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Nikon Coolpix S3 Digital Camera

Camera QuickLook By Mike Pasini Review Date 2/7/2006 User Level Novice - Amateur Product Uses Family / Travel / All Day Carry Digicam Design Point and Shoot Picture Quality Very Good, 6.0-megapixel CCD Print Sizes 11x14s or 8x10s with heavy cropping Availability Now Suggested Retail Price (At introduction) $429.95

Introduction

Nikon Coolpix S3 Review Links Overview Recommended Accessories Design Operation Specifications Conclusion

The new Nikon Coolpix S3 is the company's third digital camera in a small, slim package, following the S1 and S2. The S3 has a larger 2.5 inch LCD and a slightly larger sensor, too.

Feature-wise, both the Nikon Coolpix S3 and S1 fall somewhere between the recent Coolpix 5600 and 5900. Physically, however, the Nikon S3 is compact and extremely pocketable. It has no protruding lens parts, and as a result is unlikely to get snagged anywhere. Its 6.0-megapixel sensor can capture relatively high resolution images, and its 3x zoom lens gives you the focal length flexibility you need to frame your subjects well. All tolled, it's an excellent "take-with-you-everywhere" digital camera. With its range of user-friendly, point & shoot exposure modes, the Nikon Coolpix S3 can handle just about any photo opportunity you're likely to throw at it. Read on for all the details!

 

Camera Overview

Slim and light, the Nikon Coolpix S3 ranks among the smallest digital cameras currently on the market. A camera that can nearly be eclipsed by an ordinary credit card, the Nikon S3 is designed to fit nicely into shirt pockets, pants pockets, and small purses, perfect for anyone as a take-everywhere camera. It's so tiny (weighing just 4.9 ounces or 138 grams with the battery and memory card loaded), I recommend keeping the included wrist strap securely around your wrist when shooting. The automatic lens cover makes it quick on the draw, and eliminates any worry about keeping track of a lens cap. The camera's black body is smooth, attractive and simple. Built into the Nikon Coolpix S3 is a 3x optical zoom lens with ED glass (which stands for Extra-low Dispersion, describing the special glass used in Nikon's finer lens elements to improve optical performance) and a 6.0-megapixel CCD for capturing high quality images, a macro mode capable of focusing as close 1.6 inches, and no fewer than 16 preset shooting modes. Since the camera operates mainly under automatic control, its control layout and menu display are user friendly.

To keep size down the Nikon S3 features no optical viewfinder, only a 2.5-inch color LCD monitor. The camera's 3x, 5.8-17.4mm zoom lens (equivalent to a 35-105mm lens on a 35mm camera, a moderate wide angle to medium telephoto) offers maximum apertures from f/3.0 to f/5.4, depending on the zoom setting, and is made up of twelve elements in ten groups. The camera uses contrast-detection autofocus in normal mode, which ranges from 1.0 feet (30 centimeters) to infinity. Auto Multi-point AF selects the closest object, though it doesn't report more than an AF confirmation dot. In Macro mode, the camera focuses as close as 1.6 inches (4.0 centimeters), and automatically switches to continuous AF mode, focusing constantly when the Shutter button is not half-pressed. (Note that closest focusing is possible only when the lens is set to a fairly narrow range of focal lengths toward the wide-angle end of its range. The zoom indicator that appears at the top of the LCD when zooming and the "tulip" macro icon both turn green when the zoom is set within the optimal range in Macro mode.) Turning on the camera triggers the shutter-like lens cover to open, and an animation plays on the LCD. In addition to its 3x optical zoom, the Nikon Coolpix S3 offers a maximum 4x digital zoom, which lets you "zoom" in even closer (equivalent to a 420mm lens on 35mm camera). As always though, keep in mind that the digital zoom simply enlarges the center pixels of the CCD, resulting in lower image quality. The 6.0-megapixel CCD produces high-resolution images, good enough for printing to 11x14 inches with good detail, as well as lower-resolution images for sending via email or printing as 4x6-inch snapshots.

