Nikon Unvelis CoolPix P7100 and AW100

Nikon today announced a series of new Coolpix cameras, including the Nikon COOLPIX P7100, the top of the line Coolpix camera and the AW100/AW100s, Nikon's entry into shockproof/waterproof cameras.

The P7100, which lists for $500 and will be available in September, has upgraded the shutter lag and response time.  The camera is said to be able to acquire focus in .16 seconds and has a shooting time lag of .22 seconds which makes it a fast P&S.  The camera has improved noise reduction.  The P7100 sports a lens that is equal to a 28-200mm lens, with f/stops ranging from  f/2.8 to 5.6.  Though not a speed demon (about 1.8 FPS), its relatively small size and weight, and strong features (including 720P movie capture and an external stereo microphone (the ME-1) has put this on my to-look-at-list to replace my Canon G9. It seems to address everything I wish was in my G9.

The AW series, which is waterproof to 33feet/10 meters, features a 16 Megapizel camera, GPS and is shockproof up to a 1.5 Meter fall.  It has a lens range of 28-140 and shoots video at 1920 x 1080, though it does not capture RAW images.  It is available in a range of colors, including Orange which reminds me of the older Nikonos cameras.

Other CoolPix releases from Nikon today include the S8200, the S6200 and the S100 which update other aspects of the Nikon line.  More information on all the models can be found at Nikon's Website.