Nikon AW110 Review – Rugged Performer.

Nikon is relatively a new entrant in the world of rugged cameras , it’s original model – the AW100 was announced in the fall of the 2011 and replaced in January 2013 with the announcement of AW110. But being a bit behind the others doesn’t really seem to bother Nikon as they seem to know how good a product they have manufactured , let’s see how well this camera performed in our days of testing it.

The Coolpix AW110 is quite similar to its predecessor, retaining its design, sensor, and lens. But moving on in it’s legacy, the AW110 is more rugged, sports a sharper OLED display, and supports Wi-Fi for easy photo sharing.

Let’s run down the Specifications once :

• 16.0 effective megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor
• F3.9-F4.8, 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens (5X)
• Optical image stabilization
• 3-inch OLED display with 614,000 dots
• Built-in GPS with compass, manometer, landmarks, maps, and tracking
• Waterproof to 18m, shockproof from 2m, freezeproof to -10C
• ‘Action Control’ allows for camera control while wearing gloves
• Wi-Fi allows for image sharing and remote control with smartphones/tablets
• ‘Quick Effects’ lets you choose from a selection of special effects immediately after a photo is taken
• 1080/30p movie mode with stereo sound

This compact camera comes with a GPS, digital compass, altimeter, hydro-barometer, and Wi-Fi. It does look like it’s built for road warriors .

Sensor / Performance

The Coolpix AW110 uses the same 16 megapixel, back-illuminated CMOS sensor as the AW100. BSI sensors, as they are known, promise higher sensitivity than traditional CCD and CMOS designs, by allowing more light to hit the photosites. Add that to it’s Expeed2 Image Processor then not only are photos captured with optimum light , but they are processed and stored faster and the camera seems to be ready to take on more.

The camera has a 5x optical zoom that it accommodates within the body since it avoids moving parts outside the casing. Macro mode is excellent with the camera capable of shooting subjects as close as 1 cm from the lens.

Shooting Modes , Effects:

The AW110 has ample of shooting modes, 7 to be precise –  continuous shooting modes, including two ‘conventional’ modes, another with a pre-shooting cache, and a another with ultra-high frame rates. Also available are Nikon’s Best Shot Selection – which selects the best photo out of a burst of ten – and Multi-Shot 16, which creates a collage out of sixteen photos taken sequentially.

The Coolpix AW110 is unique in that you can apply special effects in three different ways: before the shot, immediately after, and in playback mode. The second feature on that list is called Quick Effects, and when turned on, will let you press the ‘OK’ button to bring up a list of effects that you can apply.

Underwater Test

The AW110 was able to fair well underwater and better than what we expected from a compact camera of this size. The shutter speed and ISO were retained so that lots of detail was captured . If you tend to capture a Blue-ish color cast then a small step can correct that for you – The ViewNX Software from Nikon.

Design

Although it’s a Rugged camera in it’s class, it really doesn’t feel like one – for good! It has a metal plate covering the front , clear markings for GPS and WiFi and he buttons on the back are sharp distinct with a good tactile feedback. The screen on the back is an OLED  with 614,000 dots. Colors not only appear vibrant on the screen but the viewing angles too are quite stunning.

Flash

The AW110’s built-in flash has a maximum flash range of 5.2m at wide-angle and 4.2m at telephoto (at Auto ISO, which maxes out at ISO 1600). The Flash produces well lit images in the dark , red-eye reduction mode can be engaged when shooting faces while other modes can be employed for product photography.

Final Verdict

The Nikon COOLPIX AW110 is a great camera for adventure-seekers and nature lovers who are engaged in a lot of rugged terrain trekking or underwater diving. The camera not only does all that well but its also a pretty good performer. Its rugged build, GPS, electronic compass, hydro-barometer, altimeter and water/dust/shock-proof features combined with the small size and weight make it an ideal camera for road warriors. The camera is able to capture fairly accurate colours and details even underwater. The Camera has a great screen for outdoor viewing, the WiFi lets you seamlessly transfer photos while the creative filters and effects make you want to play around with it for prolonged periods. This camera has more than just a few USPs to beat competition considering the overall price point and feature set.