Nikon's announcement of the COOLPIX B600 (available in black) and COOLPIX A1000 (available in black) point-and-shoot digital cameras should excite photographers looking to achieve better on-the-go shooting than their mobile devices can provide. The B600's 24-1440mm 60x optical zoom lens will have you covered whether you are trying to fill your frame with a mountain or a flower. This range can be extended to 120x with Dynamic Fine Zoom and combined with the B600's Macro mode's minimum distance of 0.4" to allow you to get even more cozy with your subject—in case a bumble bee asks for a close-up.
The B600's 16MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and EXPEED image processor maintain still and video image quality. Vibration Reduction up to three stops benefits still capture and 4-axis Hybrid VR reduces blur when shooting video. A maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400 will help when light is in short supply. Video can be captured at 1080i60 and 1080p30 in Full HD. Shooting decisions are streamlined and simplified via a Snap-back zoom button, 19 scene modes, 36 creative effects, and a shooting mode dial. The B600 has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and can easily share files with mobile devices using the SnapBridge app.
The A1000 serves as an even more compact zoom, combining a 24-840mm equivalent 35x zoom lens, electronic viewfinder, and 3-inch tilting touch panel. Similar to the B600, its zoom range can be effectively doubled to 70x via Dynamic Fine Zoom. Its 16MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor's maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400 and raw capture abilities add versatility while improving image quality. MF peaking helps when manually focusing, and 20 creative modes are available for still capture.
Video can be recorded in UHD 4K, Active D-Lighting function reduces loss of detail in high-contrast environments, and electronic Vibration Reduction helps maintain smooth footage. The A1000 incorporates a 1,166k-dot equivalent electronic viewfinder and tilting 3-inch 1036k-dot tilting TFT LCD monitor with touch screen to help with capture and review. Finally, like the B600, sharing is simplified via built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the SnapBridge app.
Are you still a fan of long-zoom point-and-shoots? They definitely give you more reach that your smartphone. Sound off in the Comments section, below, with your thoughts!
