Nikon camera buying advice

I want to buy a digital camera, not as big and fancy as an SLR but a very good one as well. I'm not really interested on changing settings and using that camera on manual, I just want a camera that I can keep on automatic, or just use a few settings, and for it to take excellent photos. Things that I want on the camera:
- good image stabilization (very important!)
- fairly good zoom
- flash
- preferably a viewfinder
- max $600

At present the camera that may fit your criteria the best may be the Nikon P500

It is a so called bridge camera, so while it may look like a dSLR, it is very small.

http://www.nikonusa.com/...-P500.html

It falls within your budget as well.

You do know however that the camera you wish to buy still has a sensor that is over 15 time smaller than those big, fancy dSLR's and you can't change lenses on them. The 36x optical zoom lens can't be removed.

Go to nikonusa.com
check out the new cameras coming in September
then pick a couple that you like
then ask us what we think about them

The Nikon P7000 (and the soon to be released P7100) are Nikon's best compact cameras, better than the P500, P300, P100, L120 or any of the others.

http://www.amazon.com/...lpix-P700…

You get a lot in the P7000/P7100; features usually only found on DSLRS; larger sensor, full manual control.fast f/2.8 lens, exposure and color balance bracketing, RAW photo capability, hot shoe for external flash, ext mic input, IR remote, continuous shutter, exposure compensation, manual focus, built-in and filter, ability to attach other filters or aux lenses, DSLR-like controls and buttons, optical viewfinder… The list goes on and on.

Oh, and it can be used in full automatic mode without having to know anything about exposure. But if you ever decide you want to learn, it can also do that.

The P7000 is being replaced by the P7100, which is not yet available. Since it is only a year old, the P7000 is still a good camera, and honestly, there are not many things different between the two if you look at the specs. But since the P7000 will be discontinued, you can buy one for under $400. You will not find a better camera for under $400.

http://www.althephoto.com/cameras/p7000…