Strengths: Time Lapse Movie Mode is Awesome. Great Compact Digital for the $.

Weaknesses: None in its price range.

Summary: In Time Lapse Movie Mode I filmed a Cicada 080513 emerging from its hard shell and morphing into a noisy flying insect with giant red eyes. Camera was mounted on a tripod and camera operated for hours (not real sure of total time) snapping pics every 30 secs. and when the 2500 mAh batteries died I had a film of 7 secs. which turned out to be the exact time needed for the transformation. I would recommend the AC adapter for anyone using the Time Lapse mode. This is my 3rd Nikon digital: Coolpix 800, D70, and the P50. 800 broke many moons ago, but D70 and P50 are a great combo!

Strengths: Wide-angle lens, AA batteries, optical viewfinder, overall good image quality.

Weaknesses: Very limited "manual" operations, poor display resolution.

Summary: Relatively inexpensive, so you can't ask too much. But I'm glad to say that this camera works very well as a travel mate. Pocket-size, wide-angle lens, AA batteries are all you really need. Easy to hold with one hand. Overall image quality is very good. Blurred shots can result in tele mode (102 mm max focal length). Coolpix P50 offers plenty of image details till 200 ISO. Noise shows up at 400 ISO and, quite obviously, above. I haven't been able to take advantage of the image stabilization (electronic, not optical, vibration reduction): certainly, it's my fault. Compact, well-built, serious body. "Manual" is not very much so. At each focal length, you can manually choose between just two lens apertures (e.g.: 2.8 and 5.6). On the other hand, "Program exposure mode" is very effective: better to relay on it. As usual, the optical viewfinder doesn't cover the whole picture, but in sunny days it's by far a better solution than the 2.4-inch display. At the end of the day I'm satisfied. Among the few pocket-size cameras sporting a 28 mm wide-angle lens, P50 is a relatively cheap and smart choice.