Here’s a little trick I discovered when reviewing images on the P5100:

By default, when you power on the camera, the lens extends automatically. If you want to review images without the lens extended, put the camera in setup mode before you turn it on. The lens remains docked, and you can review your images by pressing the play button. As soon as you switch it to one of the shooting modes, then lens will extend.

This is also handy if you find yourself hitting the power button when putting the camera way. If you put the camera in setup mode after you turn if off, it will prevent the lens from extending while inside the bag.

In a world where I’m pining after a rangefinder, my Nikon Coolpix P5100 gets better and better as I learn how to use it.

Today is the annual Halloween Parade at my daughter’s school, and this year they’re going to march down the sidewalk outside the school. I’m torn between shooting with the Nikon D90+Voigtländer Ultron 40mm, or the Nikon P5100. My concern is that the P5100 won’t be fast enough. Or, that I won’t have as much control.

So, I did a quick test, and under cloudy conditions with the AF (“infinity”) focus mode, the shutter lag is only about a second. Since the camera does not indicate the focal length in numbers, and I prefer to use the viewfinder with the LCD off, I shoot some test images to see just what the focal lengths are. Each quick flip of the zoom lever advances an apparently repeatable step, so I take a shot for each step, pull the card, and read the EXIF data. These are the results, starting from the short end:

It’s like having nine primes in one! Zoom all the way in, and three or four clicks out and I’ve got my (approximate) 90mm and 75mm portrait lengths. Zoom all the way out, and two clicks in, and I’m shooting normal at an almost ideal 47mm. Now, I feel as though I have some control.

I can use aperture priority with f/5.4 (closest to the very versatile f/5.6) in every zoom range, and for maximum depth of field, f/7.6. At a “normal” focal length, I’m around f/3, and at portrait, I’m around f/4. All these numbers are not far off from the NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom. For some strange reason, the aperture does not remain constant, but varies slightly. I can deal with that though.

Shooting with the viewfinder takes a little courage, but becomes comfortable very quickly. The camera knows to turn on the LCD each time you change something; the aperture, exposure compensation, auto-focus mode, flash preferences, self-timer, etc. As soon as you push the shutter release halfway, it turns off. You can turn the LCD off in the P, A, S, and M modes, but in all other modes it stays on. This is fine, and seems pretty logical. The P, A, S and M modes are for serious shooting, and the other modes for casual shooting.

A while back I mentioned that the polarizer is one of the essential filters for both digital and analog cameras. This comes from the fact that it makes a vast improvement in your images that’s not attainable in Photoshop. In studio photography, you can change the look of the photo by changing the position and intensity of the flash or hot lights. In nature, the polarizer allows you to change the “lighting setup” as well, by selecting which of the rays reflected by the subject enter the camera. You can change the contrast and saturation in Photoshop, but you can’t select which light rays you use to do it.

Fortunately, I can outfit my Nikon P5100 with the same quality Nikon circular polarizer that I use on my other lenses. But, it comes at a price, because the viewfinder and flash are both partially blocked.

Nikon P5100 outfitted for use with 67mm filters

I’ve overcome one of these problems, and may just have the other one licked as well. I’ve installed a universal Cokin A-Series filter holder to the back of the camera, so I can use the hood as an LCD shade. It works pretty well. If I make a small, removable extension at the top of the hood, it will work even better.

I’d prefer not to use the LCD, but, it’s difficult, because it solves so many problems. First, it literally turns the camera into an SLR by letting you see exactly what the lens sees; no parallax error or partial coverage. Second, it gives me the shooting information I’m accustomed to seeing in my SLR viewfinder. My ideal “Bridge” camera (the equivalent of a 35mm rangefinder?) would have a viewfinder based on a miniature, internal LCD. This would give the best of both worlds. Or, a much simpler solution, a dedicated attachment complete with lens, to turn the existing LCD display into viable a viewfinder. Perhaps another project.

Cokin A-Series Universal Filter Holder and Hood as LCD shade

Now, onto the flash. The problem is easily solved by using an external flash. But that’s too easy for me. So, I try the flash diffuser that I recently raved about:

The first test revealed a harsh shadow created by the lens partially blocking the flash’s output. A business card slid between the body and the diffuser, just below the flash lens, solved the problem so well, that it’s worth further investigation. So, my next project is to fashion a mask to attach to the diffuser that will permit me to use the on-board flash with any kind of filter or secondary lens setup. Something I’ve actually been kicking around for some time now.

Now, on to some photos.

Beach day. Bright sunlight. Traveling light. No LCD shade. Incomplete sentences.

Long story short, I use the viewfinder because at the beach, even with the LCD shade, using the LCD is useless. So, I can’t see the effects of the polarizer. But, before I put it on the camera, I look through it and note which angle of rotation gives me the desired effect by observing the position of the tampo printing on the rim. Problem partially solved. I say partially, because with a DSLR, I could dial in an exact balance between the two settings, each 90° apart. With this method, I can only guess. But it’s the big change I’m going after today, so it’s not a real problem.

Each of these photos was taken with the polarizer on, but rotated 90° apart:

With Polarizer

Without Polarizer

Personally, I much prefer the bottom one. It appears more like the image as I perceived it (which is not to say exactly as it was). The top image seems sort of depressing. All at once, the polarizer solves three major problems here; It darkens the sky, it adds saturation, and it opens the shadows, creating a more pleasing contrast. Definitely worthwhile.

It’s not unlike white balance. My brain “white balances” automatically when I move indoors, because I don’t perceive everything as having an amber cast. And, my brain processed the live image at the beach in such a way as it looked more like the bottom version, and not the top. But this is all very subjective, and part of the art of photography.

I didn’t take a picture with the polarizer off, as a 45° rotation would have provided an equivalent effect. Anything in between 0° and 45° would provide one effect, and between 45° and 90° another.

If I switch to 52mm filters, the scenario changes a bit. Only about 1/8 of the optical viewfinder is blocked, and that’s only at the widest zoom angle. So, it would be worthwhile investing in a 52mm polarizer for the P5100 so I could use the viewfinder (not that I couldn’t also use it with any of my other two, soon to be three 52mm-filter lenses). But, the flash would still be an issue.

So, if you’re planning a new camera purchase, and would like to use a polarizer, be sure it has the capability of adapting to standard filters. Keep in mind that the higher the quality of the polarizer, the more effective it will be; there will be less light loss, and less flaring.

Also, If you’re planning on using the LCD, avoid wearing polarized sunglasses. Because LCD screens have their own polarizing filters, the screen will go black if you rotate the camera 90° to shoot portrait. Another kudo for the optical viewfinder!

Let me first say that you don’t need a great camera to take a great photograph. Technically perfect images do not necessarily make for great photography. Skill, perseverance and opportunity make a better photograph than any camera.

Nikon Coolpix P5100 “System” Clockwise from Left: Nikon UR-E7 28-46mm Step-Up Ring, Nikon FC-E8 Fisheye Lens, Nikon WC-E67 Wide Angle Lens, Nikon TC-E2 Telephoto Lens, Nikon UR-E20 Lens Converter, Nikon Coolpix P5100 Digital Camera, Nikon 28mm filter set (Circular Polarizer, UV ND4, ND8)