The Nikon Coolpix S10 is an update to the company's existing Coolpix S4 model, adding a couple of very useful features. The popular Coolpix S4 was Nikon's first swivel-bodied digital camera model since the Coolpix SQ was launched way back in February 2003 (and the first to retain the styling cues of its extremely popular prosumer swivel-bodied models since the Coolpix 4,500 in late May 2002). There have been imitators, but no company has been quite so successful or synonymous with the concept. Inside the swivelling body of the Nikon Coolpix S10 reside the core features of the S4 model -- a 10x optical zoom lens equivalent to 38 to 380mm on a 35mm camera, coupled with a 6 megapixel imager, and a 2.5 inch LCD display. Where the S4 had an ISO range of 50 to 400, the S10 boosts the maximum to ISO 800. Even more significantly, Nikon has adopted a shift-type sensor stabilization system for the Coolpix S10 -- which should make it quite a bit easier to get a sharp exposure at the telephoto end of that powerful lens!
Other features of the Coolpix S10 include 16 beginner-friendly Scene modes, plus a One-Touch Portrait button that combines Apical Ltd.'s "D-Lighting" exposure correction technology, Identix's face-priority AF, and an in-camera red-eye fix function, to easily capture the best possible portrait image. Nikon's Best Shot Selector mode which automatically chooses the sharpest from a series of images is also included. The Nikon S10 saves images on Secure Digital cards, or in 16MB of internal memory. The camera includes USB, and video output, and comes bundled with Nikon's PictureProject software. Other features include a built-in flash strobe, movie recording at VGA resolution with sound, a macro mode that focuses to 1.6 inches, and seven white balance modes including custom. The Nikon Coolpix S10 ships in the USA from September 2006, priced at $399.95... [read more]