COOLPIX P1000 Zoom Sequence Highlights the Camera's Breathtaking Zoom

Ron Magill, Nikon Ambassador, wildlife photographer and zoologist regularly travels the globe photographing and documenting wildlife. He normally takes his pro gear for these images but in recent years he’s also begun taking bridge-zoom COOLPIX cameras along for the trip. On a recent research trip to the Pantanal in Brazil to study, among other things, jaguars, Ron took along his COOLPIX P1000, “to see if there may be some opportunities to see what it could do in this environment,” he explains.

Ron found the COOLPIX P1000 to be “worth its weight in gold when it comes to versatility and ease of use and transport!”

“When it comes to birds that often fly away before you can get close enough to get the shots you’re hoping for, that 3000mm optical zoom is priceless!” He adds, “It was able to capture some very nice shots for me that were just not possible with my other gear from the distances I had to work with.”

Can You See the Jaguar Hiding in the Tree?

“While working with the jaguar researchers, we were tracking a collared jaguar and found her up in a tree where she was fairly relaxed,” Ron explained. “After getting what I needed with my D5 and D500, I decided to take out the P1000 to do a series for the researchers to illustrate how effectively a jaguar can conceal itself in a tree. If she had not had the radio collar on, we would have never found her!”

Ron stood in front of the tree and took a series of images ranging from the widest focal length to the most powerful optical zoom. “When I showed the series to the researchers, their jaws dropped,” he said. The researchers explained that the camera is an amazing tool for their research, as it will allow you to zoom in enough to get the details of individual jaguar markings to more easily identify the individuals.

In this zoom sequence, you can see effectively a jaguar can blend into its environment.

These images were taken hand-held, from the same position and showcase the staggering range of the camera’s zoom.

Super Telephoto Zoom Bridge Camera Specs

The COOLPIX P1000 features a 16MP CMOS sensor along with a staggering 125x optical zoom (24mm – 3,000mm equivalent in 35mm) and 250x Dynamic Fine Zoom which increases the focal length to a whopping 6,000mm and digital zoom which extends to an unheard of 12,000mm.

The camera shoots JPG and RAW (NRW) file formats, and 4K UHD video along with still images. The COOLPIX P1000 incorporates PSAM modes, Scene Modes (including a Moon mode and Bird mode), Superlapse and Time-Lapse, in-camera special effects and in-camera image editing, and more.

Optional accessories include the DF-M1 Dot Sight and ML-L7 Remote Control. The Dot Sight attaches to the camera’s hot-shoe and assists in acquiring distant subjects by acting as a zoomed-out targeting device. Just line up the subject in the Dot Sight at a normal field of view to easily track it at extreme magnifications.

The ML-L7 Remote Control lets you control various camera functions, such as zoom, aperture, ISO and the camera’s shutter to be triggered remotely.