikon AW100 options an digital compass, which you’ll show on the LCD. To appropriate the compass you merely swing the digital camera in a determine eight whereas twisting the digital camera so it faces down and up in addition to ahead and backward by means of the trail. The menu command illustrates the right motion.

I discovered the compass each correct and useful.

Motion Management

Motion Management assigns a which means to an intentional shake of the Nikon AW100. You employ your wrist to shake the digital camera as soon as both up and down or ahead and backward. How delicate the digital camera is to a shake might be set to both Excessive (very delicate, the default), Medium or Low with the Motion Management Response possibility within the Menu system on the Setup tab.

To activate Motion Management, you have to first assign the Map button to toggle Motion Management within the Setup menu, which disables the button for Map show. You may, nonetheless, show the map with an motion management.

Then press the Motion button on the facet of the digital camera to see the Motion menu. Shake the Nikon AW100 to pick one of many choices to be carried out once you press the Motion button. Choices, which you choose by shaking the digital camera, embrace:

• Capturing mode: Simple Auto, Auto, Seashore, Snow, Panorama, Underwater
• Begin/Cease Film recording (the default)
• Fast Playback
• Present Place (when GPS is on), Map show

It’s a must to press the Motion button once more to verify the choice.

It is a bit of complicated. I used to be capable of undergo the pictures on the cardboard with a shake of the digital camera. And I used to be capable of begin and cease Film recording with the Motion button. My gestures have been ignored in taking pictures mode, nonetheless.

The idea is to make it simpler to make use of the digital camera with gloves on. Good thought.

Enhancing

The Nikon AW100 has some attention-grabbing modifying choices.

There’s the standard Crop and Small Image choices. And there is the standard Nikon possibility to use D-Lighting after the actual fact. However along with these, there are Filter Results (Coloration choices Vivid, Black-and-White, Sepia, Cyanotype; Comfortable Focus, Selective Coloration, Cross Display, Fisheye, Miniature Impact, Fog Elimination for underwater pictures), Glamour Retouch, Fast Retouch, and Pores and skin Softening. As you possibly can see, that is plenty of consideration given to portraiture in what you may mistake as a digital camera constructed to take pictures of fish.

Typically I used to be happy with each the colour rendering and element in my Nikon AW100 pictures. It wasn’t an excellent low-light performer however the 5x zoom made it a pleasing companion in any other case in each brilliant solar and overcast situations.

Capturing the Nikon AW100

More often than not, I handled the Nikon AW100 like some other digicam. I took it with me to shoot no matter was occurring on the time. Thankfully I wasn’t concerned in any Navy Seal actions.

However I respect your curiosity within the distinctive options of the Coolpix AW100 so here is a short rundown of my expertise:

GPS. For essentially the most half, the GPS characteristic is well-implemented. I notably appreciated the mapping perform, not solely to indicate me the place I had been as I photographed my means by means of the day but in addition the place I occurred to seek out myself.

I took the Nikon AW100 with me when a few guests wished to have lunch in Tiburon throughout the Golden Gate Bridge. We overshot the city and located ourselves misplaced in a darkish wooden alongside the bay. Cease me if you happen to’ve heard this earlier than. All I needed to do was activate the Nikon AW100, take an image and hit the Map button to seek out out the place we have been.

That occurred after lunch, too, once we have been misplaced on Belvedere Island. However desperation had sunk in by that point. I did not take a shot, simply pressed the Map button and bought our location on the Map.

As a result of the Coolpix AW100 will report a log of your travels (if you happen to inform it to begin recording the log), you can even map your journey. There aren’t plenty of GPS-equipped cameras that go that far.

The situation characteristic was properly accomplished, too. In contrast to Panasonic, which makes location accessible within the normal Exif header, Nikon hides it within the MakerNotes part. Nevertheless it’s correct and remarkably detailed.

I discovered locations I might been in Italy that simply aren’t on most maps.

