Nikon Coolpix 5700 5MP Digital Camera w/ 8x Optical Zoom

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Product Details

Data Sheet [918kb PDF]

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Product Manual [10.75mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 4.3 x 3 inches ; 1.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B000069092
• Item model number: 5700
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,404 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 14, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Building on the success of the amateur range of Coolpix cameras, Nikon has introduced the Coolpix 5700 in an attempt to bridge the gap between the amateur and professional markets. This time around Nikon has gone for a semicompact feel, combining an almost palm-size unit with a powerful features one would expect to find on a high-specification midrange digital camera.

The swiveling, swing-out screen on the Coolpix 5700 makes it easier to frame self-portrait, overhead, and floor-level shots.

The Coolpix 5700 comes equipped with an automatic pop-up flash, plus a hot-shoe for additional flash units. The bundled NikonView 5 browser software makes it simple to download, organize, and print images. The package includes a lens cap, camera strap, 16 MB CompactFlash card, AV cable, USB cable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and battery charger. It is compatible with CompactFlash memory cards (Type I or II), as well as IBM Microdrives.

The 5700 allows the use of the viewfinder or the LCD monitor (which rotates through 180 degrees after it's opened out) for framing a picture, providing full freedom of movement and allowing you to capture a picture at any angle--no matter how obtuse. Zoom capability has been increased on the 5700, and the camera features an impressive 8x optical zoom, the results from which are good at all levels and distances. Supporting a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,920 (4.91 megapixels), an ISO range of 100 to 800, and a top shutter speed of 1/4,000, this camera is definitely a good all-rounder, providing you with great flexibility under different conditions.

The 5700 performs admirably, producing results way above expectation. Color balance is good, and the overall results are of a very high quality. We did have a middling complaint about its size, which actually feels a bit on the small size. With an extra couple of centimeters added to the bodywork, the 5700 would have felt much easier to handle and control in everyday usage. The position of the camera strap attachment also seems awkward, being as it is located on the upper right quadrant of the lens housing, making it sometimes difficult to gain a good grip when in use.

These criticisms aside, the Coolpix 5700 is bound to be another sure-fire hit for Nikon, balancing the huge 5-megapixel image size against a competitive pricepoint. For those not yet ready to move up to the professional level of 35mm digital SLRs such as the Nikon D100, the Coolpix 5700 proves to be a worthy alternative. --Elly Russell

Pros:

• Palm-sized 5-megapixel camera with a powerful feature set
• Includes sizeable 16 MB memory card--can accept IBM Microdrives
• 8x optical zoom

Cons:

• Could be slightly larger for easier handling

Product Description

A compact, lightweight digital still camera with 5.0 effective megapixels, the COOLPIX 5700 was developed to join the COOLPIX 5000 at the top of the Nikon COOLPIX digital still camera lineup, renowned for superior image quality and ease of use. The wide range of users the COOLPIX 5700 is expected to attract includes advanced amateurs, digital enthusiasts, and semi-professional photographers who demand high performance in every aspect of photography, as well as an air of sophistication. The compact, lightweight body is made of magnesium (Mg) alloy, which offers unparalleled portability. The camera's ergonomic, easy-grip design ensures secure handling and comfortable operation. The Vari-angle LCD monitor and the EVF (Electronic ViewFinder) with its great frame coverage combine to offer total convenience in every shooting position. And both deliver your images almost immediately. Features such as 5-area Multi Autofocus and various exposure metering settings, extremely popular in film-type cameras, will certainly satisfy conventional camera users.The COOLPIX 5700 incorporates an auto pop-up Speedlight, and also features an accessory shoe, which enables the attachment of an external Speedlight when more lighting is necessary. Multiple capture modes can be selected, including an all-new RAW image (NEF format) recording mode for untouched image quality, and movies with audio for up to 60 seconds. The COOLPIX 5700 also has a built-in speaker, making instant confirmation playback of movies possible. Features like the Noise Reduction Mode, Saturation Control and White Balance Bracketing will also help improving image quality. The COOLPIX 5700 is compatible with a broad range of quality accessories. With so many advanced features and accessories, the COOLPIX 5700 is sure to help you realize your digital dreams.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One terrific camera, May 23, 2003

