Customer Reviews

Nikon Coolpix 885 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom and Battery Charger

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

As a first time digital camera user I found the Nikon 885 extremely simple and user-friendly. The user manual is very easy to understand and it is easy to find what you need. The small size is great for traveling. The shutter speed seems fine to me although I heard some people found it to be very slow on their cameras.

One of my favorite things about the camera is the movie feature. You can make a 40 second movie without sound and play it on your computer. I was impressed with the quality and even in fine mode the 'movie' only takes up the memory space of 7 or 8 pictures. Which is hardly anything if you have the 128 mb card which takes 80 pictures in fine mode, 157 in normal mode and 302 in basic mode.

One of the bonuses of owning a Nikon is that the memory card that it takes is made by several different companies and therefore cheaper and easier to find. The Sonys, on the other hand, only accept Sony Memory sticks, which is very annoying because some computers and printers do not accept the Sony disk, while almost every device will take the one used for Nikon. I bought a device to plug into my USB port that I can insert the disk into to download onto my computer so that the battery of my camera isn't running out while it uploads. Oh while I'm on the subject of batteries another great thing about Nikon is that it has an adapter to charge your battery outside of the camera so if you have 2 batteries, one can be charging while you're using the camera. Oh, and if you are on vacation or something out sightseeing and your battery goes dead you can run into a shop and buy regular camera batteries b/c Nikon made their cameras to accept them too.

Another one of my favorite things is the scene modes. This is something that was important for me because I know very little about photography. I really needed a camera that I could just point and shoot and Nikon was the only brand the scene selection feature where you don't have to focus it and decide whether to use flash or not and all that stuff. The twelve scenes are portrait, party/indoor, night portrait, beach/snow, landscape, sunset, night landscape, museum, fireworks show, close up, copy (black & white), and back light.

Well I hope you found this review helpful. Obviously I'm very happy with my Nikon 885. If your looking for a cute, compact, easy to use camera then this would be a good choice. Good luck!

I bought this camera about 8 months ago. I'm a grad student in a design related subject, so I often need to take several dozen reference pictures in a short period of time (many of which I won't keep). Digital is a great way to go considering film processing costs.

The good about this camera is that the image quality is high. I use it in high resolution mode, so I have more flexibility to manipulate the photos later in Photoshop. It also has a surprising ability to shoot in low-ish light without its flash.

It is a very simple camera to use. I don't use any of the proprietary software that came with it, such as the photo organizing software, but instead simply plug it into a USB port and treat it like an external drive. It also comes with a battery and charger, which seems to last for about 40 or 50 pictures (depending). I usually leave it to charge in the evening overnight and it is fine.

However, there are also a few frustrating aspects.

The software that it comes with is pretty much junk, so if you don't already have a graphics package on your computer, this is worth considering. I never really figured out how to use the photo database program effectively, because it told me it had "expired" after only a dozen or so pictures were down loaded (apparently a $[amount] camera still doesn't get you a full licensed software package--which it later prompts you to buy). I would ignore the included software completely.

The camera also really likes the colors red and orange, and they sometimes turn out nearly neon. Again, if you have Photoshop or something like it, this can easily be corrected (and it doesn't really bother me).

Likewise, this camera doesn't have many modes like B/W and sepia like some other cameras (i.e. Sony) have, but if you are into digital manipulation this is easy enough to do yourself.

Like most digital cameras, the memory included is way too small to be useful. The one accessory that I purchased was a 128 mb flash memory card. Although 128 mb is a lot, I would say that the minimum needed for this camera is probably 64 mb. So add about $[amount]to the price for your memory.

Other annoying aspects: there is a pretty big shutter delay from when you press the button, meaning that this camera will not work well for sports or action shots. Also, even when the battery is fully charged, my camera goes to standby after only about 15 seconds, and takes a few seconds to come back on. I've tried to change this, but the settings seem to have no effect. So again, spontaneity is not it's strong suit.

Overall, a functional camera that is reliable and works well, but with a few wrinkles. It is about what I expected from a "newfangled" emerging technology.

