Nikon COOLPIX B500 Digital Camera (Red) Starter Bundle

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After long experience with this camera (and a couple of cheaper models of the COOLPIX), I have given up on it. I thought my problems with it were due to my lack of expertise in photography. I now see that the problem is the camera. My photos usually come out grainy and not sharply focused. Only in ideal outdoor light do I seem to be able to take good photos, occasionally. A dealer at a camera store in New York City explained to me what the problem is. This camera does not have a good processor. So it can not adjust focus well, especially, say, on a gray day, or where the lighting is poor. The zoom feature is great, but its of little use in the final analysis because of the focusing problem. My iPhone 7, which does not have zoom capability, takes photos that are a hundred percent clearer and sharper. I have given up on the COOLPIX. I just laid out $600 for a more expensive Sony camera which is said to take great photos. Nikon does have an 800 US help line. They are only available during business hours Monday through Fridays. They tried to be helpful, but the support people did not seem to know that much.

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I bought this camera because my husband and I were taking a trip up to Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan and I wanted a camera that would produce better quality pictures than my cell phone and would also have a great zoom. After spending hours online reading reviews I decided on the this camera and I am SO glad I did. My top criteria were for a camera that would have high quality pictures, great zoom, and ease of use. The camera is easy to use, takes minimal set-up (which you can link to your phone and do all of the set up on the app on your phone) and it takes gorgeous pictures. I tested the camera out before we left, using different types of modes and playing with the zoom and on our trip we got some phenomenal pictures (it helps the subject is one of the most beautiful places in the US). I took about 200 pictures and the battery life still shows as full and only two pictures came out blurry (both were of deer that moved at the last second). The zoom is incredible as well. I zoomed pretty far with the picture of the sailboat and it turned out beautifully.

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I got this at retail store because i wanted the plum colored one, which is what first attracted me to it. Then I read the reviews and all were mostly good. The one that got me the most was being able to take pictures of the moon. I was like no way. Way. Im not a photographer by any means, just wanted a good camera for vacation and sports etc. This is above and beyond what I need and I love it. Got a great pic of my sons intense face from across the field, zoomed in on animals in the tops of trees or at the zoo. Still learning all the ins and outs but very impressed. Its made some fun Instagram pics lol. while i know im easily amused, i think its a great camera.

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Just bought. The blue tooth is cool. But focusing far away Is a issue. The instructions that came with the camera didnt go into details. The photos below show how far this lens goes. I was standing on my patio and took these. In the wide show you can hardly make out the apartments and the water tower!

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Pros, great looking photos, easy to use, full HD video, great zoom. Cons, has a lot of trouble focusing when zoomed, at times can almost make the zoom useless. Lack of any manual control over shutter speed, focus, or really anything. I like to be able to take timed exposures for waterfalls and such, completely impossible with this camera. I cant seem to find a camera in this price point that does have that feature however, so I cant necessarily deduct a star for it. But, I feel slightly generous only docking one for the zoom issue. While taking a video, I zoomed in on a waterfall, the entire shot stayed blurry for a good 30 seconds before it finally came into focus. I dont really see a good excuse for that, wildlife photos may prove nearly impossible. I managed to shoot a squirrel and a woodpecker, but only from a great distance so they wouldnt scare too quickly to get a shot.

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Was able to get a good shot of the moon

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Great camera out of the box. If you receive an error message to turn off and then on remove the lens cap. The optical zoom works effortlessly. Without a tripod I was able to take steady shots from quite a distance in bright daylight. Perfect for nature photos. Bigger than a point and shoot but not overly so. Gone are the days of the camera bag with several lenses and focusing on your subject. The smartbridge is a bit slow but works, no cords to lose or carry. Used on a iphone se. All in all many features for the price. I would recommend this to s semi serious picture taker ready to advance from cell phone or small point and shoot pictures. If you want to take and really enlarge photos for wall art this is the way to go.

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So far so good. Im a novice photographer and just wanted to take pictures of pets and art. I think I would need to do more studying of the manual to really get full functionality out of the camera. See my images. Sometimes the autofocus gets wiggy and I wish there were more manual options. Im still trying to figure out how to take pictures of quick moving objects like dogs running with it being so blurry. I have much better images with still subjects. There is a sports function but I need more practice. Knocking a star bc the software, especially the computer software could use some TLC. The mobile software is just ok too. It works, Ive had no problems transporting photos from my camera to iPad. All in all Im glad I purchased this camera. These pictures are far better than what Im getting with my phone.

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After waiting 5 weeks after I ordered this camera, it finally arrived. Its a great camera, easy to use and takes wonderful pictures. I would give it 5 stars except after owning it for just over 2 years it will no longer turn on. Of course the warranty is no longer in effect. After researching on line, I did all the troubleshooting steps and it still will not turn on. This seemed to be a very common problem. I contacted Nikon and they directed me to their out-sourced repair service. $163.00 was the estimated repair cost plus shipping, handling and insurance out and back. I will not be sending it for repair because the cost is well over half the price I paid. This may not be Nikons top-of-the-line product but I expect a camera of this cost to last longer than 2 years. There will not be anymore Nikon products in my future. Terrible customer service and a company that does not stand behind their product.

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I am a total novice when it comes to photography but I wanted an inexpensive camera to take photos for food blogging or at events. After doing a lot of research, I settled on this because it fit within my $300 budget. The camera is pretty basic and includes a charging cord and batteries. There is only enough base memory for about 4 photos so youll definitely need a memory card. This takes good photos in natural light and doesnt do a great job in low light settings without the flash. However, I can easily brighten photos using editing software (I sometimes use Lightroom but free programs will also do this too) so this is not a concern. Photo details are clear but sometimes darker colors (blacks or blues) may look muted without color correction. I like the pivoting viewfinder but I wish that the camera had a screen that turned completely around. I love that it has 1080p video that is really clear. Uploading photos using the USB cord is also very easy too. I have a MacBook and all of the photos import fine without any software. I have not tried out the Wi-Fi feature yet but I like that its also an option. This model is a over a year old but unless youre bothered by not having the latest technology, its still a great buy for anyone on a strict budget. The included photo is an unedited, zoomed photo of a bush in my yard. Very clear detail!

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