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Nikon CoolPix 990 Nikon updates the hugely successful Coolpix 950, with 3.34 megapixels and numerous enhancements Select a topic Reference: Datasheet CoolPix 990 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on CoolPix 990 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:Viewfinder Review First Posted: 3/1/2000

Viewfinder
The Coolpix 990 offers both an optical viewfinder and an LCD monitor display. The real-image zoom viewfinder, located on the backside of the lens barrel, provides about 85 percent frame coverage according to Nikon. In our own tests, it ranged from 86 percent coverage at wide angle to 91 percent at telephoto. A center focus target helps line up shots while two LEDs beside the viewfinder indicate the status of the flash and autofocus systems. Additionally, a dioptric adjustment dial lies on the underside of the lens barrel to accommodate eyeglass wearers.
The 1.8 inch, 110,000 dot, low temperature, polysilicon TFT LCD monitor on the back panel operates both as a viewfinder and information display while in any capture mode. The LCD on the 990 is smaller than that on the earlier 950, but is higher resolution. It also sports a very high refresh rate, so images of moving objects are sharp and clear. Nikon estimates its frame coverage at 97 percent, a good deal more accurate than the optical viewfinder, which is usually the case. Our own tests showed it 97 percent accurate at wide angle, and nearly 100 percent at telephoto. When the camera is in autofocus mode, a series of targets can be continually displayed on the LCD. This shows you all the areas that the camera looks at to determine focus (in this autofocus mode, the part of the subject closest to the camera determines the focus). The LCD monitor display can be quickly called up and canceled by hitting the Monitor button just above it and we applaud the amount of exposure information that's displayed. Nearly all the settings are reported, including aperture and shutter speed (when in Manual exposure mode).
We felt the LCD screen was a minor weakness in earlier Coolpix cameras, as the unit used by Nikon was very difficult to read in sunlight. (This is true of all LCD screens, but seemed more so of the displays on the Coolpix 900 and 950.) We felt the viewscreen on the 990 was much better in this respect: It seemed to trade off a narrower usable viewing angle (you need to look at it pretty much straight on, for the best view) in favor of less tendency to wash out in very bright ambient light. The 990's LCD is also the first we've seen (February, 2000) that had an adjustment in the setup menu to control the screen's color balance, in addition to the common brightness setting. (!) We found this very interesting, perhaps useful as a way to adapt the camera's behavior to surroundings with strong tints in the ambient lighting.
As was the case with the Coolpix 950, an exceptional level of exposure information can also be displayed in Play mode. The screens at right show the three successive information screens that are accessed by rotating the command dial in playback mode. (The image in the screen shots here was deliberately underexposed using Manual capture mode, to make the information display more visible.)
Completely new in the Coolpix 990 (and very welcome!) is the histogram display shown at right. This is a feature that has been common in professional digicams for some time now, but that has seldom been seen in "prosumer" models. The graph shows the distribution of brightness values in he image, with the left edge corresponding to pure black, and the right edge to pure white. Once you learn how to read it, a histogram is phenomenally useful in determining whether you've managed a good exposure or not. There's hardly room or time here to go into histograms in full detail, but we thought it would be useful to show you two examples: In the screen shot at top, the image was deliberately underexposed. Note how the peaks in the histogram are all bunched toward the left-hand side of the graph, and how little there is going on at the right side. By contrast, the lower image was overexposed. Note how the graph is bunched against the right edge. Ideally, a well-exposed image would produce a histogram curve that just filled the graph from left to right, indicating that it contained a full range of tonal values. We really like the histogram feature, and hope other digicam makers will be motivated to include it in their cameras as well.

A final Play-mode information display is also new to the 990, showing lens, shutter and focus settings, and indicating (by the green brackets) what the autofocus system had locked onto when the picture was taken. -Another very handy way to check that you actually got the shot you were looking for!

In Play mode, the LCD can also display a thumbnail index page, showing either four or nine images to a page depending on the setting. You can cycle between single-image, four or nine image views by pressing the flash/thumbnail button under the LCD display. You can also mark images for deletion in this mode.

There's also a playback zoom feature, which enlarges captured images up to 3x, letting you get a reasonably good idea of how well-focused the image is, check the framing, and examine details to see if you got the shot you wanted. (Did anyone blink?)