5 comments about Nikon Coolpix S6 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Wi-Fi Capable).

1. I have seen and worked with other digital cameras, and became boggled quite easily with all the options... not to say this one doesn't have them...
   but, really, there are only a few buttons on the camera, and each one of them can get you to everything you need! I was a little scared with setting up the software to download my photos, and it was easy too! Everything was neatly spelled out for me, and extremely friendly. I use my camera every day, and I can get some fabulous up close photos of all the flowers in my garden, including any bugs inside, with the macro option, which is also a breeze to use! Buying and shipping were easy, too!



2. i got my camera back in february of 2007, and have been using it on and off. i also experienced the image stabilization problem, however, and the flash goes crazy sometimes. however the WORST problem happened today, when i was outside taking a picture like normal and the LCD screen just went completely black on me. any subsequent pictures i took all came out black, although i could view the previous pictures with no problem. i have since spent about three hours googling the problem and reading up on what others have to say, and it turns out nikon has this recurring problem with many of its models. most people have had to buy new cameras because the repairs cost about 180 dollars, unless you have a model which is covered under the service advisory that nikon put out regarding this issue. unfortunately, the s6 is NOT covered.
   
   i gave this camera two stars because it was fine while it lasted. it wasn't the greatest, but it definitely screamed sleek and beautiful. i will not be make the mistake of buying another nikon camera again, however.



3. Love it when it works, had to send it in twice already for repair. Would not buy a small Nikon again, love my SLR though from Nikon. You get what you pay for.



4. Pretty nice overall. Great screen! Good video capability! Works with all Windows, Mac, & Linux just fine via USB. The wifi is annoying to use on the camera, and also is only with Windows I think.
   
   Taking pictures in the evening tends to have blurry results (often I am too close or too far for the flash to be much use.). Also, the flash is somewhat overly "hard" (rather than soft), so I don't really like how the pictures look with flash.
   
   I wish it was easier to switch between video and photo modes.



5. Bought this as a present for my wife... works fine as a basic camera with low res video recording as well.
   
   Love the following:
   1. Size of the display screen - Ahhmazing!
   2. handy - small enough to fit comfortably in pockets/ handbags
   3. Simple to use.
   
   Some surprises and disappointments were
   1. Never could get the Wi-fi to work
   2. Flash pictures taken at night have some white spots - I believe it could be due to the fact that the flash is too close to the lens.
   3. While taking videos, the powerful microphone also records the noise of the lens focussing, which can be annoying if shooting in a quiet place without too much ambient noise.
   4. Because there is no viewfinder, shooting in bright sunlight is a challenge - or an act of faith - you just have to trust that the camera will get what you want - but cant see in the bright light!
   
   Will not highly recommend.
   
   Enjoy!

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix 5600 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. The knocks on this camera are true: the flash takes forever to charge and it eats batteries. Also I find the indoor flash really whites everything out. Indoor pictures are not great but outdoors are stunning. People thought my vacation pics were done by a professional. Also in the action mode you can take about 25 pictures in a row without stopping, which gets a lot of the action shots. This camera stands up to a lot of abuse - hiking, beaches, t-ball games, being in the bottom of my bag and the floor of my car. I've owned several Nikon cameras and been happy with them all, this one included. It has lasted for 2 years now with no problems!



2. I bought this camera after alot of research and loosing a WONDERFUL Olympus Stylus digital camera. I have been nothing but disappointed with this Nikon. Outdoors, the camera works fairly well, but indoors it's the pits. No matter how much light you've got in your space, it will always flash, so people can appeared washed out. On the flip side, the flash does not go very far, so photos can appear darker when you don't want that. The biggest con to this camera is the insane amount of time it takes for the flash to recover. I've counted it's 16 seconds, before it's ready to take another pic. This is just unacceptable for Nikon, I expected much better. No way can you expect your subjects to stand around and wait for this camera to ready itself between shots. I have 2 small children, so we rarely get anything good from this camera, as they scoot away too quickly. I agree with other reviewers, about the blurry hand always showing...and it being there makes it SO hard to snap a photo. I deeply regret buying this item, and would not recommend it. There are far better cameras out there for this price.



3. I have had this camera for about one year now. The Good: It takes beautiful pictures outdoors with good lighting. I use lithium batteries and they last a long time. The Bad: It cannot take decent flash pictures of people indoors. The photos are blurry and the color is bad. I have tried every mode that this camera has to offer and nothing seems to work. If anyone knows a way to take decent indoor photos of people I would like to know. Also, I have had no luck taking pictures at night, such as Christmas lights, etc. Also, the recharge is much too slow. People get tired of waiting and move away; especially children. The Ugly: After a year, the lens cover is now starting to stick so I am having trouble getting the lens cover to actually stay open. I guess it's time to try something new.



