Product Description

Compact and stylishly designed in a durable black metal body, the COOLPIX 7900 not only takes great pictures but it looks great too. A sophisticated digital camera, packed with advanced features and innovations, it will help you take the best photographs in all kinds of settings and conditions. It comes equipped with a 3X Zoom-Nikkor ED lens with 38-114mm (35mm equivalent) range. Snorkeling enthusiasts and scuba divers will enjoy the new Underwater Scene Mode shoot true-to-life colors automatically, while under water. Unique new Face-priority AF feature automatically detects the human face in the frame and sets focus accordingly, making portrait shooting more accurate than ever. Nikon's innovative D-Lighting feature adds light and detail to dark areas while leaving bright areas as they are. A handy Blur Warning function alerts you when an image is blurred because of camera movement and Nikon's proprietary Best Shot Selector (BSS) saves the best of a series of several shots. Record VGA-size movies with sound at a very smooth 30 frames per second.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41041 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Nikon
• Model: Coolpix 7900
• Dimensions: 1.82 pounds
• Display size: 2

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for for photo-quality 11 x 15-inch prints
• 3x optical zoom through a quality Zoom-Nikkor lens (zoom is equivalent to 35-105mm in a 35mm camera)
• 2.0-inch LCD display; exclusive Nikon In-Camera Red-Eye Fix
• Macro shooting as close as 1.6 inches
• Powered by a Lithium-ion battery (included); stores images on SD memory cards

From the Manufacturer
The 7.1-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 7900 combines state-of-the-art technology, image quality, and speed with a unique all-metal design to give consumers what they truly desire in a digital camera. This sleek all-metal digital camera features state-of-the-art digital technology, such as the first, big two-inch LCD screen in the Coolpix lineup and the new Face-Priority AF feature, along with a sharp design that is perfect for the customer who values style along with substance.

In-Camera Solutions to Common Photo Hang-Ups
Nikon has provided the Coolpix 7900 with more features that improve the image directly within the camera and streamline the process of receiving great prints using a favorite retailer, online service or home printer. Furthermore, with its big, bright two-inch LCD screen, images are easier to review and correct than on most consumer digital cameras.

The Nikon Coolpix 7900's Face Priority AF automatically detects a person's face and autofocuses on the face area.

Imagine a camera smart enough to find a face in a portrait. Nikon's new Face-Priority AF function can do just that when selected using the Portrait Scene Mode. As its name suggests, Face-Priority AF ensures crisp focus when shooting portraits by automatically sensing the presence of a human face within the frame and setting accurate focus accordingly. The result is crisp, sharp portraits with the press of a button.

Beyond faces, Nikon Coolpix cameras can also automatically detect and remove red-eye directly within the camera. The Coolpix 7900 boasts Nikon's renowned In-Camera Red-Eye Fix technology, which detects and corrects red eyes in most typical situations without the need to press buttons or select and highlight the eyes in playback. Without the hassle of additional software, photographers will experience less red-eye photos in the print-ready portraits.

The Coolpix 7900 also uses intelligent technology to help ensure a balanced exposure and sharpness. Nikon's exclusive new D-Lighting function is another new addition that can literally turn throwaway shots into frame-able memories. The D-Lighting feature can be selected in Playback mode, automatically compensating for insufficient flash or excessive back lighting in order to obtain balanced exposure throughout the frame. The 7900 is also equipped with Blur Warning, another feature unique to Nikon which alerts the user when a shot is compromised by camera or hand shake, allowing another shot to be taken before leaving the scene.

To further address a common need among digital camera users, Nikon has also focused its technology to reducing power consumption, allowing the Coolpix 7900 to take significantly more shots per battery charge. In fact, the 7900 is able to take an impressive 220 shots (approximately) with a single fully charged EN-EL5 lithium-ion battery. The camera is also compatible with the widely available disposable Duracell CP1 lithium batteries.

