I'm one of those people who reads the directions on products. Unlike my friend John, who leaves the instruction booklet in the box while he assembles some new toy, I carefully follow the directions step by step.
The Coolpix 5200, at least in its basic, automatic settings, is perfect for someone like John. You can charge and insert the battery and start taking pictures with this camera right out of the box. If you do need help, the quick start guide instructs you on how to view your pictures and upload them onto your computer using the included software CD.
Now, if you want to learn how to use the advanced features -- such as turning off the flash, setting the timer, or recording a movie -- be prepared to hunker down and read the manual. In the week I used the camera, I learned a few of its more useful settings by dutifully looking them up and reading the instructions. But, more often than not, I would end up using the point-and-shoot settings anyway, since they work well for most types of shots.
The pictures are good overall, although outdoor lighting came across slightly better than artificial; likewise, the camera tended to overemphasize red tones (at least on my monitor), giving human flesh a pinkish cast. However, I think that more experience dealing with the camera's digital nuances might improve my results. As for the movie recorder, it's not hard to figure out and works amazingly well compared to other camera videos I've seen.
Bottom line: This camera takes good pictures with plenty of resolution for snapshots. It's easy to use and has a nice price-to-megapixel ratio. Do plan to purchase a memory card, unless you are satisfied taking 12 pictures at a time before uploading them. If I could afford it, I would probably buy it.