4. We already had a Nikon Coolpix 5600 and had been very satisfied with it for a number of years. We wanted a second camera so that both of us would be able to take pictures. The immediate thought was to purchase another Nikon 5600. This we did and we have been very pleased with it. They take very good pictures; the camera is fairly rugged; it is small enough so as to not be intrusive in the public and can easily fit into a pant or shirt pocket or a purse. Easily lives up to the reputation of its Nikon heritage.



5. I got this camera as a gift on my birthday two years ago. Needless to say I've asked for a DIFFERENT camera THIS year!
   
   I liked the fact that it was small, and compact. I liked the fact that it took pretty decent pictures.
   
   I did NOT like the fact that the refresh rate between pics (especially with the flash on) took anywhere from 6-12 seconds!!!! That's just ridiculous!
   
   I was CONSTANTLY missing out on really good shots and annoying friends and family members as I asked them to hold on while I waited for it to refresh.... UGH!
   
   I'm switching to a Canon, either the 790IS which I heard has a SUPER fast refresh rate, or the 890IS, which also has a fast refresh rate.
   
   Do yourself a favor and avoid this camera unless you like taking one picture every 30 seconds!

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix L12 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom.

1. With the L12, you get about what you pay for. A camera with VR for under $150 is reasonable, 7MP is about average now, and the image quality is acceptable.
   
   The main problem with the L12 is the frequency of lens errors. I've had a number of these returned at my store for this problem and the display model suffered from the same. The lens will extend, make a clicking sound, and do one of the following: shut off, fail to autofocus properly and still take (blurry) pictures, or an error message will stay on the screen and not allow you to take any pictures.
   
   The L12 has been discontinued from Nikon's lineup and for good reason: There are much better options in this price range with superior features and specs, such as Panasonic's LZ6/LZ7 and Canon's A570IS.



2. It's been a while since I've been motivated enough to bother posting a review, but I'm furious and fed up with Nikon's garbage. I originally had a Coolpix L11, the model one notch below this one. It worked decently enough for about a week, and then suddenly the camera would no longer turn on. The power button did nothing. After eliminating batteries, lack of charge, etc. as possible suspects, I took the camera to an electronics repair shop and was told that the power on\off switch was malfunctioning. The cost to repair it would have been almost enough to buy a new camera, so I chalked it up to "sometimes stuff happens" and let it go. A few months later, my sister received a new camera for herself to replace her outdated one; the new one was another Coolpix L11 identical to mine. Surprise, surprise -- again after a full day's use, the power button suddenly went kablooey and the camera could not be turned on. This time, my father was rightly annoyed about the situation because he'd just bought the camera that morning, so he marched it right back to the store and exchanged it. To my knowledge, the exchanged camera works fine, but that's still 2 Nikon Coolpix cameras in a row with the same manufacturing defect. Now onto my review for the L12. I received an L12 this Christmas to replace my original (dead) L11 with its malfunctioning power button. I took the L12 out of the box for the first time just tonight. Brand new, plastic and shrink wrap and foam covering still intact in the box. Guess what? It won't turn on. The batteries are absolutely brand new and were included in the box. The camera's never been out of its protective wrapping. It's simply defective. The SAME defect that the other TWO Coolpix cameras had.
   
   I'll be returning it later this week and I'm sure the store will make an exchange on a clearly defective product, but at this point, I don't WANT another Coolpix. This line of cameras by Nikon is obviously defective on the manufacturing level and I should not have to waste my time and money buying and exchanging cameras, essentially trying one after another after another until I get one that works. 3 out of 4 defective cameras with the exact same flaw, brand new out of the box, already broken? You have to be kidding me.



3. i bought this camera 3 months ago and it was taking some really great pictures.
   Then suddenly, while i turned it on a week ago, it came up with lens error and made a weird buzzing sound.
   I have researched this problem and it has happened to many people.
   just google nikon coolpix lens error.
   i would highly suggest that you should get a cannon powershot instead of a nikon coolpix.



4. I bought this camera as a Christmas present for my father. I've been the one who has used it the most. It is very user friendly and can be programmed in other languages. The pictures are so crisp! I get compliments on the quality of the pictures all the time.



5. This is a plain, non-technical review for an average user.
   
   I wanted a slim point-and-shoot that would produce fairly good images for max 5x7 prints...
   
