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| Nikon
CoolPix 5700 - test conducted in September of 2003 |
The question with
all “pro-sumer” digital cameras is,
“can they really handle a professional job?”
 To answer this
question I went to NIKS (the Thailand Nikon distributor)
and asked them to set me up with a complete COOLPIX 5700 camera outfit.
The equipment I chose to do my test was the COOLPIX 5700 camera,
the
WC-E80 Wide Converter, the TC-E15ED Tele Converter, the UR-E8 converter
lens adapter, and the SB-80DX Nikon Speedlight, plus some very
essential
extra batteries and CompactFlash memory cards.
COOLPIX 5700
digital camera
The COOLPIX 5700 is a 5.0 Mega Pixels, 8x optical zoom 8.9 – 71.2 mm
(35-mm camera 35 to 280 mm equivalent), electronic viewfinder camera.
This in effect means that this camera functions just like a film camera
single lens reflex but the image coming through the lens is not
reflected through an optical system, rather it is transmitted
electronically to a small viewfinder screen (just like in a video
camera).
The advantage of the electronic viewfinder system being that it is very
lightweight compared to a glass prism reflex system, the disadvantage
being that you have to turn on the camera to view through the lens. In
the end though you actually do see the same image that the camera will
be recording, just like a single lens reflex camera.
 |
CP-5700 - 8 am
shot from across pool, with lens fully zoomed out and everything
automatic. Original
image shot NEF-RAW.
All test images were
immediately
downloaded after shooting to a 17" Apple G4 PowerBook, using both Nikon
View and iPhoto software to insure immediate back-ups of all images.
Although it may not be apparent in these small images, the originals
are very sharp and true to real life colours.
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Another factor that encouraged me to try this camera for serious
professional work is the ability to record to RAW digital image file
format. The only other Nikon cameras that use the RAW format are the
more expensive Digital SLR models (D100, D1x, D1h, D2h).
RAW format images requires more space on the CompactFlash memory cards
but contain a lot more information than JPEG images. A good way to
think of it is that RAW images contain over and under exposure, white
balance and image detail information. If you plan to take your images
into the digital darkroom (a program like Photoshop or Nikon Capture
Editor) after capturing them, you stand a much better chance of success
if you shoot in RAW format.
I would not really call this a drawback (just a reality) but RAW format
does require 6 times as much space to record as even FINE resolution
JPEG. The 32 MB CompactFlash card that comes with the camera can only
record
3 RAW format images before it needs to be downloaded to a computer (or
other storage system). The same card can hold 13 FINE JPEG files, or 26
NORMAL
JPEG files. Therefore to shoot 28 RAW images (5 Mega Pixels in
size)
requires a 256 MB CompactFlash card.
 |
CP-5700 - WC-E80 -
SB-80DX
- mid-day ambient light from large glass sliding door and windows on
left, supplemented by one on-camera flash bounced off ceiling. Original
image
shot NEF-RAW.
|
WC-E80 and TC-E15ED
lens converters
The normal (35 mm equivalent) range of the COOLPIX 5700 zoom lens is 35
to 280 mm. The WC-E80 wide angle lens adapter allows for an
approximately 28 mm lens view. In extremely tight situations this
allows for pictures
to be taken that would otherwise be impossible to take. It is not a
perfect solution and care has to be taken to level the camera if there
are vertical or horizontal lines in the picture (the same as for any
wide angle lens). I would consider this lens to be an absolutely
essential accessory if you are shooting in small interior spaces or run
out of room to back up.
The TC-E15ED Tele Converter is a bit more of a luxury. It allows your
maximum shooting range to expand from 280 mm to 420 mm. At 420 mm (35
mm equivalent) you should be using a tripod for all your shots. Perfect
for shooting candids from the balcony of your condo or the occasional
wildlife safari.
 |
CP-5700 - WC-E80 -
SB-80DX
- mid-day ambient light from large glass sliding door and windows on
left, supplemented by one on-camera flash bounced off ceiling. Original
image
shot NEF-RAW. |
SB-80DX Nikon
Speedlight
I have fallen in love with Studio Flash systems before, but this is
the first time I have fallen in love with a camera mounted flash. For
me
to say that this is the most essential accessory you can buy for the
COOLPIX
5700 is an understatement. Let’s face it the flashes that are built
into
cameras (digital or film) really suck. Almost every complaint I hear
from
a pocket camera user has to do with the built-in flash.
I really want to stress this point because no-one wants to believe me.
I tell people that the problem is the built in flash, every time they
show me their awful family pictures, but they keep buying newer cameras
hoping that I am wrong. Sorry folks but you can not light a room with a
flash the size of a postage stamp, no technology will ever change this.
The SB-80DX Nikon Speedlight if properly used, will make every one of
your pictures look like they were taken by a professional. And
conversely a professional using the built in flash on a pocket camera
will produce
pictures that look like they were taken by an amateur.
The meaning of the word photography is “painting with light”, the
SB-80DX Nikon Speedlight gives you plenty of light.
 |
CP-5700 - SB-80DX
- mid-day ambient light from windows on left and right, supplemented by
one on-camera flash bounced off ceiling. Original image shot NEF-RAW. |
COOLPIX 5700 – Test
Results
It is impossible to print photographic tests on a newspaper page so
I would like to request that you go to my website and see some shots
taken this past week with the Nikon COOLPIX 5700 camera and SB-80DX
Nikon Speedlight. http://thailandxpat.com/nikon5700
My impression of using the Nikon COOLPIX 5700 camera and SB-80DX Nikon
Speedlight for a professional assignment were very favorable. If you go
to my website you will see exterior and interior shots of houses and
hotel rooms, including fairly difficult to light shots of models that
were all produced with a single on-camera flash and ambient light.
The only drawback that I found to using the Nikon COOLPIX 5700 camera
over a more high end Nikon Digital SLR like the DX1 for this job, was
the speed of operation. Considering the difference in price I do not
consider this to be a problem. All in all this camera performs way
beyond what I
had expected and saved me from carrying a lot of heavy equipment from
one
location to another, while on a very tight schedule.
 |
CP-5700 - Late
afternoon shot of condo swimming pool from 16th floor of nearby
condominium, full
zoom and automatic. Original image shot JPEG-Fine. |
Equipment Used for
Test
Nikon COOLPIX 5700 camera, WC-E80 Wide Converter, SB-80DX Nikon
Speedlight, Gitzo G1349 Carbon Fibre Tripod and G1375 Ball Head, and
for on-site storage and editing the Apple Macintosh 17’ PowerBook G4.
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