Nikon Coolpix S10 Review

Click on the Coolpix S10 to take a QuickTime VR tour

Nikon continues the swiveling lens design that made the Coolpix cameras legendary. It all started with the Coolpix 900, one of the first cameras we ever reviewed back in 1998 and continued until 2002 with the Coolpix 4500 which Nikon said would be the last of the swivel-lens models. Nikon revived the design in 2005 with the Coolpix S4 and has further improved it with this year's Coolpix S10.

The Coolpix S10 features a powerful 10x optical zoom with Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, six megapixels of resolution and a large 2.5-inch LCD, all housed in a compact body that fits into a shirt pocket. The powerful optical zoom combined with the swiveling body design of the camera gives digital photographers unprecedented freedom and creativity with the ability to take pictures from a wide range of angles such as from the hip, self-portraits and even from overhead.

The 10x Zoom Nikkor lens delivers 38-380mm (35mm equivalent) focal length coverage to capture extreme close-ups, expansive landscapes and zoom into distant action. With the advantage of Vibration Reduction (VR), the S10 shifts the CCD to overcome camera shake to capture sharper, more stable pictures. With its increased light sensitivity (up to ISO 800), S10 users can get great-looking results in lower light without the need for longer exposures. The body design allows the lens and the 2.5-inch LCD to move independently so users can view their shot from any angle. For comfortable shooting, the S10 features a newly-designed hand grip as well as conveniently placed buttons and controls.

An ample choice of Scene modes makes operation even easier in a wide range of common shooting situations. Simply select the most appropriate mode and the S10 automatically determines and sets the optimum combination of settings. In all, there are 15 Scene modes to choose from and 4 of them feature Scene assist, which helps users to achieve more attractive composition. The S10 adds new entertainment to photography with Nikon's Pictmotion function that lets users combine images, movies, music and visual styles for automatically produced audiovisual shows, in-camera.

The S10 features a One-Touch Portrait Button that provides direct access to three unique Nikon In-Camera Image Innovations to fix common photo problems: Face-priority AF, which automatically finds and focuses on a subject's face, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, which automatically corrects red-eye, and D-Lighting, an innovation that automatically corrects images with insufficient light. The S10 is equipped with Blur Warning, which alerts the user when an image is blurred and Best Shot Selector, a feature that automatically identifies and saves the sharpest image from a series.

The S10 with its supplied EN-EL5 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, can take up to 300 shots on a single charge. The S10 is PictBridge compatible so there's no need to use a computer at all when printing - just connect the camera straight to a PictBridge-compatible printer and print directly easily and without delay.

Coolpix S10 Features:

• 6-megapixel effective CCD for prints up to 13x19 inches
• Swiveling 10x optical zoom (38-380mm in 35mm equivalent)
• Nikon's Vibration Reduction helps prevent camera shake
• 5-area AF with focus assist lamp and 6cm Macro mode
• Large, bright 2.5-inch color monitor with 230,000 pixels
• Program AE and 15 pre-programmed Scene modes
• Face Priority AF for perfect portrait shots
• Single, Continuous, Multi-Shot 16 and Time-lapse shooting modes
• QuickTime movies with audio, up to 640x480 @ 30fps with vibration reduction - length limited only by available memory
• Built-in flash with auto, fill, slow sync, and red-eye reduction
• Nikon's exclusive D-Lighting and In-Camera Red-Eye Fix technology
• TTL Auto White Balance, 5 presets and custom set
• Adjustable color modes and saturation
• Graphical User Interface, icon-based or text menus
• Built-in Help guide displays explanation of menu items
• Exif 2.2 and PictBridge compatible
• Pictmotion lets you combine images, movies, music and visual styles for automatically produced audiovisual shows, in-camera
• SD/SDHC memory card slot and ~16MB internal memory
• Plug-n-Play USB connectivity
• PictBridge direct-print compliant
• One-Touch upload for easy image transfers
• Powered by Li-ion rechargeable battery, good for up to 300 images

Coolpix S10 Specifications