COOLPIX P1000

I have D7100 with a large 600m lens which I love but I´m unable to hike much with it anymore. Therefore, I wanted something smaller but with the same or close capabilities. As with any new camera or lens, there is a learning curve. I miss being able to fine tune the focus so I can get the bird set to photography. I do like the dial on the lens that allows you to change the lighting (darker or lighter). HOWEVER, my big concern is that it sometimes freezes when you have it zoom all the way out. The only way to get it unfrozen is to turn if off then back on. The camera actually told me to do that once. I´m checking with my local guy to see if that is normal or I need a replacement.

The Zoom is a big feature. Quality is sometimes better than my DSLR.

My reason for getting the Nikon P1000 was for its size and weight. I have seen comments about its big size and weight, but I consider it small and light weight. I had a Sigma 150-600 MM Sport Lens which I used with either my Canon 60D or Canon 70D. The Sigma lens gave me great pictures of birds and animals. The only issue was the lens and camera was about 8.5 lbs. Most of the time for animals and birds (especial birds) you do not have time to setup a tripod so hand-holding the P1000 feels like a ´´feather´´ in comparison. When I initially got the P1000 I ran a picture quality test Canon 60D Sigma 150-600 MM lens verses the P1000. The P1000 was set at 3000 MM and my Canon 60D with the Sigma lens at 600 MM (actual about 960 with the APS-C 1.6 cropping factor). I took pictures of object 200 to 600 feet away. I then further cropped the Canon pictures down to the size of P1000 at 3000 MM. The sharpness of the cropped down Canon pictures were slightly better than the P1000, but they were close. Picture quality tests at 960 MM for both setups were essentially identical - still a slight edge to the Sigma lens. They were close enough that I sold my Sigma 150-600 MM Sport lens to pay for the P1000.

Here are my other observations in using the P1000. I have had the P1000 for about two months. During that time I used it at an air show, a week in Florida shooting wildlife, several moon shots, and my granddaughter´s play in low light. All pictures were shot in Raw mode and I used 1080P 60 fps video.

Pros:
1. I have been impressed with the noise levels in the pictures I have taken considering the small sensor size. The pictures at the air show were all taken with ´´Normal´´ noise reduction. Since then I have taken pictures with the ´´Low´´ noise reduction and I plan to mostly use this setting to get a little better sharpness. It removed nicely in Adobe Camera Raw (yes, the latest release on Oct 23 now supports the P1000 RAW format).

2. The manual focus is great. Nikon brings up some ´´bright´´ spots on edges when you reach the best focus. This made it easy to use the manual focus. This is needed in low light.

3. The overall picture quality has been very good considering the small sensor.

4. The general feel and position of buttons and dials is good.

5. I was impressed at the video quality and focus tracking at the air show. I was impressed with the quality of my granddaughter´s play in low light. The video of birds in flight was also good but it did not do as well adjusting the focus. I had the camera set for continuous focus tracking. I tried capturing a cheetah at a full out sprint at a zoo and that was hopeless.

6. The high speed shoot at 7 per sec was impressive in that I could take 7 shoots and then let up on the shutter and immediately take another 7. I was able to do 3 groups of 7 before it could not take more. I was impressed since I was taking raw.

Cons:
1. I have had the camera just lock up where none of the buttons or controls work. The only way I got the camera to function again was to remove the battery. I have had this happen at least 6 times. I have not been able to isolate the lock-up to one single operation. I missed a great shot at a zoo because of the lock-up. The LCD screen continues to show the view but all the controls don´t function.

2. This is not a good low light camera. I found it difficult to take pictures indoors because it could not auto focus. Manual focus worked fine indoors.

3. I found the menu options and ´´function´´ options hard to navigate to find the settings I wanted to change.

4. The manual does a very poor job in explaining the options. I hope someone writes a book with better explanations. Some I figured out based on my experience with other cameras.

5. I was disappointed in Snap Bridge for remote shutter control. You can only adjust the zoom and click the shutter button. I basically shoot Aperture or Shutter priority and like to alter selections, but you cannot do this through Snap Bridge. Snap Bridge also ignores the Manual Focus mode setting on the camera and just used Auto Focus.

6. Trying to lock the focus in on moving objects (like at the air show or birds in flight) was not even close to my Canon DSLRs. I have gotten amazing snap shots of planes and birds in motion with my Canon DSLRs, but I have had no success with doing this with the P1000. I switched over to just taking video (1080P at 60 fps) with the P1000 of the moving planes and birds and extracting still shots from a video frame. As I mentioned previously the focusing tracking of the video mode did much better (don´t understand that). I have the focusing set for continuous updating.

6. When I saw the P1000 had a F2.8 to 8.0 lens I assumed this was just the minimum F-stop and that you would be able to increase the depth of field, but F8.0 is the maximum depth of field. This is okay birds and animals, but not good if you were going to try to use this camera for serious scenery pictures.

I will continue to use my Canon 70D for scenery pictures and capturing individual shots of moving objects, but the Nikon P1000 will work fine for birds and animals that are moving slowly at a lot less weight than what I had been using. The P1000 will be my primary camera for taking video - I like being able to view the scene through an eyepiece instead of the LCD screen in bright sunlight.

This camera is fantastic. The image quality is superb and I Do not have to j
Lug around numerous lenses to capture a great shot !

I absolutely LOVE this camera, it takes takes the most amazing photos, I always look forward to my day off work so I can get out and take photos.

I love all about it.... At first I was scared by the size, but you get used to it real soon. The features are fantastic, the zoom uncredible, love the quality of the pictures.... You have all the features in only one camera and one super lens....

I stumbled upon a description of the P1000 when researching macro lenses for my Nikon DSLR D3200. As I followed through various threads, I discovered that a camera which had not yet been released was capable of zooming in close enough to tiny insects and miniscule flowers (with many of the same capabilities of of a quality macro lens) but with the additional capability of creating close-ups from far away, with terrific bokeh effect to boot. This was the P1000 of course. I called customer service at Nikon and found that I could pre-order it and I did so immediately! I´m by no means an expert, but I know what I like and the p1000 absolutely delivers. Way to go Nikon!

I bought the P900 to replace a D600 in a bag with four changeable lenses. When the P1000 came out I jumped at the chance.
When you are taking pictures of wild animals, they don´t stop and pose while you get the shot. You also can´t sneak up on them and get a close up. But the P1000 solves these problems. You can zoom in close, before the beast has seen you and it is ready to take a shot quickly. My friends are all amazed at my pictures!
The addition of remote control with my phone is wonderful. I can set the camera up looking at a perch that wild life often come and when I see the picture I want in my phone, I tap and the camera gets the shot.
And the camera is ready for family photos and videos too!

I am a professional photographer, started out with Hasselblad cameras back in the 80´s. After using this camera for the first time on a trip to Sedona in Oct 2018, I can tell you that I am very impressed with the optics, color, and ease of handling. Took some pictures at a safari park that are almost as sharp as my Nikon D300S. I was able to take photos of animals in their natural environment from 300 feet away. Also photographed rock formations on this trip. Very much impressed with both sharpness and color. Thanks for a great product!