Nikon Coolpix P1000, 3000mm focal length, in a backpack

PREMISE

A long-focal length bridge camera, compact enough to carry in a backpack, and powerful enough to satisfy the most demanding user? We've tested it in the field and will share our impressions.

Text by Piergiovanni Salimbeni
Photographs by Paolo Monti

TECHNICAL DATA AND PERFORMANCE

As is well known, the Nikon P1000 was born from the desire to offer its customers a camera that was, all things considered, portable, but capable of reaching a very long focal length, superior to that achievable with classic 400 – 600 mm telephoto lenses. .

It is possible to read his technical features on the NITAL website

The previous model reached a magnification factor of 83X, with the P1000 it has broken the 100X barrier, in fact it provides 125X equal to 3000 mm focal length, a length manageable in the digiscoping sector rather than in classic nature photography.

This high-magnification video-recording optical system is condensed into a bridge camera equipped with a small 1/2.3″ (5.6x) sensor, which – as we will see – may have limitations in twilight shooting.

Furthermore, to reduce weight, abundant use has been made of polycarbonate: the Nikon P1000 certainly won't appear robust and professional, like the D850, however for the focal lengths it allows to obtain it is certainly light and compact (around 1400 g).

Compared to its predecessor, the electronic viewfinder has also been significantly improved, as has the display. It's a shame it didn't feature a touchscreen system, which could have been very useful when shooting.

As far as photography itself is concerned, I can confirm that the sensor has sixteen million pixels which, combined with the small sensor, provide a good dynamic range and satisfactory details in the presence of sufficient light.

The "video department" allows recording in 4K at a good 30 fps (25 in PAL format). It is also possible to take advantage of sixty frames per second by modifying the basic camera settings. It is obviously not a professional video camera, but if the right situations occur (adequate lighting and a very sturdy tripod) the images are excellent, especially with regards to bird recognition and filming the lunar surface, for example during public demonstrations.

I think it could also be a valuable aid for law enforcement to remotely examine criminal activity safely and without being detected.

PROS AND CONS

MERITS

• Compactness 
•  Incredible focal range 24-3000mm
•  Excellent electronic viewfinder 
• Tiltable display 
• Ability to shoot in 4K format

DEFECTS

• Small sensor
•  Dynamic range lower than that of an APS-N sensor
•  Noise at high ISOs
• Some difficulty focusing (video recording) in low light

IN SUMMARY

We consider the Nikon P1000 a good product for those who don't need sharp, high-contrast photos even in low light. It's a nearly mature product—one that can certainly be modified—and it allows you to capture nature and landscapes at extreme focal lengths, so much so that it may not justify the purchase of a decent digiscoping system (Spottingscope + SLR) unless you need to take photos and video in low light.

In practice, for example, I would recommend it for capturing perched birds of prey and nests, airplanes, landscapes, and daytime scenes in general. Its sensor and focusing system are limited when it comes to observing crepuscular animals, such as ungulates, where a Nikon 85 VR equipped with a Nikon FullFrame SLR with a very fast prime lens would provide better performance (but at a much higher cost).

 It can shoot up to 1/4000 shutter speed, but don't expect it to be able to lock onto fast subjects like Nikon's top-of-the-range SLRs.

I think it's an excellent product for birdwatchers rather than mere nature photographers. With the Nikon Coolpix P1000, you can observe elusive birds at focal lengths of over 3000 mm, comfortably observing through the electronic viewfinder or the small display. Furthermore, it also allows you to take decent macro photographs.

We remind readers that using a larger sensor would significantly increase the size, weight and current optical design.

THANKS

I thank, once again, Marco Rovere and Maurizio Bachis of Nital for providing the specimen for this test and for allowing us – as always – to express my opinion

I don't think it's very useful to write in depth about the performance of the Nikon Coolpix P1000; there are dozens of in-depth reviews online that analyze its technical features. However, Paolo Monti did one thing: instead of reviewing the product behind a table, he immersed himself in nature, among marshes and lakes, to take some very long-focal length images with this bridge camera.

Paolo Monti's Gallery

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Piergiovanni Salimbeni

Piergiovanni Salimbeni - Journalist and independent tester, founder of Binomania.co.uk, with over 25 years of experience in evaluating optical and digital instruments. It offers practical reviews and personalised advice for informed purchasing choices.