Nikon COOLPIX P500 Compact Digital Camera - Black (12.1MP, 36x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD

I am a fan of bridge type cameras, having previously owned the Panasonic FZ18 and the Fuji 5000. I still have both and they were all great cameras. I do a lot of research to try and choose the best and having handled the equivilent new Fuji and Panasonic form the range, chose the Nikon. The other cameras were good, but it's a bit like the VW Golf advert, where the others try to be like a Nikon, but once you have handled the Nikon to know you have quality in your hands. The weight and balance are just perfect. I also found that all the functions were where I would have wanted them and it all works so simply. It's crammed full of features too, most I will never use, I expect.The price right now (£218) (I paid 229) is a steal. I see the new 510 is being released which is why, but I would not wait and snap one up at this price.The 36 zoom is massive. I have shots of lighthouses that appear as specks in the distance, zoom up to full screen. You will need a tripod though for long shots and the picture will be grainy. 12mp is plenty. The 1080 video and sound are also very good.I love the macro shots which were crystal clear.Zoom telephoto shots can be slightly blurred if you don't hold the camera still. I was trying to take photos on a windy day and the results were not as good as I had hoped.I like the movable LCD screen which enables you to get shots that you could never see with a fixed screen.Some people may not like the fact that you have to charge the battery in the camera and not a separate charger. But the battery holds it's power well, so should last a long time. (It is removable, so spares can be purchased and charged)I bought a class 10 8gb memory card which works well and is fast with no lag.In summary you won't find a better value camera on the market right now.

I bought this for a recent holiday to New Zealand and used it extensively over a three week period. It is a great camera but as others have said you need to read the manual to get the best out of it. Although overall I am very happy with the camera I have a few negatives to note from my recent use: 1) Battery life - this is very poor compared to previous similar (non Nikon) cameras I have had. I reckon on average a battery lasted around 200-250 shots. This meant that on some days I went through three batteries. Thankfully I had bought 5 extra ones in case so it didn't stop me shooting at any time. 2) White balance - I left this on "Auto" but when I started to process the shots on my return I noticed my photos all had a distinctly blue cast when compared to my wife's shots (taken on an Olympus bridge camera - and I'm pretty sure the white balance on her camera is "correct"). I will be looking to use the other white balance options next time. 3) If you plan zooming in movie mode remember to set the autofocus mode to "Full time" otherwise your subject may not be in focus at the end of the zoom. 4) Exposure bracketing - I thought I'd use this a bit however bracket options seem a bit odd - being (plus or minus)0.3, 0.7 and 1.0 EV. What I actually wanted was plus or minus 0.5 EV. The 0.3 setting it a bit pointless and the 0.7 EV is a bit too much in most situations unless the lighting is pretty extreme. All of the above points except for the battery life one are down to how you use the camera and experience will overcome them. However if you are going somewhere spectacularly photogenic and will be taking many shots buy extra batteries and a couple of battery chargers so you can charge 2-3 batteries overnight, every night.

Seller sold camera knowing it had a faulty SD reader. Price of repairs is way over cost of camera. Seller dumped their useless camera onto me!

The camera arrived in good time and good condition. Since arriving I have taken 700 - 800 photos. I cannot even call myself an avid amature, I am just someone who needed a camera. I take photos, my old camera died, I wanted a new one, I looked for quite a while before I picked this one. I spoke to many Camera shops and Photographers, all said this was a good one. I was originally considering the Sony HX1, but by the time I made my decision...it was discontinued....its replacement,(HX100) although very good, does not have such good reviews. I did test all three cameras, the Sony's were bigger camera's and heavier, offering me less product for my money (In my opinion) it is probably because they weren't as good in the areas I was interested in. The main reason I bought it was the zoom, and the DCOS sensor. The zoom is very fast and sometimes struggles to focus at the top end. The zoom stops temporarily prior to going to the Telephoto zoom range....very handy, once you zoom up to this range it requires a tripod or very steady hand. Seems to exhaust the battery quickly...additional battery & charger recommended. In saying this I do take alot of photos...so maybe it is not as bad as I think. The DCOS sensor is very good and records pictures fast...except in low light where a minor delay message is present. All in all this camera is probably better than I hoped for, and probably as good as it should be for the £300 price tag. I am more than pleased with my purchase, there are many more benefits to this camera to outshine the noted issues, I have so much more to investigate, which, with practice may iron out my issues....Well impressed overall.