A Compact Camera Whose Lens Isn't February 6, 2012, 6:06 pm Nikon has announced nine new cameras in its Coolpix line, featuring one with a monstrous zoom that goes from the equivalent of a 24-millimeter wide angle to a 1,000-millimeter telephoto. That flagship camera, the P510, is an advanced point and shoot - one of those neither-fish-nor-fowl contraptions that looks like a small single-lens reflex but does not have an interchangeable lens. Arguably, with its 24-millimeter-to-1,000-millimeter zoom, it doesn't need another lens, but there is a compromise: the lens is slow, between f3 and f5.6, depending on how far it is zoomed out. That cannot be good for low-light capture, even with the 16-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor inside. These backside-illuminated or back-illuminated sensors are becoming more common, and their chief advantage is that they are better in low light than front-illuminated sensors. Is it enough to make up for an f3 lens? Hard to know without handling the camera. Another thing to keep in mind, even with the P510"s antivibration feature turned on, is that anything with a 1,000-millimeter lens will very likely benefit from a tripod. The tremor in your hand from your heartbeat is enough to send the zoomed-out lens hopping. So if you want to take full advantage of the telephoto, include a tripod in your budget. If you plan to use the two-times digital zoom feature, you had better make it a sturdy tripod indeed. The camera does have a handy feature found on some of Nikon's digital single-lens reflex cameras - a swing-out LCD that lets people frame shots easily when the camera is held at an awkward angle. The camera also takes 1080p videos and can record stereo audio. It can also use the zoom lens while recording. There is even built-in GPS to mark where your pictures are taken. Nikon said the P510, in either red or black, will become available this month at a list price of $430.