Nikon COOLPIX A

Learn & Explore Tip of the Day

April 27, 2013

If you are photographing out of the window of a plane be sure to keep from touching the window, walls, armrests or other parts of the plane. The vibrations caused by the engines are transmitted through the fuselage and can make your photos blurry. Instead, sit up in the seat and hold the camera as still as you can, close to the window.

April 26, 2013

Arbor Day, which celebrates the planting and caring for trees is celebrated across the USA at different times of the year. Some states celebrate in February while others celebrate the holiday in April, so we decided to celebrate it twice! Use this holiday to take some cool photographs of trees.

April 25, 2013

Frame your storm photograph before it happens. Remember that the sky is your subject, so dramatic clouds are what you’re framing for, and then you hope that lightning will happen in that space. Keep the horizon in the lower third of the frame with the sky the top two-thirds.

April 24, 2013

Shooting a lightning storm can be exciting. Use a tripod and set you camera to record a long exposure. With D-SLRs, 15 seconds is a good start, but you may have to use up to 30 seconds, or bulb setting (where the shutter stays open as long as you hold down the shutter button). Because you never know when the lightning will occur, keep shooting for best results. And don’t forget the tripod! Otherwise you’ll have blurry photos.

April 23, 2013

Try different kinds of framing with your flower shots. Instead of centering the flower, try placing it off to the left or the right of the frame. This will allow for you to be creative with the negative space (areas without the subject). Look for the patterns of other out of focus flowers in the background.

April 22, 2013

Celebrate Earth Day by taking photographs of nature, or of Earth Day Events in your neighborhood.

April 21, 2013

Try photographing flowers early in the morning when dew is on the petals. If there’s no dew, make your own. Take a small sprayer and fill it with glycerin and water and spray the flowers for those natural looking dewdrops. You can also use just water.

April 20, 2013

If you accidentally delete your images or see a card error message, stop using the memory card. There is software that can recover your “lost pictures” even if they don’t show up on the camera. Continuing to use the card before running that software on it can ruin your chances of saving those photos.

April 19, 2013

When you can, transfer your photos from the camera to a computer using an external memory card reader. Take out your memory card and insert it into the reader. It doesn’t rely on battery power (like the camera does when using it to download image and video files) and often can transfer the files faster. Plus your camera is still ready to shoot, even while you’re downloading.

April 18, 2013

Set your camera’s display (playback) to show you highlight problems. This is a simple feature that will cause blinking of areas that are overexposed on the rear LCD screen when reviewing the photos you’ve shot. If large or important areas are blinking, you will need to reduce the exposure, often by using the +/- Exposure Compensation and applying minus compensation.

April 17, 2013

If you have a tripod and lights or stands, get your gear, your background and exposure figured out for the portrait before the subject gets there. That way when the subject arrives, you can pay attention to them. This will allow you to be more interactive with your subject and get them in the right pose instead of fiddling with the equipment.

April 16, 2013

When photographing a landscape scene, include a point of interest. An item that stands out, like a tree or a cliff edge, will give the viewer's eye somewhere to rest. It will also provide a sense of scale.

April 15, 2013

When photographing animals, isolate them with a longer lens. A longer lens (or zoom lens) allows you to narrow in on your subject and create a clean, soft focus background. It will emphasize the subject and make it special.

April 14, 2013

If your subject is backlit, you may end up with a silhouette. If this is the effect you are going for, great! If not, add fill flash or use the exposure compensation (try +1).

April 13, 2013

You can try a few different techniques to freeze motion: panning (which blurs the background while freezing your subject in motion), using a flash, or zooming out to a wider-angle view.

April 12, 2013

If you’re shooting into the sun and are getting lens flare, a quick way to get rid of it is to ask a friend to place their hand above the camera, to block the flare from reaching the lens. You will be able to see if it is working. Just make sure you don’t see their hand in the frame when you take the photo.

