Nikon Coolpix S600
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc. Part number: 25594
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- A good, though not outstanding, compact camera, the Nikon Coolpix S600 is hindered by some shortcomings in its performance and operation.
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Where to buy
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Nikon Coolpix S600 price range: $337.53
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 05/23/2008
- Released on: 02/02/2008
The good: Compact and attractive; very nice outdoor photos; optical image stabilization; relatively wide-angle lens.
The bad: Annoying interface conventions; slow shot-to-shot performance.
The bottom line: A good, though not outstanding, compact camera, the Nikon Coolpix S600 is hindered by some shortcomings in its performance and operation.
I admit to having mixed feelings about the Nikon Coolpix S600. On one hand, it's a very attractive-looking ultracompact capable of producing pretty 10-megapixel photos. But on the other, it's a tad slow and underfeatured with an occasionally annoying interface. Nor is it priced aggressively enough ($150 or less) to make some of these trade-offs more palatable.
True, it's a prettily designed camera. At 5.3 ounces with ultracompact dimensions of 2.1 inches by 3.5 inches by 0.9 inch and encased in an elegant slate-black brushed metal, it fits comfortably in a blazer or pants pocket as well as any social occasion.
Despite its attractiveness and flawed-but-usable controls, the S600's operational flow just annoys the heck out of me. It fails to observe all the generally accepted conventions that help speed shooting with heavily menu-based point-and-shoots. For instance, every menu selection requires a confirmation, rather than assuming that the option you were on when you backed out is your choice. So while on a typical competing snapshot camera it takes two button presses to switch from ISO 100 to ISO 200, with the S600 it takes five. Some competing cameras still require this, so only a partial demerit here. However, to get out of the menu, virtual mode dial, and playback, you've got to press the relevant button again; in contrast, almost every other camera quits those modes when you half-press the shutter button. In total, this just makes for a less pleasurable, occasionally frustrating user experience.
Only the macro, flash, self-timer, and exposure compensation settings have dedicated controls--as with most point and shoots, almost all shooting controls are screen- or menu-based. With a virtual mode dial, you cycle among setup, movie, audio recording, program exposure (scenes), a high-ISO auto (extends autoselection range past ISO 800), and regular autoshooting modes. A menu button pulls up your shooting options: resolution/image quality; white balance; metering (matrix and center weighted); shooting (single, continuous, Best Shot Selector); ISO sensitivity (100 to 3,200), various color options, AF area (center, manual, auto, face priority), and AF mode (single, continuous).
I suppose it doesn't matter that it takes multiple presses to access these options, since most of them are of little use. You really don't want to shoot at higher than ISO 400 with this camera, so forget the high ISO mode. I couldn't get the camera to produce different exposures with the matrix and center-weighted metering; the missing spot-meter option usually makes a handier alternative to either one of those. The BSS can be quite useful--it shoots up to 10 photos as you hold the shutter down, then saves the sharpest of the bunch--but it's also the sort of mode that you want to be able to toggle on and off more quickly than the camera allows. And the face-priority AF is too slow, as well as too erratic, to take seriously. As with most snapshot models, the auto area AF invariably picks the wrong subject; for example, in a photo of two people sitting on a bench, the camera chose to focus on the bench. As usual, I recommend that you eschew all the fancy AF modes and instead use center AF, focus, and recompose. For selecting the appropriate subject, you're still faster than the camera.
The S600 has a nice, wide, optically stabilized f/2.7-5.8 28mm-to-112mm 4x zoom lens, but while shooting you may get frustrated by the lack of the telephoto reach you get with models like Panasonic's Lumix TZ series or, to a lesser extent, some of Sony's W series models.
Although it's one of the faster Coolpix S series cameras we've tested lately, the S600 nevertheless has some sluggish aspects to its performance. It starts up in a flash--only 0.8 second. Individual frames focus and shoot pretty quickly, as well: 0.4 second where there's good contrast and 1.1 seconds when there isn't. However, shooting two frames in a row takes a sluggish 2.1 seconds, about the same as the similarly pokey Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS but far slower than most other competitors. On occasion, an hourglass actually appeared on the screen. Flash shooting doesn't add much time to that, it only jumps to about 2.5 seconds, and actually comes out a bit faster than most of its class. The middling-for-its-market burst rate of 1.3 frames per second, disappointingly short battery life--its CIPA-rated at 160 shots per charge, compared with well over 200 for a typical snapshot camera--plus the slow typical shot-to-shot time drags down the S600's performance rating. On the upside, the camera has a nice 2.7-inch LCD that boasts a relatively wide viewing angle and is easy to see even in direct sunlight.