By	K. Mooney (Springfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although I am pretty familiar with Nikon's digital controls having owned a Coolpix 880, I recommend spending some time with the instruction manual: Not because I think the camera is that complicated, but so that you can fully appreciate what the 5700 can do! This is an excellent camera if you really want a digital SLR but can't justify the cost; the 5700's electronic viewfinder behaves like a true SLR while the 8x optical zoom (not digital, which is nearly worthless) covers most lens focal lengths.

I love my film cameras (also Nikon), but there are many advantages to owning a digital camera. Not only can you see your results right away, but the digital nature has some cool advantages - want to shoot in B&W? Don't change film, just change a camera setting. The viewfinder in the 5700 will also show in B&W! That's pretty cool. At a decent resolution with moderate compression, I can get 1,100 images on a ... 256 MB card. Yes, that's one thousand one hundred - at a quality that will produce a very decent 8x10 print. How many rolls of film is that?

Of course the Nikon quality is exceptional, from the ED glass in the optics to the very strong alloy body. I do not feel that the size is too small, but I do find the positioning of the right camera strap a wee bit awkward.

If you do consider digital, with the 5700 or not, I do recommend buying extra memory cards - the prices are low and the 16 to 32 MB cards that usually come with the camera will fill too quickly, especially if you want to use the full 5 MP resolution. Also, battery life is a problem. Buying those ... lithium batteries for the 880 (same battery as the 5700) nearly bankrupted me until I bought Nikon's rechargable battery system (which the 5700 comes with - kudos to Nikon). Buy an extra battery or two - you will not regret it! Indeed, shell out the bucks for the 5700, you won't regret that either.

75 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Camera, December 11, 2002

By A Customer

This camera takes amazingly detailed pictures and the colors are very true to-life. I have been taking all of my pictures in FINE mode (the highest quality JPEG but not as high as the RAW mode) and can't imagine anything better. I have printed out 8x10s on my 3 year old HP 970, and ordered prints through Snapfish. I have to keep pulling them out to look at them because I can't believe how clear they are.
On my computer screen (17" Sony Trinitron)I can blow up pictures of my 3 year-old daughter to life size with no pixelation. In fact, they get clearer initially as I zoom in because the picture resolution is greater than the screen resolution. Nice software suite included which makes it easy to remove red-eyes, crop, etc. I don't even bother with the red-eye flash mode anymore, just clean it up on the computer. Plug-and-play with Windows XP is awesome.
I have read other reviews about being unable to use the autofocus indoors which I don't understand. I bought this camera as gift for my wife and have been taking most of my pictures in our basement in very low light conditions over the past two weeks. If I zoom into a dark corner from 40' away, it might take a few seconds but it always works. After reading the manual when I first bought it, I did change the autofocus option to "Spot" from "Matrix". This lets the camera just try to focus on the very center of the viewfinder/subject. I went outside this evening and took a pictures of a neighbors' Christmas lights approximately 200' from my house and didn't have a problem with the autofocus. The only problem I see with the autofocus would be with someone who was shooting action photos. The autofocus does take a second or two to lock in.
After the first day, I haven't even used the LCD. To me it's much more natural to look through the viewfinder, and I haven't had any problems with it. The camera fits perfectly in my hands; nice grip.
The only issues I have seen with it so far are relatively minor to me (but they may be a bigger issue to someone else).

