What is next for Nikon?
I have been looking to purchase a Nikon Point and Shoot camera. I feel that the Nikon L820 best suits me, but I had some questions.
Since this camera was released over a year ago, will there be an upgraded/replacement model available in the next few months? How often does Nikon release new cameras?
That is all
Don't do it! I guess you never use the search function on YA, otherwise you would have come across a LOT of warnings to stay away from Nikon's L range cameras.
They are stupidly basic, and you can do MUCH better.
However, it really does need YOU to educate yourself a bit. Learn about cameras and about photography until you understand enough about what makes a good or a bad camera.
You'll be very glad you took the time to learn.
Attend a class, visit your local library for some books, read/watch online tutorials.
There are many resources available to us online, some of those provided by the camera manufacturers (and NO, you do NOT need an Olympus camera to learn about general photographic principles just because those hints are on an Olympus websites - Photography is Photography.)
For example:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/...center.asp
http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/eos101_cll.shtml?cm_mmc=EM-_-EO-_-20130605-_-LeadIn
http://photographycourse.net/
Understanding at least the basic principles of photography (as well as being familiar with your camera) will enable you to make the most of your gear, and will make a HUGE difference to your images.
Here is a link to one of Thom Hogan's blogs.
He has separate ones for Coolpix (P&S), Nikon Series 1 (and other mirrorless cameras) and Nikon dSLR cameras (including other companies who sell dSLR cameras).
http://www.gearophile.com/
And here is a link to the mirrorless cameras
http://www.sansmirror.com/
Mr. Hogan seems to have his finger on Nikon's camera division pulse.
What I can glean from those sites, it seems that the P&S camera buyers of the past are either buying mobile phones with better and better cameras or moving toward mirrorless, small form factor cameras.
How this all shakes out, no one can really predict.
Nikon, Canon and Sony seem to be moving toward APS-C sensored P&S cameras, pushing the mid-cost P&S cameras out of the game all together.
There seem to be plenty of under $150 P&S cameras available including waterproof ones and there are many expensive P&S bridge cameras which tend to have wide range zoom lenses. Last years 30 x optical zoom bridge cameras are becoming today's 50x bridge cameras.
No matter what type camera you decide to buy, you still need to understand how to make images compelling to the viewer, so understanding how to compose brilliant images is important whether you pay $100 or $40,000 on your camera of choice
NOTE: P&S cameras are mostly introduced about every year, but as before, dSLR entry level cameras seem to have a 18 to 24 month cycle and the professional cameras, closer to five year cycles. All you can do is visit the Nikon website from time to time to see what changes are actually occurring.