Nikon COOLPIX P310 Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview evaluation highlights the Nikon Coolpix P310 as an affordable, responsive pocket compact designed for manual photography, featuring excellent build quality and a bright f/1.8 lens at the 24mm setting. Key advantages include effective image stabilization, a high-resolution 3-inch LCD, and a fast 7fps continuous shooting mode. However, the review identifies critical drawbacks, most notably the lack of RAW file support and a lens that slows to f/4.9 at the 100mm telephoto end. Furthermore, the small 1/2.3-inch sensor produces aggressive noise reduction, causing loss of fine detail at ISO 400 and above.

The Trusted Reviews assessment of the Nikon Coolpix P310 highlights a solid, advanced compact camera praised for its functional dual-scroll dials, bright f/1.8 maximum aperture, and clear 3-inch LCD screen. It is noted for producing natural color, efficient high-ISO noise management, and providing excellent manual control accessibility for enthusiasts. However, the review identifies significant drawbacks, including an inconsistent metering system prone to erratic exposure fluctuations. Additionally, the camera suffers from unreliable automatic white balance and a severely limited buffer that restricts high-speed continuous shooting to only five frames.

The Nikon Coolpix P310 is a small, lightweight compact camera that features a 24-100mm f/1.8-4.9 lens and full manual controls. On the positive side, it has a fast autofocus system with multiple options like a user-defined point, an excellent 2cm close-up macro mode, and plenty of control during 1080p movie capture. It is also highly pocketable, budget-friendly, and captures detailed images at lower ISO settings from 100 to 400. However, the camera uses a standard 1/2.33-inch sensor rather than the larger sensors found in pricier competitor models, which hurts its overall image quality. Because of this small sensor, photos become very noisy and blurry at higher sensitivities starting from ISO 1600 up to ISO 6400. Other major downsides include the complete lack of raw image capture, the lack of a quick menu system for easy settings access, and a dimmer aperture at the top end of the zoom range.

However, the camera does have notable drawbacks, such as a noticeable 0.4-second shutter lag that might cause users to miss critical action shots compared to rivals like the Sony WX150. While its fast lens ensures excellent image sharpness (scoring 1,865 lines) and well-controlled noise up to ISO 800/1600, it is relatively bulky, lacks RAW file support, lacks built-in GPS, and is limited to a modest 4.2x (24-100mm equivalent) zoom range. Furthermore, because it recharges via a proprietary USB port connected to an AC adapter without an external charger, users cannot charge a backup battery while actively shooting with the camera.

The What Digital Camera review identifies the Nikon Coolpix P310 as a capable advanced compact featuring full manual controls, a sharp 3-inch LCD, and a fast f/1.8 aperture at the wide-angle setting. The camera is noted for producing natural colors, effective Vibration Reduction, and good image quality at lower ISO settings. However, the review highlights the lack of RAW file support as a significant limitation for enthusiasts. Additionally, the lens aperture drops to a slow f/4.9 when zoomed, and the camera suffers from aggressive noise reduction at higher ISO settings.

The Nikon Coolpix P310 is a highly portable, lightweight pocket compact camera weighing less than 200g, making it ideal for keen amateur photographers looking for DSLR-like control without the bulk. A standout feature is its bright NIKKOR 4.2x optical zoom lens with a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture and a versatile 24-100mm focal range suitable for both landscapes and portraits. Additional pros include its premium build quality, an excellent macro performance that focuses just 3cm away, an effective vibration reduction system for low-light shooting, and an impressive 3-inch LCD screen with 921k-dot resolution and an anti-reflective coating. It also offers advanced handling through a large command dial on the top plate, dual controls for manual aperture and shutter adjustments, and a maximum shutter speed of 8 seconds for night photography. However, the camera suffers from several notable drawbacks. A major con for advanced users is the complete lack of RAW file format support, which is a standard feature among its main competitors. While its 16MP CMOS sensor delivers fantastic image quality at lower sensitivities, performance drops from ISO 400 and beyond,...

The camera's primary advantages are its small size, full manual settings, and bright f/1.8 wide-angle lens, which makes it well-suited for low-light indoor photography, architecture, and landscapes. However, the review highlights several distinct weaknesses. At the telephoto end (100mm equivalent), the aperture closes down significantly to f/4.9, and the short reach restricts typical street photography. Furthermore, long exposure shutter speeds are heavily restricted by your ISO selection, dropping from 8 seconds at ISO 100 down to just 2 seconds at ISO 800. Finally, despite boasting fast drive rates, the P310 is deemed entirely unsuitable for action photography because the LCD screen either goes blank or suffers from severe lag during continuous shooting, preventing users from tracking moving subjects.