   Well, this camera seems to only work well in good sun -which is a typical thing with many cameras...along with the impossible to see display ...I mean you cannot see what you are shooting in a nice sunny day, as the diplayed is washed out.
   
   The image quality is so-so. I probably should have played with the white calibration more, with other numerous setting, but I wanted a point-and-shoot camera, not a cockpit panel.
   
   The battery drain is noticeable. The next-shot speed is AWEFUL..It takes its time to adjust focus... Then it goes into sleep mode every 1 minute if not sooner, so if you are trying to get a shot of your precious grandson when you need an ever-ready camera, this one is not it!
   
   On the positive side, it fits in the hand nicely, has fairly intuitive controls, and is indeed small. The download from internal memory was a breeze. I never bothered to installed the software.
   
   I took three shots under rain and the poor thing died. So glad it did.

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix S1 5.1 MP Slim-Design Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Includes Dock).

1. The Nikon Coolpix S1 camera takes great quality photos and comes in the perfect size. We also purchased the Waterproof case (WP-CP5) to take underwater photos, and I was very pleased with the camera's ability to take high quality pictures there as well. I am very satisfied with our digital camera.



2. First Impressions: The negative is that this camera seems to be less able to take low light pictures without using a flash - the pictures often come out blurred. (My Fuji Finepix cameras excel in low lighting.) This can be helped by steadying the camera on an object, like the back of a chair, or using a tripod. If you want to take a lot of indoor photos without flash, go with a different camera.
   
   However, this camera has some fun features that my Finepix Z1 and Z3 do not have. I LOVE the panorama mode. It helps you "stitch" together several pictures in a row by showing you a template of the edge of the previous picture, so that you can align your shots. Very cool.
   
   Also, it has a stop motion feature. My son enjoys making stop motion videos of his Star Wars action figures, and this camera is great for such an activity. You put it on a tripod, set the timer interval (i.e. every 30 seconds, etc.) and then move the figures. Great fun for kids.
   
   It has the usual scene modes - landscape, portrait, night, etc. Also a "backlight" mode, but it uses the flash on this, so what's the point? If you buy the optional case, it can take underwater shots. Has quite a few framing assists. For example, if taking pictures of a building, it helps you align verticals and horizontals. You can also play with color, as in black and white, sepia, vivid, or "blue-tinted monochrome." ? Must try that!
   
   The camera a thorough manual, in English and Spanish. The rechargeable battery is always a great feature, plus lots of cords and stuff. Takes movie clips and records voices. Stores about 15 pictures in it's internal memory, so you'll need a memory card. But overall, a nice little camera. I wouldn't pay $400, but I'd snap it up at $100.



3. It is the 3 camera that I buy, I like it very mutch.
   But the third one I bought have a problem: the shuter broke almost 3 weeks after I gave it to my daughter and I don't know how to have it fix.Nikon Coolpix S1 5.1 MP Slim-Design Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Includes Dock)



4. This was my first digital camera and I chose Nikon because its well known brand and my father has a profesional Nikon camera that he bought in the 80s and still using it. I loved it and took good care of it. Never drop it nor exposed it to extreme weather. Last spring, my family and I went to Vegas and that's when the inevitable happened. Suddenly the screen went black and every shots I took was black. Our assumption is that the light sensor of the camera failed. I called Nikon and they said warranty only last for 1 year ( at that time, the camera is 1 year and 3 months old) and that I had to pay $150 to fix it. I ended up buying another camera which is an Olympus and never have any problem with it. I was very Dissapointed Nikon!!



5. I purchased this camera before my trip to India. The camera worked a few times, but then the shutter would not function properly while I was in India. I was concerned about the return policy because I would not be returning to the USA until after the allotted return period. I emailed the company and explained my situation. The representative stated that they would be happy to exchange the camera once I returned into the country. When I arrived in the USA, I contacted the company; they provided me with needed information and I sent my camera back. I am now awaiting my replacement camera.

5 comments about Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens.

1. I just got my D40X Oct 2007. I noticed right away how easy it was to use. The photo's come out with brilliant color. The only thing I have to say about it, is that it doesn't work with my old SLR's (film camera) AF lenses. It only uses AF-S lenses. I would have gotten a D80 instead, but my camera came with a lens/bag/acessories package I couldn't refuse...also I love that it has RAW format. "I got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph, so mamma don't take my Kodachrome away."



