Reviewed.com: Nikon P520 superzoom is more of the same

• New this year%3A Higher resolution sensor
• Camera lacks Wi-Fi connectivity

Over the last few generations, Nikon's P-series superzooms have gradually increased their zoom ratios, but done little else in the way of innovation.

The P510 made waves last year with a 42x superzoom. Unfortunately for Nikon, its triumph was short-lived, as Canon jumped to 50x with its SX50 HSand Fujifilm followed with the SL1000.

Spring 2013 brings us the latest iteration in the series: the P520 (MSRP $429.95). For the first time in recent memory, the new model doesn't top the zoom ratio of its predecessor. In fact, its 42x optical zoom appears to be the very same lens used on the P510, and in fact, it appears that the design has barely changed at all. It still looks and handles like a smaller, cheaper-feeling DSLR, complete with a big grip and viewfinder, but without the full complement of manual controls or twisting zoom barrel that the best superzooms offer. Surprisingly, in what is quickly becoming The Year of Connected Cameras, the P520 doesn't have Wi-Fi baked in.

So what's actually different this year? Well, a higher-resolution, 18-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor and fully articulating, 3.2-inch screen are the two big features, along with a host of small, largely inconsequential tweaks to burst shooting and stabilization.

We saw this camera on the showroom floor of the CP+ trade show in Japan last month, so we haven't had the chance to test its image quality in our labs. The P510 was a solid performer in this regard, though we've tested another superzoom with a similar 18-megapixel sensor, and were left relatively unimpressed. We'll have to withhold judgment until we can test it properly.

The Coolpix P520 doesn't do anything wrong, per se. It's the epitome of a superzoom, content to simply meet expectations rather than exceeding them. The P510 was a perfectly decent camera, and the P520 looks like it'll carry on that tradition. If you can deal with less-than-stellar build quality and a point-and-shoot style control scheme, the P520 could prove to be a good value for your dollar.

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