Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Camera
Review: Excellent photo quality. Have to read the manual a couple of time to setup camera extra options. Otherwise the default option is more than sufficient.
Rating:
Summary: Nikon Coolpix 5700
Review: I upgraded to the Coolpix 5700 last Christmas. My only previous digital experience was derived from using the still frame feature on my camcorder, which was completely automatic. The Coolpix was easy to use, right out of the box. It took me about a half hour to learn the basic controls of the Coolpix, and another half hour to learn the complex functions of it, contrary to the horror stories I've heard of people having a difficult time with learning how to use this camera.
The Coolpix is versatile and powerful. Its 8x optical zoom is incredible, especially for birding and sports, and beats almost every 5-megapixel camera out there. While its digital zoom is a temptation, however, it really isn't necessary and almost certainly will degrade the picture quality. At night, I've shot star trails by activating noise reduction and using a tripod and cable shutter release accessory for the Coolpix camera line. I've even used a special adapter and connected the camera to my telescope, and have obtained wonderful pictures of the moon, nebulae, and the planets. This is made possible because the 5700 has very low noise at its ISO 100 and 200 settings. At my school, I've taken pictures for the yearbook, and when I submitted the prints I made, the moderator asked me about the film I used. The quality of the results clearly matches that of film cameras, as the yearbook moderator didn't even realize I had used digital.
I do however have several gripes. Those who have used SLR cameras will dislike the shutter lag in the camera. Once you press the shutter release button, the camera hesitates before taking the picture. This is a drawback for sports. Also, battery life is short, about 40 minutes to a charge. Furthermore, autofocus can be inaccurate indoors sometimes. This may just be a result of the lighting scheme of my house, but since the camera has no autofocus assist light, focussing is sometimes difficult in poor lighting. Additionally, the noise level in the ISO 400 is moderately high and, at ISO 800, images I've taken are unacceptable for most purposes.
I would not allow these issues, however, to draw you away from the camera. Some won't even be issues for a lot of people. I'd give the camera 4 and a half stars, rounding up to five, because many of the aforementioned minor problems I've had are common in digital cameras and some I've noticed because just I use the 5700 in ways I doubt Nikon even conceived (using it for astrophotography, for instance) In 6 months, I've taken nearly 3,000 pictures with the 5700, and have been beyond satisfied with its overall performance. It can satiate many desires in a camera. The picture quality is absolutely impeccible. If you do purchase this camera, however, do buy at least a 256MB memory card - Nikon only supplies you with a 16MB card, enough to hold 6 pictures at a low compression ratio and full image size. The Coolpix has served me well, and has my highest recommendation.
Rating: 
Summary: Cool to Nikon Coolpix 5MP
Review: Well the 32 power is great for distance shots, but the lack of a color viewfinder and the lack of cd-rom storage limits the user to constantly replacing the flash cards.In the field, having to view the 2 inch plus screen to get perfect shots is quite tricky. I use the SONY MVCCD1000 which has a color viewfinder and a cd-rom storage capacity as well as a camcorder battery allowing 130 minutes of power. 1056 pics at 640x480 can be achieved. Match that with a flash card and you will be dragging it on a wagon.
Rating: 
Summary: coolpix: cool pix- for real
Review: I am strictly an amateur, but wanted to make the switch from 35mm to digital. Tight budget. Friends let me borrow their Kodak EasyShare (3.0meg) and a 4 meg Olympus, and they were "OK." I was not going to spend the extra $$$ on the 5700. Then I read all the reviews of the Coolpix 5700 on Amazon and also the article on it in Consumer Reports/Online. Consumer Reports gave it a top rating, and everyone else raved about it. I thought it was too good to be true. Believe what you read. I am an amateur, but in about 15 minutes after taking it out of the box, I was making great pictures; even up to full-size enlargments. Warning: everyone else is right about the low-light problem. The camera is just not sure what to do in very low light. That's why I gave it only 4 stars. However, when you have 5 megapixels you are in digital heaven. Clarity, color, flexibility, color copies, people tell me that I am making stuff like a professional. A 256 flashcard is all I need. You can choose your photo quality, and even change quality settings between pictures. The adjustable LCD is versatile and helps a lot. I usually use the 3mg setting. I shoot all day, store it, and start all over again. I used the 5meg. setting on some wildflowers, and made a 14X20 enlargement. Crystal clear, you can practically see the pollen. Save your pennies and go for this one. PS: I also got the wideangle lens, but the 5700 is so versatile, you can easily live without it.