The Nikon AW100 can use an Assisted GPS just like the Nikon V1. Assisted GPS makes use of supplemental data for quicker acquisition of GPS information to complement or change satellite tv for pc radio indicators when the latter are complicated or unavailable.

You do not want a utility to get the A-GPS file, only a URL: http://nikonimglib.com/agps/index.html.en

The information is legitimate for seven days solely. To load it into the Nikon AW100, you copy the downloaded file to a reminiscence card, insert the cardboard within the AW100 and use a Menu choice to replace the A-GPS information within the digital camera.

Lastly, applause for together with altitude. It is iffy at greatest, however it’s good that Nikon did not exempt itself from together with that.

Water. Okay, it is waterproof. With JIS/IEC safety class 8 (IPX8) equal waterproofing, in truth. There’s not plenty of use for that characteristic in my day by day routine, though I stored the digital camera for a few months hoping for a possibility.

One of the best I may do was shoot with it within the rain, no small factor. And it carried out admirably. Flowers, automobiles, flower stands, avenue runoff all have been captured precisely.

I did submerge it in a sink to take some self portraits. The self-timer labored effectively below water, so did the AF help lamp, even the flash. No water breached the cardboard/battery compartment and the digital camera dried rapidly with a fabric.

Nikon has some recommendation for extra adventurous water sports activities followers:

“After utilizing the digital camera on the seaside or underwater, be sure that the battery-chamber/reminiscence card slot cowl is firmly closed, after which immerse the digital camera in a shallow container full of contemporary water for 10 minutes. After utilizing the digital camera underwater, don’t depart the digital camera moist for 60 minutes or extra. This might trigger deterioration of the waterproofing efficiency.”

Equally, Nikon has some recommendation in regards to the chilly climate efficiency for its freeze-proof digicam:

“The operation of this digital camera has been confirmed at temperatures of 14 levels F. If the digital camera is left with snow or water droplets adhered to the outside, snow or water droplets between the gaps could turn out to be frozen and it might be troublesome to function components of the digital camera.”

After which there’s this:

• At temperatures from 14 to 32 levels F, the efficiency of the batteries (variety of photos shot and taking pictures time) will drop briefly.
• If the digital camera turns into extraordinarily chilly in chilly areas, the monitor efficiency could drop briefly instantly after the facility is turned on (i.e., the monitor seems darker than normal or a residual picture happens).
• When utilizing the digital camera in chilly areas or at excessive altitudes, maintain the digital camera heat inside a safety towards chilly or clothes.

Merely put, the waterproof, shock-proof, freeze-proof AW100 nonetheless has its limitations. Excessive situations compromise any digital camera.

Nikon Coolpix AW100 Lens High quality

Sharpness: Each the wide-angle and telephoto ends of the Nikon Coolpix AW100’s zoom confirmed vital blurring within the corners of the body in comparison with middle, although at each zoom settings, blurring is strongest on the left facet of the body. Blurring is stronger at wide-angle than telephoto, however in each pictures, the have an effect on extends pretty far in towards middle and is sort of noticeable. The lens additionally reveals decrease total distinction at telephoto. Outcomes listed below are worse than common, as blurring will likely be straightforward to identify in plenty of photos.

Geometric Distortion: There’s surprisingly little barrel distortion
at wide-angle (0.3%), and virtually no perceptible distortion (0.05% barrel) at
telephoto. Almost definitely, the Nikon Coolpix AW100’s processor works to manage distortion right here.

Chromatic Aberration: Chromatic aberration at wide-angle and telephoto is average
when it comes to pixel depend, although the impact is exaggerated a bit by some blurring within the corners. Nonetheless, pixels are brilliant sufficient to be noticeable at vast angle, although considerably much less brilliant at telephoto. Although the distortion seems extra boring at telephoto, the cyan and pink pixels are nonetheless pretty distinct.