April 11, 2013

Need some inspiration? Take out your camera’s manual and read about a shooting mode or setting that you don’t normally use. Spend a day practicing how to use it.

April 10, 2013

Photographing at the zoo? Careful composition can hide the fact that your wild animal subjects are behind fences or in pens. Zoom in for tight close-ups so you don’t see man-made objects like fence posts, concrete swimming holes or perches for the animals to play on.

April 9, 2013

When shooting through glass—at the zoo or aquarium—don’t use your flash. The flash burst will be visible reflected on the pane of glass, likely blocking your intended subject. Instead, increase the ISO if the lighting is not bright enough to take a photo.

April 8, 2013

Shooting indoor sports is tough. The lighting often is old or a bit strange (mix of different light sources). Try adjusting your white balance to Fluorescent or Incandescent/Tungsten. Check the back of the camera to see whether this has helped prevent the yellow or green tint caused by indoor lighting.

April 7, 2013

Try using a preset or custom white balance in a stadium or indoor arena. Because light often is different at indoor venues, the best way to get optimal color is to create a unique white balance, which is what the preset does. Cameras vary in how to accomplish that so check your manual.

April 6, 2013

Know the sport you are photographing. Understanding the sport allows you to position yourself in a good location to capture the action. If your child plays sports, ask her about her position and where she is during most games. Use that information to place yourself for great shots.

April 5, 2013

Tripods extend your shooting time into the dark. Turn off the flash so the camera will know to shoot a slow shutter speed (creating a long exposure), then use the self-timer so you don’t introduce movement and blur when you press down the shutter button. A cable release will come in handy during long exposures.

April 4, 2013

Turn on the lights when shooting inside the house. Lamps and overhead lights will brighten any picture indoors. The light will add depth to the picture and often warm up the color. Most importantly, it will brighten up the background.

April 3, 2013

Place your subjects equally away from the camera when shooting a group. Avoid placing any of your subjects a lot closer to your camera than others. That can lead to some of your family members being out of focus or just looking a little out of the mix.

April 2, 2013

If you’re going out with the intention of photographing a specific type of animal, do a little quick research before you head out. Knowing their habits can give you an edge when it comes to getting great photographs.

April 1, 2013

Think outside of the box! Shooting the back of a flower can be just as interesting as shooting it head-on.

March 31, 2013

Freeze the sports action. The key is using a high shutter speed. On compact cameras, use the sports scene mode. On a D-SLR, pick a high shutter speed of 1/500th of a second or above. This will freeze almost all action. If the light is low, adjust your ISO to a higher sensitivity (800-1600 ISO), which will allow you to select a faster shutter speed.

March 30, 2013

When shooting landscapes, add a person into the composition for added interest.

March 29, 2013

Check the direction of the light. Sometimes the best light on a person, monument or scene is not the most obvious. Moving around and seeing the light from all angles will expand your vision and make a unique picture. Make it a habit to do this whenever you have time.

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Nikon is the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance. The unique strength of the Nikon brand attributable to the company’s unwavering commitment to quality, performance, technology and innovation. Nikon Inc. markets and distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights…

Phenomenal compact performance

A one-of-a-kind COOLPIX camera that brings the dazzling image quality of a Nikon DX-format D-SLR image sensor and the superb optical quality of a NIKKOR fixed (prime) lens to the COOLPIX Advanced Performance collection. Create truly stunning photos and Full HD 1080p videos with beautifully blurred backgrounds and tack-sharp subjects, even in low light, and grow your capabilities over time with a growing collection of compatible Nikon accessories.