2. I bought it to take pictures of our new baby and it does not disappoint. I am so glad I did. Great photos indoor or outdoors. If you are a new parent, you MUST buy a DSLR. Do NOT stick with a point-and-shoot. You need that as well for portability, but most of the photos you take will be at home, and even an average DSLR blows any point-and-shoot out of the water in picture quality. And this is one of the best entry level DSLRs.
   
   You can improve picture quality significantly with an external flash, or so I have heard. Have not splurged for one myself yet. The built-in flash seems adequate. But it is on my wish list.
   
   The focus is not quite as sharp as some high end cameras and ones that the pros use, but is still amazing. Colors are very well captured. I wish Nikon included CaptureNX with the Camera rather than selling it separately. Also Raw+Jpeg mode is weak since Jpegs in that mode are just adequate to attach to emails. Not very good at all. The new D60 seems like a good replacement for this camera, although not a whole lot different.
   
   Overall I am very pleased with the Camera and would definitely recommend buying.



3. Best choise in a semi professional camera. You name it she can do it. Recommend also the upgrade Nikon D60.



4. I have owned this camera for a year now. It is an excellent camera. I read through several of the reviews here and wanted to add some comment to some things brought out. Although I am not a professional photographer I do work with digital cameras and have for several years. The D40x is a great choice for people who want the advantages of an SLR camera without some of the pitfalls of such - cumbersome, covered with buttons and requiring multiple settings, etc. just to take a picture. The camera is an advanced technology with its quiet shutter, noiseless focus and great menu system that toggles you through basic settings quickly - ISO, picture quality, white balance (if needed) You do not need to search around for separate dedicated buttons to set these settings. Users know where to go - the toggle. IF YOU leave it on the first menu set known as shooting menu, switching any of these settings is about 3 button presses to your choice of action.
   Those who noted the lens issues and no sports pic shooting, eh, the camera shoots quickly and it is instantly active upon switching power. If you have a lot of Nikon lenses then perhaps the D80 is best and obviously you are more than an average camera user. Do not be concerned about lens availability though. Something else not mentioned is that many of the DX lenses also have VR or vibration reduction. Finally the lack of a depth of field PREVIEW is interesting. I did a search on the internet to actually find out what the importance of such a thing was and found two very detailed descriptions. Basically, according to the first website, "few professionals consider the DOF tool in their arsenal...it is rarely used and often criticized for seemingly making the picture appear darker. It can however allow for a preview of creative shots that make your subject pop and all else seem unimportant" Hmm. Professionals rarely use it? Why then is it so critical on a camera? Further reading and I realized that this feature's purpose is to set the aperture to what you see in the view finder prior to taking the picture. This seems odd though considering the advantage of seeing shots in a viewfinder and also having aperture priority mode AND automatic modes to compensate for such tedious work. Professionals may scoff at my description but the point is that unless you are a professional wanting a highly specific tweak on your depth, this camera will do it. The other website I found had a movie showing the advantage of a depth of field preview. The DOF description was the same except the example was a woman standing in the woods. The woman was focused and the background blurred. All while showing how to press the DOF button while looking through the viewfinder, focusing and shooting. With the D40x you can accomplish the same effect faster by turning the knob to portrait and snapping the picture! You can still work at it if you want with the aperture priority setting. Everything is visible from the viewfinder. I just wanted to bring these important points out because this really is a good camera and when things are mentioned that most people do not know what it is other than "this camera is really missing something" then they check it off their list. The automatic settings on the camera produce fantastic results and are what most people would use anyway. Just don't think the camera can't do it- it can!



5. I absolutely LOVE this camera! At first I was looking to buy the D200, but after receiving the D40x as a gift I wouldn't have it any other way. It's the smallest DSLR on the market which is perfect because I have little hands and it's makes for easy handling. Also, the CCD image sensor is just amazing and makes everything so sharp with the help of the AF 3-area matrix metering system. Quite honestly, I prefer the older 3D color matrix metering II on the D40x and D200 then the newer one on the D300 because the newer system tends to blow out highlights and data is lost where as the older white balance meter tends to show details in the highlights and darken the shadows. Also, the LCD monitor is really big so you can view pictures easier which is awesome and the battery lasts a long time without having to charge all the time (if you don't use the built in flash alot like I do). All in all this is an amazing little camera and it's versatile enough to be used by both novices and semi-professionals.

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix L3 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. Great camera for the price. You can get cameras for more $$$ but you can't beat Nikon quality.



