Nikon Coolpix S60 Review

The Nikon Coolpix S60 has a touch controlled LCD screen. This is used to select all the camera options including basic features such as flash and zoom. It has 10 megapixels. The Coolpix S60 is small enough to slip into a pocket and has a slightly longer than standard 5x zoom lens for this type of camera. One feature I really like is being able to touch the screen to set focusing and auto exposure.

With its touch controlled LCD screen this camera offers something different from most pocket digital cameras. It also looks good, takes a decent picture and is relatively easy to use.

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
I like the colours and the overall look of this photo. The Coolpix S60 does well with focusing with only a small amount of softening as you move towards the edges of the photo. It also copes well with the glare produced by the low sun.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
Focusing is good for such a small camera with the lens zoomed right out. In places there is a purple tinge to some areas of the photo. To be honest this is not likely to show up unless you are planning to make super sized prints. One factor that does concern me is that the corners of the photo are darker. This is a problem that shows in a number of my test shots and there is no way to get round this problem aside from cropping your photos.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
Here you can see the benefit of the extra zoom over many smaller digital cameras. This is another picture where the colours are vivid. This helps to produce a pleasant scene.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
The sharpness of the photos I have taken with the Coolpix S60 is good, but they do not hit the heights of those I produced with the Nikon Coolpix S710 recently. This photo is another example of darker areas creeping into the corners of the shot.

Outdoor Portrait
This is good effort from the Coolpix S60. Most cameras are capable of reeling off this type of photo without much of a problem. You should be able to produce plenty of portrait shots for the family album.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
The flash unit does not produce a great deal of light. Although there is enough for the face to be lit, the hair is dark in places. Darkness also creeps into the corners again.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
It is quite difficult to tell the difference between the indoor photo taken with flash and the one without. This photo has a natural look to it and the skin tones are about right. The darker corners are in evidence here too.

Colours
The colours are well balanced and have power without being overbearing. The brightness of the photos is also worth commenting on.

Macro
I like the macro shot. It is very clear and has great definition. It works much better than most of the Nikon digital cameras I have tested recently. While this is not a camera for a serious macro photographer you should be able to produce good quality, close up snap shots. According to the specification you need to be 9cm away before the camera is able to focus, but I managed to get the camera to focus from closer in than that.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
The Coolpix S60 is inline with a lot of other smaller digital cameras when you increase the ISO rating. The noise levels at ISO 400 are noticeable, but if it's the only way to get a picture, then it levels are acceptable. At ISO 1600 there is little picture quality.

Overall
It is a shame that so many of my test shots have darker corners. This may or may not be that important to you, but it can be quite noticeable. Otherwise picture quality compares well with other pocket cameras.

It took 0.33 seconds to take the first picture. This is a standard time. It takes a while for the Coolpix S60 to be ready for the next photo. Therefore five photos took a slow 21.80 seconds. If you are planning to take more than one photo I would suggest switching to the continuous shooting mode. With flash turned on it was a similar story. A single photo timed in at 0.44 seconds and five photos registered 23.77 seconds.

Turning the camera on and taking the first photo was slower than average at 3.95 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

The Coolpix S60 has a high gloss finish. This gives the impression of good quality. The front curves to add interest and all in all this is a stylish camera. You should not have a problem slipping it into a pocket.

97.5 x 60 x 22 mm

145g

Lithium ion (EN-EL10). Nikon estimates you should be able to take around 140 shots in between charges. Both a battery and charger are supplied as standard.

SD and SDHC cards can be used to store photos and video. There is a small amount of built in memory to get you started. This is enough for about 10 photos.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Very good. The touch screen does not make the camera any easier to use, but I would say it is a bit more fun. The text used in the menu system is a good size and you should have no problem reading it.

Touch screen control - build quality - help text - touch control auto focusing and auto exposure

Darkness in the corner of many photos

There are not that many touch screen digital cameras to choose from. One of the closest rivals to the Coolpix S60 is the Sony DSC T700.

If you are attracted by the touch screen then there are not many alternatives out there. The Nikon Coolpix S60 is as good if not better than its competitors when it comes to picture quality. Nikon appear to have most things right with the Coolpix S60.

Front View

Back View

Top View

Sample Menu

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, please make sure you double check the feature set and specification at the point of purchase.

Nikon Coolpix S60