1. Short battery life. You will need at least 2, maybe 3.
2. Save yourself some gas (or postage) and purchase at least 256 MB of memory when you buy the camera. The card that comes with the camera is useless. It's pointless to have a 5 MP camera if don't have the memory to store hi-res images. You can fit about 104 on a 256 MB card in fine mode.
3. Doesn't come with a power adapter. You may want one.
4. Nikon does not support filters on this camera. I have traded e-mails with Nikon and the reason they don't is because filters will cause vignetting on most of the range of the 8x zoom. It does come with lens cap.

Overall I am extremely satisfied with this camera.

97 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from a persnickety photographer, May 9, 2003

By A Customer

My first real film camera was a Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR. My current film camera is still a Pentax Spotmatic. To those whom it matters, that should say it all.

In the store, I compared the Coolpix 5700 with the Minolta Dimage 7i. The Minolta starts up faster, due to the manual zoom optical system. However, the musical tone it makes is very unprofessional and calls attention to itself. The Nikon does a mechanical initialize and then with a slight tone is ready; more like a pro's camera. The Minolta has larger displays (viewfinder and LCD) that make changing settings easier. (I wish the Nikon's displays were that size!) However, the Coolpix's LCD viewer (normally placed against the back of the camera to protect it from scratches) can be rotated to most any angle required, including downward to facilitate holding the camera overhead and still being able to compose shots. Try that on your 35mm film camera!

For manual focussing, the Minolta has a manual focus ring, but it requires a lot of turns to go from infinite to macro (very slow if you are used to the focus ring of a 35mm SLR camera) and the display is pixelated in some way that makes it difficult to determine when an area is in focus. The Coolpix 5700 requires pressing buttons, but gets there quicker and the focus is more like the ground glass of a 35mm SLR camera.

In the automatic mode, the Coolpix 5700 is hyperactive, always busy checking and adjusting focus. I found that annoying. I guess it reduces battery life, too. So, I set the user modes to check focus only when the shutter button is halfway down. Once the camera has set the focus, a picture can be taken as fast as a film camera. In very low light, the camera may have a problem finding the focus point. In this case, you can either manually focus the camera, or use a pocket flashlight to momentary shine on the object - the camera will lock in instantly.

In the studio, the Coolpix 5700 works as good as any 35mm SLR for portraits. By swinging the LCD display outward, a portrait can be composed easier than it would be peering into the viewfinder of a 35mm SLR camera. The results are equivalent to 100 ASA 35mm Kodak Ektachrome film, with the advantage of being able to get a print within minutes. I have an HP Deskjet 932 and use HP Premium Plus glossy paper. I get a print that is as good in quality as a regular glossy print from film, except that the dot pattern from the ink jets is visible on close inspection - instead of the normal soft grain of photographic film.

In the field, the LCD and viewfinder displays stand up to all but direct sunlight. I wear glasses, so light does stray into the viewfinder - however, I get that with all cameras. I have developed the technique of shading the top of the camera with my hand and this technique works fine with the Coolpix 5700. I find that the camera snuggles nicely in my hands. Some reviewers report encountering a problem with the right eyelet - I wonder if they are holding the camera correctly? The correct way is shown in the manual, similar to the way you would properly hold a 35mm SLR camera. Also, the editorial reviewer states the camera may be a bit too small considering its functionality. That's an interesting comment. I find that in the field, smaller is better as long as the camera is rugged (which the Coolpix 5700 appears to be). A small camera is less obtrusive and less of a burden when wandering around all day long in a crowded air show.

There are so many functions built into this camera that there is almost nothing you cannot do with it. Hoever, the big disadvantage of this camera is having to negotiate the complex menu structure to find all these functions. I have problems with it at times and I am very experienced with computers at that! That slows down making certain changes, sometimes requiring a check of the manual to locate a certain setting. With some planning and programming the user modes, you can limit this problem when shooting in the field by setting each mode for a certain type of situation that might be encountered.

The final word: Pentax Spotmatic 35mm film cameras have been my friends for many years. They are now relegated to the closet, replaced by the Nikon Coolpix 5700.