Nikon S2900 Review

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S2900 Overview

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S2900 Overview
Specifications

Basic Specifications
Full model name:	Nikon Coolpix S2900
Resolution:	20.10 Megapixels
Sensor size:	1/2.3 inch (6.2mm x 4.6mm)
Lens:	5.00x zoom (26-130mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	No / LCD
Native ISO:	80 - 3200
Extended ISO:	80 - 3200
Shutter:	1/1500 - 4 sec
Max Aperture:	3.2
Dimensions:	3.7 x 2.3 x 0.8 in. (95 x 59 x 20 mm)
Weight:	4.2 oz (119 g) includes batteries
MSRP:	$130
Availability:	02/2015
Manufacturer:	Nikon
Full specs:	Nikon S2900 specifications

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20.10 Megapixels	5.00x zoom	1/2.3 inch size sensor

Nikon S2900 Review -- First Impressions

by Mike Tomkins
Preview posted 01/14/2015

The cute, compact-bodied Nikon Coolpix S2900 is offered in black, silver, red or purple versions -- the latter optionally featuring a tattoo-like line-art effect -- and offers an affordable alternative to shooting photos with your smartphone, including the one feature your phone almost certainly lacks: an optical zoom lens.

Based around a 20-megapixel, 1/2.3"-type CCD image sensor, the Coolpix S2900 offers a relatively limited sensitivity range of just ISO 80-1600 equivalents, expandable to ISO 3200 equivalent in Auto mode. Burst performance hasn't been disclosed, but is likely to be fairly sedate as well, thanks to the choice of a CCD imager instead of a CMOS chip.

However, that's likely to pay dividends in pricing. While no pricetag has yet been officially disclosed and there's no equivalent US-market predecessor, Nikon's longer-zoomed 2014 model, the S3600, was affordably priced at just US$140 list in the US market.

The Nikon S2900's 20-megapixel CCD sensor sits behind a handy 5x optical zoom lens. With a maximum aperture of f/3.2-6.5 across the zoom range, the S2900's optic sadly lacks any form of mechanical image stabilization. What it does offer, though, is a 35mm-equivalent focal range that starts from a 26mm wide angle and runs out to a 130mm telephoto in a body that's just 0.8-inches thick.

On the rear panel of the S2900 is a 2.7-inch LCD monitor that's used to frame and review images or movies. It's a bit smaller than average these days, and saves a little more on cost with a resolution of just 320 x 240 pixels, but on the plus side does include five-step brightness control and an anti-reflective coating.

Other features of the Nikon Coolpix S2900 include 720p high-definition movie capture at 30 frames per second, 16 scene modes, a target-finding autofocus system, and a panorama assist function that stitches images automatically in-camera for quick and easy results.

Power comes courtesy of a rechargeable EN-EL19 lithium-ion battery pack, rated as good for 250 shots on a charge. Images and movies are stored in a limited 25MB of internal memory, or on Secure Digital cards, including the higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC types. And you can transfer data from the camera via a USB 2.0 High-Speed connection that also doubles as an NTSC / PAL standard-definition composite video output.

No plans have been announced to sell the Nikon S2900 in the US market at this time. In the UK market, the camera has been launched, but pricing and availability haven't yet been disclosed.