2. I had a Nikon Coolpix 3100 and it lasted me 3 years. It held to be very durable after I had dropped in may times (all on accident) and even stood to being passes around and even having a cup of Coca-Cola spilled on in. Finaly I had to retire it though for no other reason that it was just warn out. When I did retire it I decided that I still wanted a Nikon. If my old one had stood up to all of that surely the newer one would as well and then some.
   Wrong! The battery life is a joke, Lithium E2s hardly last in there and you get no where near the same amount of pictures for the batter life as you would other cameras. After a picture is taken the screen shuts off and you have to wait of it to wake back up before you either take another picture or view the one you just took. I was so thankful that I had the warrenty from Best Buy on it because after only having it 2 months the lends shutter broke and it had not been dropped or anything of that sort. It was not covered by the manufactures warnety but it was with Best Buy. It does take amazing pictures but in my opionion it is not worth all the hastle it takes to get the camera to wake up and do what you want it too.



3. Nikon L3 Highs
   *Sharp, colorful outdoor pictures
   
   Nikon L3 Lows
   *Battery life is horrible, I had to switch to Energizer E squared to fix this
   *Focusing takes roughly four seconds
   *Flash photography leaves foreground overexposed and background underexposed, even after I adjusted the stops.



4. Over the years I have bought and used several different digital camera. This one would have to be my least favorite. If you are taking daylight photos outside it is decent, but if you want to take photos anywhere else forget about it. The photos I take in my own home are all too dark, even with the flash. The dusk/dawn setting is completely useless. I'm not sure exactly what the problem is; maybe the flash is just too weak. Forget about taking anything at night. The photos will not come out at all. The overall picture quality is not all that impressive. Also, the battery life is poor. In general I really wish I hadn't bought this camera. It was a waste of money. I am very disappointed in Nikon. Next time I'll but a Canon.



5. This camera is junk. The lens jams, the shutter time is slow and the time between shots with the flash is super slow. The pictures are often dark with a funny hue. The focus is not great either. The only time it does okay is outside in full sunlight.

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix L14 7.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. I'm very disappointed with all the features of this camera especially considering it's a Nikon. I wanted something simple, and small that i can carry everywhere with me. This cammera is that, no if only it took good pictures. My advice to you is to go with Canon...yes you won't find anything from them in this price range but it's about QUALITY. That is what you'll be paying for and you won't regret it. STAY AWAY FROM NIKON COOLPIX L14.



2. I bought the camera for my daughter's birthday. She loved the brush pink color and the compact size. The camera takes excellent pictures and have not had a problem. She has taken about 300 pictures of the same set of batteries. I also bought a 2 GB card which gave her plenty of room to take pictures and videos. I recommend this camera for a nice point and shoot/ go anywhere camera. One negative aspect- it does take a few seconds between pictures.



3. When my coolpix L3 died after a series of falls, the time came for a new camera. I ended up with the coolpix L14 which looked very nice in blue and took AA batteries so that was great! Then the problems began.......
   The camera started taking the worst pictures I've ever seen in my life!And the shutter lag is unbearable on these cameras.It had more pixels then my previous one, and and sucked worse than the cheaper camera!Unacceptable! When I went on a trip to new york, i had to retake a picture three to four times to get one that might be somewhat clear. All the modes SUCK! No matter which one you use it either blurs, takes forever to reload flash, or comes out extremely dark! I've had it with this camera. Hopefully it will break so the warranty will exchange any camera up to its value. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA! YOU WILL BE SORRY! YOU'RE BETTER OFF WITH THE L3



4. My mother bought this for my daughter as she thought it would be a good camera for her. She did do some research at that time and didn't find anything. I'm having trouble finding reviews anywhere but here but this camera should have been returned from the start! The flash did not work and fast forward in video mode also was not working. We sent it back and it was repaired after WE paid shipping and handling. My daughter took it on a trip, the lens got stuck and just like the other review, it was OUR fault it was damaged. This camera was junk to start with and we should have returned it or demanded a new one. Unable to get anywhere with Nikon as a "manager" looked at it and oh well, go buy another one. I will, another manufacturer. And I thought Nikons were good cameras? Maybe only on the high end. This one stinks.



5. I bought this in Feb 2008 and next month it sarted giving me LENS ERROR, the camera switches off itself after few seconds when powered on(with the LENS ERROR message). I have given it for service. I missed to capture many important event after purchasing this product. Even though I found few review that tells it gives LENS ERROR I went for it thinking it will be very rare, look like is a common problem with this product.

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix S51c 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Silver).

1. We got this camera about 3 months ago. We really like the features and quality - both of the camera and images. But here is the problem. Take 20 pictures of someone (especially children) and guarenteed 19 of them will be with the subjects eyes closed! This is because the camera has NO flash mode where there is not an INCREDIBLY ANNOYING "pre" flash. Call it red eye reduction, call it background fill-flash, whatever you want to call it, 99% of your subjects will blink. Then when the real flash comes, their eyes are closed. The only option without this is to turn the flash off.
   