In keeping with the tradition of the entry-level end of the Coolpix line, the Nikon S3's exposure control is straightforward. Operating mainly under automatic control, the Coolpix S3's user interface is easy to learn. Most of the exposure options are controlled through the multi-page LCD menu system, although a handful of external controls access basic features. A Mode switch on the back of the camera controls the operating mode, with three positions: Auto, Scene, and Movie. The Framing Assist modes are optional in Portrait, Landscape, Sports, and Night Portrait modes under Scene Mode, each offering a range of framing scenarios. For example, under Portrait mode, you can set up the framing for a centered single subject, a single subject off to the right or left, a close-up portrait, two subjects positioned side-by-side, and a figure shot with the camera held in portrait (tall) rather than landscape (wide) orientation. Once a specific setup is chosen, faint yellow subject outlines (these used to be quite bold on earlier models) appear in the LCD monitor to help you line up the shot for the best focus and exposure. Face-priority AF is another option under portrait, where the camera analyses the scene and puts a square around each face it sees, choosing to focus on the face closest to the camera (This is pretty interesting, because if you move the camera, or if the subject moves slowly enough, the square will actually move to follow the face. Sports mode offers enhanced options for capturing fast-paced action, such as a rapid fire mode that captures 16 tiny images in two seconds that form a single 4x4 image mosaic. The Nikon Coolpix S3's other Scene modes are Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Backlight, Panorama Assist, Underwater, and Voice Recording. Each scene mode sets multiple camera options to configure it for the specific type of subject and shooting condition chosen. In Voice Recording mode, you can get about 4 hours 27 minutes of audio on a 128MB card. This wide range of modes makes the Nikon S3 extremely flexible in a variety of conditions, greatly easing the task of bringing home good-looking photos from tricky shooting situations.

Depending on the exposure mode, the Nikon Coolpix S3 offers a few exposure options. Though no mode allows the user to control the aperture or shutter speed directly, the exposure compensation adjustment can be set in Auto mode to deal with high contrast, dark or light subjects. The Exposure Compensation adjustment optionally increases or decreases overall exposure from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments. It is not reported on the LCD display, but the Coolpix S3's shutter speeds range from 1/350 to 2 seconds. A White Balance adjustment offers five preset modes, an Auto setting, and a Custom setting for manually determining the color balance. The Nikon S3 uses a 256-Segment Matrix metering system to determine exposure, evaluating the contrast and brightness across the frame to determine the best exposure. ISO light sensitivity can be manually adjusted to 50, 100, 200, or 400 equivalents, or you can choose the Auto ISO setting. (Note though, that the camera doesn't report its automatically chosen ISO value to the user while shooting.) You can also access Nikon's Best Shot Selector mode, which automatically chooses the least blurry image in a series shot while the Shutter button remains pressed. (The Best Shot Selector feature is one of my all-time favorite digital camera features, as it makes it possible to hand hold even very long exposures by playing the odds that during one of those moments you're going to be still enough to get a sharp image.)

The Nikon Coolpix S3's built-in flash is rated as effective from approximately one to 8.2 feet (0.3 to 2.5 meters) depending on the lens zoom setting, although in my own tests, I found it only marginally usable at 8 feet and ISO 100 with the lens set toward its telephoto position. (Very limited flash range is an unfortunate tradeoff of tiny camera bodies: There just isn't enough room inside for a large flash capacitor.) The S3's flash operates in Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Anytime (Fill) Flash, Flash Cancel, and Slow Sync (night) modes. An option in many modes, Slow Sync combines the flash with slower shutter speeds, letting more of the ambient light into the exposure, making for brighter, more natural-looking night shots. In some Assist and Scene modes though, the flash mode is automatically set for you. Portrait Assist, for example, defaults to Red-Eye Reduction mode but can be overridden, while in Night Portrait Assist the default Red-Eye Reduction can not be overridden. Night Portrait Assist and the Scene modes Night Landscape and Dusk/Dawn also enable an automatic Noise Reduction feature to eliminate excess image noise resulting from the higher ISO sensitivity and longer exposure. Flash is also not available in Sports or Landscape modes. While this panoply of default flash modes and constrained options may sound complicated, the net result is that the Nikon Coolpix S3's scene modes let average users bring back good-looking photos from tricky shooting conditions, while enjoying point & shoot simplicity.

Most digital cameras these days have special red-eye reduction flash modes, which pop the flash (or blink a bright LED) a few times before the shot itself, to make the pupils of your subject's eyes contract a little. This reduces the likelihood that light from the flash will reflect off the insides of the subjects' eyes, causing the dreaded red-eye. The Nikon Coolpix S3 goes quite a bit beyond the simple pre-flash red-eye reduction approach though, as it also incorporates special software inside the camera that can look for and remove red-eye before it saves the images to the memory card. While I don't have a standardized anti-redeye test (for whatever reason, our eyes here at IR just don't seem very prone to redeye), I can attest that the S3's system does indeed seem to remove red-eye very well when it's enabled, versus when it's disabled. The post-processing the camera uses to search for and remove any remaining red-eye did not seem to take an appreciable amount of time.

Another really unique feature of the Nikon S3 is its innovative "D-Lighting" option. This is a Playback-mode option that could be thought of as a "virtual fill-flash," in that it brightens shadow areas. There are a couple of important differences between D-Lighting and on-camera flash though. First and foremost, it brightens all the shadowed areas in the image, regardless of how far they were from the camera (that is, there's no light falloff as you'd have with a flash). A second point is that this is a post-capture option, one that makes a copy of the image with the D-Lighting effect applied, so your original image is undisturbed. On the downside, a third key factor with D-Lighting is that it will make image noise more apparent in the areas that it's brightened.

