What was Nikon thinking? Obviously Not About Speed...
Written: May 07 '05 (Updated May 07 '05)
Product Rating:
Ease of Use:
Durability:
Battery Life:
Photo Quality:
Shutter Lag
Pros: AF, Flash, D-Lighting, Size, 2.5" LCD Display
Cons: Speed kills what could have been an awesome camera.
The Bottom Line: The slow speed of this camera will take it out of the running for most people. Nikon's 5600, 5900 and the SD400 from Canon are far superior.
critterpusch's Full Review: Nikon COOLPIX S1 Digital Camera
I was really looking forward to the release of the S1. I really expected it to give the Sony T series a run for its money. I was expecting to be impressed.
Boy was I was I wrong...
While it is overall a great camera, (and better then the T series in a lot of ways) the speed definitely takes it out of the running. Something like this can just kill a camera, because it is just so noticeable every time you use it; and noticeable it is. I'm being nice when I say that this camera is slower then dirt- it is not even somewhat fast with the flash turned off. Although start up time is instantaneous, this camera definitely takes the cake for being the slowest camera of the year, and last year for that matter. In all fairness to the camera, I will elaborate on this further. Your initial shutter speed is about average, but you are honestly looking at 1 frame over a period of about 4+ seconds- which is ridiculous in this day and age.
So what is the S1? It is the newest and smallest member of the Nikon Coolpix cameras. At 3/4" thick, with a metal body, it offers ultimate portability and is very sleek looking.
S1 Basics:
5.1 Megapixels
2.5" LCD display
3x Optical/ 4x Digital Zoom
17 Scene Modes~ Including Underwater, Panorama and Sunset
In the box you will find a Hand Strap, USB cable, Audio Video cable, EN-EL8 Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery, EH-63 AC Adapter, COOLSTATION MV-11 Cradle and PictureProject CD-ROM.
Besides the speed, the size of the camera can also be a disadvantage. While it is pretty to look at, it can be too thin at times, causing blurry pictures since there is not a lot to hold onto. This makes getting a good one handed shot near impossible. There is also the issue of getting fingers in front of the lens. It is bound to occur eventually when you grab your camera to take a spur of the moment shot.
It's not all bad though...
The AF on this camera is awesome. While some of you disagree with me, I have found the AF and new Face Priority AF to be great on the 2005 Coolpix Cameras. The emphasis is really on the person and not on the background of the picture. The flash is better then a majority of the P&S cameras out there. Photos taken in low light could be better, but challenging lighting situations are also enhanced with the D- Lighting feature. For those of you who like to do manual manipulations- photos are great at all ISO levels. While this is all good, it will be no help if you miss a Kodak moment because of the lag time between shots.
The Coolstation cradle is a nice add-on from Nikon. I hate crawling around on the floor to connect my camera to the USB every time I want to upload photos- so it's convenient to leave it on the desk and just dock the camera for charging and getting your latest memories.
The photos taken with this camera turned out great, but I really recommend that you use the D-Lighting feature. The low light shots are only mediocre without it. While the pictures are free of aberrations, (purple fringing, vignetting etc.) they can be blurred if you have not mastered taking photos with such a little camera. I know I have made the point about the speed already--- but don't count on this camera unless your photographs are being posed for, it's just too slow to capture lifes unplanned moments.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 379.99 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
5-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints 3x optical zoom with Zoom-Nikkor lens; 2.5-inch LCD display Exclusive Nik...More at Amazon Marketplace
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