Rating:
Summary: Prize Possession
Review: I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. The camera is very responsive and it's perfect for spontaneous snapshots. It focuses extremely well and the only drawback was trying to stuff all the camera's complexities into my unmechanical brain.
Rating:
Summary: YOUR LAST DIGITAL CAMERA
Review: I bought this camera about 6 months ago, And I must say that aside from a few minor draw backs, This camera will fullfil all the expectations that you have for a digital camera, However this camera is not for the average user, You must read the manual
and once thats done read it again, and keep it within arms reach for reference untill you get use to all the wonderful features of this semi pro camera.
Rating:
Summary: Coolpix 5700
Review: Whilst the quality of this camera is excellent in daylight, the damn flash did not work - brand new too! Still waiting for it to be resolved.
I have heard other customers complaining about this too, so be warned.
The autofocus is a bit annoying as it hunts around, whirring and clicking.
The actual photo's (not been able to try the flash) are excellent, and the features are awesome.
It takes a bit of searching and hunting to navigate through the complex menu structure, and the battery life is too low especially when you are first using it to try and understand what it can do.
Maybe worth getting a mains adaptor.
The memory card supplied is a bit stingy, and should be at least 128 instead of 32, and the standard package didn't even come with a carry case.
I am quite new to photography in general, so my knowledge of all of the sttings is quite limited, however, when the flash is fixed and I have bought a couple more batteries, I may be able to give it a better review.
I am not impressed that Nikon can ship defective units especially when you are paying around 1000US
Rating:
Summary: best pictures
Review: This has to be the best camara out there. Everything you will ever need to take excellent pictures.
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera
Review: Read the Manual...read the manual...The Manual! I know many don't like to sit down and spend quality time with a manual but with this camera it's worth the effort. Way too many options and not always clear as to what will work and what won't. For example someone mentioned setting the auto-focus to manual. Yes but it isn't possible in auto or A mode..only in User 1,2,or 3 mode. So here the person's advice left out an important detail. Batteries are available quite reasonably if you are willing to shop for them. I've been paying 18 before shipping and will get two more to make it a total of 5 which includes the one with the camera.
Pictures are what count! Resolution is so far great. We live where there are Mountains in N.W. Montana almost Canada and if you manual focus you get better resolution than on auto. But either blows the lower digitals away.
Take time to make some cheater cards the size of business cards that show your selection modes and settings for User 1,2,&3. (We assign or think of User as not user perse but for usage. Macro's verses scenery manual focusing for scenery over the auto mode etc.) If you need to change one you then have the info handy to reset it later. Also some quick reference cards help remind you of things you might need to do at a later date. We laminate them up and update them when we find our preferences have changed. Manual is often to bulky to carry in our packs or in smaller belt camera cases. Only had this camera since Wed...under a week. I got it for myself to use professionally in macro seed work and scenery both. Can't get it out of the grips of my husbands hands. He has it around his neck constantly. I think he's sleeping with the camera too. I know he'd taken naps with the manual tightly gripped in his hands. I've warned him he's got only a week to decide that it's not his or I will too have to order another. I did get a great deal on this one..under eight hundred with rebate and it came 2 days after ordering. Not every dealer stocks it. A lot of dealers esp. NY area want to bate you and then put it on continuous back order. I got off that routine and was amazed how much I got a USA warranty package. Good luck..it is a very interesting camera.