D-Lighting's effect on images is generally pretty subtle, as you can see from the two examples above (borrowed from my review of the Coolpix 7900 -- the function works identically on the S3.) In the situations where you'd want to use D-Lighting though, subtle is good, you ideally want the image to look natural, as if nothing unusual was done to it. About my only quibble with D-Lighting is that Nikon more or less hid it in the user interface: You access it in Playback mode by pressing and holding down the center button of the multi-controller on the camera's back panel. There's nothing to indicate that the function is there, so if you're not a dedicated reader of instruction manuals (or of our reviews ;-), you could easily miss it.

Other camera features include a Self-Timer mode, which provides a 10-second delay between the time the Shutter button is pressed and when the image is actually captured. A Continuous Shooting mode captures a rapid series of images while the Shutter button is held down, with the actual number of images dependent on the size and quality settings, as well as the amount of memory card space. There's also a Multi-Shot 16 mode, which captures 16 thumbnail images in sequence, arranged in rows of four within a full-sized image. The Nikon Coolpix S3's Movie mode offers four options: TV Movie 640 (640 x 480, 15 fps), Small size 320* (320 x 240 pixels, 15 fps), and Smaller Size 160* (160 x 120, 15 fps), plus Time-lapse movie mode (up to 1,900 still at specified intervals). The actual length of recording time depends only on the amount of available SD card space (there is no arbitrary limit set by the size of the S3's internal buffer memory), and appears in the LCD monitor.

The Nikon Coolpix S3 stores images on SD memory cards, but the standard retail package in the U.S. includes no memory card. There is enough onboard memory, however, to hold up to about 10 "full resolution pictures" according to the box. Files saved to internal memory can be easily copied to an SD card, and vice versa. Given the camera's large 2,816 x 2,112-pixel maximum image size, I strongly recommend picking up at least a 128 to 256MB memory card so you don't miss any important shots. Images are saved in JPEG format, with three compression levels available. A CD-ROM loaded with Picture Project software accompanies the camera, compatible with both Windows and Macintosh platforms (including Windows XP and Mac OS X). Nikon Picture Project provides organization and image editing tools for enhancing images. The camera comes with a slim EN-EL8 lithium-ion battery and a charger. The Coolpix S3 has good battery life for such a compact model, but at 190 frames, you'll definitely want to bring the charger for extended outings. (As always, I recommend picking up a spare battery and keeping it freshly charged at all times, to avoid dead-battery syndrome. - Murphy's law applies double to digital camera batteries - They invariably go dead when you can least afford it.) The optional AC adapter uses a "dummy battery" that slides into the battery compartment. This could be useful for offloading pictures after a long day of shooting, but really isn't necessary for the vast majority of users. Also included with the Nikon Coolpix S3 is a video cable for connecting to a television set for slide shows, and a USB cable for downloading images to a computer.

 

Basic Features

• 6.0-megapixel (effective) CCD delivering image resolutions as high as 2,816 x 2,112 pixels
• 2.5-inch color LCD display
• 3x, 5.8-17.4mm zoom lens (equivalent to a 35-105mm lens on a 35mm camera)
• Maximum aperture f/3.0-f/5.4, depending on lens zoom position
• Shutter speeds from 1/350 to two seconds
• 4x Digital zoom
• Automatic exposure control
• Built-in flash with five modes
• Built-in mic and speaker for recording and playback of sound in videos, plus voice recording
• 12MB internal memory
• SD memory card storage
• Power supplied by lithium ion rechargeable battery, or optional AC adapter
• USB cable for quick connection to a computer
• Video cable for connection to a television set
• Nikon Picture Project software for both Mac and Windows

Special Features

• ED Glass lens
• Contrast-detect through-the-lens AF with AF assist illuminator
• Face-priority AF recognizes faces in a scene and keeps them in focus
• Voice recording mode
• QuickTime movies (with sound)
• Continuous Shooting, Multi-Shot, Multi-Shot 16, and Interval Timer mode.
• Thirteen preset Scene modes, plus four Scene Assist modes.
• Red-Eye Fix automatic red-eye correction.
• Self-timer for delayed shutter release
• Best Shot Selector mode
• Macro (close-up) lens adjustment
• White balance (color) adjustment with seven modes, including a manual setting.
• 256-Segment Matrix metering
• ISO equivalent sensitivity range of 50 to 400
• PictBridge compatibility

 

Recommendation
As one of the two smallest Coolpix models in the line (and one of the smallest digicams on the market), the Nikon Coolpix S3 is a combination of a fine Nikkor 3x ED glass optical zoom lens, a 6.0-megapixel CCD, and a range of automatic, preset shooting modes in a very small and slim digicam. Automatic exposure control lets the camera take charge of all the picky details, although a handful of exposure options provides creative tools when you need them. With its diminutive dimensions, the Nikon Coolpix S3 is great for travel as well as everyday carry, and the range of preset shooting and framing modes anticipates most common shooting conditions. The 2,816 x 2,112 pixel maximum resolution is high enough for making acceptable 11x14-inch photographic prints (or 8x10 prints with some cropping), while the 640 x 480-pixel resolution setting is perfect for sending email attachments over the Internet. The uncomplicated user interface means you won't spend much time learning the camera. Perfect for novice users or anyone looking for a point-and-shoot camera with a slick look, a few extra features, great ease of use, and sharp, colorful photos, the Nikon Coolpix S3 could also serve as a great take-anywhere snapshot camera for more advanced shooters.

 

Design

Slim, trim, and super-tiny, the Nikon Coolpix S3 joins the S1 as the smallest Coolpix model so far (it's not much taller than a credit card). The camera is mostly flat, with no protrusions except for a button or two. Rounded edges soften the flat front and make it comfortable in the hand or pocket. The lack of any grippable surface front or back makes our usual recommendation to use the included wrist strap slightly more emphatic, as there's almost nowhere for your thumb to rest on the back. The Nikon S3's matte black, metal body is offset by shiny silver highlights. High quality Nikkor optics and a 6.0-megapixel CCD give the Coolpix S3 great image quality, and a broad selection of Scene Assist modes makes operation a breeze, even for novice users. The Nikon S3 measures 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches (89.9 x 57.5 x 19.7 millimeters), and weighs 4.87 ounces (138 grams) with battery and memory card, the same as the S1.

The Nikon S3's front panel has the 3x zoom lens, built-in flash, and the self-timer lamp/AF-assist illuminator. A shutter-like lens cover protects the lens when not in use, and automatically slides out of the way when the camera is powered on (eliminating the hassle of keeping track of a lens cap).

On the right side of the Nikon Coolpix S3 is the Secure Digital (SD) memory card compartment and an eyelet for attaching the wrist strap. The SD card compartment door snaps open by inserting a fingernail under the door and pulling toward the back of the camera. The card releases with a downward press.

The opposite side of the camera is bare.

The Shutter button, Power button, Power-on lamp, Mic and Speaker are on the Coolpix S3's top panel.

The remaining external controls are all located on the camera's rear panel, along with the 2.5-inch, TFT color LCD monitor. A Zoom rocker button in the top right corner controls optical and digital zoom, as well as some Playback viewing options. Just right of the LCD is a five-way navigational disk, which accesses Flash, Macro, and Self-Timer options, in addition to navigating menu screens. The Nikon Coolpix S3's nav disk has a separate button in the middle for accepting selections, a solution that is easier than trying to press in the entire disk as we've seen in other cameras. This button can also be pressed to initiate picture transfer when the camera is connected to a computer that has the Nikon software loaded onto it. Just above left of the nav disk is the Menu button, with the Playback button on the lower left. To the right of the Playback button is the Trash button. Beneath all of this is the three way mode switch, with Auto, Scene, and Movie settings.

The Nikon Coolpix S3 has a flat bottom panel. The battery compartment door and plastic tripod mount line up side-by-side, making quick battery changes while mounted to a tripod impossible. This won't likely be a problem for most Coolpix S3 users, though, given the point-and-shoot orientation of the camera. A hinged, plastic door covers the battery compartment, releasing with a slide to the rear. A battery retention latch inside the compartment keeps the Nikon S3's battery from falling free when the door is opened, a welcome feature. Nestled in the battery door is the dock connector port. The included dock allows both charging and image offloading.

The Nikon Coolpix S3 comes with a charging/image-downloading dock called the Cool-Station MV-11. The handy little dock includes power, A/V out, and USB connectors for a complete charging, video line out, and photo upload solution. The S3 sits in the cradle facing toward the cables and tilted downward, so you can see the photos onscreen when it's docked.

 

Camera Operation

Despite the Nikon Coolpix S3's limited exposure control, the camera offers a nice selection of external control buttons, making for an easy-to-navigate user interface. Flash mode, Self-Timer mode, Macro mode, zoom, Record mode, and an Erase function are all accessible via external controls. A slider on the back of the camera selects the main operating mode, and a multi-directional Arrow pad on the back panel navigates through on-screen menus, in addition to accessing camera features directly. The LCD menu system is fairly short, with user-friendly icons in the Scene Assist modes. Operating this camera is so straightforward I doubt you'll need the manual for much more than reference. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to get into the swing of things.