   The 2nd problem with the camera is it is slow. Slow to focus, slow to snap. Just annoying.
   
   The 3rd problem is the cameras tendancy to get "orbs" in the pictures. Some people think these are ghosts, they are not, they are dust, pollen, dirt, bugs - whatever - lit up by the flash and appear as orbs in the picture. This is especially prevelant with cameras where the flash is close to the lense; it could not be any closer on this camera!
   
   A lot of digitals have these problems so check them all out and return them until you find one that you are happy with!
   
   If it was not too late to return this camera, I would.



2. The camera arrived sooner than I expected, in perfect condition. It is one of the easiest camera's that I have ever used and has features that are great. The screen is large making the images easier to see in most any light and the camera adjusts itself to make picture quality better. It can be hooked up to a TV and view the pictures there and of course they can be e-mailed and downloaded quickly. Great buy. Good price.



3. We have now had this camera for four months and it replaced our Kodak V530. I can honestly say that the Kodak was better. Here's why:
   
   1. The Nikon (compared to the Kodak) produced pictures that were grainy,dark, had poor color saturation, and caused people to blink. The outdoor pictures were flat but otherwise okay.
   
   2. The movie mode is at best terrible. Even on low resolution, there were frame skips, and poor sound. The Kodak never had this problem.
   
   3. The shutter release is very slow. Even if pre-focused, it is slow. Do not use this camera for taking pictures and children's birthday parties.
   
   4. The controls (for a point and shoot) are poorly laid out, and complicated.
   
   I have always thought highly of Nikon but this is a clear miss on their part. Look elsewhere for a point and shoot camera.



4. a great camera ... beautiful still photos and nice video as well.
   the screen is amazing and looks great. It would be nice if wifi was easier to work but once you get the hang of it, uploading wirelessly is pretty awesome!
   
   overall a great camera ... highly recommended.



5. Are you looking for a quality digital camera that takes great high-resolution snapshots? One that easily slides into your pocket? One that is reasonably priced? Well, there are lots to choose from, these days. Give the Nikon Coolpix S51 or S52 consideration.
   
   I am a bit picky and I was looking for something more than simple point and shoot for a recent sightseeing trip to Italy. My days of film cameras are over, but the versatility of an interchangeable-lens 35-mm SLR was on my mind. I loved the Nikon FS2S I used for over 30 years. Yet, the bulk of camera and several lenses—and the cost—was of major concern. What if I dropped an $800 camera or worst, it was stolen? I decided to forego the advantages of a new digital SLR and try getting by with the much cheaper and smaller Coolpix S51C. The model with the "C" has Wi-Fi capability. I'm not a professional photographer, so really good "snapshots" with a bit of creativity better categorized my style this trip.
   
   Here are the things I really like:
   
   First, the picture quality is wonderful for such a camera. The high-resolution setting yields sharp pictures suitable for prints 8"x10" and beyond. Regrettably, there is no RAW format, but the dynamic range has pleased so far. Second, the size and weight. I can't say enough about how great it was to slip the camera into my shirt pocket—a bit heavy there—or pants pocket. Here are some more things I like about this camera:
   - The settings are easy to make with the thumbwheel control and built-in settings software.
   - There are a variety of pre-set modes: landscapes, sunsets, museums, etc.
   - Vibration reduction works surprisingly well.
   - Almost always, exposures are right on. I did find that manually increasing or decreasing exposure helped in a few unusual lighting situations. This is quick and easy to set.
   - The pre-set mode I really like, one you won't find in most other cameras, is panorama assist. This is really neat. Set it and take the first picture. Then one-third edge of that picture appears in the LCD screen, transparent so that you can line up and overlap the next picture. By taking a series of pictures this way you can later create an ultra-wide panorama photo, or if you go all the way around, a 360-degree panorama. Software is provided for stitching pictures together to create the panorama from the individual shots. Traditionally, such pics require a better camera, tripod, and patience. I made several panoramas, even handheld. Works great!
   - Battery life is pretty good. I bought two extras so I would never run out. Since I shot mostly without flash, one fresh battery charge would last much of the day, maybe 100 or more pictures. I'd recommend carrying at least one extra battery and recharging at night. I got a cheap, compact recharger and extra batteries before my trip.
   
