The Coolpix A in Gatineau Park

Perhaps you remember my previous blog post about the Voigtlander 40mm that I posted last winter. I wanted to share with you the rest of my experience. I still have the Voigtlander 40mm and I love it so much that I also got the 58mm f1.4 to add on my D700. As I really love wide angle lenses I was thinking of getting the Voigtlander 28mm f2.8, which is the same size as the 40mm. But even if those lenses are pancakes and make my D700 less bulky, it is still not a very pocketable solution.

After hours of thinking and hesitation (as usual with cameras) about getting the Voigtlander or an other alternative, I found a refurbished Coolpix A for a very reasonable price. When this camera was released last year I went to see and try it in my local store and I really liked the feeling.It is a robust and very small camera with a high quality sensor and a nice 28mm (FX equivalent) f2.8 lens. It’s only problem is its price which is debatable.

Anyway, the refurbished price was low enough to make me order it and I received it just before a two-day trip in a yurt in the middle Gatineau Park close to Ottawa, Canada. I took it with me and decided to only use this new camera. I had the D700 in my bag in case the Coolpix A’s battery would be too short, but finally I got enough to cover the whole week end. My experience with the Coolpix A has been really great, the biggest advantage compared to my DSLR is definitively that I don’t disturb people, it is very quiet and discreet in my hand. My main concern was the AF, but by using the Fn1 button set on AF-ON it is quite responsive and I have been satisfied with it. The most important point is that I got pictures that I am happy with. The 28mm if wide enough to be close to people and to get that life feeling. It also captures beautiful landscapes as well as details. The low Iso are very clean, and I used it up to 2000 Iso. The color pops and it fits quite well in my Nikon D700 flow.

You probably understand that I’m happy with my choice. The Coolpix A won’t replace my DSLR, but it will be my little camera option for my every day photo opportunities: 28mm on the Coolpix A and 40mm on the D700.

Here are the photographs of the yurt trip:

In bonus and before continuing with the photographs, here is our feelings about the beautiful Gatineau Park:

« A Million Miles Away Close to Home »

Stepping out of the car I can feel the stress and fatigue of the day soar up to the green leafed canopy and with them, my spirits. I take a deep breath. « It’s so beautiful here. » Our friends have the yurt ready for a 5 à 7. We sit on the deck too long and start cooking too late. The raccoon pops out and is duly shooed. « He’s so cute! » the chipmunk hears for the hundredth time. We take inventory. The dragonflies are gone, but the fireflies are out. We don’t see the turtle, lake snake or fish of early summer, but nor do we see the mosquitoes. A curious spider feels its way along the picnic table. A leech sucks. At night the fires get started all around the shore. Crackling and laughing echo across the water with the call of the loon. A shocking number of stars come out. The longer we stare, the more we see. Far above, a plane flies, a moving star reflected. We see one shooting star, then another. The next day there’s time for one more swim, brunch in the village, ice cream. Twelve minutes later, we’re home. I can’t wait to go back to the lake in the fall.

By Jill in Wonderland.

Thank you for reading. 😉

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