The Nikon Coolpix S510 is a compact digital camera that will slip into a pocket. Emphasis is on ease of use rather than the camera being weighed down with lots of features. The Coolpix S510 has 8 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens and a metal body.
Image Quality Nikon Coolpix S510 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
Focusing in all three of my outdoor test shots is better than most digital cameras with a similar specification are able to produce. Focusing also remains strong as you move towards the edge of the first outdoor shot. Glare from the sun is handled quite well although a small amount of detail is lost from the boat on the right hand side of the photo.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
As mentioned above focusing is above average on the whole, although there is a more noticeable loss of sharpness towards the very edges of the photo. The corners of the photo are also darker as the lens finds pulling in enough light for the shot a challenge. Even so I am happy with the overall result.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
I like the brightness of this photo. Considering the Coolpix S5100 only has a standard 3x lens the level of detail is impressive.
Outdoor Portrait
This is my favourite picture from this set of test results. The photo is sharper than I am used to seeing and the colours are just right for me. To help with sharpness I used face detection focusing. To boost the colours I used a white balance setting of cloudy.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
The best part about this photo is the fact that the flash does not blast away all the colour in the photo. This shows especially well with the skin tones. Focusing is sharp too.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
This is one of the most successful shots I have taken since introducing this test. There is plenty of detail and not too much noise showing in the picture. As long as the light is sufficiently bright indoors you should be able to take photos without the need to use flash.
Colours
I have no complaints about the colours in my test shots. The brightness levels in the pictures help to make the colours appear to be quite vivid, but at the same time natural.
Macro
To be honest the Coolpix S510 is not really set up as a camera for taking macro shots. The minimum focusing distance is 15cm and I have cropped my macro shot to create a close up. With the majority of cameras capable of focusing from 5cm or closer this makes a big difference and anyone who is looking to take a lot of close ups should look elsewhere.
ISO 400
The quality of the shot at ISO 400 is one of the best I have seen. This supports the results I saw for the indoor portrait without flash. There is a far greater level of detail showing in the shot than I am used to seeing.
ISO 1600
ISO 1600 is a step too far though. All quality has gone. I am not too concerned about this as it is unlikely you will be selecting this setting on a regular basis.
Overall
My overall impression when it comes to picture quality is a positive one. There are very few negative points I have come across and there are plenty of positives.
Shutter Lag
Shutter lag times could be better. A single shot took 0.54 seconds. Five photos took 9.97 seconds. With the flash on the time for a single shot was slow at 1.64 seconds. Five photos took 16.71 seconds.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: The Coolpix S510 is available in silver and a darker gunmetal. It has a simple design. I like the selection wheel on the back of the camera. It speeds up selecting the settings you wish to use.
Dimensions: 88 x 51 x 22mm
Weight: 125g
Batteries: Lithium ion (EN-EL10). Nikon estimates the Coolpix S510 should be good for around 170 shots between charges.
Memory cards: 52mb of memory have been built in. This is enough to give the camera a good test. I was able to take 37 photos before the memory was full. It is also compatible with SD and SDHC cards.
Click here to save money on SD cards.
Ease of use rating:Very Good. This is about as straightforward a camera as you are likely to find. The menu system is easy to read and there are not many settings to gets to grips with.
Points I like:
Ease of use - picture quality - simple design
Where it could improve:
Shutter lag - macro range
Alternatives
One of the problems for the Coolpix S510 is the amount of competition it is up against. A couple of pocket sized cameras I am happy to suggest are the Sony DSC T200 and the Fuji Finepix F50FD.
Verdict:
I like the Nikon Coolpix S510. The camera does a good job and achieves what it sets out to do. This is to be a simple pocket sized camera that takes decent photos in most situations. Shutter lag times could be improved and if you are looking to buy a camera to take snapshots of active children or pets this is a drawback.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Nikon Coolpix S510 Summary |
| Description: | 8 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 9 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 6 |
| Indoors: | 9 |
| Value for Money: | 8 |
| Style: | 8 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 8 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 80 |
| Verdict: | I like this camera. It is a small, compact size and will fit into a pocket. It takes a good photo in most situations, although it is lacking when it comes to its macro mode. You should have no problems getting to know the camera as ease of use is a strongpoint. |
| Review Date: | January 2008 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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