A Nikon Coolpix p7100 or the Canon G12

An advanced point-and-shoot camera (also referred to as a prosumer camera) to top up on my photographic arsenal – a  Canon 500D –  has been on my wishlist for over a year now. The steep learning curve with the DSLR camera has been a rewarding experience, but work and other commitments has me limited to an amateur photographer who gets to try photographic quips on seldom weekends; the AmazonBasics backpack, with the shoulder strap split at the seams a week after purchase, is also a reasonable load, and is a rather obtrusive addition to my work backpack on a work day. Additionally, the Canon Powershot G series or the Nikon Coolpix series always did seem like a wonderful backup/substitute for a DSLR kit – less obtrusive and easier to lug around.

While I have always inclined to Canon over Nikon products, the Nikon COOLPIX P7100 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 7.1x Optical Zoom, NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and 3-Inch Vari-Angle LCD had me sold over its counterpart – the Canon G12 10 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 Inch Vari-Angle LCD simply because of the following features.

• slightly longer zoom 28-200 MM zoom lens
• a longer exposure  (60 seconds)
• a larger 3.0” LCD screen of a higher resolution
• a higher ISO boost
• a newer make

Dpreview’s side-by-side comparison feature and forum also does help a lot.

The internet has mixed reviews on both cameras; most consider the Canon G12 as a better model as compared to the Nikon P7100 based on some of its features – the sensor make, an articulated LCD screen as compared to a tilt-only screen and a slightly higher frame capture rate. On the other hand, some reviews prefer the Nikon P31oo simply because of the aforementioned features.  And as most of the problems associated with Nikon’s P7000 model have been reported as fixed with the new Nikon P7100, I look forward to recommending a Nikon P7100.

I did realise that a drawback of both the Nikon P3100 or the Canon G12 cameras is that they do not fit into regular trouser pockets. A very suitable alternative would be the slightly cheaper and smaller Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD with most features of the Canon Powershot series. One to look out for but way beyond budget is Canon’s recent release the Canon G1 X 14.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4x Wide-Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Lens Full 1080p HD Video and 3.0-inch Vari-Angle LCD

For this kit on amazon (associate links embedded) the following did look like the best options.

Nikon COOLPIX P7100 10.1 MP Digital Camera with its 7.1x Optical Zoom, NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and 3-Inch Vari-Angle LCD

Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E

SanDisk Extreme SD 16 GB SDHC Flash Memory (for video)

Lowepro Apex 60 AW (Black)

A generic battery grip and a

Canon LP-E5 Battery Pack for Canon Digital Rebel T1i, XS & XSi Digital SLR Camera (Retail Package) for my DSLR kit.