DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

Nikon Coolpix P3 and Coolpix P4 Digital Camera Introductions

Nikon Incorporates SLR-Inspired Technology Into a Compact Digital Camera

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon today announced the COOLPIX P3 and P4, an expansion to its more advanced and feature-rich P, or Performance, Series of digital cameras. Designed for the photographer who enjoys a high level of control, advanced imaging technologies and the ability to take creative control of their photography, these two exciting new cameras combine 8.1 effective megapixels with a wide range of advanced in-camera technologies, taking compact digital photography to the next level.

"The COOLPIX P3 and P4 are the perfect camera for consumers who are looking for a customizable photography experience," says Bill Giordano, General Manager of Consumer Product Marketing for Nikon, Inc. "These cameras take many technologies first available in Nikon's SLR line and makes them readily and easily available to consumers looking for a capable, compact digital camera at a very attractive price."

Nikon has added its Vibration Reduction (VR) system, a feature adapted directly from Nikon's world-renowned SLR lenses, to the P Series cameras allowing them to capture rock-steady images at shutter speeds of up to three stops slower that could normally be hand held. VR capability is available at the push of a button in two modes (Normal and Active) in order to compensate for camera movement. VR Normal compensates for minor movements, most often associated with handheld shooting, while VR Active compensates for more pronounced movements, such as the vibration of a moving vehicle. An electronic adaptation of Vibration Reduction also applies to movie shooting, allowing for sharp video in low light conditions and keeping subjects clear during panning while helping to support faster framing on the cameras' incredible, bright 2.5-inch LCD.

COOLPIX P Series digital camera users will enjoy the flexibility of a full array of exposure control settings similar to Nikon's SLR models. Covering a broader area of the frame, the new 11 wide-area AF achieves better results in more diverse compositions -- leaving photographers free to concentrate on the shot while the camera automatically achieves superior, sharp focus almost anywhere in the frame. In addition, there are 17 shooting modes, including nine advanced scene modes that allow photographers to produce pictures better suited to their own personal tastes -- through the use of three effects that vary brightness, color intensity, sharpness, noise reduction and more.

To add even greater control, both cameras offer Aperture-priority Auto mode to let photographers benefit from aperture control in 1/3EV steps. Users can select large apertures for attractive background blurring or stop down to small apertures to extend crisp focus into the distance -- all while the camera automatically selects the most appropriate shutter speed for optimized exposure.

To help photographers capture the action as it happens, both cameras feature continuous shooting at up to 1.8 frames per second, which is complimented by a five shot buffer that allows users to shoot in a continuous burst, with the camera recording the last five images taken. This speed allows the P Series cameras to be a great companion for SLR shooters looking for a smaller but powerful camera to take anywhere.

An addition to the successful COOLPIX P1 and P2 cameras, the new P3 also comes equipped with the ability to transfer images wirelessly through the camera's built in Wi-Fi feature*. Nikon's wireless solution is fun and convenient and allows consumers to send their pictures wirelessly to a computer. In addition, pictures can be sent wirelessly to any PictBridge-enabled printer**. The Wi-Fi feature to transfer images to a computer is built into the camera and requires no additional accessories.

Unique to COOLPIX digital cameras, and now for the first time available throughout the line-up, is Nikon's Exclusive Feature System, which gives users the power to automatically improve recorded images in-camera. This combination of in-camera features provides a quick, easy and seamless answer to underexposed pictures due to excessive backlight or insufficient flash, blurry or out-of-focus shots and red eyes. The system includes:

• In-Camera Red-Eye Fix(TM): automatically detects and corrects red eye, a common condition that occurs in flash photography. You may never see red eye again.
• Face-Priority AF***: automatically finds and focuses on a persons face within the frame, providing sharp focus to produce clear, crisp portraits wherever the subject is positioned in the frame.
• D-Lighting: selects and creates a copy of images with excessive backlight or insufficient flash illumination, adding light and detail where necessary
• Blur Warning: alerts the user that a shot has resulted in a blurry picture allowing for it to be retaken before leaving the scene.
• Best Shot Selector (BSS): automatically identifies and saves the sharpest shot from ten sequential shots.

Additionally, the P Series cameras include handy features such as, TV Quality Movie Mode function (recording movies at up to 30 fps with sound limited only by the available memory, Single and Continuous AF, Choice of White Balance and Noise Reduction to ensure better color reproduction in darker lighting conditions.

The COOLPIX P3 and P4 will be available in March 2006 with a MSRP of $449.95 and $399.95, respectively. The Wireless Print Adaptor (PD-10) is currently available and has an MSRP of $49.95. For more information about these models and other COOLPIX cameras, please visit http://www.nikondigital.com.

* Wireless distance will vary based on conditions.

** Requires optionally available Wireless Printer Adapter PD-10.

*** Face-recognition capability may be limited in some shooting conditions.