Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S630 is a 12 megapixel digital camera with a 7x optical zoom lens. This is more zoom that most small digital cameras offer. The Coolpix S630 offers image stabilisation and a 2.7 inch LCD screen.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix S630
The main attraction is likely to be the extra zoom offered for such a compact sized camera. Picture quality is good and you should find the Coolpix S630 easy to use.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
7x
2.7 inches
96.5 x 57.5 x 25.5 mm
140g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
2cm
No
No
Lithium ion
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
As with many other Nikon digital cameras I have reviewed I can see the Coolpix S630 is capable of producing bright, colourful photos. In terms of sharpness and definition this camera sits somewhere in mid division for this shot. The glare from the sun takes the edge off the photo in places.
This photo would be roughly in line with expectations when it comes to sharpness. I would like to have seen a bit more detail and light shed on the darker and shadier areas of the scene.
This is another bright photo. Nikon cameras seem to have the ability to produce pictures that are more vivid than most other brands manage without increasing the colour depth. If you blow this photo up to full size then you may start to notice purple fringing creeping in where the sun catches the edge of light coloured objects.
Checking through my outdoor shots so far there is a tendency for sharpness to fade away a little as you move out towards the edge of the shot. Overall I would give 8 out of 10 for sharpness. I have used the landscape scene mode for all my scenic shots. I found this helps to give the best results for focusing with the Coolpix S630.
Portraits
This is a shot where the camera has packed in a fair amount of colour. The skin tones look quite pink. Part of the reason for this is that the picture was taken on an extremely hot day, creating a very warm light.
Here we have the opposite to the outdoor portrait where I would like to have seen more colour in the shot. I think this would have helped to perk up the photo as it has a dull look to it.
The Coolpix S630 does quite well here. It keeps noise levels controlled. This suggests you should be able to take window light portraits with the Coolpix S630. This gives you an option instead of using flash for some indoor photos.
Macro, Colours and Noise
This is a very standard shot for a digital camera with a smaller lens. You should be able to take decent close up shots, as long as you are not looking for professional quality photos.
I like the colours produced for the outdoor photos. You should be able to produce plenty of vibrant looking scenic shots. Indoors my shots lacked colour.
If you are shooting in darker conditions and you are either out of range for flash or flash is not permitted, using higher ISO settings is one way of capturing the shot. You will notice noise levels creeping up quite quickly. If conditions are quite bright this is not too much of a problem at ISO 400, but as you go higher noise levels increase across the photo.
Summary
The Coolpix S630 does a decent job without being anything to get too excited about. For me the most impressive feature was the brightness and colours of my outdoor shots.
Style
The camera has quite a simple design. There is a slight curve to the camera adding a bit of extra interest.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.48 seconds
30.35 seconds
0.48 seconds
32.47 seconds
2.74 seconds
Ease of Use
Nothing stands out as being especially difficult about this camera. Nikon has one of my favourite menu systems. It is uncluttered, easy to read and you should have no problem finding the settings you require.
Points I Like
Ease of use - colours - extra zoom for small size
Where it Could Improve
Zoom has small number of steps - shutter lag for multiple shots
Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix S630 does the job it sets out to do. The extra zoom it offers over other smaller cameras comes in handy and I like the fact the camera is easy to use.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FS30 Rating 85/100
I really like this camera. It offers some extra zoom and takes excellent snaps. I found it easy to use and struggled to find anything I did not like about it. If you are looking for a smaller compact camera with some extra zoom then this one is a good choice.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS30 Review
Pentax Optio i-10 Rating 79/100
The Optio i-10 looks radically different to other digital cameras. It has a design based on vintage SLRs. In my tests I found more distant shots lacked sharpness. Aside from the design the features included in this camera are fairly standard.
Read Review: Pentax Optio i-10 Review
Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S630 Review Nikon Coolpix S630 Specification Nikon Coolpix S630 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S630 Features Nikon Coolpix S630 vs Olympus MJU 7000
Review Date
July 2009
