Nikon has a new pair of high-zoom, budget-friendly cameras that may or may not be coming to United States. Nikon Corp. in Japan unveiled the Coolpix B600 bridge-style zoom and the Coolpix A1000 compact zoom cameras. U.S.-based Nikon Inc. said the cameras are not available in the U.S. at this time, but didn’t say if or when the cameras may come to the states.
The Nikon Coolpix B600 mixes a 60x optical zoom lens, covering a range equivalent to a 24-1440mm lens, with a 16-megapixel sensor. The lens also allows for macro shooting. Vibration reduction, rated for three stops, is also included, along with 4-axis Hybrid VR for videos.
The bridge-style body houses a handful of controls, including a snap-back zoom button that makes it easier to find the subject when using the extent of that long zoom. A zoom toggle also sits at the side of the lens. There’s no manual focus option, though Nikon included a “pre-zoom” to assist with subjects that traditionally require manual focus, like low-light night shots.
Full specs aren’t yet available, though the camera seems to have several features in common with Nikon’s discontinued Coolpix P600. Video also HD only at 1080p and up to 60 fps.
The Nikon Coolpix A1000, on the other hand, promises a few more high-end features and a smaller body. The camera uses a 35x optical zoom lens, with an average brightness of f/3.4-6.9, in front of a 16-megapixel 1 and-2/3-inch sensor. Lens-shift vibration reduction is also included, including a hybrid system for video.
Unlike the B600, the A1000 can shoot 4K video, including Active D-Lighting for better quality in high-contrast scenes. The camera also packs in a few more advanced options for stills, including RAW shooting and the option to use manual focus with focus peaking.
While the body is smaller than the B600, the A1000 still fits in an electronic viewfinder with an eye sensor to automatically switch between the EVF and the LCD screen at the back. The LCD screen also tilts and is touch sensitive. Like the B600, a snap-back zoom button is included, along with a secondary side zoom control.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow for mobile image transfers using Nikon SnapBridge on both the B600 and A1000.
The price for the B600 translates to roughly $425 U.S., with the A1000 at about $535. Again, Nikon Inc. hasn’t said if the new zoom models will be coming to the U.S. The Nikon A900 is available in the U.S. and has more megapixels than the A1000, though no viewfinder. The 40x zoom B500 is also available in the U.S. While not as feature-packed, the latest Coolpix options sit at a lower price point than options like the 125x zoom P1000.
