Nikon has announced a new 8-megapixel Coolpix 8800 digital camera with a 10x optical zoom Nikkor ED glass lens, which opens the shooter to an unmatched 35-350mm (35mm equivalent) zoom range, the longest zoom range available in the 8-megapixel category, and delivers razor sharp images.
To complement the versatile and precise lens, Nikon has incorporated its Vibration Reduction (VR) System, a version of the system used in Nikkor professional SLR lenses. The benefits of VR are further evident with the Coolpix 8800 digital camera system, when enhanced with a series of dedicated lens accessories that broaden the range of lens performance from Fisheye (7mm) to a 600mm telephoto. The incorporation of VR into the Coolpix 8800 represents a milestone first for Nikon and the Coolpix series as state of the art technology is now being applied to consumer compact cameras.
The Coolpix 8800, and its counterpart Coolpix 8400, are the first digital cameras to offer Nikon's D-lighting option. In Playback, D-lighting compensates for an underexposed area of an image while maintaining the properly exposed area of the same image. The result resembles a "digital fill flash" and salvages dark silhouettes into well-balanced album-worthy memories.
Another new feature, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, automatically corrects red-eye inside the camera in most instances when using the Red-Eye Reduction mode of the built-in flash. With In-Camera Red-Eye Fix activated, photographers will see most common red-eye photos rapidly diminishing or disappearing entirely from their pictures.
In fact, they may never see red-eye again. The combination of these new features alone addresses two of the most commonly experienced problems in photography and corrects them with ease.
Serious digital photographers demand a great deal from their equipment. The Nikon Coolpix 8800 is well prepared to withstand the wear and tear that comes with frequent use. The camera is constructed with a compact, lightweight magnesium (Mg) alloy body that has been designed for durability and portability, with a secure, comfortable grip for stability during shooting. Nikon has employed the high resolution (238,000 pixel) electronic viewfinder (EVF) for extremely sharp, through-the-lens viewing. In addition, users can use the large 1.8" vari-angle LCD panel to review shots on the go.
The Nikon Coolpix 8800 digital camera incorporates four exposure modes to give the photographer ultimate creative control over their image capture. These modes include Programmed Auto [P], Shutter-Priority Auto [S], Aperture- Priority Auto [A] and Manual [M].
The camera also offers an automatic mode, which makes the Coolpix 8800 an ideal tool in situations where operation needs to be 'point-and-shoot simple.' For added convenience, the camera incorporates 15 preset Scene Modes that allow for striking images in practically any shooting situation.
The camera has the ability to capture images in RAW recording mode (NEF format) for maximum image control and manipulation after the picture is taken using Nikon's new Capture 4.2 software available for download at http://www.nikontechusa.com/http://www.nikontechusa.com/. The camera also supports the newly adopted JPEG EXTRA file format, which offers higher image quality with less compression (compression rate: 1/2) in addition to its Basic, Normal, Fine, TIFF and NEF/RAW settings.Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) SystemThe lens of the Coolpix 8800 incorporates Nikon's Vibration Reduction System. VR automatically detects and compensates for the small camera movements that cause image blur. This offers the user the ability to shoot at shutter speeds up to three stops slower without the risk of camera vibrations blurring the image. Along with Normal Mode, which enables remarkably clear handheld shots, Active Mode helps to ensure a smoother view in shaky conditions like a moving vehicle. VR gives Coolpix 8800 photographers the tool they need to achieve sharp, clear images when shooting in low light or when taking handheld telephoto and macro shots.The Nikon Coolpix 8800 will be available at retail in the US in Q4 2004 at an MSRP of US$999.95. Australian pricing and availability will be posted in this article when it becomes available.For more information about the 8800 in te meantime, try the