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Make every moment a masterpiece.

photo of a woman and man looking at the LCD of the COOLPIX A that the man is holding

Meet the new flagship of the COOLPIX Advanced Performance collection, the COOLPIX A, a one-of-a-kind Nikon camera that produces high-resolution photos and Full HD 1080p videos in a class of their own. The COOLPIX A is exceptional in every aspect. For exceptional image quality, it employs a Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor, the same type used in our outstanding DX-format D-SLR cameras, but in a compact body. For exceptional clarity and low-light performance, it features one of the most impressive NIKKOR lenses we've ever put on a COOLPIX camera. For exceptional versatility, it's compatible with many Nikon accesories like a Wi-Fi adapter that lets you instantly share your photos. Simply put, the COOLPIX A produces the kind of photos and videos that will leave your dazzled friends and family asking, "What kind of camera do you have?"

First Look at the COOLPIX A

COOLPIX Advanced Performance Cameras Defined

Watch the COOLPIX A Video

16.2 MP

DX-format CMOS sensor

28mm** f/2.8

Prime NIKKOR Glass Lens

3.0"

VGA LCD

1080p

Full HD Video with Stereo Sound

photo of woman in a coffee shop taken in low light and comparison inset of DX CMOS sensor size compared to a smaller compact size sensor

Create D-SLR quality images

Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor for the ultimate COOLPIX image quality and low-light performance

At the heart of the COOLPIX A is a high-performance Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor, the same size sensor used in Nikon DX-format D-SLRs! Achieve the ultimate COOLPIX image quality—breathtaking crystal-clear photos and Full HD videos with vibrant colors and rich textures—and shoot without a flash in some of the most poorly lit situations.

View COOLPIX A Sample Photos

View COOLPIX A Macro Sample Photos

photo of a blonde woman in a sweater taken at night outdoors with a product shot of the Nikon COOLPIX A inset

Expand your capabilities and creativity

A complete camera system adds variety to your photos

The COOLPIX A includes a full-size accessory shoe that’s compatible with many exciting Nikon accessories. Frame your pictures up close by adding an optical viewfinder. Minimize flare caused by direct sunlight and get clearer photos with better contrast using a Lens Hood. An array of accessories helps you do that, plus take control of light, fire the camera remotely, geotag your shots and more! Add accessories to easily customize your camera system and cater to your unique needs.

See the complete camera system

Learn more about these accessories

photos of a redheaded woman, closeup of jewelry, musician's hands on a sax, harmonicas and candid portraits with the COOLPIX A, WU-1a and Wi-Fi graphic

Share to your compatible smartphone or tablet

Compatible with the WU-1a wireless mobile adapter for anytime, anywhere sharing

Connect the optional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter and wirelessly transfer photos to your compatible smartphone, tablet or any Wi-Fi® enabled device. Use your compatible smartphone or tablet to instantly upload your shots to the web or email them to a friend. Or, remotely control the COOLPIX A—see what the camera sees from your smartphone or tablet and fire off shots!

Learn more about the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter

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Record superior videos

1080p Full HD videos with stereo sound for dazzling movies

If you want a compact camera that shoots stunning Full HD videos, the COOLPIX—delivers. 1080p Full HD means exceptional video quality. Record the action, then use an optional HDMI cable to connect to an HDTV and watch your videos come alive. A built-in mic records high-quality audio in stereo. Your videos will look and sound phenomenal.

View COOLPIX A 1080p HD Sample Video

landscape photo of a waterfront city with clouds, in low light with city lights on

Take control of your vision

Full manual control and RAW (NEF) capability for additional flexibility

The COOLPIX A takes exceptional images on its own, but when you want to take control, you can. Select from Programmed, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Manual mode and bring your vision to life. For those who want to record the purest, unmodified versions of their photos, the COOLPIX A can record in RAW (NEF) mode.

low light photo of San Marco square in Venice Italy

Superior low-light performance

The COOLPIX A's highly sensitive CMOS image sensor performs so well in low-light situations that in most cases, using the flash is optional. Capture the moment without interrupting it.

close up photo of yellow and red flowers with shallow depth of field

Sharp subjects and softly blurred backgrounds

The COOLPIX A features a truly superb lens, a fixed (prime) 28mm** f/2.8 NIKKOR glass lens. Create tack-sharp wide-angle images with beautifully blurred backgrounds, and enjoy enhanced low-light performance compared to a typical zoom lens.

