Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Nikon Digital Cameras > Nikon CoolPix 4500

Nikon CoolPix 4500

Nikon updates the hugely successful Coolpix 995, adding a full 4.0-megapixel CCD!

<<Executive Overview :(Previous) | (Next): Viewfinder>>

Page 3:Design

Review First Posted: 5/29/2002

Design
The Coolpix 4500 maintains a similar design aesthetic to that of its predecessors, the Coolpix 990 and 995 models, albeit quite a bit more streamlined than either. Nikon continues with the same swivel-lens design that characterizes the Coolpix line, allowing the lens to swivel more than 270 degrees. The lens can point back towards the user, straight ahead, or straight down to the ground, while keeping the LCD screen oriented for easy viewing. The camera body is compact and light weight, measuring approximately 5.3 x 2.9 x 2.0 inches (135 x 74 x 51 millimeters) with the lens stowed in its upright position. The Coolpix 4500 weighs about 12.7 ounces (363 grams) without battery or memory card. Though the camera won't likely fit into a shirt pocket, it should do well in most larger coat pockets and average-size purses. It does come with a neck strap, but I'd recommend picking up a soft camera case for travel.


With the lens facing forward, the front of the camera is pretty sparsely populated. The lens itself doesn't protrude much from its barrel, and is protected by a tiny, spring-loaded lens cap, which tethers to the camera body to prevent it from being accidentally lost. The Self-Timer lamp and front side of the optical viewfinder fit snugly beside the lens. Underneath the lens barrel, at the back of that part of the housing, is the diopter adjustment dial for the optical viewfinder. A redesigned, sleeker pop-up flash unit is on the top side of the lens barrel along with the Flash Mode / ISO button and the external flash sync socket (covered by a tiny, and easily lost, plastic cap). Also visible from the front of the camera is the DC power input jack, just inside the hand grip and covered by a soft rubber flap.


Looking at the top of the camera body, there's a Power switch, Shutter button, Mode and Function buttons, and a small Command dial for changing various camera settings. The Function button is programmable through the Setup menu in Manual exposure mode to access various exposure options. This was designed specifically to allow one handed camera operation, as you can hold down either of the top buttons with your index finger and scroll through the chosen options with the Command dial. The normal function for this button is to change the camera's exposure compensation. Also on top of the camera is a small microphone to record audio with movies, or voice annotations for captured images.



The majority of the controls are located on the back panel of the camera, along with the LCD monitor. The layout of the controls is nearly identical to the previous Coolpix 995, with the addition of a new joystick-like Multi-Selector button, and the deletion of the size/quality button. The Monitor, Playback, and zoom control buttons line the top of the LCD panel. Beneath the LCD are the Focus Mode and Menu buttons, and the new Multi-Selector joystick control (the "Set" button consists of just pressing down on the joystick). In the bottom right corner is a speaker and an eyelet for attaching the neck strap. When the lens is rotated to point forward, the optical viewfinder is visible from the back panel. Two LEDs located directly beside the viewfinder report the status of the autofocus and flash.

The joystick-like Multi Selector control is new on the 4500, and I found myself liking it quite a bit more than the typical rocker pad as used on the 995. It seemed much easier to navigate menus with it, and I never found myself moving the menu cursor when I was just trying to access the "set" function (by pressing down on the center of the control), as I sometimes do with rocker pads.



I like the hand grip on the right side of the camera, which provides a firm, secure hold. The soft rubber surface fits directly under your fingers, providing additional friction for a good grip, and the angle of the grip itself is just right. Located inside the hand grip are the USB I/O jack, the A/V Out jack, and the CompactFlash compartment. The digital and video inputs are covered by a soft, flexible rubber flap at the top of the grip that presses into place quickly and securely. The placement of the CompactFlash slot makes it easy to change cards when the camera is mounted on a tripod and the plastic door simply flips open and shut. There is no access light to let you know when the camera is accessing the card, so you'll have to pay attention to the LCD monitor to know when it's OK to change cards. (It's important to never remove a memory card while the camera is writing to it, lest you corrupt your images or even damage the card.) Also on the hand grip is another eyelet for the neck strap.

There's not much to say about the left side of the camera, as there are no connectors or controls on it. The whole left side of the camera acts as a hand grip for your left hand when the camera is in its normal operating position, with the lens facing forward and the LCD pane oriented vertically.


Finally, the flat bottom of the camera holds the battery compartment and a plastic tripod mount that are unfortunately too close together to allow battery changes while on a tripod. (A necessary consequence of the swivel design.) The battery compartment has a sliding latch that keeps the door tightly shut. A sliding lock next to the tripod mount controls the amount of lens swivel. When slid towards the lens, the switch allows the lens to rotate through its full range of roughly 280 degrees. Sliding the switch towards the tripod mount limits the lens rotation to 180 degrees, from the front to the back.


Reader Comments! --> Visit our discussion forum for the Nikon CoolPix 4500!



<<Executive Overview | Viewfinder>>

Follow Imaging Resource: