The Nikon COOLPIX P520 is a super-zoom camera with a 42x stabilised range and an 18.1 Megapixel sensor. Launched in January 2013, it replaces the COOLPIX P510, which remains in the Nikon product line-up. The newer P520 retains the earlier model's 24-1000mm f3-5.9 zoom lens, but couples it with an updated sensor that adds two Megapixels to the resolution.
The other major change is the screen; the COOLPIX P510's screen was articulated with a hinge that allowed up and down movement, but the COOLPIX P520's vari-angle screen is now hinged at the side, so you can turn it in any direction including forwards-facing for self-shooting as well as folded inwards for protection when the camera's not in use. At 3.2 inches the screen is also slightly bigger, though with the same 921k dot resolution as before.
Like the earlier model, the COOLPIX P520 includes a built-in GPS receiver which has a database of place names and tags photos with locational information. While it doesn't have built-in Wifi it is compatible with Nikon's Wu-1A Wifi dongle, though with the proliferation of Wifi-equipped cameras now on the market this is a feature that is unlikely to be much of a crowd-puller for the COOLPIX P520.
Though it's actually slightly larger than the model it replaces, the COOLPIX P520 is small for a super-zoom 'bridge' model. Measuring 125.2 x 84.1 x 101.6mm and weighing 550g with a card and battery fitted, it's a half a centimetre wider, a millimetre taller and a millimetre thinner than the COOLPIX P510 which also weighs a few grams more. Alongside the Panasonic Lumix FZ70 / FZ72 it looks very cute and diminutive; the FZ70 / FZ72's dimensions are 130.2x 97 x 118.2mm and it weighs 606g; although of course the FZ70 / FZ72 is packing a longer 60x zoom inside. The same could be said for the 50x Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, though at 122.5 x 87.3 x 105.5 and 595g it's not that much bigger than the COOLPIX P520.
P520 Battery
The COOLPIX P520's combined battery and card compartment is located in the grip and accessed via a door in the base of the camera. It takes the same slim EN-EL5 battery as its predecessor with a power rating of 1100mAh. That delivers enough power to take 200 shots with the COOLPIX P520, down from 240 on the COOLPIX P510 and by any standard a pretty meagre allotment, certainly compared with the PowerShot SX50 HS's 315 shots or the Panasonic Lumix FZ70 / FZ72's more generous 400 shot capacity. Remaining battery power on the COOLPIX P520 is indicated by a three-segment graphic. I found the 200 shot capacity of the COOLPIX P520 quite a limitation, with the low battery indicator appearing all too soon when out shooting for the day. Even for casual snappers, at an event like a wedding, or party the COOLPIX P520 is likely to give up before you're ready to, and that's assuming you have a full charge to begin with. I'd strongly recommend you buy at least one additional battery along with the camera. Look at it this way, with a spare battery you still get only the same shooting capacity as the Lumix FZ70 / FZ72 with a single one.
Lens and Stabilization
There will be few scenarios that the COOLPIX P520's zoom can't cope with, but both the PowerShot SX50 HS and Lumix FZ70 / FZ72 outgun it at the telephoto end of the range by an additional 200mm with a maximum zoom of 1200mm. If you're wondering how much of a difference that makes in practice, take a look at the table below where, in addition to the usual wide angle and telephoto range example I've included a comparison with the 20-1200mm Lumix FZ70 / FZ72. It's worth noting, however, that the COOLPIX P520's higher 18 Megapixel resolution enables you to crop the central 4000 x 3000 portion of the image to provide virtually the same field of view as the Powershot SX50 HS (it makes up a fair bit of ground on the 16 Megapixel FZ70 / FZ72 as well) at the same 12 Megapixel resolution.
Nikon COOLPIX P520
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