WI-FI COMPATIBILITY

This camera's Wi-Fi^® capability using the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter can only be used with a compatible iPhone^®, iPad^®, and/or iPod touch^® or smart devices running on the Android™ operating system. The Wireless Mobile Utility application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera. For compatibility and to download the application, please visit:

Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.
Wi-Fi® and the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
All Nikon trademarks are trademarks of Nikon Corporation.

**18.5mm (angle of view equivalent to that of 28 mm lens in 35mm [135] format)

† Sensor comparison between leading smartphone image sensor (approx. 4.5 x 3.4mm) and Nikon DX image sensor (approx. 23.6 x 15.6mm) as of March 1, 2013.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

Specifications

Type

Compact Digital Camera
Effective Pixels

16.2 million
Image Sensor

CMOS
Sensor Size

DX Format
Total Pixels

16.93 million (approx.)
Lens

1x optical NIKKOR glass lens
Lens Focal Length

18.5mm (angle of view equivalent to that of 28 mm lens in 35mm [135] format)
Lens f/-number

f/2.8
Lens Construction

7 elements in 5 groups
Lens Zoom

1x
Autofocus (AF)

Contrast-detect TTL AF
Autofocus (AF) Focus-area selection

Center
Face priority
Subject tracking
Normal area
Wide area
Focus Range

Approx. 1 ft. 8 in. (50 cm.) to infinity
Macro close-up mode: Approx. 4 in. (10 cm.) to infinity
Focus Lock

Yes
Monitor Size

3.0 in. diagonal
Monitor Type

TFT-LCD with 5-level brightness adjustment
Monitor Resolution

921,000-dots
Monitor Frame coverage (shooting mode)

100% horizontal (Approx.)
100% vertical (Approx.)
Monitor Frame coverage (playback mode)

100% horizontal (Approx.)
100% vertical (Approx.)
Storage Media

SD memory card
SDHC memory card
SDXC memory card
Storage File System

DCF
EXIF 2.3
DPOF compliant
Storage File formats

Still pictures: JPEG, RAW (NEF; a proprietary Nikon format)
Movies: MOV (Video: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC stereo)
Movie

Full HD: 1920x1080p / 30fps
Full HD: 1920x1080/ 25p
HD: 1280x720p / 30fps
HD: 1280x720p / 24fps
Image Size (pixels)

4928 × 3264
ISO Sensitivity

ISO 100-3200
Can be expanded to 6400
Hi 0.3 (ISO 8,000 equivalent)
Hi 0.7 (ISO 10,000 equivalent)
Hi 1 (ISO 12,800 equivalent)
Hi 2 (ISO 25,600 equivalent)
Lowest ISO Sensitivity

100
Highest ISO Sensitivity

25,600
Exposure Metering

Matrix
Center-weighted
Spot
Exposure Control

Programmed auto exposure with flexible program
aperture-priority auto
shutter priority auto
Exposure Modes

Programmed Auto
Scene Modes

Autumn colors
Beach/Snow
Blossom
Candlelight
Children
Close Up
Dusk/Dawn
Food
Landscape
Night Landscape
Night Portrait
Party/Indoor
Pet Portrait
Portrait
Silhouette
Sports
Sunset
High Key
Low Key
In-Camera Image Editing

Color Balance
Color Outline
Color Sketch
D-Lighting
Edit Movie
Filter Effects
Fisheye
Image Overlay
Miniature effect
Monochrome
NEF (Raw) Processing
Perspective Control
Red-eye reduction
Quick retouch
Resize
Selective Color
Straighten
Trim
Exposure Compensation