That said, the S600 produces photos that are generally better than a lot of competitors. It does particularly well in outdoor shots, where it renders saturated, pleasing, and accurate colors. Highlights do tend to blow out, though. For low-detail subject matter in sunlight, you can probably go as high as ISO 800 with little image degradation; in low light, I'd keep that to ISO 400 or lower. However, indoor shots tend to look somewhat overprocessed. There's some distortion, but not more than we expect from a wide-angle lens. Unfortunately, the S600's photos are almost universally just a smidge too soft, and there's no way to control sharpness. And though the camera provides a decent low bit-rate movie mode--30 frames per second VGA at 1.3MB/sec--you can't zoom while recording, which greatly limits its usefulness, and I noticed odd exposure fluctuations during at least one of my clips. (For more details and photo samples, click through the slide show.)
So while the Nikon Coolpix S600 is pretty to look at, fun to hold, and will frequently produce nice photos, disappointing aspects of its performance and operation keep it from getting higher marks. Check out our list of best compact cameras and best ultracompact cameras for some alternatives.
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User reviews
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This camera is horrible!!`
by ssanghvi92 on June 6, 2008
Pros: It turns on quite fast and its shutter speed is not bad....but
Cons: The camera has horrible image producing quality!
Summary: Although the Nikon S600 Coolpix is a highly used camera, its functions and picture quality is horrible. The resolution is nothing compared to one of my favorite cameras the Olympus ...
Summary: Although the Nikon S600 Coolpix is a highly used camera, its functions and picture quality is horrible. The resolution is nothing compared to one of my favorite cameras the Olympus Stylus 1010. The Nikon offers a quick shutter speed and turns on fast yet, the image quality is fairly poor. For better resolution and shutter speed, and an altogether better camera look at the Olympus Stylus 1010, the camera includes a Panoramic Feature. The Nikon may have 10.3 Megapixels but the pictures produced are no better than a 4 Megapixel cam. I bought this camera and exchanged it for the Olympus!!!.....TRUST ME ....OLYMPUS is 10 X better
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very sleek looking camera, many options, slow.
by leenan_23 on May 23, 2009
Pros: The camera takes very nice pictures and you have many options to choose from on how you want the colors to look like, the saturation, etc. Really nice and big screen and very innovative wheel to scroll around through the menu and options.
Cons: The "menu, play, mode, and delete" buttons are very small.
The camera is slow at taking nice, quality pictures in a certain amount of time compared to other cameras.Summary: When I first got this camera, I was very happy with it. It took very nice photos and was very satisfied with it. I take it everywhere with me since ...
Summary: When I first got this camera, I was very happy with it. It took very nice photos and was very satisfied with it. I take it everywhere with me since it is so small and not very bulky and I always take it with me to my brother's basketball games. I use the sports option mode, but it really doesnt do me any good. The camera takes quite a while to take a nice quality picture, and when taking photos at a basketball game, you really wanna get that winning shot. It just wasnt possible with this camera because it was slow. Also, these buttons are very small and require numerous amounts of pressing to be done. I had to ship in my camera twice to try and get this problem fixed to make the camera more usable. At one point, the "play/pause" button refused to work and I was not able to look at the pictures I had taken, play any videos, change certain options on the menu, etc. It was such a hassle! I wish that I could return/exchange this camera because of all the trouble its given me. The warranty doesnt really make up for all the times that I had to ship it to them and having to wait for it to get back to me was very tedious. It took me about a month to get it back; all in all, I would say that this is an okay type of camera to get. But for those of you who are looking for something a bit faster at taking pictures, it'd be wise to look into another product.
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A pretty good (and very small) camera
by Tender_Branson on October 2, 2008
Pros: Great size (literally fits in your pocket)
Turns on in a flash (no pun intended)
Good picture qualityCons: A bit pricey (especially compared to the Canon ELPHs)
Some lag between shots
No viewfinderSummary: Overall, this camera takes good pictures and is very easy to use. I bought it because of its size, and I've been very happy with it. The major improvement ...
