Nikon Coolpix B600 Review: A 60x Zoom Camera With Clear Compromises

The Nikon Coolpix B600 is a 2019 bridge camera built around one feature: its huge 60x optical zoom. The 24–1440mm-equivalent lens can frame distant wildlife, architecture and travel details that a phone cannot reach, while the camera remains simpler and smaller than an interchangeable-lens system.

It is now mainly a used-camera option. Its range, stabilisation and straightforward controls remain appealing, but the small sensor, fixed screen, lack of a viewfinder and limited manual control are important compromises.

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Nikon Coolpix B600 review: quick verdict

The B600 is worth considering only if you specifically need a long optical zoom at a modest used price. In daylight, it can be an enjoyable camera for travel, zoo visits, static wildlife and family events. Its 60x NIKKOR lens covers a genuinely useful 24–1440mm-equivalent range, and lens-shift Vibration Reduction helps make hand-held shooting more practical.

However, it is not a pocket camera: it weighs about 500g with battery and card, and its fixed lens creates a substantial bridge-camera body. The 16MP 1/2.3-inch sensor is far less capable in poor light than a modern phone or larger-sensor camera. There is no RAW capture, electronic viewfinder, touchscreen, articulated screen or full manual exposure mode.

Best for	Daylight travel, distant subjects and easy super-telephoto framing
Main strength	60x optical zoom, equivalent to 24–1440mm
Main weakness	Small sensor, fixed rear screen and limited control
Recommendation	Buy only after testing the lens, stabilisation and wireless connection

Design and handling

The B600 measures approximately 122 × 81 × 99mm and weighs around 500g ready to shoot. It is compact for a 1440mm-equivalent zoom, but it belongs in a small bag rather than an ordinary pocket. The pronounced grip is more secure than a slim compact camera, while the side zoom control and Snap-back Zoom button are useful when a subject is difficult to keep framed at long telephoto settings.

The fixed 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD is sharp enough for general use, but it is neither touch-sensitive nor tilting. More importantly, the camera has no viewfinder. Framing on the rear display can be difficult in bright sun, especially at 1440mm-equivalent reach.

60x optical zoom and Vibration Reduction

The 60x lens is the reason to choose this camera. It runs from 4.3–258mm, equivalent to 24–1440mm in full-frame terms, with a maximum aperture of f/3.3–6.5. That covers broad landscapes at the wide end and distant birds, planes or architectural detail at the long end. Four ED elements and one Super ED element are included in the lens construction to help control aberrations.

Lens-shift Vibration Reduction is valuable here, but it cannot freeze a moving animal or compensate for poor technique. At the long end, use good light, steady yourself, allow the camera time to focus and take several frames. Nikon’s 120x Dynamic Fine Zoom extends the apparent reach using digital processing; it is useful for identification or quick sharing, but the 60x optical range gives the best image quality. Our guide to camera shutter speed explains why movement matters so much at long focal lengths.

Image quality and low-light limits

The B600 uses a 16MP back-illuminated 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and records JPEG files only. In bright conditions and at lower ISO settings, photographs can look colourful and detailed enough for social media, modest prints and holiday albums. The camera is much less convincing as light falls: noise reduction, softer fine detail and colour noise become more visible as ISO rises towards its ISO 6400 maximum.

The f/6.5 maximum aperture at full telephoto also means less light reaches the sensor. A long zoom does not turn it into a strong low-light wildlife camera. For cleaner results, keep ISO low whenever possible and understand the trade-off between sensitivity and noise in our guide to camera ISO.

Autofocus, macro and shooting speed

Contrast-detect autofocus is adequate for stationary or predictable subjects in reasonable light, but it is not a dependable action camera. At full zoom, low contrast, subject movement and camera shake all make focus more difficult. The camera can shoot a short burst at up to about 7 frames per second, but it does not offer the tracking performance or sustained speed needed for serious sport or birds in flight.

Macro focus can be as close as approximately 1cm at the wide end. This is useful for flowers, textures and small objects, although the closest focusing distance changes as you zoom. The camera provides scene modes and creative effects, but they are extras rather than a substitute for good light and sound composition.

Video and SnapBridge connectivity

The B600 records Full HD video up to 1080/60i or 30p with stereo sound. Four-axis Hybrid VR can make casual hand-held clips steadier, but video autofocus and image quality are dated beside newer phones and cameras. There is no 4K recording.

Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth work with Nikon SnapBridge for transferring photographs and remote shooting on a compatible smartphone or tablet. The connection is convenient when it works, but it relies on a current compatible phone, app version and permissions. Treat it as a useful feature rather than a guarantee of instant, friction-free sharing.

Battery, storage and used-camera checks

The camera uses an EN-EL12 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, rated for approximately 280 shots under CIPA testing. Actual results vary with temperature, zooming, flash, Wi-Fi and video. It accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.

• Extend the lens through its full range and listen for grinding, hesitation or error messages.
• Test focus, zoom, stabilisation, flash, rear screen, card slot and every button.
• Take photographs at wide angle and maximum telephoto, then inspect them for one-sided blur or lens faults.
• Check that the battery holds charge and that the supplied charger, cable, lens cap and strap are present if they matter to you.
• Pair it with a phone before buying if SnapBridge is important to you.

Key Nikon Coolpix B600 specifications

Sensor	16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS
Lens	60x optical zoom, 24–1440mm equivalent, f/3.3–6.5
Stabilisation	Lens-shift VR; four-axis Hybrid VR for movies
Screen	Fixed 3-inch 921k-dot LCD
Viewfinder	None
Still format	JPEG; no RAW capture
Video	Full HD 1080, stereo sound; no 4K
Wireless	Wi-Fi and Bluetooth via SnapBridge
Battery	EN-EL12; approximately 280 shots
Weight	Approximately 500g with battery and memory card

Nikon’s official B600 page confirms the 16MP sensor, 60x optical zoom and 120x Dynamic Fine Zoom. Nikon’s original launch announcement also details the 19 scene modes and 36 creative effects.

What you need besides the camera

Start with a reliable SD card, a spare EN-EL12 battery and a compact bag that protects the extended lens. A tripod is especially useful for static subjects at the 1440mm-equivalent end, where even small movements affect framing. Our Benro Rhino tripod review covers a portable option and current Amazon availability.

The 30-second decision

Buy the Nikon Coolpix B600 if it is inexpensive, fully working and you want a genuinely long optical zoom for daylight travel, static wildlife and distant detail without learning a complex camera system.

Choose something newer if you need good low-light photographs, a viewfinder, RAW files, 4K video, an articulated screen, dependable action tracking or extensive manual control.

Final verdict: is the Nikon Coolpix B600 worth buying?

The B600 still makes sense as a low-cost used superzoom because its 24–1440mm-equivalent lens remains unusually versatile. It gives beginners a simple route to images that phones cannot frame.

Its limitations are just as real: the small sensor struggles in weak light, the fixed screen and lack of viewfinder make bright-day composition harder, and the camera offers little room to grow creatively. Buy it for its optical reach and convenience, not as a modern all-purpose camera.

Check Nikon Coolpix B600 availability on Amazon.