When you're out and about and need to take a photo, chances are pretty good that you just whip out your smartphone and grab the moment. So is there still a market for dedicated compact cameras? The big manufacturers think so, and Nikon has just announced the Coolpix W150 to prove it.
The adult- and child-friendly travel compact is waterproof to 10 meters (33 ft), can survive falls from a height of 1.8 m (5.9 ft), is able to resist chilling temperatures as low as -10° C (14° F), and is dustproof, so users can safely take photos and video at the beach – in the sand or under the waves – or on the snow-covered mountain trails.
The W150 features a 13.2 megapixel image sensor, and though there are smartphones with a bigger pixel count available, Nikon is tempting buyers with the promise of superior image quality. The camera also offers 3x optical zoom from its Nikkor lens, which can be ramped up to 6x with some digital help, without reducing image quality.
The compact is reported easy to use thanks to a modified graphical user interface, and comes with some impressive functionality. Target Finding AF sees the camera detect and focus on the primary subject, it's capable of recording Full HD videos with stereo sound, it has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and rocks electronic vibration reduction to help mitigate camera shake issues.
Nikon has also treated the W150 to some powerful new scene modes and in-camera editing capabilities. There are special modes for underwater photography, for example, which optimize processing for capturing images under the waves, look for human faces or adjust for improved clarity.
Users can create images that look as though one photo has been taken on top of another, a voice message can be recorded and added to a photo, images can be made to look like "little planets" (shown above) and frames can be added to photos. Multiple images can be used to make a collage and there's a function to add some curves to photos.
Nikon hasn't revealed pricing or availability information at the time of writing.
Source: Nikon