Record Mode LCD Display: In Record mode, the Coolpix S3's LCD reports limited status information, including camera mode, the resolution/quality setting, number of available images, etc. Half-pressing the Shutter button displays a green circle when focus is achieved. The camera doesn't show aperture or shutter speed information as some do. It does tell you when it thinks the image might become blurred by camera shake when it's forced to use a slow shutter speed. The display mode can be changed from the Setup Menu, letting you choose between a viewfinder display of the subject by itself, or the subject with overlaid status information. Some scene mode options provide an overlaid grid as an aid to orienting the camera to your subject, while others offer subject outline as alignment aids for portraits, etc.

Playback Mode LCD Display: In Playback mode, the LCD reports the image series number, resolution/quality setting, file name and folder it's stored in on the memory card, and the date and time of image capture. It also displays an icon if the image is one that's been selected for quick download with Nikon's host software, as well as an icon indicating that you can record an audio note to accompany the image. You can hide the information overlay (except for the storage medium icon) from the Setup menu. A slide show option lets you see the images sequentially, with no overlay on top of them, too. Pressing the Coolpix S3's "W" zoom button zooms out to a four-image thumbnail view of photos stored on the card. Pressing it a second time shows a nine-image thumbnail display. Pressing the zoom control in the telephoto direction zooms in as much as 10x on the subject, handy for checking image details and focus.

 

External Controls

Shutter Button: Just to the right of the power switch, the Shutter button is long and slim. This button sets the Nikon Coolpix S3's exposure when halfway pressed, and releases the shutter when fully pressed. In Playback mode, pressing this button lets you record a short sound caption to accompany the displayed image. If an audio clip has already been recorded, pressing the shutter button plays it back for you.

Power Switch: Nestled in a small recess to the left of the power LED and Shutter button, the power switch turns the camera on and off with a push.

Mode Switch: On the back below the nav disk, this switch selects the Coolpix S3's main operating mode. Choices are Auto, Scene, and Movie modes.

Zoom (W and T) Buttons: Located in the top right corner of the camera's back panel, these buttons control the optical and digital zoom (when enabled) in any record mode. In Playback mode, the "W" button activates the index image display mode, while the "T" button controls digital enlargement of the captured image.

Multi-Directional Five-Way Navigator (Flash, Self-Timer, and Macro Buttons): Just right of the LCD, this button features four arrows, one pointing in each direction. In any Settings menu, the arrow keys navigate through menu selections, and the center button selects.

In Playback mode, the right and left arrows scroll through captured images. If an image has been enlarged in Playback mode, pressing the Coolpix S3's center button lets you save the portion of the image in the frame as a separate file. If you're looking at an unenlarged image in Playback mode, pressing the center button brings up a screen that lets you apply the S3's "D-Lighting" option, which lightens dark shadows and tones down overly bright highlights.

In Record mode, the arrow keys control specific exposure features. The up arrow controls the camera's flash mode, producing a popup menu of options (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Anytime Flash, and Flash Cancel). The left arrow activates the camera's Self-Timer mode, while the bottom arrow activates the Macro focus mode. All of these settings are confirmed by pressing the central button once the selection has been made.

When connected to a computer with Nikon's software loaded, pressing the center button triggers a "one touch" upload of selected images to the computer.

Playback Button: Below and to the left of the Multi-Directional button, this button accesses the camera's Playback mode.

Menu Button: Above left of the Playback button, this button displays the settings menu in any camera mode. It also dismisses the menu display.

Erase Button: Below right of the Nikon Coolpix S3's nav disk, this button pulls up the Erase menu while in Playback or Record mode.

Battery retention slider: Beneath the battery compartment door is a small orange slider that holds the battery in place until it is slid toward the back.

 

Camera Modes and Menus

Auto Record Mode: Activated by sliding the Mode switch left to the Auto position (green camera icon), this mode places the camera in control of both aperture and shutter speed, as well as most other exposure features. Pressing the Menu button displays the following Shooting menu:

• Set-Up: Takes you directly to the Set-Up menu.
• Image Mode: Sets the image resolution and JPEG compression to 6M* High (2,816 x 2,112 with a 1:4 compression ratio), 6M Normal (2,816 x 2,112 with a 1:8 compression ratio), 3M Normal (2,048 x 1,536 with a 1:8 compression ratio), PC screen (1,024 x 768 with a 1:8 compression ratio), or TV screen (640 x 480 with a 1:8 compression ratio).
• White Balance: Chooses from Auto White Balance, Preset for custom presetting of white balance, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, and Flash.
• Exp: Accesses Exposure compensation adjustment, +/- 2 EV in 1/3 steps.
• Continuous: Chooses from Single, Continuous, Multi-Shot 16, and Interval timer capture modes.


