<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Nikon Coolpix A Review\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDSLR Power in a Point-and-Shoot Body\nThe Nikon Coolpix A ($1,100) has a 16.2-megapixel APS-C image sensor; the same type of sensor found in the company's D7000 DSLR. It has a fixed 18.5mm lens (28mm lens equivalent) and does not have any zoom capabilities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nButtons and Dials\nAt one-fourth the weight of the Nikon D7000, the Coolpix A has plenty of quick-access buttons and dials for any user looking for more advanced functionality.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPop-Up Flash\nA pop-up flash is great for fill-flash to bring out details normally obscured by shadows.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMacro/Manual Switch\nFast switching between normal autofocus, macro autofocus and manual focus modes is done via a switch on the left side.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBattery\nThe included battery is a 1020mAh one and is good for up to five hours of continuous use (turned on and off every few minutes). Buy a spare if you plan to shoot all day.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnusual Button Placement\nButton placement is a little awkward for veteran Nikon shooters. The grip and weight is well-balanced on the Coolpix A, though.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInfo Button\nPressing the Information button () brings up the shooting menu where things like ISO, exposure compensation, white balance and more can be set.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeedy Autofocus\nAutofocus is generally pretty speedy, but it's harder to do so in macro mode, where you need to be at least four inches away.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGreat Display\nThe Coolpix A's 3-inch display isn't a touchscreen, but it's very sharp and supposedly works well in keeping reflections at bay. We didn't have any issues shooting in direct sunlight with the brightness cranked to the highest setting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNeglected Video Recording\nOne serious complaint is the lack of a dedicated video recording button (you know, the little red dot). For some reason, Nikon thought it would be fun to bury the video recording setting under three clicks through the menu. Needless to say, we were pretty upset about it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike tanks, DSLRs are versatile cameras for shooting any situation. The only problem is that they're usually quite heavy. While lightweight mirrorless cameras have solved the \"it's too heavy\" complaint, they're still not as pocketable as a point-and-shoot.\nThe Nikon Coolpix A packs just about the same 16.2-megapixel image sensor as the company's D7000 DSLR, but it only weighs one-fourth as much. Can a point-and-shoot camera with a DSLR-sized sensor actually take photos as well as a DSLR?\nSee also: 25 Most-Followed Users on Instagram [PICS]\nThe Nikon Coolpix A is a weird camera trying to fit into a smartphone-dominated world. Although the camera has a large DSLR-sized sensor and is significantly smaller than a DSLR, it still comes with a DSLR price: $1,100. Ask anyone if they'd drop over a thousand bones on a point-and-shoot camera and very few, if any, will say yes. \nTop-Notch Build Quality\nThe difference between the Coolpix A and a $200 point-and-shoot is akin to the difference between a Mercedes and a Toyota Camry \u2014 the difference in build quality is night and day. Whereas most cameras are assembled and built in the city-like factories of China or Southeast Asia, the Coolpix A is made in Japan and it shows. \nThe aluminum-alloy body provides a solidness you just can't find on a plastic camera. The buttons and dials all have a satisfying click that's reassuring in today's feedbackless touchscreen gadgets, despite the fact I found the positioning of some of the buttons a little odd, taking more time to get accustomed to than usual.\nFor some reason, Nikon decided to flip the photo-enlarging buttons on the left side around and also place the photo review button on the right side instead of on the left, making it confusing for veteran Nikon DSLR users to adjust to. I found myself constantly bouncing around the buttons, in a semi-confused state, instead of flowing from button to button and getting to the options I needed. With a little practice, shooting on manual or any mode that isn't Auto does become easier, though.\nThe thumb grip on the rear and finger grip on the front look small and insufficient, but the slight heft to the camera prevents it from easily slipping out of your hand. \n\nThe Coolpix A doesn't have a touchscreen, but the 3-inch TFT display is one the sharpest on a camera I've seen, thanks to the 921,000 dots crammed in it. It's no Leica, but the attention to detail is still impressive.\nPretty Fly for a Little Guy\nExcellent construction aside, a camera is only as good as the pictures it produces. By now, most people already know the megapixel race is over. Today's cameras have plenty of resolution to work with. For a point-and-shoot camera, the Coolpix A packs an APS-C sensor, the same kind normally reserved for prosumer DSLRs. In a nutshell, a larger sensor captures more light, leading to better photos in low-light scenarios.\nIn theory, the Coolpix A's beefy sensor should outshoot other high-end point-and-shoot cameras such as the Sony RX100, Canon G1X and even Nikon's own P7700, which have a 1-inch, 1.5-inch and 1/1.7-inch sensor, respectively. \nI found performance to be just a step above those aforementioned cameras in terms of image quality. In many handheld scenarios, images aren't as sharp on the Coolpix A compared to my D7000 DSLR. The depth of field for producing bokeh \u2014 that's the blurriness of the background \u2014 also isn't nearly as shallow compared to the f/1.8 aperture on the Sony RX100, but is still respectable. \nAutofocus is fast \u2014 but requires at least 12 to 14 inches distance in order to focus properly, which is quite annoying for a point-and-shoot. Focusing is a little better in macro mode (activated by a dedicated switch on the side), which lets you get as close as 4 to 5 inches, but here, the autofocus often takes awhile to lock on, often \"hunting\" and \"scanning\" the scene several times over.