Overview
The Nikon Coolpix S640 is a 12 megapixel digital camera. It has a 5x wide angle lens. The Coolpix S640 is small enough to fit into most pockets and is also a lightweight camera. I like the design of the camera. Although the design is quite simple the camera has a touch of elegance about it. Other plus pionts include ease of use and a macro mode that can get you in as close as 2cm from your subject.
Features include image stabilisation, a 2.7 inch LCD screen and a standard definition mode.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix S640
This is a well made pocket camera that is very easy to use.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
2.7 inches
55 x 91 x 20.5mm
110g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
2cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Owing to the time of year this picture was taken and the low angle of the sun it is very difficult for any compact digital camera not to suffer from sun glare. That is what happens here, but not many cameras manage to fare any better than the Coolpix S640. This leads to a loss of detail in the areas where the sun strikes the boats. Aside from that point I really like the sharpness of this photo.
I found the strength of blue in this photo to be a bit overpowering. The colour of the sky looks unnatural and there is a slight tint to the shot. If you have read any other reviews I have written on the subject of digital cameras with wide angle lenses you will know that sharpness can be lost when the lens is zoomed out. This happens to a degree here, but sharpness levels are above average for a digital camera with a wide angle lens.
Colour balance is greatly improved in this shot. Sharpness levels are good too. There is just the issue of detail lost from the boats to contend with.
This is my favourite shot taken by the Coolpix S640. The main reason is this time the colours and lighting are spot on. The shot is also sharply focused with virtually no loss of focus towards the edges.
Portraits
In all three of my portrait shots the hair takes on a purple tinge in places. I have no idea why this has happened and I wonder if it is connected to the colour balance issue highlighted in my second outdoor photo. We removed the hair band in case it was a reflection issue, but it did not solve the problem. Other than this problem the colours are about right and focusing works well again.
In places the flash unit does not generate quite enough light to brighten certain darker areas, like in the hair. Skin colours look good.
This is a decent effort too. The Coolpix S640 manages to keep noise levels down and bring out a fair amount of detail in the shot.
Macro and Colours
My macro shot rounds off my tests on a high note. There is plenty of detail and crispness about the shot.
As you can see I had one or two issue with colour with this camera. The purple tinge in the hair is not one I have come across before. I am also concerned by the power of blue in the second outdoor scenic shot.
Summary
Overall I am happy, but there are one or two issues that will cause me to mark the camera down for picture quality.
Style
This is a small, neat and tidy camera. It is not flashy in any way and has an understated design that I like. It is available in black, silver, red and pink.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.22 seconds
11 seconds
0.51 seconds
20.01 seconds
4.97 seconds
Ease of Use
As with other Nikon digital cameras the menu system is one of the simplest you are likely to find.
Points I Like
Ease of use - simple design
Where it Could Improve
Slow start up time
Verdict
The Nikon Coolpix S640 is a solid offering. It looks good and is very straightforward too. There is plenty of choice when it comes to buying a pocket camera, but this camera is a good choice if you think the features it offers are what you are looking for.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix S640 Review Nikon Coolpix S640 Specification Nikon Coolpix S640 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix S640 Features Nikon Coolpix S640 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC FX60
Review Date
November 2009