Summary: Overall, this camera takes good pictures and is very easy to use. I bought it because of its size, and I've been very happy with it. The major improvement would be to decrease the lag between shots. It's ironic that there's less of a lag between turning the camera on and taking a photo than there is between taking photos.
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great camera and easy to use
by dropem2027 on September 25, 2008
Pros: its small and compact s makes it easy to carry on trips. picture quality is pretty good and has a lot of options.
Cons: takes several menus to get to the photo options but once you do it a few times its like riding a bike
Summary: i have used it for several months and have had no complaints. i know several people that have purchased this along with the 550 and have been very happy with ...
Summary: i have used it for several months and have had no complaints. i know several people that have purchased this along with the 550 and have been very happy with them
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Satisfied, but expected more durability for the price.
by melissaschenk on September 3, 2008
Pros: Lightweight and compact, fits in a small purse or camera pouch. Quick start up. Shoots well in low light despite the constant red-eye. Takes very good landscape shots.
Cons: The body is metal, but the surface finish (which is darker than the metal beneath) is wearing off after only 4.5 months. The button labels are wearing off as well. Red-eye with every single low light shot. Shots are often blurry.
Summary: Cosmetically, I am disappointed that the metal finish and button labels are wearing off. I take good care of this camera and it looks like I have had it for ...
Summary: Cosmetically, I am disappointed that the metal finish and button labels are wearing off. I take good care of this camera and it looks like I have had it for many years. In fact, the digital camera I bought 4 years ago looks newer. Red-eye when using flash, but I find the red-eye reduction mode makes a big difference. Shots are occasionally blurry, especially when there is back light such as a window behind the subject. This occurs even when flash is used. The nature shots are generally quite beautiful, although I have not attempted to blow them up larger than 4x6". I would recommend this camera, but do hope that Nikon makes some improvements on this model in the future.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
- Part number: 25594
- Description: PRODUCT FEATURES: 10.0 Megapixels for stunning prints as large as 16 x 20 inches 4x Optical Wide-Angle Zoom-NIKKOR Glass Lens - versatile zoom range gets you close to the action while still able to capture expansive landscapes Incredible, Bright 2.7-inch Wide Angle of View High Resolution LCD makes it easy to compose and share your pictures Optical VR Image Stabilization minimizes the effect of camera shake Auto adjusts up to ISO 3200 to keep shooting, even in low light All New, Stylish, All-Metal Design slips right into your shirt pocket or purse!
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 3.5 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2.1 in
- Weight 4.6 oz
- Enclosure Color Slate black
- Body Material Steel
Main Features
- Resolution 10 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 10,300,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,000,000 pixels
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, ISO auto (100-800), ISO auto (100-2000)
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Copy, Museum, Sunset, Children, Close-up, Dawn/dusk, Fireworks, Landscape, Back light, Beach/snow, Sports mode, Party/indoor, Portrait mode, Night portrait, Night landscape, Panorama assist
- Special Effects Cool, Sepia, Vivid, Pastel, Portrait, Black & White
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
- Min Shutter Speed 0.7 sec
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Face Detection Yes
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent
- Digital Video Format AVI
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Integrated Memory 45 MB
- Floppy Drive None
- Digital Storage Media None
- Image Storage JPEG 3648 x 2736, JPEG 3072 x 2304, JPEG 2592 x 1944, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1024 x 768, JPEG 640 x 480
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Features AF illuminator
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 5 mm - 20 mm - F/2.7-5.8
- Focal Length 5 mm - 20 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 28 - 112 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 99
- Min Focus Range 19.7 in
- Macro Focus Range 3cm
- Lens Aperture F/2.7-5.8
- Optical Zoom 4 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Construction 6 group(s) / 7 element(s)
- Lens Manufacturer Nikkor
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Additional Features DPOF support, Audio recording, Cropping an image, In-camera red-eye fix, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital image rotation, Face-priority AF function, Camera orientation detection
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities
Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Included Accessories Carrying strap
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable, 1 x A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Nikon EN-EL10
- Supported Battery 1 x Nikon EN-EL10 Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Nikon Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nikon Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.nikonusa.com/
- Address:
1300 Walt Whitman Rd.
Melville, NY 11747 - Phone: 516/547-4200
- Fax: 631-547-4025