Macro: The Nikon Coolpix AW100’s Macro mode captures a really small minimal protection space at 0.88 x 0.66 inches (22 x 17 millimeters). Nevertheless, blurring is so robust on the left facet of the body that it turns into fairly intrusive. Element is robust on the precise facet of the greenback invoice, however publicity is a bit uneven at this vary, with shadowing on the precise facet. The digital camera focuses so intently that the flash is blocked by the lens, leading to a splotchy, darkish publicity with a robust sepia-like tint. (Each pictures taken with Auto white stability.) We suggest sticking to exterior lighting when taking pictures this shut.

Nikon Coolpix AW100 Viewfinder Accuracy

Viewfinder Accuracy: The Nikon Coolpix AW100’s LCD monitor confirmed about 100% protection at wide-angle and at telephoto, which is superb and higher than Nikon’s 98% specification.

Nikon Coolpix AW100 Picture High quality

Coloration: General colour efficiency is excellent. The Nikon Coolpix AW100 pushes brilliant reds and blues, whereas muting robust yellows, although imply saturation degree is fairly typical. Minor hue shifts are noticeable in pink, orange and inexperienced, although cyan is pushed reasonably towards blue (we predict deliberately, to enhance skies). Darkish skintones present a nudge towards a heat orange tint, whereas lighter pores and skin tones are nearer to correct. General outcomes listed below are barely higher than common, and colour is usually plausible and pure.

Incandescent: The Nikon Coolpix AW100’s white stability settings really dealt with our incandescent lighting
a lot better than common, because the auto settings produced smaller colour casts than we’re accustomed to seeing. Each the Auto and Incandescent settings produced slight colour shifts (pink in Auto and yellow in Incandescent), however the hotter tone of the Incandescent could attraction to some. Handbook produced essentially the most technically correct outcomes, although the general picture feels a touch cool.

Decision: Our laboratory decision chart revealed sharp, distinct line patterns right down to about 2,000 strains per image peak in each instructions. Extinction of the sample occurred at round 2,600 strains per image peak.

Flash: Our manufacturer-specified testing (proven at proper) reveals brilliant outcomes on the specified wide-angle distance of 11 ft, although the digital camera raised ISO to 800 to spice up publicity. At telephoto, outcomes are additionally brilliant at 7.2 ft, although once more, ISO was boosted to 640.

Auto flash virtually overpowered our topic in typical indoor lighting, washing out colour within the face and all through the scene at ISO 200. The 1/30 second shutter velocity is a bit of gradual although, and will end in topic movement blur for typical portraits. Sluggish-Sync flash mode produced much less intense outcomes on the default publicity, with an extended shutter velocity (0.3 second) to permit extra ambient gentle into the shot. Shot taken at ~5 ft (~1.5m) on a steady tripod.

ISO: Noise and Element: Element is fairly good the place the lens is sharp at ISO 125 and 200, with some seen softening blurring the high-quality particulars at ISO 400. Blurring solely will increase from there, with very delicate outcomes at 3,200. Chroma (colour) noise stays managed in any respect ISOs, although luminance noise turns into extra prevalent, as does noise suppression. See Printed part beneath for the way this impacts printed photos.

Print High quality was a bit of disappointing, if not shocking, from the Nikon AW100.

ISO 125 pictures had good element at 13×19 inches, so we’ll name them there. Keep in mind that total the pictures look higher at 11×14, notably due to the very delicate corners.

ISO 200 photos look good at 11×14 inches.

ISO 400 pictures are usable at 11×14, however we want the 8×10-inch pictures, due to a bit of extra noise within the shadows and softer particulars on the bigger measurement.

ISO 800 photos are higher at 5×7.

ISO 1,600 pictures look okay at 5×7 inches, however colours are a bit muted, so we’ll name 4×6 good right here.

ISO 3,200 photos aren’t usable and this ISO greatest averted.

[Comments revised 10/03/2013] General, the Nikon AW100 ought to do higher at its lowest ISO, particularly contemplating its 16-megapixel sensor. However requirements are usually decrease for waterproof cameras, contemplating the additional safety they’ve to provide the lens and different elements. We thought print high quality was good at 13×19 inches, however the corners have been fairly delicate. Conserving prints below 11×14, although, will produce fairly good photos at base ISO.

