Rating: 
Summary: This is a KEWL Camera - What's the Beef?
Review: The Nikon Coolpix 800 is a GREAT camera. I don't understandwhat the other comments are complaining about. Mine came with aninstruction booklet, a foldout "getting started" sheet (which was very well written), and a CD for more detailed instruction. But, all I needed was the starter sheet, 15 minutes of trying it out, and found it was intuitively simple. I also didn't have trouble with battery life (I used the alkalines that came with it). I took 20 pictures, downloaded them into my computer and STILL had PLENTY of battery life. This is a nice compact camera with some great features...This is an amazing camera at an amazing price - and I am usually very finicky. I'd recommend this camera whole-heartedly.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic quality for hundreds less than the 3 megpix models
Review: I came very close to purchasing the CoolPix 990 or Olympus C3030Z for twice the price of the CP800, but after a few days with this little gem I am very pleased with my choice. The extra money is well spent on accessory lenses, rechargable NiMH batteries, memory cards and reader. The 2X optical zoom is not a big issue if you add on a telephoto lens -- the current Nikons all support add on lenses with their threaded barrel, using the properly sized adapter rings. Keep in mind that the digital zoom on the 800, and most digital cameras, results in severe noise and distortion. I doubt I'll ever use the digital zoom. Image quality is superb, and I have found myself marvelling at the sharpness of pics shot at full res (1600x1200) in fine mode, even at fully automatic settings. Color and white balance seem very natural, and of course are user-settable in manual mode. Nikon's expertise in quality optics and metering is very evident here. Minor concerns are that the battery cover area seems flimsy, and also the optical viewfinder must be used with the right-eye to avoid severe nose-smudging of the large LCD, which is flush with the rear case and dead center so right in nose territory! User interface is quite friendly and easily mastered with a bit of experimentation on the menus. You WILL want a USB or PC-card CompactFlash reader as the camera does not include USB support natively. Serial port transfers are a joke with files this big (600-900K per pic)! I highly recommend this camera to intermediate photographers who want more resolution, manual control, and lens options than a low-end device, but do not need all the bells and whistles of the $800+ 3-megapixel "big guns".
Rating:
Summary: Big things do come in SMALL packages
Review: This is one great tiny camera! I was kinda shocked by how small it was when I first opened it but it's compact size betrays the many features hidden within it's frame. However, this may be a downfall to someone with big hands so if you do you may want to find one at a camera or electronics store before you buy. There was one thing that I did find annoying and that was the online manual. The manual is pretty informative but if you are like me and are outdoors a bit...well the online manual won't do you anygood, so read up before you try and leave home with it. Other than those two very minor features this camera more than does the job. It is very lightweight and compact yet it has the ability to add various other lenses from fisheye, macro, and a telephoto. The flash is powerful enough to handle most any shot and you have the option to change the film speeds to compensate even further. It shoots in standard form at 1600x1200 but can be reduced to 640x480. If you want to take high speed pictures, you have the option from single, continuous, up to an amazing 40 continuous shots. This is my first digital camera so I don't know if others have these features but for the price and the size I can almost bet you are not going to find one that rivals this little Nikon in quality. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: A great amateur digital camera!
Review: I must admit that I like having new electronic toys when they come out. I purchased a digital camera in 1997 and was not entirely impressed by what 500$ got me then. However, 3 years later, I stumbled upon the Nikon Coolpix 800 at a great price and took another shot at digital imaging. PICTURES: The pictures it takes are fantastic! The 1600x1200 resolution really makes a difference when making prints. They look like they were taken with a 35mm. This is not even mentioning the backing of a quality Nikkor lens that picks up lots of detail other digicams of the same resolution do not. Another feature that impressed me was the fact I could add additional lenses to it (and Nikon has 3 designed specifically for the Coolpix 800/950/990). FEATURES: It has a lot of features of its bigger brother like an uncompressed TIFF format, ability to take B&W pictures, and adjustable metering. However, for a non-professional photographer, I liked the fact the auto mode was easy to use and allowed me to take great pictures right away. I now can switch to manual mode to take more control of the picture, but the camera is ready to take great pictures right out of the box. Unlike other reviewers, mine came with a paper manual in addition to a CD-ROM that explained many of the basic features and taught me about some of the more exotic ones. This is a great camera for anyone wanting a digital camera that takes great pictures but doesn't want to spend ton of money on features that may not even be used. Otherwise, the CP990 and the D1 are really nice cameras for those interested in more control. I do recommend getting an extra Flash card since 8 MB does run out fairly quickly when taking pictures in FINE or NORMAL mode. Getting a USB SanDisk CompactFlash reader was also a big help since the built-in connection is serial and can take a LONG time to download pictures if you have a lot of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Possibly an unfortunate fluke
Review: The Nikon Coolpix 800 sounded like a great buy in a full-featured digital camera. Unfortunately, when mine arrived at my doorstep, after unpacking it and following the quick-start instructions to the letter, I took one test photo, and the camera began to buzz and an ominous statement "system error" flashed on the LCD screen. The only way I could even shut off the camera was to open the battery bay. The comprehensive manual on CD said that if this message appeared and a restart didn't fix the problem (it didn't), the only action was to phone Nikon. Since this was a new camera, right out of the box, I didn't bother, but packed it back up and returned it the following day. There are many good things about the camera, but in my short time with it, other than the obvious fatal flaw, I noticed that the battery compartment cover and smartcard cover were both very flimsy (noted in other reviews). I feel that both of these will get extensive use during the life of the camera and are prone to failure. Perhaps the major fault was a fluke, but I won't be replacing this with another coolpix, or probably with another Nikon.
