The Nikon I really wanted to love.

[I @ M]

But the romance has been killed.

The newly released Nikon COOLPIX A (http://www.nikon.com.au/en_AU/product_details.page?DCRPath=templatedata/en_AU/saleable_product_information/data/Digital%20Compact%20Cameras/A/COOLPIX%20A.xml&CategoryID=gp11zkme&currentTab=hdf9lpx3) seems to offer all that I would like to have in a travel camera but fails miserably due to the omission of a viewfinder and then the ridiculous retail price that has been given to it overseas.

I think that if they had built in a decent viewfinder and managed to price it realistically it would have sold by the ship load, maybe in 6 months time the prices will crash to V1 / J1 levels.

[old dog]

I`m also trying to decide on a travel job as well and I just know that unless I spend close to 1K then I will be fairly disappointed with it`s performance. A friend has just got the Fuji pro 1 and loves it. About $1250 in Sydney though. Sony Nex 6 is a possibility...but just holding back. Might have to lug the 7k/17-55 combo... still...at least I know it gives great results. As for the Coolpix...no viewfinder..no deal.

[swifty]

It's more or less like a Sigma DP1 Merrill.
Hopefully the Nikon'll be snappier in operation but it'll be interesting how it stacks up against the X3 sensor.

[I @ M]

Graeme, I tend to agree about getting what you pay for and with the proven sensor in this body + NEF ability + the controls I would be happy to spend some dollars on it too but at that price I feel that I would be already be paying for a viewfinder which it aint got and that makes me say no.

Swifty, going by the image samples around it is delivering the goods in that dept and time will tell about the responsiveness of the camera but I reckon they missed the boat when they left out at least a decent evf. I would very happily look at some of the other brands in that class going by the image quality they are producing but I am really hoping to stick to Nikon due to my desire to be able to use the nef files that I sort of have an understanding of.

[fillum]

Come on Andrew, I'd expect to see more venom from a broken romance. Where's your prediction for the demise of Nikon, where's your threat to "sleep with the enemy" - i.e. go Fuji / Sony / Canon / ... ? (I think perhaps I've been spending too much time reading comments on Nikon Rumors.) :D.

What I find interesting here is that Nikon chose to release this as a Coolpix, and (from what I see) with not a huge amount of hype and fanfare. I think they could have easily shoved it into a "retro" style body (a la Fuji) even with a simple "dumb" viewfinder and launched it as a new product line, yet they chose not to do that. Perhaps they felt the need to get a compact-APS model into the market but aren't really where they want to be with other aspects, such as AF (Coolpix A uses contrast-detect) and shutter-lag (?) for example. My feeling is that Nikon is planning some impressive offerings in both the compact-APS and DX DSLR segments, but aren't quite there yet. If we take a hint from some of the tech in the Nikon-1 series (V1, J1, etc) especially the on-sensor hybrid phase-detect/contrast-detect AF, we can perhaps see where their APS offerings are heading. Only time will tell. Or not. (We are talking Nikon here after all :)).



Cheers.

[I @ M]

(We are talking Nikon here after all :)).

Ha ha ha Phil, to close to the truth I reckon.

Nope, I am not about to chuck a hissy fit a la dpreview and Nikon rumours "clientele" but I do think that they came ever so close to having an absolute gem of a camera and then simply took the back wheels of the bus at the last minute. Talking about failing to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. :confused013

[I @ M]

I would very happily look at some of the other brands in that class going by the image quality they are producing but I am really hoping to stick to Nikon due to my desire to be able to use the nef files that I sort of have an understanding of.


Come on Andrew, I'd expect to see more venom from a broken romance. Where's your prediction for the demise of Nikon, where's your threat to "sleep with the enemy" - i.e. go Fuji / Sony / Canon / ... ?

Oh well, I guess I have to learn a new way of doing things.
Anyway, Fuji at least had the sense to use a Nikon body when they developed their own sensor and the S2 so I don't feel totally like someone having an affair when I pick up a new X100S. :)

[Sdison]

This looks like an interesting bit of kit: http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Viewfinders/25876/Optical-Viewfinder-DF-CP1-(Black).html

Looks like it's designed to fit into the hotshoe.

Then I looked at the price.......

[ving]

looks very nice!

[I @ M]

This looks like an interesting bit of kit: http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Viewfinders/25876/Optical-Viewfinder-DF-CP1-(Black).html

Looks like it's designed to fit into the hotshoe.

Then I looked at the price.......

Apart from that, what happens if you want to use an external flash either hot shoe mounted or by a cord and the viewfinder?

Sorry, you are out of luck.

The obvious answer to me was to buy a Fuji X100s (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?120124-Fuji-X100s-first-thoughts) which has a viewfinder, works with Nikon speedlights and all round does a lovely job.

Nikon could have been on a winner with that camera but it isn't even the smallest APSC mirrorless any more which is what they based a lot of their initial advertising on. The new Ricoh has taken that crown.