I have searched for several weeks for a digital camera, and although I own a Canon Elan 7e conventional SLR, I went ahead with Nikon and I am very pleased for having made this choice.
If you want to get a 3-4 MP camera, I would like to tell you why you should consider this camera:
1. Excellent optics. Very crisp pictures, good color adjustment. (you can always depend on Nikon because the commpany is dedicated to optical instruments in contrast to some other companies who produce digital cameras, speakers, PDAs, TVs, radios, keyboards etc at the same time! Makes sense?).
2. Size: It is compact and light but at the same time gives you the feeling of holding a camera and not some nonspecific electronic rectangular object (which I value very much).
3. The zoom: 3x optical zoom is not provided by other brands with similar value and MP. They all offer digital zoom and all of us know what that means!
4. Software: Very intuitive and easy to learn. I did not have to read the manual to understand the menus and that is a great plus. The Custom mode offers several settings from room lighting type to bracketing, and several other stuff that you will enjoy using. But the bottom line is, you actually can get to use the camera the way you want to just by the click of a single button.
5. The Macro mode: Fantastic! You can get close up from 1.6 inches and this is real. Try the other cameras and get a close up at that distance. I have tried but could not succeed. If you are going to use the Macro mode, be sure to try all the brands but when you try, you will see that Nikon has an excellent macro mode.
One problem I have encountered is the focusing sound the camera produces when it focuses. However, at day 2, I realized that it was due to the default continuous AF mode and when I switched it to single AF, there was virtually no sound. If that sound had persisted, the camera rating would have been 4 stars and I am so glad that you can actually get rid of that sound. Some people may not find it bothering but I did!
Amazon offered it at a great price when I bought it and I don't know if they will continue selling it because it is so good you don't need any better (unless you want to print pictures with sizes > 11x14 inches, where Coolpix 4300 or 4500 would be better suited to your intentions. However, for that paper size, remember that each shot will be of about 2 MB size)
I definitely recommend this camera to people looking for 3-4 MB range. Just try it before buying any digital camera. You will notice the difference.

I waited six months to review the Coolpix 885 to see how it was to really live with this camera. After shooting over 2,000 exposures, I can tell you that I love the 885. Anyone who is not satisfied with the results has got to buy a new printer and try again is all I can say. Try taking photos in the FINE mode and you will be very satisfied with all but insanely huge enlargements. Use the HIGH resolution (.TIF) and it will be difficult to hurt the resolution in any enlargement. (I know you think you are not enlarging very much, but if you take the center 10% of an image and try to make it into an 8x10 print, that is a monstrous enlargement.) This camera is good for a family where on might leave the camera set on full autoprogrammed mode and the other would prefer the absolutely total controll offered in the Custom Shooting Mode. Guess what. About 95% of the time, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It is a huge plus that the 885 will take macro shots from about one INCH away. It is a huge plus that the optical zoom range is 4:1 with another 4x digital zoom. It is a huge plus that you can zoom in 4x when viewing an image in the monitor so you can evaluate focus in critical areas. My only complaint is that the f: stops are not really f: stops and I wish that were not the case. You have complete control over the shutter speeds from 1/1000th to 8 seconds, but there are only two apertures to toggle back and forth between. I guess that's one reason to go up a level, but then you have to deal with a swivel in the middle of the camera and I am always afraid something like that is one more weak link that is destined to break. Buy at least two rechargeable batteries and 128 or larger Compact Flash Memory. Buy a USB card reader and don't hook the camera to your computer to download images. Just read them directly off the card. This will save batteries immensely. With the price hovering in the [$] range now, I think the 885 is the one to snap up before it is discontinued. It's a bargain.

I've had this camera for a week and am thoroughly impressed.

LOTS of controls (manual) and a dozen "scene" presets augment a fine "auto" system for point-and-shoot through numerous custom options. And rugged! I just dropped it from waist high onto macadam -- still works fine! (But I won't try it again...)

Filters and other lenses readily available. The owner's manual is well-organized and guides the user through a myriad of options. Most of the controls are intuitive and easily remembered, making this camera a pleasure to use.

The camera's small size makes it easy to pack along on any outing: which gave me the opportunity to snap photos of a car fully aflame by the roadside last night! The preview screen is on the small size, but adequate. The bundled software package is also good.

Check out the web for more detailed reviews, but I couldn't be more delighted (without spending well over $1,000).

This camera cannot photograph certain shades of red. Something on the yellow side comes out, but red with a tiny hint of blue -- this camera simply won't do it. It's very strange. Those shades of red get shifted toward orange. And, *no*, it's not just in 'auto' mode. In 'cfm' mode, no matter which setting you use (even incandescent, which really cranks up the blue), it still happens. I've tested this problem with two different 885s and one 995. They all did the same thing.

Why two stars and not one? Because the interface is pretty good, and the custom ("cfm") mode lets you do a lot of interesting things. I think the optics themselves are also above average... the color problem seems to be something in the firmware.

I would suggest the Canon S30 or S40 instead. The S30 is exactly the same price, and is a much better camera in every respect, from interface to optics. I've also had a Sony digital camera for a long time, and I think it's very good. If you do buy a Sony, make sure it has a Carl Zeiss lens -- not all of them do!

A friend loaned me her Nikon Coolpix 885 over the 4th of July weekend so that I could try it out. I loved the camera and the quality of the pictures taken at the Fine setting. As result, I went out and purchased one for myself the same weekend. The degree of custom control is also excellent, making this camera good for both the beginner and more advanced photographers. I was very pleased with the image quality even in dim indoor light without the flash.

I have read reviews on ohter Web sites where people complained about image quality being poor. I can't understand where they are coming from. The pictures that I took in Fine mode were very sharp and crisp. I used the 3X Optical Zoom and still the pictures were sharp.