• BSS: Best Shot Selector shoots up to 10 shots and picks the one with the least blur from camera shake or poor focus. Flash is automatically turned off in this mode, since it is intended for capture of natural light photos in low light.
• Sensitivity: Selects Auto ISO or sets the camera to 50, 100, 200, or 400.
• Color Options: Sets the color mode to Standard, Vivid, Black and White, Sepia, or Cyanotype.

 

Scene Exposure Mode: The word "Scene" indicates this mode on the Mode switch. Thirteen preset scene modes are available on the Nikon Coolpix S3, by pressing the Menu button. All of the scene modes preset a variety of camera options for you automatically. Four additional options to help with framing your shots.

• Set-Up: Takes you directly to the Set-Up menu.
• Portrait Assist Mode: With an icon depicting a woman in a hat, this mode is best for portraits, and is the first of the camera's Framing Assist modes. In Portrait mode, the camera uses a larger aperture setting to decrease the depth of field, producing a sharply focused subject in front of a slightly blurred background. Pressing the Menu button calls up the Scene Assistance menu, which lets you choose from a range of portrait setups, including basic Portrait, Portrait Left, Portrait Right, Portrait Close-up, Portrait Couple, Portrait Figure, and Face-priority AF. In each of these modes (except basic Portrait and Face-priority AF), an outline appears on the LCD display to help you align the subject. Face-priority AF actually surrounds each face it sees with a red box, and when focus is achieved, the red box of the face chosen for focus turns green.


• Landscape Assist Mode: A mountain scene icon distinguishes Landscape mode. Here, the camera employs a smaller aperture setting to produce sharp detail in both foreground and background objects. As with Portrait mode, the Scene Assistance menu offers a handful of options (accessed as in Portrait mode). Framing options are Landscape (no guidelines), Scenic View (mountain outline), Architecture (grid), Group Right (outlines of people with lines for buildings in the background), and Group Left (also outlines of people with building and horizon lines).
  
• Sports Assist Mode: A figure in action is the icon for Sports mode, which uses faster shutter speeds to freeze action. The Menu button accesses the Scene Assistance menu, with options for Sports, Sport Spectator, and Sport Composite modes. Sport Spectator enables the user to instantly press down on the Shutter button without pausing halfway to focus, and works best with unpredictable subjects within a range of 9.8 feet (3.0 meters). Sport Composite mode takes 16 images in two seconds, each time the Shutter button is pressed, and arranges them in a four-by-four array, much like Multi-Shot 16 mode.
  
• Night Portrait Assist Mode: Indicated by an icon of a person in front of a star, this mode is for twilight and dusk portraits. The flash is automatically set to Auto Red-Eye Reduction mode, and syncs to the slower shutter speed, which allows more ambient light in to balance color and shadows. The camera's ISO setting automatically adjusts as high as ISO 200, depending on the light level (not reported on the LCD screen). And Noise Reduction is turned on. The Scene Assistance menu offers the same framing outlines as in Portrait mode (described above), with the exception of Face-Priority AF.
  
• Party/Indoor: Use to capture background details in situations that require flash. Also good for preserving the look of candlelight or other indoor lighting.
• Beach/Snow: Boosts the exposure to compensate for subjects that are very bright overall.
• Sunset: Preserves the deep colors of sunsets and sunrises. (Likely sets white balance to "daylight" rather than auto, and dials in some negative exposure compensation to get a good exposure on the sky.)
• Dusk/Dawn: Preserves the colors seen in weak natural light seen before dawn or after sunset. The flash is disabled, noise reduction is automatically enabled at slow shutter speeds, and the autofocus-assist illuminator is disabled, even in dim lighting.
• Night Landscape: Combines longer exposures with the "Landscape" mode. Focus is fixed at infinity, and the flash is disabled in this mode. Noise reduction is enabled for long exposures, and the autofocus-assist illuminator is disabled, even in dim lighting.
• Close Up: Adjusts the lens for close-focusing on small objects, apparently also increases color saturation slightly. Autofocus operates continuously until you half-press the shutter button, helpful in focusing on very close subjects. AF-area mode is set to "manual", so you can select what part of the frame you want to focus on by pressing the center button of the multi-controller and moving the focus cursor around the image with the arrow keys. Press the center button again to save the new AF area selection.
• Museum: Enables longer exposure times and higher sensitivity, for indoor situations where you can't use flash. Automatically turns on the Best Shot Selector to help get a sharp image. The autofocus-assist illuminator is disabled, even in dim lighting.
• Fireworks Show: Sets a long exposure and small aperture so you can catch the colored trails of fireworks. Exposure compensation is disabled, and the autofocus-assist illuminator is disabled, even in dim lighting.
• Copy: Sets the color mode to black and white, boosts contrast, and adjusts exposure to produce sharp images of black text (or line drawings) on white backgrounds.
• Backlight: For difficult lighting conditions, when the main light is behind your subject, casting their features into shadow. The flash is set to fire even in bright conditions, to throw light onto the shadowed subject.
• Panorama Assist: Lets you capture a series of images to be stitched together later on a computer as one panoramic image. Flash, macro, and zoom setting are all fixed at their values for the first shot in the series. Likewise, exposure and white balance values are determined by the first shot in the series, to help avoid visible boundaries between the component images in the final panorama, after they've been stitched together.
• Underwater: For use with the marine housing accessory, this mode optimizes images taken underwater.
• Image Mode: Sets the image resolution. Choices are 6M* High (2,816 x 2,112 with a 1:4 compression ratio), 6M Normal (2,816 x 2,112 with a 1:8 compression ratio), 3M Normal (2,048 x 1,536 with a 1:8 compression ratio), PC screen (1,024 x 768 with a 1:8 compression ratio), or TV screen (640 x 480 with a 1:8 compression ratio).
• Voice Recording: Transforms camera into a digital voice recorder that can hold several hours of audio on an SD card.