Update the memory to 256 right away. Amazon.com has had great prices on 256 size Compact Flash memory from various vendors. Save around half of buying just one mega sized card by going for four 256 cards. (Saves battery life too.) Also more flexable system to assign various cards for specialized work. Macro seeds/ flowers field / Mountains / Wildlife or general. One can be downloaded and have a spare card to go! If you put in the effort with this camera it'll perform!
Rating:
Summary: Review from a persnickety photographer
Review: My first real film camera was a Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR. My current film camera is still a Pentax Spotmatic. To those whom it matters, that should say it all. In the store, I compared the Coolpix 5700 with the Minolta Dimage 7i. The Minolta starts up faster, due to the manual zoom optical system. However, the musical tone it makes is very unprofessional and calls attention to itself. The Nikon does a mechanical initialize and then with a slight tone is ready; more like a pro's camera. The Minolta has larger displays (viewfinder and LCD) that make changing settings easier. (I wish the Nikon's displays were that size!) However, the Coolpix's LCD viewer (normally placed against the back of the camera to protect it from scratches) can be rotated to most any angle required, including downward to facilitate holding the camera overhead and still being able to compose shots. Try that on your 35mm film camera! For manual focussing, the Minolta has a manual focus ring, but it requires a lot of turns to go from infinite to macro (very slow if you are used to the focus ring of a 35mm SLR camera) and the display is pixelated in some way that makes it difficult to determine when an area is in focus. The Coolpix 5700 requires pressing buttons, but gets there quicker and the focus is more like the ground glass of a 35mm SLR camera. In the automatic mode, the Coolpix 5700 is hyperactive, always busy checking and adjusting focus. I found that annoying. I guess it reduces battery life, too. So, I set the user modes to check focus only when the shutter button is halfway down. Once the camera has set the focus, a picture can be taken as fast as a film camera. In very low light, the camera may have a problem finding the focus point. In this case, you can either manually focus the camera, or use a pocket flashlight to momentary shine on the object - the camera will lock in instantly. In the studio, the Coolpix 5700 works as good as any 35mm SLR for portraits. By swinging the LCD display outward, a portrait can be composed easier than it would be peering into the viewfinder of a 35mm SLR camera. The results are equivalent to 100 ASA 35mm Kodak Ektachrome film, with the advantage of being able to get a print within minutes. I have an HP Deskjet 932 and use HP Premium Plus glossy paper. I get a print that is as good in quality as a regular glossy print from film, except that the dot pattern from the ink jets is visible on close inspection - instead of the normal soft grain of photographic film. In the field, the LCD and viewfinder displays stand up to all but direct sunlight. I wear glasses, so light does stray into the viewfinder - however, I get that with all cameras. I have developed the technique of shading the top of the camera with my hand and this technique works fine with the Coolpix 5700. I find that the camera snuggles nicely in my hands. Some reviewers report encountering a problem with the right eyelet - I wonder if they are holding the camera correctly? The correct way is shown in the manual, similar to the way you would properly hold a 35mm SLR camera. Also, the editorial reviewer states the camera may be a bit too small considering its functionality. That's an interesting comment. I find that in the field, smaller is better as long as the camera is rugged (which the Coolpix 5700 appears to be). A small camera is less obtrusive and less of a burden when wandering around all day long in a crowded air show. There are so many functions built into this camera that there is almost nothing you cannot do with it. Hoever, the big disadvantage of this camera is having to negotiate the complex menu structure to find all these functions. I have problems with it at times and I am very experienced with computers at that! That slows down making certain changes, sometimes requiring a check of the manual to locate a certain setting. With some planning and programming the user modes, you can limit this problem when shooting in the field by setting each mode for a certain type of situation that might be encountered. The final word: Pentax Spotmatic 35mm film cameras have been my friends for many years. They are now relegated to the closet, replaced by the Nikon Coolpix 5700.
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