± 5 EV in steps of 1/3 EV
White Balance

Auto
Cloudy
Daylight
Flash
Fluorescent
Incandescent
Preset Manual
Shutter

Mechanical and CMOS electronic shutter
Shutter Speed

1/2000 – 30 s; bulb and time available in mode M (time requires optional ML-L3 remote control)
Top Continuous Shooting Speed at full resolution

approx. 4 frames per second
Continuous Shooting Options

Best Shot Selector
Continuous
Multi-shot 16
Single
Aperture

Electronically-controlled 7-blade iris diaphragm
Aperture Range

19 steps of 1/3 EV
Self-timer

Can be selected from 20, 10, 5 and 2 second durations
Accessory Shoe

ISO 518 hot-shoe contact with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Built-in flash Range (approx.) (ISO sensitivity: Auto)

[W]: 0.5 to 11.5m (1ft. 8 in. to 37ft.)
Built-in Flash Control

TTL auto flash with monitor preflashes
Manual flash control available
Guide Number approx. 6/21, or 6/22 when fired in manual mode at full power (ISO 100, m/ft, 23 °C/73.4 °F)
Built-in Flash

Yes
Interface

Hi-speed USB
Interface Data transfer protocol

MTP
PTP
Video Output

NTSC
PAL
HDMI Output

Can be selected from:
Auto
480p
720p
1080i
I/O terminal

Audio/video (A/V) output; Digital I/O (USB)
Supported Languages

Arabic
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Norwegian
Polish
Portugese
Russian
Spanish
Swedish
Thai
Turkish
Battery / Batteries

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL20
Battery Life (shots per charge)

Still pictures*: Approx. 230 shots
Movies (actual battery life for recording): Approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes
*Based on the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards for measuring the endurance of camera batteries. Performance for still pictures measured under the following test conditions: image quality set to JPEG normal, image size set to #Large (4928 × 3264), and flash fired with every other shot.
Movie recording time assumes movie settings of o1920 × 1080; 30p or p1920 × 1080; 25p. Performance varies with the condition of the battery, temperature, the interval between shots, and the length of time menus are displayed.
Tripod Socket

¼ in.
Approx. Dimensions

Height: 2.6in. (64.3mm)
Width: 4.4in. (111mm)
Depth: 1.6in. (40.3mm)
Approx. Weight

10.6 oz. (299g)
Operating environment

Temperature: 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Humidity: 85% or less (no condensation)
Supplied Accessories
- AN-CP24 Strap
- UC-E16 USB Cable
- EN-EL20 Rechargable Li-ion Battery
- MH-27 Battery Charger
- BS-1 Accessory Shoe Cover
- NikonView NX2 Software

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

**Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
***Refer to the product manual or the Compatible Lenses Specification for additional details.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

{%= nikon.tmpl_queue.add(function() { YAHOO.ksv.relatedProducts.normalizeProductTileHeight({ "id": "ProductDetail.ProductTabs.Flashes_product-list-3", "region": "product-details" }) }) %}

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

{%= nikon.tmpl_queue.add(function() { YAHOO.ksv.relatedProducts.normalizeProductTileHeight({ "id": "ProductDetail.ProductTabs.Accessories_product-list-4", "region": "product-details" }) }) %}

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

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*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

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Phenomenal compact performance

Supplied Accessories

Make every moment a masterpiece.

Create D-SLR quality images

Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor for the ultimate COOLPIX image quality and low-light performance

Expand your capabilities and creativity

A complete camera system adds variety to your photos

Share to your compatible smartphone or tablet

Compatible with the WU-1a wireless mobile adapter for anytime, anywhere sharing

Record superior videos

1080p Full HD videos with stereo sound for dazzling movies

Take control of your vision

Full manual control and RAW (NEF) capability for additional flexibility

Superior low-light performance

Sharp subjects and softly blurred backgrounds

WI-FI COMPATIBILITY

Experience It

Sample Photography

Sample Macro Photography

Full HD (1080p) Sample Videos

First Look at the COOLPIX A

COOLPIX Advanced Performance Cameras Defined

Video

Complete Camera System

Specifications

Product Registration

Nikon Answers Site

Manual

Resources