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Nikon Coolpix 950/990

The first digital camera I used was the Apple QuickTake 100 that we had in the graphics department of my high school. The first real modern digital camera that I used was my dad’s Nikon Coolpix 950 (possible the 990). This was an innovative camera with a unique swivel body/lens design. Other than horrible chromatic aberration, the image quality of this camera was quite good at the time. Good enough that, in combination with a Nikon Speedlight SB-28DX on a flash bracket, I was able to use it for some of my first commercial digital photography contracts. (The build of Nikon’s Speedlight flashes of the time was superior to Canon’s Speedlites — I quite enjoyed the Nikon kit.)

It was obvious that digital photography was about to eclipse film, so in 2004 I acquired my dad’s not very old Canon EOS 10D DSLR for about $1000 to use with my Canon EF lenses (my dad upgraded to the Canon EOS 20D).

While writing the first edition of this article I mentioned the missing Nikon Coolpix 950/990 to my sister. We used to live together and somehow she ended up with the Nikon when she moved out. She had taken a box of old cameras to the thrift store just a couple of weeks prior. I visited the store, but among the several digital compacts and Nikon DSLRs I did not find the Coolpix 950/990. All I have left is the charger.

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