Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S220 is a simple pocket camera. It is very easy to use. Basic specification details include 10 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix S220
The Coolpix S220 is one of the smallest and most lightweight digital cameras available form a known brand. It is also a relatively inexpensive pocket camera.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
3x
2.5 inches
89.5 x 55.5 x 18 mm
100g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
10cm
No
No
Lithium ion
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
In terms of overall picture quality this picture sits somewhere in mid division. There are a lot of megapixels packed on to the sensor and if you make large prints you can start to see some jagged looking pixels in the sky. There is also a touch of purple fringing in places, but again this will not be an issue if you plan to stick to smaller, snapshot size prints.
In terms of focusing this photo is on the soft side. As with the first photo this will not be a major issue if you print up to 7 x 5 inches. If you make larger prints of distant scenes you may start to notice a lack of overall sharpness in the shot.
The Coolpix S220 finds zooming in a bit easier. This gives this shot a sharper feel than the wide angle shot where the zoom is not used at all.
Compared with one or two other cameras in this price range the brickwork does not stand out quite as clearly. The colour and brightness in the shots so far is impressive.
Portraits
With the subject closer any focusing issues are resolved and you are left with a much sharper image. The colours look natural
This photo works well too. The lighting levels are about right and the light is also evenly distributed. The main benefit of the flash not being too powerful is that there is plenty of colour retained in the skin tones.
The Coolpix S220 produces a good shot with less than perfect light. Although the picture is not quite pin sharp the colours and brightness of the shot work well.
Macro, Colours and Noise
For close up shots you can focus from 10cm away from the subject. The quality of my test shot is not that great. Combined with the distance you need to be away from the subject for the camera to be able to focus it must be said there are a lot better cameras out there for close up shots.
As I have mentioned above I like the colours the Coolpix S220 produces. Scenic shots in particular are bright and have a vivid feel to them.
As ever if you push the ISO rating up to ISO 400 picture quality starts to fall. Once you go above that level the loss of quality becomes very obvious.
Summary
As long as you are not planning to blow up your prints to a large size the Coolpix S220 does a decent job. As ever with Nikon digital cameras the pictures the camera produces are bright and colourful.
Style
As I mentioned above the small, compact size of the Coolpix S220 is one of the main attractions. It has a silver circle sitting around the lens and has a fairly standard rectangular shape.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.25 seconds
13.92 seconds
1.69 seconds
14.43 seconds
2.57 seconds
Ease of Use
Simple. The camera is not overburdened with features. The design of the menu system is good and I found it easy to read.
Points I Like
Ease of use - colours - brightness - size - fast turn on time
Where it Could Improve
Noisy pictures at higher ISO settings.
Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix S220 has a lot going for it. If I was being picky I would say picture quality could be that bit better, but there is only so much you can expect from such a small camera at this lower price.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S220 Review Nikon Coolpix S220 Specification Nikon Coolpix S220 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S220 Features
Review Date
May 2009
