Nikon Coolpix P950 Review: Bridge Camera for Bird Photography

Nikon Coolpix P950: Best Bridge Camera for Bird Photography. Here is a field review of the Nikon Coolpix P950  from the perspective of Bird photography. A review will help readers to know about the versatility, controls, ergonomics, specifications, and qualities of a Camera for Bird Photography. It will also include sample images, settings for Bird photography, and final recommendations

Bird Photography is a beautiful genre of Photography. What makes bird photography easy and accessible is that – you will find birds almost everywhere. Look out the trees, water bodies, grasslands, and lakes around you – you will find beautiful birds. You can start bird photography from local parks, forest areas, and wetlands. Eventually, you can go to Bird sanctuaries and the National Park for Bird Photography. 

Imagine you are looking out for a bird through your binoculars, and you will see – A Parakeet feeding on the fruits, a Colorful Roller bird swinging on the tree branch, an eagle staring at you, or a Bee-eater looking for insects.

These are some of the moments we as Bird Photographers cherish for a Lifetime. 

For Photographing these beautiful moments, you will need a Camera that is easy to use, has a longer zoom, and Lightweight body ( And comes at a reasonable price as compared to a Long telephoto lens used for bird photography ) 

Nikon created a Bridge Camera for Bird Photography- Nikon Coolpix P950. Nikon Coolpix P950 has Good image and video quality in good light conditions. Nikon Coolpix P950 has a longer zoom range. The flexible zoom range, Good image quality, and budget price of the Nikon Coolpix P950 make it the best practical camera for Bird Photography. 

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Controls and Ergonomics
• Autofocus performance
• High ISO and Low Light Performance
• Image Quality- Colors, details, and Dynamic Range
• White Balance 
• Adjustable Screen 
• Versatile Zoom range
• Bonus: My settings on Nikon Coolpix P950  for Bird photography
• Conclusion and Recommendations 

Nikon Coolpix P950 : Introduction

Nikon Coolpix P950 camera weighs around 1005 g (2.21 lb) including battery and SD memory card. Nikon Coolpix P950 comes with a Built-in 83x optical zoom lens ( 24-2000 mm: 35 mm equivalent ). Lens aperture goes from f/2.8 ( W) up to f/6.5 (T).

Nikon P950 camera comes with 1/ 2.3-in  type sensor and around 16.79 MP resolution.( Effective Pixels : 16 MP )  

ISO Range is 100-6400. A lightweight camera body, adjustable screen, Good focusing capabilities, 4k video capability, and Inbuild 24-2000 mm (35mm equivalent ) lens make the Nikon Coolpix P950 the best Bridge camera for Birding ( and for Wildlife ) photography and videography.

Nikon Coolpix P950 Specifications

• Sensor type – 1/ 2.3 in with a 16.79 MP resolution. 
• ISO – ISO 100 to ISO 6400 
• AF Modes – Single-shot AF, Automatic AF, Continuous AF, Manual Focus
• AF Area Modes  – Face Priority, Subject Tracking, Manual, Normal, Spot, and Wide 
• Power and Charger – Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery EN-EL20a and AC Adapter EH-73P/EH-73PCH
• Storage cards – SD, SDHC, SDXC. I use SD Card for Nikon Coolpix P950 
• Dimensions and weight – Approximate weight of the body including the Battery and card is 1005 g (2.21 lb)  and the dimensions are ( Length X Height X Width ) 140.2 x 109.6 x 149.8 mm 
• Shutter speed range – Depending on the Camera exposure modes and settings shutter speed range is as follows: 30″–1/4000 ( Shutter speed can go from 30 s up to 1/4000 s ) 
• Mechanical and Electronic Shutter 
• Metering modes – Spot, Center-Weighted, and Matrix 
• Exposure mode – Manual ( M ), Aperture Priority ( A ), Shutter Priority ( S ),  Programmed Auto ( P ), and some Auto exposure modes 
• White Balance  – Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Flash, Fluorescent, White balance preset, Custom ( Set color temperature ) 
• Flash – Built-in Flash is available and compatible with External Flash and can be used 
• Image format – JPEG, RAW/NRW  (Nikon’s RAW format), 
• Lens compatibility – Built-in Nikkon lens with a Focal length of 4.3 – 357 mm ( 24-2000 mm on 35mm equivalent ) with an aperture of f/2.8(W) and f/6.5 (T). 
• Price – Approximately $799 Check the current price on Amazon here

Controls and Ergonomics

Controls

Exposure selection dial – This dial on the top helps to select the exposure modes Manual (M), Aperture Priority(A), Shutter Priority(S), and Programmed Auto (P) quickly. 

You can also select Auto mode, Scene, Movie, Moon, Bird, and a few custom options.

Focus mode selection dial- This dial helps to choose between focus modes such as Automatic-AF and Manual-MF. This dial is at the back of the camera around AE-L/ AF- Button. Once you set the camera for AF mode, in the camera menu system you can select the required AF area modes. 

