Nikon CoolPix S630 (jet black)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc. Part number: 26156
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Nikon Coolpix S630 puts a little extra zoom in your pocket, but you might not find the high-resolution photos it shoots out pleasurable.
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CNET editors' review
Nikon CoolPix S630 (jet black) price range: $195.04 - $269.99
- Reviewed by: Joshua Goldman
- Reviewed on: 03/19/2009
- Released on: 02/20/2009
The good: Excellent design; 7x optical zoom in a compact body; ISO range limiter; good photo quality up to ISO 400.
The bad: Slow performance; photos can look over-processed, soft.
The bottom line: The Nikon Coolpix S630 puts a little extra zoom in your pocket, but you might not find the high-resolution photos it shoots out pleasurable.
The Nikon Coolpix S630 is a nice camera. In fact, it's so nice it borders on bland, but is saved from being so by a 7x optical zoom. The photo quality is pleasant enough (though not perfect), its design is excellent, and it has a respectable set of shooting options. It could be a little faster, but otherwise the S630 is just a good compact with some extra zoom range and there's nothing wrong with that.
| Key specs | Nikon Coolpix S630 |
| Price (MSRP) | $279.95 |
| Dimensions | 3.8 inches wide by 2.3 inches high by 1.0 inch deep |
| Weight (with battery and media) | 5.7 ounces |
| Megapixels, image sensor size, type | 12 megapixels, 1/2.33-inch CCD |
| LCD size, resolution | 2.7-inch LCD, 230K dots |
| Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) | 7X, f3.5-5.3, 37-260mm (35mm equivalent) |
| File format (still/video) | JPEG/Motion JPEG |
| Highest resolution size (still/video) | 4,000x3,000 pixels (4:3)/640x480 at 30fps (16:9) |
| Image stabilization type | Optical and electronic |
| Battery type, rated life | Li-ion rechargeable, 220 shots |
The S630 is a little thicker than usual for Nikon's S-series cameras. That extra depth is for the 7x zoom lens out front, but it doesn't stop this camera from easily fitting in a pocket or small handbag. Available in five colors--black, blue, purple, silver, and red--it looks more stylish head-on than from the back where things get more functional. The right side swoops out a bit leaving a large thumb rest that was appreciated more and more while using the zoom ring around the shutter button on top of the camera.
Below that are the Mode and Play buttons followed by a scroll wheel/directional pad and two more buttons for the settings menu and deleting photos while shooting or in playback. Controls are very straightforward and even if the menus aren't much to look at, they're easy to navigate and a simple tug to the right on the zoom pulls up the Help system. Plus, you can get through them as fast or slow as you want with either the scroll wheel or directional pad.
| General shooting options | Nikon Coolpix S630 |
| ISO sensitivity (full resolution) | Auto, Fixed-range auto (ISO 64-200, 64-400); 64; 100; 200; 400; 800; 1,600 |
| White balance | Auto, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash, Manual |
| Recording modes | Auto, Scene, Scene auto, Sport continuous, High sensitivity, Smile, Movie |
| Focus | Face priority AF, Auto AF, Manual AF, Center AF |
| Metering | Matrix, Center-weighted |
| Color effects | Standard, Vivid, Black & White, Sepia, Cyanotype, Pastel |
| Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) | 4 photos |
When it comes to shooting controls and options, the S630's feature set is not terribly deep, making it inadequate for anyone wanting to experiment. It has taking simple snapshots down cold, however. Recording modes are kept pretty lean with Auto giving you the most shooting control, including the ability to limit the ISO range the camera uses. There are three specialized shot modes, too. Smile mode, which snaps a picture whenever it picks up on a smiling face, includes a Blink Proof setting that'll fire off a second shot in case it detects the subject blinking (and it works, but the person has to be fully facing the camera). A Sport Continuous mode works well for capturing action, but does lower the resolution to 3 megapixels and increase the sensitivity to a minimum of ISO 640. This not only creates some extra image noise, but it'll also cause outdoor/well-lit photos to overexpose. Lastly, there's a High Sensitivity mode for low-light shooting, but it too drops photos to a 3-megapixel resolution and sets the ISO range from 640 to 3,200. (To be fair, the thorough instruction manual warns about these things and explains how and when best to use the special settings.)
Performance is on the slow side for the S630. It takes just shy of 4 seconds from power on to first shot. Its shot-to-shot time is 3.1 seconds; using the flash adds 0.3 second to that time. Shutter lag is OK at 0.5 second in bright conditions and 0.8 in dimly lit situations. In its regular continuous shooting mode at full resolution, the camera can capture 0.8 frames per second.
