Nikon Coolpix S3000 – A Step Up From Camera Phone
Thumbs Up:
The Nikon Coolpix S3000 is an inexpensive camera which is easy to operate, lightweight and very small.
Thumbs Down:
The Nikon Coolpix S3000 delivers poor low-light photos and has inconsistent autofocus.
The Whiz Kid Speaks:
Manufacturer: Nikon
Part Number: 26209
Price: $136.95 – $153.71
Product Type: Compact Digital camera
Weight: 4.1 oz
Dimensions (W x D x H) in inches: 3.7 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches
Optical Sensor Type: CCD
White balance: Presets and Automatic
Software: Drivers & Utilities
Supported Flash Memory: SD Memory Card
Cables Included: USB cable & A/V cable
Connector Type: 1 x Composite audio/video output and 1 x USB
Additional Features: Audio recording , USB charging , In-camera red-eye fix , D-Lighting technology , Face-priority AF function , Best Shot Selector (BSS) , Intelligent Scene Selector , Blink Detection technology , Digital image stabilization , Smile Detection technology and Motion Detection Technology
Peripheral Devices: USB port & CD-ROM drive
Flash Modes: Fill-in mode, Auto mode, Flash OFF mode, and slow synchro and Red-eye reduction
Included Accessories: Carrying strap
Camera Flash: Built-in flash
Special Effects: Vivid, Sepia, Cyanotype, Normal and Black & White
Supported Battery: Nikon EN-EL10
Battery Type: 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery
Razzle Dazzle:
Considering the price of Nikon S3000, the camera is very well constructed. The camera has an ultracompact metal body, which gives it a higher-quality feel, and the camera comes in six colors – black, silver, blue, green, orange and purple. Positioned on its frontage is a wide-angle lens having a 4x zoom, while the rear end of the camera hosts a 2.7 inch LCD. Both these design applications are pretty standard for its price. Despite, the light weight and slim body, the camera is comfortable to hold and to use. Though, there actually isn’t much to hold on the camera body and hence you might have to use the included wrist strap.
Inside Dope:
All the sub-$150 ultracompact digital cameras are sort of step up from the camera phones, and the Nikon S3000 we are talking about here is no exception. The S3000 comes with decent shooting options, better lens, image quality, performance and battery life than any camera phone and all that without weighing you down. Though, in the current market of point-and-shoots, the Coolpix S3000 is a sort of low end model, and it becomes apparent with a very little examination. If you are looking for a camera to capture photos in low lights, or without a flash or if to shoot indoors, capturing photos of fast or just moving objects, then don’t even think of buying the Coolpix S3000. The Coolpix S3000 is a decent option for the people looking to get a camera for their casual photography needs of well-lit landscapes and portraits which they mainly will be using to share online or will be using as 4×6 inch prints and the special 8×10. On a whole this is just a basic ultracompact camera which has a lot of capabilities that the average camera phone doesn’t have.
Operating the Coolpix S3000 is pretty easy and anyone who has handled digital camera before can operate this camera easily, and will start shooting straightway. Positioned on the top of the camera is a shutter release with a zoom ring and a power button. Positioned on the right of the LCD on its rear end are the rest of the controls of for the camera. Situated there is a Scene button for accessing all shooting modes; a playback button for editing and viewing images and videos here; a menu button for changing any camera settings if you want and a delete button. There also is a directional pad and OK button, which are used for altering flash, timer, macro focus settings and exposure compensation and also for navigation. The menu for the camera is pretty straightforward having separate tabs for mode-specific general setup settings and movie/photo options.
The rated battery life of Coolpix S4000 is of 220 shots per charge. The battery pack charges quickly, though, quick here mean at least 2 hrs, using the supplied wall adapter; the battery pack can also be charged with the help of a USB to a computer. The only output option here is of a Micro-USB/AV port, positioned at the rear end of the camera and at the bottom, just next to the memory card/ battery compartment. The shooting performance for the camera is a lot better than the normal camera phone. Even the photo quality for the camera is OK, and just perfect for web use or for small size prints.
Nitty Gritty:
The Nikon S3000 is a striking, reasonably priced ultracompact, which is just a step up from your camera phone.