Movie Mode: This mode is denoted by a movie camera icon on the Mode switch. Movie mode captures moving images at 15 frames per second for as long as the memory card has available space. (Provided that you have a fast enough memory card.) Pressing the Menu button pulls up the following options:

• Set-Up: Takes you directly to the Set-Up menu.
• Movie Options: Sets the movie resolution. Choices are TV Movie (640 x 480 pixels), Small size (320 x 240 pixels), Smaller size (160 x 120), and Time-lapse mode.
• Auto Focus Mode: Selects Continuous AF (camera is always focusing, which uses more battery and makes some moderate repetitive sound) or Single AF (focuses only when shutter button is pressed).
  

Playback Mode: Pressing the Playback button on the Nikon Coolpix S3's back panel instantly enters Playback mode. Here, you can review captured images and movies, erase, enlarge, copy, and protect images, and also set them up for printing. Pressing the Menu button offers the following options:

• Set-Up: Takes you directly to the Set-Up menu.
• Print Set: Sets the DPOF settings for captured images. A "Print Selected" option brings up an index display, letting you mark individual images for printing. Once images are marked, you can decide whether any text is overlaid on the image (such as image information or the date and time). You can also cancel print settings here with the "Delete Print Set" button.
• Slide Show: Automates a slide show of all still images on the memory card with three seconds between shots. You can also enable a looped playback that will play for 30 minutes before the camera goes into standby mode.
• Delete: Erases selected images from the memory card, or all images (except for write-protected ones).
• Protect: Write-protects individual images from accidental erasure or manipulation. An special display of the images on the card appears, with a three image filmstrip across the top and a larger image preview on the bottom, which you scroll through and select images to be "locked." Protected images are only deleted through card formatting.


• Transfer Marking: Marks all images or allows user to select specific images for auto transfer when the camera is connected to a computer running Nikon's software.
• Small Picture: Creates a lower resolution copy of an image with this tool, choosing from 640 x 480, 320 x 240, or 160 x 120. Great for pictures you know you'll want to email.
• Copy: Quickly copy images from internal to external memory or vise versa. Great for images you want to bring along or keep in memory for the startup screen.

Setup Mode: The following Setup menu is accessible from the top of almost all the Coolpix S3's menus:

• Welcome Screen: Chooses the welcome screen that appears at startup, either none, static, or animated, or lets you choose a previously-shot image as a personalized welcome screen.
• Date: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar. The Time Zone option lets you set the time for either your home or a destination city.
• Monitor Settings:
  • Photo Info: Sets the monitor to Show info or Hide info.
  • Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.
• Date imprint: Includes the date, or date and time as part of the image. Options are Off, or to imprint Date, Date and Time, or a Date Counter, showing the number of days since a specific date that you've chosen and entered.


• Sound settings: Can turn on or off the button sound, shutter sound, and startup sound, as well as control the volume.
• Blur Warning: Turns the camera's Blur Warning on and off. (If off, the "camera shake" icon will not appear on the LCD monitor.)
• Auto Off: Enables the Auto Off feature, which automatically shuts down the camera after a period of inactivity, to save battery life. Times are 30 seconds, or 1, 5, or 30 minutes. Sleep mode will put the camera in standby mode after 30 seconds regardless of auto off setting if no change in scene brightness occurs; a press on the power button returns the camera to full readiness.
• Format Card/Memory: Formats the SD card or internal memory, erasing all files (even protected ones).
• Language: Changes the menu language to German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Swedish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, or Korean.