In the short time that I had my friend's camera, the only drawback I could find was that there is quite a bit of glare in the view finder if you are shooting in bright sun, but other than that, it is an excellent camera for the money.

It is too bad Carlton had to put a commercial for Sony in his review for this Nikon. Now I have to rebut. There is one simple fact Carlton missed that was obviously not his primary focus, pardon the pun. The quality of the photographs. The quality of the output I receive from my 885 is easily 30% better quality then any thing any of the Sony models can put out. The color is truer, the gamma is more accurate, and the basic output is far more consistent then any of the Sony's. Change this setting or that setting... I don't care. the bottom line is the final output. Bottom line... the initial un-retouched photo's this Nikon produces are pretty phenomenal. Well for a digital camera at least. After all this is not an F5.

I have tried each of the Sony CD models. They are good but they are no Nikon. I feel he missed what to me is the most important issue, picture quality. There are few if any digital cameras available, which produce a better photo then the Nikons. Sure, some are larger, some are smaller, some are faster, while others have more bells and whistles, and even others are prettier, like the Sony's. However, not one of them produces a better quality photograph. Nikon's quality and prowess in the analog camera arena has somehow seeped into their digital cameras. Their primary focus appears to have been picture quality, not bells and whistles. Pun intended. I find that comparing the Sony digital to the Nikon Digital is like comparing the F5 to the OM-4Ti. You'll have to research that on your own...

Don't get me wrong... There ARE a few things I dislike about the 885. The little nose print I occasionally get on the LCD display when I shoot, slight design flaw. You have top pick one up to know what I mean about that. I also would have changed the pressure required for the trigger. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that the pictures are "Smokin"!

One last thing from my craw. An experience I had with a great Sony audio receiver a few years ago tells all. Well what I thought was a great receiver when I bought it a few years ago. I had it for about year. It served me well. It had so many features I could never use them all, and was it ever pretty. Then I got educated on audio equipment. I read a few rags and talked to a few audiophiles. Then after purchasing my Marantz SR7000 for about [money amount] less then the original cost of the Sony I really started to get upset with Sony. Sure my Marantz was ugly compared to the beautiful Sony but...

The sound quality of the Marantz was so far superior to that of the Sony. It was not a small difference but an astronomical difference. It was such a difference that I vowed never again to purchase another Sony product blindly. That is without seeing real side-by-side comparisons of the output of whatever the technology I was buying. I finally saw the Sony's strategy - not to provide the best quality output but to provide the most bells and whistles in the prettiest housings. Tooling and I.D. is Sony's key. They do have one very nice line, their Televisions and Monitors and I will not bash those. However, that is where Sony quality-output begins and ends. I bet I am really upsetting a lot of Sony aficionado's right now but don't get mad at me. This is about Nikon, not Sony. Go to your local high-end shop and ask any guru what they think of any specific Sony product. Remember I said high-end shop, not Best Buy or Circuit City. Believe me for the same doe you drop on a Sony "anything" you can get a far superior "anything" from any decent high-end shop.

So enough with the Sony bashing... the Nikon 885 is my concern right now.

Fact: The Nikon consistently produces better quality photographs. Period. Just as my Marantz consistently provides me with a far more accurate sound reproduction then the Sony receiver was ever capable of. After all, my main goal when selecting this camera was to get the best quality photos possible from a digital camera. No fancy "this-and-that". I just wanted quality photographs. If you would like to read about the features and the bells and whistles there are several other good reviews on this product and all the other products as well. My only focus here is to talk about the quality of the output of this camera.

Hope you try them all side by side so you can create your own opinion before you buy. After all that is all this review is. My opinion, based upon facts I was able to gather firsthand.

Thanks...

This is my first digital camera. I have an original Nikon F and a Nikon 6006 (both SLR's, obviously). When I ventured into the digital foray, I couldn't bring myself to get anything other than a Nikon. Boy, was I right! It's easy to use: charge the battery, put the starter memory disk in, set it on Auto, and you're off to the races! You get about 20 pics on the memory disk. I recommend getting a 128 MB card (Simpletech has a good one), three extra batteries (they die quickly while you're shooting away!), and a case. All personal preference, and not required. Enjoy your excellent purchase!

The Nikon 885 at first glance has the right form factor, features and price. As a first time digital camera owner it seemed to be a great value. However, after 3 months of ownership, we are experiencing a "Systems Error" message. Unfortunately there are no clear resolutions to what appears to be a systemic issue with this camera across many customers. The only resolution is to return the camera to the manufacturer which is unable to guarantee or estimate a return date. Moreover, the Nikon online customer support web page is absent of any FAQ or other information. I would not recommend this camera based on my current experience and dissatisfacton with Nikon. By the way, do not dispose of your original packaging. Nikon will not support a return/repaire without it.