Nikon Coolpix P510 Review

Main Features

16MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

24-1000 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

Electronic viewfinder

7 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

120 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in GPS

555g. 120 x 83 x 102 mm

Replaced Nikon P500

Replaced by Nikon P520

$379.95

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Nikon P510 Overview

First introduced in July 2012 , Nikon Coolpix P510 is a 16.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor. Nikon replaced the older Nikon P500 with this model and later P510 was replaced with Nikon P520. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon P500
Compare Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon P520
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Nikon Coolpix P510 vs P500 vs P520

Nikon P510 is a member of Nikon's P5XX series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Nikon P5XX Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Nikon P530	2014	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	7.0 fps	123 x 84 x 98mm	494g
Nikon P520	2013	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	7.0 fps	125 x 84 x 102mm	550g
Nikon P510	2012	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	7.0 fps	120 x 83 x 102mm	555g
Nikon P500	2011	12.0MP - 1/2.3"	1.0 fps	116 x 103 x 84mm	494g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Nikon P530 vs P520 vs P510 vs P500

Nikon P510 has an Overall Score of 54/100 and ranked #35 out of 111 in DSLR-Like cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #427 out of 1173 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Nikon P510 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Nikon P510 Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon P510 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Built-in GPS

Face Detection Focusing

921k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

7.0fps Fast Continuous Shooting

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

Timelapse Recording

24mm Wide Angle Lens

1000mm Good Tele Lens

42X Optical Zoom

3D Shooting Capability

Panorama Shooting

120 fps High Speed Video

Buy Nikon P510 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No External Flash Shoe

No Touch Screen

No RAW Shooting

Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200

Only Unknown Focus Points

Low Battery Life: 200 shots

Heavy Body: 555

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.00

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90

Nikon P510 Sensor and Photography Features

Nikon P510 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. P510 has a native ISO range of 100 - 3200 but unfortunately, Nikon P510 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a DSLR-Like camera with a RAW support, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 or Fujifilm FinePix S1 in the same price range.

Nikon P510 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon P510 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Nikon P510's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Nikon P510 Physical Specs

Nikon P510 weighs 555 g (1.22 lb / 19.58 oz) and has external dimensions of 120 x 83 x 102 mm (4.72 x 3.27 x 4.02″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR-Like type cameras is 585g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 102mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Nikon P510

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Nikon P510

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Nikon P510 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon P510, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Nikon P510 with its main competitors:

Nikon P510 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs P510	Thickness	vs P510
Nikon P530	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	494g	61g lighter	98mm	4mm thinner
Nikon P520	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	550g	5g lighter	102mm	equal thickness
Nikon P610	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	565g	10g heavier	107mm	5mm thicker
Nikon P900	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	899g	344g heavier	137mm	35mm thicker
Nikon P500	12.0MP - 1/2.3"	494g	61g lighter	84mm	18mm thinner
Nikon B500	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	541g	14g lighter	95mm	7mm thinner
Nikon P600	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	565g	10g heavier	107mm	5mm thicker
Nikon L840	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	538g	17g lighter	96mm	6mm thinner

Nikon P510 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Nikon P510 Lens

Nikon P510 features a 24-1000 mm F3.0-5.9 41.7× zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 24mm focal length on the wide end and remarkable super telephoto reach at 1000mm.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P510

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

P510

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

With a max aperture of f3.00 at 24mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.90.

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

P510

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

P510

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

P510 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Nikon P510's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Nikon P510 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Nikon P510 has a Tilting 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 921k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

P510 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder.

Max Shutter speed
Nikon P510 can shoot continuously at max speed of 7 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

Flash
Unfortunately P510 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing
Nikon P510 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

Nikon P510 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Nikon P510, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 15,30 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Nikon P510 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

P510 also a high speed mode where it captures videos at 120 fps for ultra slow motion videos. P510 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Nikon P510 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a DSLR-Like camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 or Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect P510 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Nikon P510 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 200 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR-Like type cameras is 354 shots, Nikon P510 has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend P510 owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

Nikon P510

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm HS35EXR with its 600shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Superzoom cameras. Check the comparison of Nikon P510 vs Fujifilm HS35EXR or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Nikon P510 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Nikon P530 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	240shots	No	No	No
Nikon P520 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	200shots	No	No	No
Nikon P610 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon P900 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon P500 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	220shots	No	No	No
Nikon B500 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	600shots	Yes	Yes	No
Nikon P600 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon L840 >>Compare to P510	1920 x 1080	590shots	Yes	No	Yes

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Nikon P510 is $379.95

What type of Photography is Nikon P510 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Nikon P510 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the P510 compares with the average DSLR-Like camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Nikon P510 for Portrait Photography

Nikon P510 has a score of 51 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP

Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe

Read the details of how we scored Nikon P510 for Portrait Photography

Nikon P510 for Street Photography

Nikon P510 has a score of 73 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen

Image Stabilization
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Nikon P510 for Street Photography

Nikon P510 for Sports Photography

Nikon P510 has a score of 51 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
1000 mm Tele Lens

Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Nikon P510 for Sports Photography

Nikon P510 for Daily Photography

Nikon P510 has a score of 53 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

42X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
555g

Body Thickness 102mm
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Nikon P510 for Daily Photography

Nikon P510 for Landscape Photography

Nikon P510 has a score of 40 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Nikon P510 for Landscape Photography

Nikon P510 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Nikon P510 compares with other DSLR-Like cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of P510 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon P510 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Nikon P510

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon P510 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Nikon P530

Compare

Nikon P520

Compare

Nikon P610

Compare

Nikon P900

Compare

Nikon P500

Compare

Nikon B500

Compare

Nikon P600

Compare

Nikon L840

Compare

Nikon P510 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Nikon P510 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Nikon P510's price range.

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Panasonic G7

Compare

Fujifilm X-T100

Compare

Fujifilm X-T10

Compare

Olympus E-M10 MIII

Compare

Olympus E-P5

Compare

Olympus E-M10

Compare

Canon M6

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon P510

Does the Nikon P510 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Nikon P510 have RAW support?
Does the Nikon P510 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Nikon P510 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Nikon P510?
What is the Sensor Size of Nikon P510?
is the Nikon P510 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Nikon P510 have Touch Screen?
Does the Nikon P510 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon P510?

Nikon Coolpix P510 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Nikon
Model	Nikon Coolpix P510
Announced	2012-07-05
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)
Price	$379.95
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-1000 mm (41.7×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range	2cm
Screen
Screen Type	Tilting
Screen Technology	TFT-LCD with Anti-reflection coating
Screen Size	3″
Screen Resolution	921k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	n/a
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow-sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1/2.3"
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4608 x 3456
Max Native ISO	3,200
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	Unknown
Number of Cross Focus Points	0
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (15, 30fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (120, 30fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	555g
Physical Dimensions	120 x 83 x 102mm
Battery Life	200 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	EN-EL5
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes
Timelapse Recording
GPS	BuiltIn
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1