Nikon Coolpix P330 – Design

As you’d expect from a compact aimed at enthusiasts, the P330 has a full set of manual controls. It does, however, maintain a relatively clutter-free finish and as such is comfortable in operation.

The model’s top plate features a pair of control dials, one of which takes care of the various camera modes while the other is a user assignable command dial. It also features an ‘Fn’ button on the model’s front panel, which is within easy reach when shooting.

On the negative side, the power button is small and recessed in to the camera’s top plate, which makes it hard to use than it ought to be.

Back to the positives, and a slim hump on the front plate compliments a rubberised thumb pad on the rear, with the pair offering a good grip over the camera while shooting.

Throw in a perfectly positioned movie record button and there’s very little to dislike about the P330’s design.

Nikon Coolpix P330 – Performance

The same can’t be said of the P330’s performance. Indeed, there are several issues, most of which concern the camera’s operational and shooting speed.

It’s slow when shooting Raw files alone, but when you capture Raw and JPEG files simultaneously you’ll have to wait a good three to four seconds before the buffer clears and you’re ready to shoot again.

The P330 also takes a good two seconds to start, which is poor for a premium compact like this.  Likewise, even scrolling between menus is sluggish – it feels as if there’s a limit on how quickly you can scroll through menus,  which is just bizarre.

It’s not all bad news with the P330’s performance, however. The camera’s AF system acquires focus promptly at the wide-angle of the lens, only slowing slightly at the tele end of the zoom.

The lens also travels through the focal range rapidly, so you can switch from the wide end to the tele end in a near instant. That’s great, although it does make small tweaks to the zoom awkward.

While the P330’s screen isn’t touchscreen, which is a shame as it would make it easier to use, this aside it’s an excellent and class-leading display for a camera. It’s both bright and clear, and offers a good representation of the captured image in a range of conditions.