Just got this gem of a digital camera. Wow!!! I got a 32 Mb compact flashcard and get 49 pictures at its best image quality. Having used Nikon lenses with Nikon Fs, F2s, and the F4 cameras for quite some time, I consider the images captured by the Nikon Coolpix 900 to closely approach that high level of quality. Never was digital imagery been made so easy without compromises.

I have one major complaint. Using anything less than rechargeable nickel metal-hydride batteries will cost you a fortune in disposable batteries. I would like to get some feedback on users' experiences with rechargeable nicads and alkalines. My experience with alkalines are really bad. Don't even bother with the new rechargeable alkalines - they last all of about 30 seconds. Same goes for nicads.

Use the optional AC adaptor when uploading the images to the computer. Consider getting a PCMCIA adapter (also known as a PC card) when transferring images to your notebook. It's about 8 to 10 times faster than using the serial port. Hopefully, Nikon can come out with updated software and a USB cable. It should allow substantially faster transfers to the computer.

With those caveats in mind, this is a kick-ass camera. You should get a lot of high quality images from the Nikon Coolpix 900.

Roger Rotor (omnitek1@home.com)

-- Roger Rotor (omnitek1@home.com), October 21, 1998

Answers

Hi Roger- Yes, you've found what pretty much every other digicam owner has: Alkaline batteries and digicams just plain don't mix! Check our "deals" page for a link to Thomas Distributing, who presently have the best price on NiMHs we're aware of. (Battery City in LA also sells them for $2.50 each, but I don't think they have the qty discounts that Thomas has.)

-- Dave Etchells (web@imaging-resource.com), October 24, 1998.

Dear Roger:

I got one of those Nikon 900's too. I just bought a set of Olympus Ni-MH batteries and the charger for $50.00 at Penn Camera yesterday. It takes all of two hours to charge the batteries and I've been going strong since about 4 p.m. yesterday and all day today on the same charge. I've taken about 30 or 40 pics, but I've been using the monitor all the time and I still get the full battery icon. So far these things seem like a winner. I'll report back in about a week. I tried those new Ultra Duracells and killed a set of four in about an hour. They are not worth the time. Maybe we can get Quantum to make a power adapter for its excellent Bantam battery (I have two and thery're grrrreat!) for these digital cameras.

-- Marcus J. Wilson (marc53@doubled.com), October 21, 1998.

My experience with Radio Shack Nickle Metal Hydride batteries was poor. They last about five minutes then POOF! The only ones I've had good luck with have been Energizer "Industrial" alkaline, they start at 1.65v vs 1.35 on NMH, or 1.25 for nicad's. My qv5000sx goes dead at 1.16v. The best place to procure Industrial alkalines will be a local "Mill Supply". good luck mhaid@roman.net

-- HW Morehead (mhaid@roman.net), November 25, 1998.