6-megapixel digital camera captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
3x optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
17 programmed mode, 4 with Scene Assist; photograph as close as 1.6 inches in macro mode;
Nikon Exclusive Feature System includes In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, D-Lighting, and more
Stores images on SD memory cards (camera features 12 MB of built-in memory); powered by lithium-ion battery
This review is from: Nikon Coolpix S3 6MP Slim-Design Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Includes Dock)This is a tiny camera that fits pockets, purses and center consoles easily. As such, you are more likely to have this with you than, say, your digital Hasselblad and ten lenses. If aliens land on the street in front of you, you will get the shot on your S3, not on the big camera that is at home. A small camera is also discreet. People tend to react when you point a big impressive looking camera at them, but hardly notice the small S3 rectangle. It does not attract too much attention to itself or me and that is a good thing.There are two ways to use this camera:One is to simply keep it on automatic, shoot lots of shots of well-lit scenes and delete the bad ones. This is a very effective technique used even by many professionals. The automation is hard to beat. Or, one can actually read and understand the manual and practice all the functions again and again until it all becomes second nature. There are lots of modes like portrait and landscape, and even exotic ones for fireworks and such. Each mode has specific automatic settings that optimize the results. Full automatic is just fine for most subjects, but if you want something special, a shot that could really be something, then it is worth the time to get into the proper mode. That is how I have been using the S3 and the results have been fine.Some reviewers complain about blurry shots. No modern camera blurs anything that is still and well-lit. Blur results from slow shutter speeds relative to camera shake or subject movement. The S3's little lens requires a slower shutter speed to compensate, to allow all the light that is needed by the sensors to capture an image. Handheld shots with slow shutter speeds are blurry with any camera.We are used to seeing big serious cameras on tripods and little carefree cameras being used handheld. Actually, it is more likely that the little camera should be the one on the tripod. In addition to their small lenses, their light weight and small size make them harder to hold still. Note, too, that flash freezes movement and eliminates blur. However, tiny cameras have small flashes that do not have much range and so do not work to prevent blur at longer ranges. My first twilight photos with the S3 were attempted with me holding it against trees, pressed to car roofs, etc. The only good results came when I used a tripod and fired it off using the self timer so that human hands were not at all involved. The usual daylight shots of people, scenes and things are not a problemMost of my prints are 4X6 and are really very sharp and well exposed in either the automatic or manual modes. I avoid shots that are not well lit or too far away for flash. The prints are generally much better than what I used to get from 35mm. It is reasonably fast with little lag time or waiting for images to be loaded. The camera itself is metal and very solid and precise. The S3 comes with a little dock with an ac plug to charge it and a usb cable for downloads to your computer. Some people do not like the idea that you have to take the dock with you to recharge and download on the road. To me this is not a problem in that the dock is very small anyway and it is better to have all those connections on the dock rather than on a tiny camera.I have had perfect luck so far with Nikon photographic products and tend to trust that brand, so I bought the S3 over some other very compelling models. Nikon also does a very good job with programming exposure, focus, white balance, etc. I thought about maybe 4 stars because a little light camera can use vibration reduction in all modes, but a really effective and full time VR would likely cost more and I have not missed it anyway.If you need what this camera lacks, then you have to step up to a bigger and much more expensive DSLR. You can spend more, carry more and get more. It works that way with film and it does with digital as well. I would like a DSLR also, but the S3 is an excellent camera with a lot of options to make great photos and it would get a lot of use, even if I had that elusive digital Hasselblad, just because it would always be with me.
This review is from: Nikon Coolpix S3 6MP Slim-Design Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Includes Dock)Just got this camera a few days ago. I've taken several types of pictures so far and don't have any complaints (closeup, scenes, and portraits).I gave the camera to my wife to take a few pictures and like the other revie...
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