Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S610 is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a wide angle, 4x optical zoom lens. In terms of size the Coolpix S610 is 22.5mm, so you should have little trouble fitting it into a pocket.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix S610
One big plus point about the Coolpix S610 is its very fast start up time. At 1.16 seconds between turn on and taking a picture this is one of the fastest digital cameras around.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
4x
3 inches
94 x 57 x 22.5 mm
125g
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
Overall sharpness of this picture falls below average. The centre section is the sharpest part of the shot, but focusing soon falls away. Sun glare is also a serious problem for the camera with lots of detail lost in the lightest areas of the shot.
The distance in this scene proves to be a step too far for the Coolpix S610. The right hand side of the shot is out of focus. One difference between a number of compact Nikon digital cameras, including the Coolpix S610 and other brands is the lack of a multi point focusing option. When this option is available the improvement in sharpness is noticeable for my landscape test shots. Darkness also creeps into the corner of the shot.
As is the case in the second outdoor test sharpness falls away rapidly as the scene becomes more distant. Again I believe this is because the auto focus is only locking onto closer areas of the scene.
The Coolpix S610 does a better job of locking onto the brickwork in the building. Even so sharpness is still below average as you move away from the centre.
Portraits
Move close in and the focusing problems disappear. This is a much better photo. Colours are good and the there are no problems with sharpness at all. The Coolpix S610 clearly finds this type of shot much easier to handle.
As I don't use really dark conditions for my indoor portrait test most cameras are able to avoid red eye. The Coolpix S610 does have a problem with red eye in my tests, with the amount of red eye being substantially more than I'm used to seeing. Otherwise the flash unit does an excellent job of spreading light throughout the picture.
This is one of the better indoor tests without using flash. Definition levels are some way above average and there is less noise in the photo than I am used to seeing.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The macro shot is o.k. without being anything special. If you are serious about macro photography then you will need to look for something better than this camera. If all you are looking for is a few close up snaps here and there then the Coolpix S610 should be able to do what you are looking for.
I like the colours in my test shots. The combination of colour and light is usually more or less spot on with the Nikon digital cameras I test.
At higher ISO settings the Coolpix S610 produces a fairly typical result. Noise creeps in early, but the colours do not break up in the way they can do with some other cameras.
Summary
There is some disappointment with my test shots taken at distance. So a lot will depend on the type of photos you take most of the time. For general portrait shots and other close in work this camera does a good job.
Style
This is a fairly standard pocket camera. Nikon have added some gentle slopes to stop it from looking to boxy. It is available in red, blue and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.22 seconds
10.72 seconds
0.49 seconds
19.74 seconds
1.16 seconds
Ease of Use
This is a straightforward digital camera. You should find the menu system easy to read and with not too many features to find your way around. There is also help text available to guide you through the menu.
Points I Like
Ease of use - start up times - help text
Where it Could Improve
Photographing distant scenes
Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix S610 is not the most flexible digital camera around. If you are shooting landscape shots you can get some improvement if you use the landscape scene mode. It is a shame this camera struggles with more distant scenes as I have few complaints with other, closer in photos and the shutter lag and start up times are impressive.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S610 Review Nikon Coolpix S610 Specification Nikon Coolpix S610 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S610 Features Nikon Digital Cameras
Review Date
December 2008