Using the Camera menu and functions button You can change the White Balance, ISO  Focus area selection, Metering, and Frame rate. 

To Zoom In and Out the lens, there is a dial on the top of the camera and the left side of the lens. It is marked as T and W. To manually focus the camera there is a Manual focus ring on the lens. 

Overall the Camera Menu system is easy to understand and use. If you are already a Nikon user you will find the menu system as a familiar one. And,  If you are coming from some other brands or using a camera for the first time – explore the Camera menu system for 2 to 3 days and you will get used to it.  

Build Quality

Overall weight and size of the Nikon P950 is decent for all-day shooting. The size of the Nikon Coolpix P950  is perfect while you are Hiking or traveling in a Safari vehicle. 

Because of the long zoom range of the camera – the Nikon Coolpix P950 is bigger and heavier ( Similar to that of the Nikon P1000 ) as compared to other compact cameras such as Sony RX10 IV and Lumix FZ300 

The build quality is decent. Nikon Coolpix P950  can take up minor beatings in the Wilderness. While the camera is zoomed in to 2000mm  – at that time it feels slightly delicate because of protruding lens elements. Protection against dust and water splash is ok but not great. 

I have used the camera on rainy days and in dusty weather. Its performance is satisfactory. 

Also, here are a few things that I follow while using the Nikon P950 

While I am not photographing during Safari or birding sessions – I will cover the camera with a cotton cloth / plastic bag to protect it against Dust and rain.  This technique will help to keep your camera clean.

I clean the camera after photoshoots in the rain or heavy dust; I recommend you do so.

Ergonomics ( and Handling )

Ergonomically Nikon Coolpix P950 feels Good. Major dials and buttons for Wildlife and Bird photography are conveniently placed on the camera. But, when you start initially using the camera there is some learning curve to understand the command dials and buttons. 

You can hand-hold the camera during Safari or birding sessions for 2 to 3 hours. Nikon Coolpix P950 gives more opportunities and freedom to photograph and capture videos of Birds and Wildlife.

Nikon Coolpix P950 Camera Performance  from the Perspective of a Bird Photography

Autofocus performance

Here is how Nikon Coolpix P950 autofocus performs at 357 mm ( 2000 mm – 35 mm equivalent ) where you will be using it the most for Bird Photography. 

Nikon Coolpix P950  is capable of focusing accurately on reasonably closer, stationary, and slow-moving objects. ( Make sure to select the appropriate focus mode and focus area mode).

If the Light conditions are good and there are no distractions ( Grass, trees, rocks )  between the camera and the main subject the Nikon Coolpix P950 focuses accurately. 

Also, if the subject is at a long distance, even though the long zoom ( 2000 mm ) helps to bring the subject closer – Heat shimmers, dust, fog, and other atmospheric conditions make Autofocusing difficult.

For fast-moving objects, the camera struggles to acquire a focus because, at 2000 mm focal length, you will struggle to keep the moving subject in the frame. At 2000mm the lens aperture goes up to f/6.5 – not a friendly aperture for the AF sensor.

There are multiple focusing modes available however I find focusing modes: Single or Continuous with a wide focus area useful. 

Nikon Coolpix P950 focuses accurately on the following conditions 

• Daylight 
• Stationary or Slow moving objects 
• Subjects at a reasonably close distance 

 I Recommend using Manual Focus Override in the below situations 

• Low light 
• In the forest clutter and Forest canopy 
• Distant Object and a Low light condition 
• Smaller birds at a relatively long distance 

For the lens zoom range less than 1000 mm,  where the lens aperture is wide open as compared to f/6.5 at 2000 m – AF performance is better.

Sometimes I do observe strange Autofocus performance with my Camera. ( I am not sure if it is the same case with other P950 users as well ) 

Even if the Bird is in the open and there are no distractions still camera struggles to focus. Below are the images of Shrike – you can see what the focus looks like. To correct that I have to focus on nearby objects and then refocus on the bird. This is one of the outlier performances I have noticed with my Nikon Coolpix P950.

The autofocus is decent enough while you are recording a video. The Autofocus of the Nikon Coolpix P950  helps to record sharp videos of Wildlife and Birds. ( In good light conditions) 

High ISO and Low Light Performance

Nikon P950 comes with a 1/ 2.3  in -type sensor. Having smaller sensors poses challenges while dealing with Low Light and High ISO conditions. 

In good light conditions, you will get good image quality and low ISO up to ISO 400. Also up to ISO 800 you can get usable images.

There is visible Image noise and deterioration in image quality as you crank up the ISO beyond ISO 800 in low-light conditions

The bottom line is to try to keep the ISO below 800 in Excellent light conditions and keep the ISO below 400 in low light conditions for Decent image details and Colors. 

A watch out here – In low light conditions with high ISO ( ISO 800 or ISO 1600)  images are Noisy. I do not get the usable image using post-processing as well. Hence Try to keep the ISO as low as possible to get decent image quality. 