   Some so-so features:
   
   - The lens is of fairly typical zoom range. It works well for most shots. There were a few times I wished the telephoto was longer. The digital zoom that goes beyond optical zoom adds lots of pixel noise and is unsatisfactory. I won't use it again unless I see Big Foot or a UFO. As for the wide end, it is just okay; not wide enough for great interiors. I just love really a true wide-angle lens, something comparable to a 21mm on a 35mm film camera, but that is unavailable in this type of camera. Again, the zoom range is average, but the quality is very good—it's a Nikon lens.
   - Memory card. The memory card that comes with the camera is just too small unless you want to shoot just a few pictures at a time or only shoot medium- or low-resolution. I bought a 4 GB high-speed card and am glad I did. It stored almost a thousand hi-res pictures. I did swap out to a second 2 GB card after two weeks and came home with over 1400 photos, never having to offload images to a computer.
   
   And here are a few dislikes:
   
   - The polished metal case is slippery. Use the hand strap or risk dropping it.
   - The lens is in the corner. If you are not careful, you can get your finger in the field when shooting. You will learn how to hold the camera after a number of fumbles.
   - Even when selecting one of the pre-set modes like landscape, the auto-focus takes a moment to adjust itself. The lag between pressing the shutter and taking the picture might be a fraction of a second, but a fraction too late for that great shot. I wish I could turn off auto-focus and have several presets from which to choose.
   - Wireless Wi-Fi. I thought I would be able to transfer pics through my home wireless network to my desktop computer. Not so, or at least I haven't gotten that to work and can't find anything in any manual. I was able to send several pics to the Nikon server called Picturetown. But, that transfer choked because the wireless is just too slow to handle hi-res pictures. Don't count on sending anything but a few low-resolution pictures to grandma via the direct wireless feature. If you don't absolutely need the Wi-Fi feature, save the money and get the cheaper S51 or S52 model that has everything else and is a tad smaller and lighter.
   
   Now, one day, perhaps soon, I'm going to buy a digital SLR—a Nikon, of course. I like looking through a viewfinder and setting focus myself. Most of all I want a great wide-angle lens. But I am very happy with my Coolpix S51C and will continue to use it on many occasions.
   
   Seeing Italy? I know you will be happy. I think you will be happy carrying along a Nikon Coolpix S51 or S52 too.

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix S7c 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. Not a good camera. Terrible in low light. Terrible focusing in low light. Just, all in all, a bad camera. Invested so much time in the whole wireless feature, forgot to perfect the basic camera necessitities. Trust this review, have had several cameras and none have which have been near this frustrating to own. Looks are cool but thats where it stops!



2. I've bought like 3 or 4 Nikon Coolpix S7c, and i've seen the camara has a good funtion but after use for sometime appear on the screen a little point like a lens scratch, this point no is a lcd dead pixel, is a problem on the lens, no is a significative problem, but exist.



3. pros:
   small, good in size, I always keep it in my purse.
   very nice outdoor picture
   
   cons:
   poor auto focus, slow when taking pics, poor in low light
   
   I never use the ISO mode, hate it!
   
   It seems like the CanonSD800 sounds better!



4. I had a Minolta DimageX that died after several years of abuse and great photo's. So looking for a new camera I selected the s7c to use as my next pocket camera based on all great early reviews from the photos sites. I should have waited for user reviews, I hate this camera and the night pictures are bad. I mostly use this for night shots when I am out with friends, dark pictures don't focus well. The red-eye reduction flash is so long that people think you have taken the photo and move by the time the shutter actually goes (if you turn off the red-eye reduction it helps a little, just need to fix it later). The shutter lag is extremely long, it feels like you are there pressing the button for hours - and the button for me is small. Hard to use. So after much experimenting, I am able to get decent night pictures about 75% of the time (I have no complaints about day photos), but if you give this camera to another person to try and take a photo of you, you are almost assured of a bad photo. They will line it up, but it won't come out good, it will be blurry. It takes someone experienced with the camera to get a halfway decent photo.
   
   At this point I long for my 2 megapixel Minolta...



5. Excellent camera. I've been buying and testing so many cameras until I found this one, VR great plus,good pictures on low light, good color quality, 3 inch display, fits in my pocket, lots of features...love it, love it.
   Great looks too

5 comments about Nikon Coolpix S10 6MP Digital Camera with 10x Vibration Reduction Zoom.

