Alan Stafford

Nikon Coolpix 3500

The Coolpix 3500 is essentially the same camera as the Coolpix 2500 we tested last April, but the resolution has increased from 2 to 3 megapixels. The 3500 doesn't have the exotic stainless-steel exterior we've seen on many smaller digital cameras, but its unique lens mechanism rotates within the camera body--the design is helpful for self-portraits, and it protects the lens when the power's off. Nikon provides a leash that connects to the end of the camera so you can wear it comfortably around your neck. Nikon's scene modes will aid novices trying to get the right exposure. You pick from 12 scenes, such as Landscape (which turns the flash off and fixes the focus at infinity). Of course, if your subject doesn't quite fit one of the scenes, you'll have to guess which one is closest and set the camera to that, because the camera has no manual modes. In our image tests (we always shoot in full automatic mode for consistency), the Coolpix 3500 performed well. A few shots appeared a smidgen too dark, but otherwise the images showed correct colors and sharply detailed objects. In comparison, higher-resolution models provided better clarity, but that was noticeable only at very close range.
Like the Coolpix 2500, the 3500 lacks an optical viewfinder, so you always have to use the LCD. The LCD has a poor angle of view (the image's brightness changes depending on the position from which you view it), and as a result framing your subject and confirming that you're going to get the right exposure at the same time can be hard. The problem is especially acute during self-portraits, when the LCD angle is worst. However, the camera does allow you to adjust the LCD's brightness--turning it up all the way helps. Though the 3500 is obviously a consumer model, it lacks a video-out port, so you can't view its images on a television. Two sets of buttons could be better designed; the flash, scene, and menu buttons--each the size of a rice grain--are flush with the edge of the main LCD's bezel, so you must press them at an angle with your fingernail. Rather than a rocker switch, the camera uses two separate zoom buttons separated by a rigid piece of plastic, right at the edge of the LCD bezel; the size and location make them harder to operate than necessary. We got 201 shots (1 hour, 41 minutes of use) out of the battery. That's enough for general use but about 80 shots fewer than what we got from the 2500, and 25 percent below the average of other cameras we've tested.
The Coolpix 3500, like many cameras big and little, has a cumbersome battery charger. The charger unit itself is rather small, but you must use it with a 6.5-foot-long power cord. An on-screen "AF" and colored icon do a nice job of confirming that the lens is focused. Nikon's Best Shot Selector can help if the focus is iffy but you want to take a picture anyway--it tells the camera to take pictures as long as you hold down the shutter, and then the camera picks the best one. You can capture short movies but no sound (and you must turn off any scene mode you've selected before you can choose movie mode).
Whether you like the rotating lens depends on personal preference, but the Coolpix 3500's scene modes make this camera a good choice for a novice, and it's priced well for a 3-megapixel model.