To add speed to precision, the Coolpix 7900 offers continuous shooting at approximately 1.7 frames per second. It also features high-precision Multi AF with a choice of 99 manually selectable areas andfive5 choices for Auto select AF.

More Features in a Sleek, Compact Design

• 7.1 effective megapixels, 3x Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens with a focal range equivalent to that of a 38-114mm lens in 35mm format.
• Compact dimensions of 3.5 x 2.4 x 1.4 inches
• Light weight of approximately 5.3 ounces (without battery and memory card)
• Selectable AF: 5-area auto, 99-area manual, center-focus area selection available
• AF-assist illuminator can be switched on and off at will
• 256-segment matrix metering with center-weighted, spot, or spot AF metering
• 7 manual white balance settings and white balance bracketing
• Direct printing with PictBridge compatibility
• 4 of the 16 Scene Modes offer Scene Assist (Portrait, Night Portrait, Sports, Landscape)
• World time function allows local time to be set easily anywhere
• USB compatibility enables swift transfer of image data to computers
• Voice memo function records up to 20 seconds of sound that can then be attached to an image
• 4x digital zoom capability
• Choice of Single AF and Continuous AF
• Options for playback--single, 4- and 9-segment thumbnail, slideshow, 10x magnification
• Built-in speedlight--features settings for auto, red-eye reduction by pre-flash, anytime flash, flash cancel, and slow sync.

Like all the other models in Nikon's popular Coolpix line, the Coolpix 7900 makes shooting in a range of common situations even simpler through the incorporation of Scene Modes. The camera offers four Scene Modess that feature Scene Assist, and even a new Underwater Scene Mode that brings the total choice of Scene Modes up to 16. Intended for use with the Waterproof Case WP-CP4 (not included), the Underwater Scene Mode enables true-to-life colors to be captured when taking shots while snorkeling or scuba diving. Like all the other Scene Modes, operation is extremely easy. Simply select the Scene Mode that best matches the subject, then point and shoot for optimal results.

The Coolpix 7900 also makes it easy to capture action in an expressive manner with the power to record VGA-size movies with sound at a smooth rate of 30 frames per second. They can also be easily connected to a TV, using the included video cable, to share the fun with friends and family. With a redesigned graphic user interface that lets the user navigate functions by either menu item list or icon, the cameras enable the total beginner to find the right mode at the right moment to achieve the best results time after time. It's all part of Nikon's dedicated effort to give users what they demand in a top quality digital camera.

The Nikon Coolpix 7900's technology is centered around making the entire digital process more convenient. Its PictBridge compatibility makes it possible to print directly to a printer, without the need for a computer. For those who enjoy organizing and sharing their photographs on a computer, all Nikon Coolpix cameras ship with Nikon's proprietary PictureProject software, a user-friendly photo management software designed expressly for use by Nikon Coolpix photographers, that offers a broad selection of cataloguing, editing, and sharing functions. This software package is aimed at providing a central location that is simple, intuitive, and seamless for Coolpix digital photographers.

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended
I bought the Nikon Coolpix 7900 for my wife and daughter. We couldn't be happier about it.

I have a Minolta Dimage A2 which is larger, heavier and more expensive and has a lot of manual adjustment capability. A small part of my almost regrets lugging the A2 around because the Nikon is so small and light and performs so well.

It has been perfect so far for any sort of snapshot we've used it for. If exclusively taking snapshots was all I did, I would definitely replace my A2 with one of these. I'm keeping and continuing to use the A2 because of hobby non-snapshot photography, but will be borrowing the Nikon from my wife and daughter for anytime I need a quick, easy camera for snapshots on the go.

One note: We had a Nikon Coolpix 3200 which we enjoyed very much. The 7900 is a nice upgrade from that. The only disappointing change for us from the 3200 to the 7900 is that the 3200 uses AA batteries while the 7900 requires a special rechargable battery. It lasts long, so no complaints there - but it was always nice with the 3200 to be able to grab two AAs on the road rather than recharging.

