Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S500 is a pocket sized digital camera. Apart from its size the main attraction is likely to be its simplicity as it is a straightforward, point and shoot digital camera. It has seven megapixels and a three times zoom lens. It is also one of the increasing number of smaller cameras offering image stabilisation.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
7
3x
2.5 inches
88 x 51 x 22mm
125g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
15cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/MMC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
On the whole the Coolpix S500 handled my tests quite well. There were one or two instances where the camera was off the pace.
It was able to handle my out door tests well. Focusing when the zoom lens is being used is above average for this type of camera. This is illustrated in my first and third test shots. Both retain good levels of sharpness towards the edges of the shot. The second shot is not so sharp. When the zoom lens is zoomed right out many digital cameras find producing a very crisp photo difficult.
Looking at the first and third photos again I can see that the Coolpix S500 handles sun glare better than most cameras too. Very little detail is lost. The blue lines on the boat in the first photo are also shown in true colour. With the sun angling down on them many cameras show a purple tinge to these colours.
I like the outdoor portrait shot. Perhaps there could be a bit more strength in the colours of this shot, but the picture has a pleasing natural look to it. This is another sharply focused photo.
On the whole I think the colours the camera produces are just about right. They do not overpower you and my test photos are an accurate reflection of how the various scenes looked on the day.
Moving indoors to test for lower light I managed to get some mixed results. For the indoor portrait the Coolpix S500 struggles with focusing and the resulting photo is not as sharp as I would like to see. With the camera positioned closer to the subject for my extreme lowlight test a better, sharper result is achieved. If you are planning to take lots of indoor or general lowlight photos then perhaps you should look elsewhere for your camera.
Likewise I had trouble getting a decent macro shot. The fact is the Coolpix S500 can only focus from 15cm away from the subject. This means that any photo you take is likely to need heavy cropping to produce a shot that looks close in. You are then likely to run into difficulties if you want to print the shot.
When the ISO levels are increased picture quality will fall. This is a very typical scenario. At ISO 400 picture quality is just about acceptable, but as you move higher quality drops away to produce very grainy photos.
Style
A neat, compact camera. Although nothing really stands out about the design it is a pleasant unfussy camera. You can buy one in silver or a darker gunmetal colour.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.58 seconds
10.52 seconds
1.72 seconds
12.64 seconds
Ease of Use
Very Good - This is a pretty straightforward camera.
Points I Like
Easy of use - build quality
Where it Could Improve
Indoor shot lacked focus - macro photos - shutter lag
Verdict
Problems with close up shots and my indoor portrait mean that the Nikon Coolpix S500 falls below the standard of my favourite pocket sized digital cameras. It's a shame because I like this camera overall. Colours are natural and the sharpness of the outdoor photos is above average.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Canon IXUS 310 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 310 HS is one of the best touch controlled digital cameras. It has 12 megapixels and a 4.4x wide angle lens. The screen is very responsive to touch. This is due partly to the larger screen size than many touch controlled digital cameras offer. Picture quality is excellent and the build quality is top quality. If you are looking for a touch controlled digital camera the IXUS 310 HS is worth a very close look.
Read Review: Canon IXUS 310 HS Review
Canon IXUS 220 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 220 HS is a pocket sized digital camera. It looks good, is well made and can take an impressive snapshot in most situations. It may not have every in vogue feature, but it has an extra touch of all round quality about it
Read Review: Canon IXUS 220 HS Review
Canon IXUS 115 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 115 HS is a classy looking, pocket digital camera. It can shoot Full HD movies and has a high quality 3 inch LCD screen. When it comes to picture quality the IXUS 115 HS outclasses many of its direct competitors.
Read Review: Canon IXUS 115 HS Review
Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S500 Review Nikon Coolpix S500 Specification Nikon Coolpix S500 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S500 Features
Review Date
June 2007
