Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S570 is a mid priced, pocket sized digital camera. It is a relatively straightforward, point and shoot model. Key features include 12 megapixels and a wide angle, 5x zoom lens. There are four different colours available and you can buy the Coolpix S5700 in black, red, pink or blue.
For composing photos there is a 2.7 inch LCD screen. Image stabilisation is available to help reduce any blur in your shots caused by minor levels of hand shake. Nikon has included further features to help you take the best possible photos. These include a blink warning, red eye fix, lighting fix and a blink warning.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix S570
This is a well priced pocket camera. If your main criteria for buying are decent picture quality and ease of use then this camera will do the job well.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
2.7 inches
56.5 x 92 x 21.5mm
120g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
3cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
One of the first things to strike me about my outdoor photos is the amount of brightness the Coolpix S570 manages to achieve. These photos are brighter than other brands manage. There is a small amount of detail lost from the lightest areas of the shot, but this is balanced out by the way the camera copes with some of the more lightly shaded areas.
The sharpness of this shot is very impressive, especially for a camera with such a wide angle lens. This is an area where the Coolpix S570 outperforms the majority of rival pocket cameras. If you blow up prints to a large size then you might start to notice a touch of fringing here and there. The sky can also start to look a little pixilated.
As with the first test photo the amount of brightness in the photo is quite striking. Having zoomed in to the other extreme I am further impressed by the amount of sharpness the Coolpix S570 is able to pack into the photo.
I really like this picture. The colours have a warm feel to them and the contrast of the lighter building and darker foliage in the shot works well too. Sharpness is again impressive. In all four of my outdoor test shots there has been very little loss of sharpness as you move out towards the edges.
Portraits
The colours in this shot have a very natural look to them. Moving in closer does not present any problems for the camera either.
Top marks to the Coolpix S570 for the way it evenly distributes the light. It is also able to control the amount of light it emits to the right level too. This allows the colours to come through and greatly reduce any light bouncing back off the face.
This is another photo where there is a great deal of brightness captured. Noise levels are controlled by the Coolpix S570 as well as any camera I have tested recently.
Macro, Colours and Noise
For a smaller camera the quality of the macro shots it produces is very impressive. My test shot is sharp, clear and shows a very good level of detail.
The colours produced by this camera have a natural look to them. This helps to give photos a subtle feel.
As long as you shoot at lower ISO values noise is controlled quite well. I was impressed by the noise levels in the shady areas of the test photos I took.
Summary
As with other Nikon digital cameras the brightness of the photos helps to give them a lift. Overall the Coolpix S570 outperforms a lot of more expensive pocket cameras.
Style
The Coolpix S570 has a simple design. The edges are rounded and the matt finish works well.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Turn on Time
0.32 seconds
14.57 seconds
2.25 seconds
Ease of Use
I find the menu system very easy to read and to find my way around.
Points I Like
Ease of use - colours - brightness - picture quality
Where it Could Improve
Taking a couple of pictures with flash can be slow
Verdict
I like the Nikon Coolpix S570. It performed well in my tests, is easy to use and available at a reasonable price.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S570 Review Nikon Coolpix S570 Specification Nikon Coolpix S570 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S570 Features Nikon Coolpix S570 vs Samsung WB1000
Review Date
October 2009