Note – If I know that I am going to encounter a rare moment in the wild then I crank up the ISO in between 800 to 1600. At this time I am ready to sacrifice the image quality to capture the Rare moment in the Wild. Hence Choose ISO as per the Situation and Light conditions.

Image Quality- Colors, details, and Dynamic Range

In excellent light conditions ( And Lower ISO – ISO Upto ISO 400 ) the Image dynamic range with P950 is Good.

As the light gets lower the image will start seeing its negative effect on the Dynamic range. Image quality will start deteriorating with lower light levels. ( And Higher ISO – ISO 800 or ISO 1600 )

For Bird images, I use Spot Metering. As long as you are maintaining reasonably correct exposure Nikon Coolpix P950  produces accurate image exposures 

If there are some tricky light situations such as Lights and Shadows, then I find the Spot meter produces better results in terms of exposure. 

Based on shooting with Nikon Coolpix P950  I can recommend that for most of the Situations in the Wild – try to Keep the ISO between 100 to 400, the Aperture between f/2.8 to f/5.6 ( If possible ), and the Shutter speed as per the image requirement/Light conditions. 

Note – If you have to zoom in to 2000 mm, then the lens aperture would be f/6.5. Make sure you have sufficient light on the object. 

Due to the longer lens zoom of 2000 mm( 35 mm equivalent ) and aperture of f/6.5 at 2000mm two important things to keep in mind while shooting the best-quality images 

-Steady support such as a Tripod or Monopod for photographing birds is required 

-The object should be in the good light conditions. And try to use ISO in the range of ISO 100 to ISO 400. 

White Balance 

Nikon Coolpix P950  produces a white balance close to the actual scene. Overall Color temperature looks natural. Also, no major tint shift was observed. 

Auto white balance does a Good job while handling different light conditions.

Here are Bird images in different light conditions such as Early Light, Cloudy, and sunlight.

Auto white balance produces good results for Photographs and Videos.

Adjustable Screen 

An Adjustable screen is one of the advantages of the Nikon Coolpix P950. 

This type of screen is very convenient to get High-level or Eye-level images of birds and Wildlife.

However, the fully functional touchscreen would have been a significant value addition for the Nikon Coolpix P950

Versatile Zoom range with F/2.8 (W) and f/6.5(T) Aperture

Zoom range from 4.3 – 357 mm ( 24-2000 mm on 35mm equivalent )  is one of the main reasons, why you will love to buy Nikon Coolpix P950. 

That 2000mm zoom is awesome to get up close with birds. This zoom gives you the ability to create some beautiful shots of Birds and Wildlife at a distance 

The versatile zoom range of the Nikon Coolpix P950 makes it perfect for Bird Photography, Wildlife Photography, and Travel Photography. You can almost photograph everything around you.

Nikon Coolpix P950 simply provides you with more photographic opportunities. 

Nikon Coolpix P950 Sample Video

Bonus: My settings on Nikon Coolpix P950  for Bird photography

Camera settings 

• Image format: RAW + Jpeg Fine 
• Color space: Adobe RGB 
• ISO: Auto ISO with a Maximum ISO of 400, in some low-light conditions I may extend it up to 800. It will depend on lighting conditions. But I find 400 is the right balance for Image quality and low noise. 
• Autofocus mode: AF – S or AF-C ( Single  Continuous  )  or Manual depending on the Bird’s movement
• Autofocus Area mode: Wide Focus Area 
• Metering: For Bird, I use Spot Metering most of the time. (Sometimes it is Matrix Metering if the Subject is large and the lighting is reasonably even ) 
• Exposure mode: Manual ( Shutter speed and Aperture will be set based on the light in Nature and It can vary ). 
• The frame rate is set to continuously high

Take your Wildlife images to the Next level using the Top 10 Wildlife Photography Tips

Nikon Coolpix P950: Conclusion and Recommendations 

Pros

• A versatile Zoom range of 24-2000 mm ( 35 mm equivalent ) 
• Easy-to-use camera body and menu system 
• Excellent 4K Video capability 
• Under Excellent  light conditions, Beautiful colors, and Image quality 
• Best Budget Camera for Bird and Wildlife Photography ( For Steady or Slow moving Subjects ) 
• Nikon Coolpix P950 is a Good Hobbyist Bridge camera for Bird and Wildlife Photographers 

Cons

In a Summary –

The versatile zoom range, adjustable screen, 4k video capability, and Inbuild 24-2000 mm (35mm equivalent ) lens make the Nikon Coolpix P950 the best Bridge camera for Birding ( and for Wildlife ) photography and videography. 

For stationary and slow-moving subjects Nikon P950 is a good camera. If you want to capture birds or wildlife in swift action or low light then Nikon P950 may not be the right tool for those specific scenarios. 

For Bird and Wildlife photography Nikon Coolpix P950 is a good camera at an affordable price. 

Nikon Coolpix P950 on the Amazon

SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO Card at Amazon

What do you think about the Nikon Coolpix P950 camera, Please do let me know in the comments below.

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