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February 22, 2007
[ REVIEW—NIKON Coolpix S10 ]
NIKON Coolpix S10 digital camera
Price: $600
Highly recommended
The low-down: This 6 megapixel camera is the successor to Nikon’s first consumer digital cameras, created with the split body that carries the lens in one part and the processor and LCD screen in the other.
The S10 has 6 megapixels -- exactly the right number for a compact camera -- and a 38–380mm (film equivalent) zoom lens. The lens zoom and focus mechanism is entirely in-bodym meaning that the lens does not extend as it zooms. And the lens itself is excellent, focussing quickly with just the slightest hesitancy at the long end and producing pin-sharp images.
The sharpness of the images is helped with the vibration reduction mechanism that moves the sensor to counteract camera shake. It works well.
This is the first camera without an optical viewfinder that we have used outdoors without feeling that we were shooting blind. The fact that the LCD can be swivelled in relation to the lens helps to find the best viewing angle in sunlight.
The viewfinder segment can swivel to face forward, a boon for photo-Rembrandts who fancy self-portraits.
The ergonomics of the camera take some getting used to. The shutter release button feels to be in the wrong place. It ought to be where the menu navigation joystick is positioned.
Like this: Image quality is very good and we attribute this in part to Nikon’s decision to stick with 6 mp rather than getting into the pixel war.
Dislike that: The S10 hides some important controls under layers of menu. Not to have instant access to exposure adjustment -- the most frequently used correction in a digital camera -- is inexcusable. The most humble point and shoot cameras put exposure compensation buttons on the camera body.
Parting shot: The S10 is a good camera with some compromises that look as though they have been forced on the designers by the marketing department who want to promise the customer a camera that does all the thinking, right down to recognising a face just in case you don’t know what one looks like!
Posted by terry at February 22, 2007 05:04 AM
Worth Checking Out
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Comments
Terry,
I have one question about the S10 that I cannot find an answer to.
Does it have a tripod mount on the main part of the body? (I have a specific use that this camera may suit but it needs a tripod mount.
Posted by: RichardR at February 22, 2007 10:02 PM
The tripod mount is in the centre of the body's overall width -- that is the complete width of both parts. It is located under the LCD screen section, not under the lens. In theory this means that the tripod mounted camera will have the LCD vertical and the lens section facing forward, but as they can be swivelled to any angle you could mount the camera on a pan and tilt or ball and socket head with the LCD and lens both horizontal.
Posted by: Terry at February 23, 2007 01:27 AM