The S630's photo quality is good. If you're viewing photos primarily on a computer monitor, digital photo frame, or making prints up to 10x13 inches, you likely won't be disappointed. Viewed at full size, however, offer-center subjects can look over-processed and soft, where you'll also see an increase in purple fringing and ghosting. Center sharpness and fine detail are very good, though, as is color. Typical for its class, the lower ISOs are best on this camera, which is why it's nice to see the inclusion of an ISO limiter in Auto mode for keeping sensitivity below ISO 200 or ISO 400. Noise suppression starts making things soft and smudgy at ISO 400, but you still can get a decent photo at ISO 800--good enough for small prints or Web use at least.
If you were considering an average compact point-and-shoot with a more typical 3x zoom, the Nikon Coolpix S630 is a nice (there's that word again) step up. It's not particularly fast and the photos are merely good, but it is an excellent design, has a very good feature set, and it's easy to use.
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(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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User reviews
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Tested for three weeks in Europe ... V.G.
by integritytrainer on August 19, 2009
Pros: Quality pictures, video and audio; 7x optical zoom in a small body; logical hassle-free operation; reasonable price; low light pics are outstanding; has many nice features (too many to list here).
Cons: Zoom speed as described above. 2) The S630 requires a special battery so you need to pay about $30 more for a spare battery that you need to keep charged at all times. 3) The software included has no editing capability just viewing and transferring.
Summary: I purchased a Nikon Coolpix S630 just before I went to Europe five weeks ago. After 1000 pictures of mountain tops, boat rides, dark rooms and action shots, I am ...
Summary: I purchased a Nikon Coolpix S630 just before I went to Europe five weeks ago. After 1000 pictures of mountain tops, boat rides, dark rooms and action shots, I am done testing it and am very pleased. For years I wanted a hassle-free camera with a high amount of optical zoom yet small in size, shoots well without a lot of light and a number of other features. I hoped to spend less money but was afraid a cheaper camera would frustrate me due to lack of features, poor quality or confusing operation. The S630 gives me all I want in a camera for a reasonable price.
My cousin was a professional photographer and he is impressed with how well this camera performs. Closeups of flowers are spectacular. Pictures displayed on a 42" TV have great resolution and color accuracy. Pictures in poorly lit rooms come out with amazing clarity. Video and audio quality also are outstanding.
Reading reviews critical of this camera made me a little nervous about deciding to buy this camera but I am glad that I figured out they are overly critical except for the zoom speed. The zoom motor is too fast and you often overshoot where you want it to stop. All too often it will not stop where you want it to and you have to walk forward or backward to frame the shot. No camera will always produce a perfect shot on the automatic setting. Photography is a learned skill. The large screen lets you see if the shot did not come out right. You learn and try one of the other settings available. Battery life was roughly 125 pics. Time between pics is a little slow, but ok.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great design, sharp pic, light weight, Smile & Blink OK
by nitebreez70 on April 13, 2009
Pros: Easy to hold thanks to thumb rest, lots of scenes to chose from, Time to first shot is better than my other camera.
Cons: Though the time to first shot is better, I am not that pleased with it. The time to delete a pic is too long. Getting familar w/ all the 630's functions will take a second recharge of the battery. Think seriously about a second backup battery.
Summary: Bottom line: I have been waiting for months for the CoolPix camera's release which gave me the time to research & read about the different models. I had two ...
Summary: Bottom line: I have been waiting for months for the CoolPix camera's release which gave me the time to research & read about the different models. I had two picked two models to chose from. The store only had the 630 in my color and the other camera that I may of purchased was pink. A couple of my nieces & nephews might get a good Santa gift this year. Overall: I have no regrets buying the Nikon CoolPix s630 even with the time to first shot & the delete time being a little slow I am very Happy with my purchase.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very Un NIkon in Quality of photos
by atomicbee on July 28, 2009
Pros: Good features or specs, nice compact size and design... but that is about it.
Cons: terrible pictures produced for a 12 MP camera. too slow shutter to actual photo taken
Summary: I have NIkon cameras, from the F2 to the D700. This point and shoot is a disappoinment for a NIkon brand. I tried to use if for 3 weeks and ...
Summary: I have NIkon cameras, from the F2 to the D700. This point and shoot is a disappoinment for a NIkon brand. I tried to use if for 3 weeks and it has not delivered what I expected. I am packing it back up and returning it to the store to get a replacement p&s fron another brand. Nikon should have not put their name on this piece of garbage.
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Disappointing!
by nrmiley on June 29, 2009
Pros: Light weight; small size.