Great Upgrade Camera - very few trade-offs
I have years of photography experience and teach a digital photography continuing ed. class in our local junior college. I've used the Sony DSC-P9 camera for the last few years. I was looking at the P100 or 200 as an upgrade option.

The shape and style of the camera and its price first caught my eye. I compared it to a very similar camera that was $200 higher but with limited extra features. I chose this one.

After reading these reviews about the complaints over focus in low light I became concerned and started shooting around my house (with regular 40watt ceiling fan lights). The results are as expected - the camera did fine. The major problem when shooting in low light is certainly shutter speed. You'll never be able to hold a camera still enough for 15th of a second shots. (30th of a second only if the subject and you are still) The camera obviously gives priority in several of its scene settings to image density, sacrificing shutter speed for capturing enough light to give an adequate shot in very poor lighting conditions.

With searching through the options and choosing the right assisting modes (Manual focus spot selection, Auto Bracketing, etc.) and with 'Best Shot Selector' the photographer is given the ability to hold down the shutter and the camera assists you by obtaining the most still shot!

But as always - if you MUST take pictures in dim lighting, use a tripod!! If you want absolute great clarity, you need an SLR camera with larger lens elements (more glass) to capture more light and focus specifically like you want to MANUALLY. (more money)

This camera offers a great trade-off and improves on previous generations' flaws by speeding up flash charging, offering rapid exposure's (1.7 per second) and many assisting modes that take a little learning curve to adapt to your shooting style, but in the end - a really good value! I'll keep mine.

Great camera - great features - take time to read the manual!
I've had this camera for about three weeks now and I've spent most of that time taking "test" shots to decide if I should keep it. I previously purchased a Sony digital camera and returned it after 4 days - so I was a little fearful of purchasing another digital and was just using my 35mm. After reading tons of reviews, comparing features, and test shots I narrowed it down to the 7900 and the Canon SD500. I chose the 7900 for two reasons, 1) in-camera red eye fix and 2) image stabilization video. We're a blue eyed family so we always have red eye when using the flash and I wanted a camera where I didn't have to fix every picture. I read several reviews that specifically mentioned that red eye was a problem with the SD500. Not a selling point for me. I also wanted a camera that I could take decent videos with to catch those spur of the moment scenes that just can't be captured with a photo (like my daughter singing). The image stabilization feature definitely helps with that! Not to mention the size of the SD500 scared me a bit. It's so small! Sure it fits in a pocket but I can't tell you how many times my cell phone has dropped from my pocket because I forgot it was there.
Ok, so what have I seen that last 3 weeks quality wise? Where all my pictures perfect? No. But not all of my 35mm pictures were perfect either (I'm a lousy photographer - I literally just point and shoot). What I did find is that once I figured out all of the scene assist features I took great pictures. For example, using the Auto mode I took a couple of pictures of kids running around and they came out blurry. But when I switched to the Sport scene the pictures were clear and beautiful. I could list more examples but you get the idea.
How about low light conditions? I read several reviews of this here so I was a little worried. But I took about 10 pictures at night using the Auto setting both inside with low light and outside without light (just the flash) and all came out just fine. Perfect? No, but better than my 35mm would have done. And guess what - there's a "Night Portrait Assist" mode also!
I could keep on writing about all the great features this camera has but for here I'm just going to summarize the rest.
The in-camera red eye reduction works like a charm! Video quality is great (you get a bunch of different settings to choose from too) and the image stabilization feature works wonders. The in camera editing features, D-lighting (adding light/flash to an underexposed picture) and the ability to crop, are awesome plus you can save the original picture just in case.
So if you purchase this camera take the time to learn the features and how to access them. I wouldn't exactly call this a "point and shoot" because I found you do have to select the right scene in order to get the best shot, but once you get the hang of it it's very easy to do (even for me!)