1. I had nikons all my life. when i bought my first off this kind nikon (8 years ago) i was very happy with it, unfortunately i haver lost it strait away. then i got s4 and i was not happy. My dad got this model and i had a chance to play with it:) and it matched my expectations. with this model it is possible to use 10x zoom (with s4 no) and night time pictures come out fine (ish). The twisting mechanism broke on my older vertion of camera after a year of usage, though this model is still working and it has been used a lot. i really like the twisting mechanism and it allows to have big zoom, still being quite small in size. Though i would say that it is a bit overpriced. But if you are in love with the twisting and big optical zoom, i think it is the only choice.



2. I bought this camera last year to replace my old, Coolpix 880(I think) that cost twice as much when I got it and took excellent pictures. I didn't think it could be beat, but the Coolpix S10 did it!
   
   As always, the lens is distortion free and the photos are clear with great color, but this camera takes zoom to the limits in this price and megapixel range. I can zoom in on the ducklings in the pond across the street and, with the Vibration Reduction feature, get a perfectly clear photo that looks like a close up on my computer screen.
   
   Last month I was at Salisbury Cathedral in the UK and photographed the Christ medallion at the peak of the West(?) facade. When I put it on my travel Web site, it looked as if I had stood within four feet of it. It just blows my mind!
   
   I recommend this great camera to anyone. It's not mini to carry in a pocket, but the swivel lens makes it easy to take photos high, low or backwards. You can even take movies with sound!
   
   Only two negative criticisms: There is no viewfinder and so it's difficult to see your subject in bright sunlight and the lens cap is pretty chintzy, but costs $8.50 plus shipping to replace. Other than that, if you want a terrific camera in the $250 price range, this is the one for you.



3. excelent zoom, excelent quality, compact for the zoom size. great handling, easy to use. beautiful. the rotating body makes it easy to take pictures of yourself or in awesome angles. pre-programmed modes work really fine and allow you to do well in basically all situations. some manual controls make it fun to operate. some difficulties to focus when in macro mode but you learn how to do it. it misses control of apperture.



4. Amazon's price is more than a hundred dollars higher than the typical price all over the web. What gives, Amazon?
   
   Best feature: the swivel. I would never buy a camera without that.
   
   Disappointments:
   
   Being a 30-year Nikon user, I had high expectations for this camera. But...
   
   First, there is no viewfinder, so that on a bright day it's often impossible to frame a shot because you can't see any image on the digital screen at all. This is a HUGE disadvantage for outdoor photos.
   
   Second, I don't pretend to be an expert on cameras, though I've used them on 6 continents. This camera, which I had for about a year, was often disappointing in terms of graininess and colors. I was predisposed to like it (love Nikon), but it just kept not living up to expectations. I don't expect a zoomed picture to be perfect, but it always seemed that no matter how high I set the quality, results typically required way too much fixing in Photoshop. Very time consuming.
   
   Too often a batch of shots leaned heavily to one main color or another. For example, I shot a "roll" on a boat cruise (lots of water reflection) and ALL the photos, boat deck, other ships on the water, even the cityscape, were almost entirely cyan. Desaturate the cyan, and you had a darn near black & white photo. Someone said I might have had it set for indoor. Doubt it, but in absolute fairness can't stake my life on it. I do know it was on Automatic.
   
   Before this camera, I used an early digital Nikon, a dinosaur by today's standards. But it's only problem was speed. And it was twice as big. Otherwise, it took far better pictures than this one, with much less fiddling around to adjust color and quality after the fact.
   
   Third: There were some things I thought were problems but I haven't used other digital cameras enough to compare. When the camera was set to shoot repeatedly while the shutter was pressed, only about one in ten shots in that mode wasn't blurry, making this feature of limited benefit. That seems odd, given the stabilization feature. Others have already mentioned spots in the pictures. The lens may look clean, and you may wipe it clean, but you'll sometimes get spots on the pictures in their darker areas--more Photoshop time.
   
   Fourth, I realize one cannot drop cameras on sidewalks with impunity... But it was a short fall, from the pocket of the coat I carried at my side. (I once dropped my iPhone from 4 times that distance, leaving a dent in the case, with no harm to the innards.) This relatively minor jarring caused the camera to present an error message when turned on, and it will cost more than $200 to repair it--nearly the cost of the camera (elsewhere on the internet). Given my disappointments over this camera, I will not okay the repair, but purchase a different brand instead... one with a viewfinder, a swivel, and hopefully better photo results.



5. I paid too much for this product. I wanted a Camera that was lightweight with good zoom that I could pack hunting to take pictures of wildlife. It's a little heavier than I wanted, and the zoom is difficult. The LED does not work very well in any kind of light and it really needs a view port. I'm also unhappy with the delay between actually taking the picture and the picture frame. My wife doesn't even want it!