Nikon CoolPix 5200 Digital Camera

After 1500 pictures, I have come to love this camera. It is small enough to be handy, yet its contour makes it easier to hold (for right handers) than many competitors. It is light enough to fit a shirt pocket, yet is durable with brushed metal case and automatic lens cover. It is easy to catch fleeting situations because of a fast two second time from on to ready. The lens doesn't overzoom, is quiet, and zoom level is displayed in the LCD (many don't). The automatic focusing is swift and more reliable than other brands I've used. The typical flash limitations of small cameras with small batteries are exceeded with a range of 12-14'. A camera-specific Li-ion battery is required, but $30 spares can be swapped while using the external charger. The transreflective LCD has brightness control and is usable in the sun. Some micro cameras leave out the optical viewfinder, but this camera has one. The innovation of in-camera redeye correction must work because I've not seen any when willing to live with its corresponding pre-flash delay. A movie resolution of 640 x 480 is better than most still cameras and the lens continues to focus even as you zoom. I also appreciate that Nikon adopted ubiquitous SD memory cards rather than reinventing their own.

My main complaint has to do with menu structures. Flash control is immediately available, but requires an up or down menu selection rather than a button that sequences through options. Manually selecting an ISO speed requires at least 10 keystrokes. The portrait selection provides semi-useless templates of where to place your subject.

My biggest disappointment has to do with control of shutter speed and f-stop. I can understand why the engineers might have left out manual control in this automatic micro, but why not display the selected shutter speed and f-stop instead of the flashing red hand to indicate low light? There is just no way to be sure if you can brace yourself for a 1/15th second exposure or expect a full 2 seconds. There is also no ability to take a timed exposure, manually select your focal distance, or capture a RAW format.