In June 2023, I got a cheap Nikon D3 to document a series of relatively rare vacuum tubes (starting with the 6CS7 family) for the Swiss Radiomuseum and Wikipedia.
The project reignited my interest in visual art, leading to a number of photo series—perhaps a few too many (see an overview here).
In December, I treated myself to an early Christmas present: a Nikon D4.
Below are my first three shots with the Nikon D4, which I bought used on MPB with a shutter count of just under 190,000.
One is from Enghaveparken in Vesterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark, which was shrouded in fog on an early evening.
The second is of a single Harbeth loudspeaker.
The last photo, so far, are of a Russian 5U3C rectifier tube produced by Svetlana in 1976 for use in a preamplifier project, and the same tube mounted in the preamplifier.
Kondo Audio Note KSL-M7 Clone
Black | ICE | 1982
Flora Excursoria Hafniensis 18338
Enghaveparken at Night
From the Nikon D4 to a range of compact cameras
Around May 2025 I got more interested in CCD-based compact cameras, inspired by the great results I got with the Pentax K10D. So I sold the Nikon D4, but kept the Nikon D3.
This lead to experiments with the following compact cameras during the summer: Pentax Optio P70, Casio Exilim EZ-1000, Olympus SP-350 and, the latest, a Nikon Coolpix P50.
Nikon Coolpix P50 Photos & Specifications
I’m not sure I’ll make separate pages for photos taken iwth the Pentax Optio P70, Pentax H90, Casio Exilim EZ-1000, Olympus SP-350 and, the latest, a Nikon Coolpix P50 compact cameraes, presumably not.
But here’s one taken with the Nikon Coolpix P50 – the motif is another vintage camera, the Nikon D1X.
Nikon Coolpix P50 Specs
Resolution: 8.1 megapixels (effective)
Sensor type: 1/2.5-inch CCD
Lens: 3.6× optical zoom, equivalent to 28–102 mm (35 mm format)
Aperture range: f/2.8 – f/5.6
ISO range: ISO 64 – 2000 (Auto and manual settings)
Image stabilization: Electronic Vibration Reduction (VR)
Viewfinder: Optical viewfinder
Display: 2.4-inch LCD with approx. 115,000 pixels
Focus: Contrast-detect AF with center and multi-area modes
Exposure modes: Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual exposure compensation
Shutter speed range: 4 – 1/1500 s
White balance: Auto and 5 manual presets
File format: JPEG (Exif 2.2 compliant)
Video: 640 × 480 px at 30 fps (with mono sound)
Storage: SD/SDHC card (and internal memory)
Power source: 2 × AA batteries (alkaline, lithium, or NiMH)
Dimensions: 94.5 × 66 × 44 mm
Weight: Approx. 160 g (without batteries or memory card)
Nikon D4 versus Nikon Coolpix P50
The Nikon D4 weighs around 1,300 grams, and my go-to lens for it, the Zeiss 50mm f/2 Macro, adds roughly 500 grams.
That makes the Coolpix P50 about twelve times lighter, a great always-in-the-pocket camera that delivers excellent images in well-lit conditions.
I also appreciate the color tonality of its sensor, and 8 megapixels are more than sufficient for many of my projects.