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My son has a really nice slr digital camera that takes various very expensive screw on lenses.  I have been thinking about something similar with tele photo capability, but less expensive and not so complicated.  Kind of a point and shoot camera with decent tele photo capability.  I found this camera at Sam's Club and thought it might work.  Sam's Club allows you to return items up to 90 days if you keep the receipt.  I don't know how they do that and stay in business???  I decided to try this camera.  Nikon Coolpix P 510.

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The wife recently traded cars so we decided to take her new car and my new camera and drive to the mountains of eastern WV to try out the vehicle and the camera.  We went first to Seneca Rocks.

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After taking a few photos with the Nikon someone mentioned that there were rock climbers at the top of the rock.  I decided to try the zoom on the camera.  Not really expecting much.  My experience is that the more you zoom the harder it is to hold the camera still for a good shot.  You really need a tri pod and remote shutter release.  This camera has anti jitter capability so I decided to give it a try.

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Then we started to see other climbers on the side of the racks.  These pictures were taken from about a mile away!  There are three climbers in the next photo. 

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More climbers on that white rock face area of the rocks.  First a not so zoomed shot . . .

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Then closer zoom . . .

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In the next couple of shots there is a girl with a pink shirt.

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All these shots were taken hand held from about a mile away.  I don't know how they will transfer through Photobucket to the forum, but I was very impressed.  When I look at the pictures on my computer screen I can zoom in even further and make out more details.  By the way you can put your mouse on the photo and left click to make it biger!! 

I don't think I will be returning this camera to Sam's Club!!

Jim

Yep, it looks like a keeper to me.  As for those rock climbers - they are nuts!

Jerry

I think those climbers were Coulter and his daughter :confused:
Sounds like a nice camera.
Now try shooting something thats NOT so far away but zoom in on it to see what kind of clarity it keeps. Like a bird or other animal.

Just took these pictures behind the house this morning with the P510 . . .

Two whitetails

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Ten wild turkey hens

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Then the turkeys zoomed in a little

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Zoomed in a little more

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The turkeys and a squirrel

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Closeup of the squirrel

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All the above were taken with the optical zoom handheld 50 to 75 yards.

The following shots of a robin were all taken with the digital zoom hand held

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I'm not an experienced photographer.  There are lots of options and controls on this camera that I don't understand??  I will mainly just leave it set on automatic like in the above photos.  Seems to do quite well!!  I think it's a keeper!

Jim

Yeah I like. The reason I asked ya to do that was, my Dad bought a Canon a while back I cant recall the model, but he took shots of birds on his bird bath from inside the house, through the window, about 40 feet away, zoomed in and the birds filled the entire pic with mind blowing detail. I mean if there was an gnat on the birds you woulda seen it.
I was dumfounded and keep forgetting to ask him what model it is.

Jim,

The digital zoom on my other camera is nearly useless.  This one seems to do pretty good as seen in the robin photos.   The optical 42x seems very impresive to me!  The turkey shots were using the optical zoom.  The Nikon anti jitter is incredible!  So far I'm very happy with this camera.

Jim

Yeah digital zoom is useless period as far as I'm concerned. Someone with more camera knowledge can tell us why they even mention it.
But optical zoom is what I look for. :eyebrow: