Last update (Sep 06, 2009): Autofocus on the Coolpix P6000 vs Olympus PEN E-P1.
This post is a compilation of Nikon Coolpix P6000 professional and user reviews, owner opinions and experiences, tests, conclusions, ratings and feedback.
Full attribution is given by linking to the source.
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In Thom Hogan’s review of the Olympus Pen E-P1, he has this to say about the AF (autofocus) performance of the Coolpix P6000 vs the EP1:
Overall, the focus system is the one place where the E-P1 doesn’t seem like a DSLR. That may be a critical issue for some of you. For me, my general use of the camera is more compact camera like, thus having compact camera-like focus performance was okay for me. Still, I did some impromptu testing of spontaneous single focus from a moving vehicle: my Coolpix P6000, which I don’t consider a particularly fast focuser, consistently beat the E-P1 from initial shutter press to shutter release. Consistently. And it wasn’t even close, so I didn’t have to measure it with a stopwatch to see the difference.
The P6000 is the “Best advanced camera in smaller size” in Backscatter’s 2009 review
In Backscatter’s Best Underwater Point & Shoot Cameras for 2009 review, the Nikon P6000 was selected as the best camera for divers who would otherwise go for a Canon G10, but wanted the same advanced manual controls and image quality in a smaller camera. The P6000 was also the only camera that offers a “dedicated wide angle lens for topside shooting”. The article goes into great detail on what to look out for when selecting an underwater photography system that is based on compact digital cameras.
The dedicated wide angle lens option being referred to consists of the WC-E76 Wide-angle Converter Lens and UR-E21 Adapter Ring.
Coolpix P6000 tested in DPReview’s Camera Comparison
DPReview tested 7 “enthusiast” digital compact cameras in 2008, and the Nikon P6000 was one of the cameras. It was concluded that the P6000 didn’t deserve a recommendation.