Nikon Coolpix P6000

Image Quality

For a pro-level shooter, the P6000's pictures are only acceptable, but not impressive. The low ISO sensitivity shots were comparable only to midrange point-and-shoots and, compared with Panasonic's high-end equivalent, the Lumix DMC-LX3, we could see that there is room for improvement in the P6000's image quality.

At ISO 100, the image displayed slight hints of grittiness and was not smooth. It was only under bright lighting conditions that the pictures looked clean. A notch up at ISO 200, we detected the noise reduction kicking in, and while the algorithms did remove digital artifacts, they also speckled the image a little bit. Moving on to ISO 400, the speckling was more obvious but we could still tolerate that. However, the image quality at ISO 800 surpassed our limit and we didn't like how the light spots dotted the picture. We don't recommend using sensitivity beyond this setting.

The Nikon has a maximum ISO of 6,400, but that would be at a reduced resolution of 3 megapixels.

Flash output was well-balanced and there is an option for flash exposure compensation. With it, we could reduce or increase the strobe's power to achieve a more natural-looking image.

Conclusion

At S$799 (US$575.44), the P6000 is in the same price range (and class) as the LX3. Admittedly, it has decent performance and more features than the Panasonic, but the Nikon suffered most where it mattered, and that is image quality. We expected better picture results from a shooter in this class. The shooter will probably be suitable for the tech-savvy or frequent traveler who needs to identify where he took certain shots. But if image quality is a consideration, you might have to think twice about the P6000.

Tags: DSLR, Camera, scroll wheel, Nikon Corp., LCD

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