Nikon Coolpix AW100 Efficiency

Startup Time: The Nikon Coolpix AW100 takes about 1.4 seconds to energy
on and take a shot. That is a bit of higher than common.

Shutter Lag: Full autofocus shutter lag can also be good, at 0.31 second at wide-angle and telephoto. Prefocus shutter lag is 0.017 second,
among the many quickest on the market.

Cycle Time: Cycle time is honest, capturing a body each 1.58 seconds in single-shot mode. Nikon charges the AW100’s Steady H full-resolution burst mode at 7.1 frames per second which is sort of good, however the buffer is just 3 frames. Steady L is rated at 1.4 frames per second for 12 frames. We didn’t confirm steady mode efficiency, although.

Flash Recycle: The Nikon Coolpix AW100’s flash recycles in about 5.9 seconds after a full-power discharge, on the gradual facet of common. Nevertheless, our tester famous that this was not a constant time.

Low Gentle AF: The digital camera’s AF system was capable of focus down to only above the 1/8 foot-candle gentle degree with out AF help enabled, and in full darkness with the AF help lamp enabled.

USB Switch Velocity: Linked to a pc or printer with USB 2.0, the Nikon Coolpix AW100’s obtain speeds are reasonably quick. We measured 6,158 KBytes/sec.

Battery Life: The Nikon Coolpix AW100’s battery life has a CIPA score of 250 pictures per cost, which is a bit of beneath common for its class.

Within the Field

The Nikon AW100 retail package deal consists of:

• Coolpix AW100 digital camera
• Digital camera strap for land use
• Rechargeable EN-EL12 battery with terminal cowl
• Battery charger (MH-65) with energy cable
• Filter adapter (UR-E23) with tether
• USB cable (UC-E6)
• AV cable (EG-CP16) with RC VGA out
• ViewNX 2 CD
• Reference guide CD
• Guarantee and Fast Begin Information

The AW100 doesn’t embrace an SD card, which you will have to seize greater than about 10 full decision stills or a brief film clip.

Beneficial Equipment

• Filters (like a round polarizer)
• Coolpix All Climate Sport Case ($35.00)
• Additional battery pack for prolonged outings
• Giant capability, high-speed SDHC/SDXC reminiscence card, with a 4 to 8GB card a great tradeoff between value and capability. Search for Class 6 or quicker to report HD motion pictures.

Nikon AW100 Conclusion

General, the Nikon AW100 labored effectively sufficient, however I actually did have a tricky time with the buttons. They’re simply too laborious to press. I took plenty of pictures with EV set inadvertently to underexpose (a complete outing, in truth, which has by no means occurred earlier than — and earlier than goes again to 1998). I did respect the 5x zoom, although. And Macro was enjoyable.

Sadly, the menu system was actually annoying. Often an beginner can discover monochrome, however I needed to go to the guide. Additionally, it wasn’t in any respect clear why some filters have been solely particular results somewhat than taking pictures mode choices. And it could have been good if I might really been capable of report a panorama shot.

So my expertise with the Nikon AW100 was that it outperformed a smartphone in primary Auto taking pictures, however once you attempt to push it, it is easy to get misplaced. And the Map button will not show you how to there. Trying on the picture high quality, we’re most dissatisfied with the delicate corners, which made us ambivalent about selecting between 13×19 or 11×14-inch prints. When evaluating this issue with different waterproof cameras available on the market, although, we determined to revise this as much as 13×19, because the Nikon AW100 does comparatively effectively within the middle. Whereas it is good to carry again photos from underwater adventures and as a play digital camera, and even serves as an honest GPS to determine the place you might be, we count on a bit of higher picture high quality from a $350 digital camera, so we will not give the Nikon AW100 a Dave’s Decide.

No cameras match your search standards(s)

Suggestion for enchancment? Head over right here.