Goodbye Nikon Coolpix 995

March 14, 2006 9:26 PM

Long after they've become obsolete, I'm still using my old Nikon Coolpix 995. I'd like to upgrade, but I've got a few amateurish requirements for my next camera.

Specifically, I like the sturdy heft of the Coolpix in my hand, and the separate, rotating lens & LCD screen has become essential for me. I've used a Cannon PowerShot with the fold-out LCD, but they feel flimsy and aren't an alternative (I'm not partial to compact cameras at all, in fact). Though I'm a fairly amateur photographer, I appreciate the ease in switching between auto, manual, and semi-manual settings the Coolpix has (full disclosure: I stick with auto most of the time nevertheless), & I'd like something with equal intuitiveness. Finally, I also have some hand-me-down macro lenses & filters for a 35mm film SLR, and it'd be nice but non-essential if those were compatible.

For the most part I carry a camera while traveling, & walk around town for a few hours a week taking pictures, but I'm not particularly serious about photography right now & thus can't justify spending a lot of money (my outer limit is probably $500 and I'd be thrilled at spending a few hundred dollars less). Any suggestions or helpful advice in camera buying? (FWIW, I'm not opposed to buying used or graymarket--which is how I afforded the Coolpix on the dregs of student loans & a $7/hr job, so any tips on how to do that wisely are welcome, too.)

posted by soviet sleepover to technology (9 comments total)

You'll have a hard time finding a camera with the rotating flip-out LCD. I know cuz I looked, and I agree with you about them.

I really like the little Canon Ixus models, and had the S400 for a while, but I now use the Panasonic LX1 which is right on the cusp of your budget, but it's a fricken' *excellent* camera. Tiny, intuitive and amazingly sharp. Its performance at ISO400 is not so great but you can fix the noise in post processing.

And I love the panoramic format.


Flickr pools here:

http://flickr.com/groups/panasonicdmc-lx1/pool/
http://flickr.com/groups/62448469@N00/pool/

or tag search:

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/lx1/

It's basically the same camera as the Leica Digilux 2. I'm always amazed how many professional photographers use it as their point-and-shoot.
posted by unSane at 9:39 PM on March 14, 2006

I'm a fellow Coolpixer with a 2500. Definitely time to upgrade, but it refuses to die! Still takes great pics and takes a regular beating.

Canon S80 is going to replace it if I decide to ditch the Nikon this year.

Awesome, awesome compact cam.
posted by roguescout at 10:52 PM on March 14, 2006

www.dpreview.com will be a fantastic resource in your hunt for a new camera. I did see a new compact camera with a flip-out screen in the newest issue of T3, actually, but I don't have the issue, and I don't have access to it right now. Try the T3 website! www.t3.co.uk
posted by SharQ at 4:32 AM on March 15, 2006

Oh, to clarify: I'm not a big fan of the flip-out screen, either. Still, some compromises will probably have to be made!
posted by soviet sleepover at 5:47 AM on March 15, 2006

If the details of the flip screen are negotiable, I'd encourage you to take another look at the Canon A610. I just bought one, after spending a bunch of time on dpreview reading reports. No need to get the higher-res A620, which has some picture quality trade-offs in return for more pixels. Oh, and the price just came down, so you should be able to get one for well under $250.
posted by alms at 6:08 AM on March 15, 2006

Oh, and I highly recommend posting your question to the forums at DPReview. They are very active and very helpful. You'll need to sign up for a free account.
posted by alms at 6:31 AM on March 15, 2006

I think this (CoolPix S4) is the heir to the Nikon CoolPix 995 line. It seems like the natural choice.

$329.95 from B&H.

I have a CoolPix 990, and it's a cool camera (although dog-slow, but it's 6 years old). A D50 would be light years beyond one of those -- I'd seriously consider one of those, but it looks like you might not be able to pony up the cash.
posted by teece at 9:05 AM on March 15, 2006

How about a Sony DSC-F828 off ebay?
I had one of the earlier incarnations of this camera and it was pretty cool. There's also lots of accessory lenses available. My only real problem with it is its a Sony, which means sony-only batteries and memory cards but the price is right.
posted by doctor_negative at 9:08 AM on March 15, 2006

The Canon Powershot S2 IS? I have its predecessor (the S1IS) and am a big fan.
posted by Hot Like Your 12V Wire at 12:50 PM on March 15, 2006