• Interface:
  • USB: Sets the Nikon Coolpix S3's USB protocol to Mass Storage or PTP. The PTP option supports automatic processing of camera images under Windows XP and Mac OS X operating systems (unless you want to mount the camera on the desktop), while Mass Storage is best for older operating systems. Mass Storage makes the camera appear as a hard drive to the operating system when plugged in via the USB cable.
  • Video Mode: Sets the video output to NTSC or PAL timing.
  • Auto Transfer: Choosing On lets you mark pictures for later transfer to a computer as they are taken.
• AF Assist: Disables the AF assist light, or puts it into Auto mode.
• Reset All: Resets all camera settings to their defaults.
• Menus: Sets the menu display mode to Text or Icons.
• Firmware version: Reports version number of firmware (the operating software) running on device.

 

Specifications

See camera specifications here.

 

Picky Details

Cycle times, shutter lag, battery life, etc. can be found here.

 

In the Box

The Nikon Coolpix S3 ships with the following items in the box:

• Coolpix S3 digital camera
• Wrist strap
• Cool-Station MV-11 Cradle
• Power adapter
• USB cable
• A/V cable
• Li-ion rechargeable battery EN-EL8
• PictureProject installer CD
• PictureProject reference manual CD
• Instruction manuals and registration kit

Recommended Accessories

• Large capacity SD/MMC memory card. These days, 128 to 256 MB is a good tradeoff between cost and capacity.
• Small camera case for outdoor and in-bag protection.

 

Recommended Software: Rescue your Photos!
Just as important as an extra memory card is a tool to rescue your images when one of your cards fails at some point in the future. We get a lot of email from readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. Memory card corruption can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's immune. A lot of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive, easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digital camera reviews. The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it. It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue for Windows or PhotoRescue for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the PDF manual and quickstart guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly scheduled review...

 

Test Results

In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For full details on each of the test images, see the Nikon Coolpix S3 Sample Pictures page.

For a look at some more pictorial photos from this camera, check out our Nikon Coolpix S3 Photo Gallery.

Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the Nikon Coolpix S3 with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!

Conclusion

Pro:

Con:

Attractive design, well-built Good accuracy from the LCD viewfinder LCD stays pretty visible under bright lighting (better than average in sunlight) Excellent macro performance, flash works surprisingly well up close High contrast, slightly limited tonal range Very bright color (good if you like bright color) Loads of helpful "assist" options for novices D-lighting feature helpful for shaded subjects Best Shot Selector works well for avoiding motion blur In-camera red-eye reduction seems to work well LCD viewfinder actually works fairly well in low light Good VGA movie mode Underwater case available

Rather soft corners in its images (unfortunately rather common in subcompact digital cameras) Oversaturated reds and blues (a liability if you like more natural-looking color) Skin tones can be rather ruddy looking, overly pink Some image noise even at low ISO settings, but most users won't notice it While relatively "clean," high ISO images are soft Limited low-light capability Very short flash range (a common limitation of subcompact camera models) Shorter than average battery life, although not bad for a subcompact model Higher than average compression on images, even at highest quality Low light focusing requires camera and subject be totally still No exposure info shown on the LCD Red-eye reduction option significantly increases shot to shot time

Free Photo Lessons

Simple pro lighting and use tips let you snap stunning photos. Check out our free Photo School area!

The Coolpix S3 packs a lot of features into its small case, including a 6.0-megapixel CCD with 3x zoom lens, and a large 2.5-inch LCD. Its build is solid, with no creaks, and has a pleasant heft. All the controls and features--with the exception of the SD card door--are well-constructed and give the camera a feel of quality. The Nikon S3 shares some common limitations with other tiny subcompact models, like limited battery life and a tendency to produce soft corners in its images, but these shortcomings represent more or less universal tradeoffs required by the tiny form factor. The Coolpix S3 delivers very bright, snappy-looking photos with vibrant, hue-accurate color and good detail for making large prints. The S3's very bright color will appeal to the majority of consumers, but may be a bit much for those accustomed to the more restrained color of higher-end and professional digital camera models. See our test photos and photo gallery to make up your own mind. The Nikon S3's high-ISO performance was useable up to 5x7, but started to fall apart at 8x10. Still, the ISO 400 setting of the Coolpix S3 should be more than usable for the majority of consumers, particularly if they are making prints 5x7 inches or smaller from the images, but if you need greater quality keep it below ISO 200. As a take-anywhere "pocket" camera, the Nikon S3 performs very well and will make its owner very happy with their purchase. The Nikon CoolPix S3 is a nice subcompact digicam, worthy to be chosen as a "Dave's Pick."

 

More Information

• Review: DC View's Side By Side Review of the Sony Cybershot DSC T7 vs. the Nikon Coolpix S3