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Nikon Coolpix S4 Review
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Review Summary
Reader Score: 7.86 (out of 10)
Veteran digital shooters waxing nostalgic for the Nikon Coolpix 900 series will cheer for the Coolpix S4's resurrection of the swivel lens after nearly three years. The S4 comes in a more compact package, with 6-megapixel resolution, a 10X zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD, and Nikon's signature ease-of-use features. But a lack of manual controls makes this compact snapshot camera a poor choice for shooting indoors or on the soccer field.
The Nikon Coolpix S4's 10X zoom lens is its most compelling feature, as most superzoom cameras are a bit heftier. Nikon emphasizes telephoto with its 38mm-to-380mm (35mm-camera equivalent) range, sacrificing a wide-angle perspective. Still, the lens autofocuses as close as 1.6 inches in macro mode, and you can choose from center, multipoint, or automatically selected focus zones.
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Other Reviews For This Model
| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| DCResource |
9.00 |
12-08-05 |
Read Full Review
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| "The Coolpix S4 marks the return of the Nikon's swivel-body design, and I missed it. I owned a Coolpix 950 back in the dark ages, and I became a fan of the swivel-body instantly. It comes in handy when you're shooting over people's heads in front of you, or at ground level for cool shots of your pets or kids. Unfortunately Nikon cut a few corners on the S4, and it's not quite as nice as its predecessors. Build quality is okay in most areas, though the cheesy plastic lens cover leaves much to be designed. In terms of ergonomics I have a few complaints. First, there's absolutely nowhere to put your right thumb, which will end up on that large LCD display - I hope you like fingerprints! Second, the four-way controller is a little clunky, but that's just my opinion." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| LetsGoDigital |
9.00 |
10-29-05 |
Read Full Review
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| Hands-on preview: The Nikon S4 digital camera delivers the imaging capability of 6.0 effective Megapixels, producing quality shots that remain impressive even when considerably enlarged. Despite offering such stunning imaging performance, the Coolpix S4 is designed to fit comfortably in the hand, with the swiveling section neatly enclosing and protecting the powerful zoom lens and a zoom lever located on the top of the body for easy operation. The Nikon Coolpix S4 also features a new grip design that boosts the user's confidence when shooting. A large, bright 2.5-inch LCD makes it easy to compose pictures and simple to play back the results on the spot. The Coolpix S4 is designed to be highly portable, with a slim 37mm depth and a light weight of 205g. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Imaging-Resource |
8.20 |
11-03-05 |
Read Full Review
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| Nikon's Coolpix line of consumer digital cameras has always been well-received and greatly appreciated for its overall image quality and ease of use. The Nikon Coolpix S4 packs a lot of features, including a 6.0-megapixel CCD with 10x zoom lens, and a surprisingly large 2.5-inch LCD into a fairly compact package. For the average consumer willing to delve just slightly deeper than just pushing the button, its extensive scene modes and unique framing-assist options greatly extend its capabilities, making it easy to bring back good-looking shots of what might otherwise be difficult subjects. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Megapixel |
8.15 |
10-18-05 |
Read Full Review
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| A camera design that makes use of a split body is not new to Nikon. In fact, one of the cameras that launched the digital revolution in photography was the Coolpix 900, reviewed in these pages when megapixel was barely 2 months old, in December 1998. The Coolpix S4, offering a 6-megapixel resolution and a 10X zoom lens, is only the latest to use the concept. Metal clad and finished in a mix of brushed steel and chrome, the Coolpix S4's body is gently curved in the front and flat in the back, the lens section bulging out to accommodate the 10X zoom. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| PC Magazine |
8.00 |
12-12-05 |
Read Full Review
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| Nikon's latest superzoom, the Nikon Coolpix S4, is designed so that the lens and the body can rotate independently of each other. This swiveling design was first introduced on the Coolpix 900 a number of years ago, and the last Nikon to have it was the 4X optical Coolpix 4500. It's a wonderful design, especially useful for Hail Mary shots or shooting over crowds. Unfortunately, we found the pictures taken with the S4 to be a bit disappointing. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Digital Camera Info |
7.00 |
12-17-05 |
Read Full Review
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| "Nikon returned to the pivoting-lens design of its Coolpix 900 series for their latest ultra zoom camera, the 6 megapixel Coolpix S4. Built around a 6.3 to 63mm lens (equivalent to a 38-380mm zoom on a 35mm camera) and a 1/2.5-inch imaging chip, the 4.4 x 2.7 x 1.4-inch S4 offers shooting versatility in a portable package. While many ultra zoom cameras strive to imitate the styling of DSLRs, the design of 10x optical zoom Nikon Coolpix S4 suggests that it is really more of a compact point-and-shoot at heart.
The Coolpix S4 is clearly a snapshooter's camera, though one with an extended lens. It's not a DSLR replacement – there's no pretense that the S4 is a viable alternative to a Nikon D50 or a Canon Digital Rebel. It lacks the speed, image quality, and control of those cameras, and it doesn't offer the stuff strong ultra zoom cameras can lord over DSLRs: image stabilization and a useful video mode." |
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