Cons: POOR image quality; zooms way too rapidly; over-priced; definitely not what I have come to expect from many years of owning other Nikon cameras from film cameras like FG-20, 8008, F4s, Coolpix995, D 100 amoung other older point-and-shoot film models.
Summary: I have never had a Nikon camera produce such a poor quality (soft, out-of focus) image as this model. My wife who is not much of a photographer slips it ...
Summary: I have never had a Nikon camera produce such a poor quality (soft, out-of focus) image as this model. My wife who is not much of a photographer slips it into her purse or pocket to shoot at her many meetings but also complains about the resulting images. I have to PhotoShop virtually 100% of her pix so they are usable in the scrapbooks,etc.that she makes to record her various meetings. I would not ever recommend this particular Nikon model to anyone.
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in a word... DISAPPOINTING
by techcafe on May 21, 2009
Pros: small & black, sleek & stylish, lovely curves, easy to use...
very sexy camera baby, yeah!Cons: HOWEVER, it shoots rather mediocre pictures. i was quite let down actually, especially considering it's a Nikon.
Summary: a significant number of shots are out-of-focus, even though the AF-assist locked-on to the subject, and despite the fact that vibration reduction and motion detection are both enabled.
also, what ...Summary: a significant number of shots are out-of-focus, even though the AF-assist locked-on to the subject, and despite the fact that vibration reduction and motion detection are both enabled.
also, what you SEE is NOT always what you GET. that is, frame composition does not match-up precisely with what is shown on the LCD preview screen; the resultant image file is often askew, from what was originally displayed on the preview screen. so framing a 'perfect' shot is hit'n miss with this camera. point... and hope for the best.
white balance is not always correct, especially when the flash is activated; there is often a slight greenish hue to flash pictures, kinda like the shot was taken under fluorescent lighting, without WB correction.
image quality (resolution) of the LCD preview screen is nothing to rave about either... but hey, i'm picky about those kinda things.
most important though - picture quality is not exactly stunning or anything, definitely doesn't live up to Nikon's otherwise high standard for great looking pics. the S630 is absolutely not what i was expecting from a Nikon camera... this Coolpix S630 is nice to look at, but it's beauty is only skin-deep. hard to believe that it's got all those megapixels and a Nikkor lens... yet, it takes 'OK' pictures.
OH, and did i mention... i'm disappointed.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
- Part number: 26156
- Description: The Coolpix S630 is a high quality compact digital camera featuring 12-megapixel resolution and a 7x optical zoom lens. The Coolpix S630's unique design combines straight and curved surfaces with a unique "Sure Grip" that allows the camera to be held comfortably. Quick response and 4-way VR image stabilization system and sport continuous mode allows images to be captured at up to 11 frames per second.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 3.8 in
- Depth 1 in
- Height 2.2 in
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Enclosure Color Jet black
Main Features
- Resolution 12 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 12,700,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 12,000,000 pixels
- Light Sensitivity ISO auto (64-6400)
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Copy, Food, Museum, Sunset, Close-up, Dawn/dusk, Fireworks, Landscape, Back light, Beach/snow, Party/indoor, Portrait mode, Night portrait, Night landscape, Panorama assist
- 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.
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Face Detection Yes
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture 640 x 480, 320 x 240
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Integrated Memory 44 MB
- Floppy Drive None
- Digital Storage Media None
- Image Storage 4000 x 3000, JPEG 3264 x 2448, JPEG 2592 x 1944, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 1280 x 960, JPEG 1024 x 768, JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 3984 x 2656, JPEG 3968 x 2232, JPEG 1920 x 1080, JPEG 2992 x 2992
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 6.6 mm - 46.2 mm - F/3.5-5.3
- Focal Length 6.6 mm - 46.2 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 37 - 260 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Min Focus Range 23.6 in
- Macro Focus Range 2cm
- Lens Aperture F/3.5-5.3
- Optical Zoom 7 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Additional Features Face detection, In-camera red-eye fix, USB 2.0 compatibility, Blink Detection technology, Smile Detection technology, Motion Detection Technology
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
- 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-EL12
- Supported Battery 1 x Nikon EN-EL12 Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Product series
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Nikon CoolPix S630 (jet black)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 12 megapixels, 7 x, 2.7 in LCD display
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Nikon CoolPix S630 (titanium silver)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 12, 7 x, 2.7 in LCD display
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Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 12, 7 x, 2.7 in LCD display
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Nikon CoolPix S630 (midnight blue)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 12 megapixels, 7 x, 2.7 in LCD display
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Nikon CoolPix S630 (royal purple)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 12, 7 x, 2.7 in LCD display
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 Road, Melville, NY 11747-3064 - Phone: 1-631-547-4200
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