\nThe large APS-C image sensor does appear to deliver the goods in terms of fast focusing and proper exposure in low-light situations and at night, though. As expected, noise is somewhat noticeable at a 100% crop, even at higher ISO settings. However, if you plan to share photos at lower resolution to Facebook or Flickr, the noise won't be as noticeable, which is kind of nice since the images will look sharper overall.\nOne other quirk I had with the Coolpix A is how the shooting settings are displayed above the screen. On most cameras, the settings are displayed on the left or right side, but on the Coolpix A, they're all crammed onto the top. Because of this small UI flaw, I often framed shots incorrectly just below the menu bar.\n\n\nNikon Coolpix A Photo Samples\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGreat Food Photography\nIf you manage to get the autofocus right in macro mode, you'll get some really nice close-up photos with rich detail, as you can see in this picture of a delicious pistachio macaron.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNight Shot\nFocusing for low-light or nighttime shots is quick, but if you zoom in 100%, you'll see there is some noticeable, but not deal-breaking noise. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStreet Photography\nThe Coolpix A's fixed 18.5mm lens is great for street photography and really encourages you to get closer to subjects for more interesting shots.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGood Exposure\nExposure is quite decent, as seen in this photo at the New York Public Library.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSharp Detail\nDetails aren't super sharp at 100% crop, but look fine when saved at smaller sizes and resolutions. For sharing to social networks like Facebook, the details in the Coolpix A photos look as sharp as ones taken from a DSLR with the same size sensor.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nU.S. Archive\nA lovely shot of the Archives of the United States taken in Washington, D.C.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStreet Photography Bliss\nAnother feature that makes the Coolpix A such an oddball point-and-shoot is its lack of optical and digital zoom. Instead, all you get is a fixed 18.5mm wide-angle lens, which is the equivalent to a 28mm lens.\nMost people may consider no zoom a major disadvantage, but I don't think it should be. As any seasoned photographer will tell you, getting up close and personal to your subject will yield more interesting pictures. In that regard, if you treat the fixed lens like a prime lens attached to a DSLR, you'll start composing better-framed photos and exploring new angles. \nIndeed, shooting with the Coolpix A requires a more daring personality; perfect for anyone serious about picture taking. For the most part, I found the f/2.8 aperture to be quick enough to get great street shots, especially in burst shooting (4 fps). If you must have zoom, there's always the handy crop tool in post-production. \nVideo Recording Neglect\nI understand the Coolpix A is aimed squarely at still photographers. But every camera, point-and-shoot or not, should have an easy-to-access video recording. Nikon was so busy figuring out how to squeeze an APS-C sensor into a compact point-and-shoot body that it completely forgot that video recording is rather important in a camera nowadays. \nFrom a usability standpoint, requiring three clicks within the information menu to fire up the camera's 1080p HD video recording function just doesn't make sense in today's instant-on world. You know something is wrong when you hand the camera to three different people, with different camera skill levels, and none of them can figure out how to shoot a video within five minutes. \nI wish I could tell you the inconvenience is worth it, but alas, Nikon falls short in the video-recording department. The Coolpix A's HD video itself is pretty average, no clearer than footage recorded on an iPhone 5 or Galaxy S4. What's worse is that there's no way to autofocus or manual focus once you start recording. That's a huge letdown, especially when you consider the Coolpix A's steep price.  That said, recorded audio is at least clearer thanks to built-in stereo mics. \nStuck in a Mirrorless Camera World\nAs a proud owner of a Nikon D7000, I wanted to love the Coolpix A. The camera's large APS-C sensor and sturdy build-quality intrigued me. It has tons of advanced features that appeal to professionals looking for a secondary camera or intermediate shooters looking for a more challenging gadget to master.\nUnfortunately, its $1,100 price tag and average performance won't sway anyone away from considering an excellent mirrorless camera from the Olympus PEN family or Sony NX lineup. And for those who do want a fast point-and-shoot that takes amazing photos in low-light, there's the more affordable Sony RX100 for $650 and the newer RX100M II for $750. \nNikon deserves major props for trying to squeeze so much camera into such a small body \u2014 but alas, the compromises don't match up to its high price.\nThe Lowdown\nWhat's Good:\n\nFantastic build quality\nUltra-sharp and clear 3-inch display\nSpeedy overall autofocus\n\nWhat's Bad:\n\nUnfriendly video recording access\nPoor macro autofocusing\nNoisy low-light shots at high resolutions\n\nBottom Line: The Nikon Coolpix A packs DSLR power into a point-and-shoot body, but neglected video features and average picture-taking performance get in the way of justifying its hefty price tag."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/08/29/nikon-coolpix-a-review/>