Topic: CoolPix 5700 or not?

I've read a few mixed reviews about the Nikon CoolPix 5700 and was wondering what peoples thoughts were here.

I ran across an ad for one (used) including bag, barrel, and three filters for $450.

What I'm looking for is more or less just a general purpose camera most of time that I can set to full manual when I want to and get some quality pictures (which I know is largely up to me and not the camera). So is this a good enough bargain to look into? Are there any particular issues I need to look for since it's used?

Thanks,
LF

Depends on your needs and your budget. Personally I would not consider anything other than a DSLR.

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To make a long article simple, today's 8MP and other fixed lens digital cameras have electronic viewfinders that look like crummy 15 year old TVs, work so slowly they can't focus on anything unless it's holding still and generally are quite frustrating. By comparison the interchangeable lens true DSLRs have great optical viewfinders and immediate operation, just like film. The DSLRs also make much cleaner images than the P/S cameras. The only reason I see for getting an expensive P/S is smaller size. Unlike film P/S cameras, the digital ones are frustrating to use. Actually if you do want a tiny P/S I'd get a $500 one with a long zoom and image stabilization, like ones from Canon and Panasonic below.

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http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/2dig.htm

edit: for film I use a Nikon F2, Nikon N90S (F90x), for digital I use a Nikon D70 - can't afford anything better right now but the D70 is excellent although still expensive.

(Edited by ZaddyDog on 04-07-2005 01:18)

I have a Nikon CoolPix 8200, which I got by using my Marriott frequent traveller points. If I had the money and were going to buy a camera, it would be a digital with interchangeable lenses.

With that said, the 8200 is a great camera. It has 8MP and an 8X optical zoom. The large viewscreen, which you can use if you want but don't have to, can be moved to any angle which is very useful in some situations. I usually just use the viewfinder, which saves the batteries some.

I get some great photos with it, some of which you can see in the POW threads. (The versions seen there are much lower resolution that the originals.)

Thanks for the input. I'm not in a particular hurry right now to get a camera, but if it was a good enough deal I coulda bumped it up on my list. However, as it is, with moving and starting a new job, a chair for the apartment is still slightly above a camera