Nikon Coolpix P510 (42x)

[WhiteHat]

This has a nikkor 42x wide optical zoom edvr  4.3-180mm 1:3-5.9  16.1 megapixles CMOS.  They stated 42x @ 1000mm.  
The below photos taken by hand out a parked car open window show reg to full zoom from the same spot and one after the other.  I am estimating that the zoom subject is about a mile away from the shooting point.  It is similar to the Panasonic DMC FZ100 in operation and weight.  I hope that I will be able to get some shots of birds on the fly with this camera.  It came on the market March 25th 2012 in USA.

Non zoom lens set to auto.


Zoomed at Full 42X

[Chocky]

Yes I have a Nikon coopix 1500. They are very good
This is what mine can do

My sone wedding

[WhiteHat]

That is really clear Chocky.  They are a nice looking couple and you must be proud of them!

[RockArea]

That certainly is a mighty zoom range, Whitehat! The issue with compacts and wildlife is always going to be the shutter lag so, with a flying bird, you'll need to be panning steadily until the camera takes that shot.

Good luck, I hope you do well!

David

[Chocky]

Lol. I think yours is a bit different to mine 

Crumbs you'll get some good shots with that

[Jenny]

Fantastic zoom there Larry
they are nice little cameras

[WhiteHat]

This afternoon about the same time I went to the same spot that the above photos were taken.  I do want to correct the estimated  distance of the zoom subjects from the shoot point and it is .8 mile via car  and line of sight must be .75 mile.  These shots are with the DMC FZ100.  Lens states Power O.I.S./25mmWide, 24x optical zoom, 14 mega pixels.  The camera settings were the same and web resizing was done the same in pse without any cropping in all four photos.

Non zoom


Zoomed at Full 24x

[WhiteHat]

Thank you RockArea for the good tip and I will try but I will have to spend more time outside like Chocky in order to get a flying shot.  This afternoon it was 91 per the car outside thermometer.  I will have to wait and give the birds a chance to fly by.

[Chocky]

I haven't yet tested the distance of mine . It won't be any thing like yours but it is good

[WhiteHat]

To whom it may concern.  Knowing what I do now I would not have purchased the P510 but rather at that time the FZ150
Having used this camera for a few months it has one serious draw back feature!  While taking movies if you use the zoom to move in and out on the subjects the focus will not track in real time.  Clips of all of the zoom portions in or out will be blurred!  The 42X is good but one would be better off getting a Panasonic FZ200 with a little less zoom but the focus will track in real time and your movies will not be blurred.  I believe that the FZ200 is just the newest version of the FZ100 & FZ150.

[Chocky]

That shouldn't happen surely. Can you not get in touch with Nikon it may be a fault they can sort out