Rating: 
Summary: Chapter 2 'Poor luck so far...
Review: The great staff at a Camera World got my camera working and it is doing fine now. I'll stick with the Nikon800 Coolpix.
Rating:
Summary: Poor luck so far with the coolpix800
Review: I recently purchased my first digital camera, a Coolpix 800 (Not from Amazon). I couldn't get it to focus. At a camera shop they pointed out to me that the lens was in crooked. I bought another from the camera shop and returned the first one. To my dismay, when starting this one up I got a 'system error'. I called the camera shop and they stepped me through a card--formating exercise, still no luck. Finally I called the Nikon factory snd told a gal my problem. She kind of laughed and said "Oh, send it back". I'm now, being 0 for 2, looking at another brand. Thank you, Clair
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera For The Price
Review: This is a great little camera. The pictures are bright, crisp and easily managed using the camera's menu and browsing functions. The manual is on CD but using the camera is fairly intuitive and should not take long to master. The camera is fairly light but the construction is solid with very little edges to catch and break off. My favorite aspect is I can take pictures using the CompactFlash card then pop the card into my CE handheld and review the pictures without having to load to a desktop computer. Highly recommend this as a camera for the novice to casual user.
Rating:
Summary: Great camera, minor annoyances
Review: I've had my CoolPix 800 since November and for the most part, I am very pleased with it. The pictures are great and there are a fair amount of features that the advanced amateur will find useful. Two major disappointments however are the inability to control the shutter speed and aperature, and the battery life. Nikon's web site will lead you to believe that you can control the shutter speed and aperature (such as when you are taking fast action shots or photos at night), but this is not true. Shutter speed and aperature are automatically controlled no matter what you are shooting. To get that kind of control, you need to be purchasing the CoolPix 950. Amazon's review that "battery life is a winner" is a crock. The camera eats battries at an alarming rate even with the LCD screen switched off. I have considered purchasing a rechargeable set, but my solution is to buy the battries in bulk at Costco. You can get a brick of 48 AA Kirkland battries for about $12. These battries are almost as highly rated (according to Consumer Reports) as regular Duracell's and a whole lot less expensive. Unfortunately, not using rechargeables is not the most environmentally friendly option. By the way, the owners manual on CD. Get a clue Nikon, that one's a real pain!
Rating:
Summary: Superb Images
Review: The images that this camera is capable of producing will be hard to duplicate in any other digital camera that can be purchased for under $600. Previous reviews have mentioned size, controls, and rudimentary software as problems. I don't believe Nikon or anyone else bills this camera as a 'pocket' camera. If size is a big criteria, consider the Canon S10. The CP800 is easy to hold and is not so small that it is hard for someone with larger hands to manipulate. I find the controls about average for a digital camera. Digital cameras don't work like film cameras and require that you develope new skills. No matter what camera you purchase there will always be a learning curve involved. Most of the controls seem quite logical and once you are used to them, cease to be a problem. The Nikon View software is simply a means of getting the images from the camera to the computer. From there you can use the image editing program of your choice to modify or print your pictures. One of the great things about a digital camera is the fact that you CAN adjust and retouch your photos. Many cameras download their pictures via a serial cable and they are all slow. USB card readers are inexpensive (around $50) and GREATLY speed up the process. One big plus is the availability of additional lenses and filters, another feature not generally found in cameras of this price range. No one camera is a good 'fit' for every user but if what you are looking for is great film-quality images, you won't be dissapointed with the CP800.
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