Nikon S10 Mini Review

October 14, 2006

Nikon's latest addition to their Point 'n Shoot family of cameras is a fun one. The S10 replaces the S4 and adds a few nice features such as VR (Vibration Reduction), proprietary Li-ion battery, max ISO of 800 (up from 400) and a few more curves for aesthetic appeal. The 6 megapixels stay the same although the model name 'S10' may imply 10 megapixels at first glance.

As you can see, this articulated design is unique and offers all kinds of creative angles that simply can't be achieved using a conventional camera. For example, you don't have to lay on the ground to get a macro of a flower stem or you can hold it high over your head providing a vantage point in the crowd. The design is not entirely new, though - it was the basis of the Agfa ePhoto 1280 series circa 1997. Another advantage is the ability to compose a snap shot of yourself without relying on anyone else. :) There is a limit however; at arm's length you can fit 2 subjects comfortably and 3's a crowd for sure.

The 35mm 10x zoom equivalent of 38 - 380mm with an aperture of f/3.5 throughout the zoom range and this is why the S10 is welcomed with open arms equipped with VR.

What's in the box?

Neck strap USB Cable Lens Cap Audio Video cable EG-CP14 Rechargeable EN-EL5 Lithium-ion Battery Battery Charger MH-61 PictureProject CD-ROM

First impressions

The camera feels much smaller than it appears in photos. In hand, the thumb rests along the side of the LCD but that's common these days with the proliferation of small P&S cameras. Navigation of the menus is quick and intuitive with options kept to a minimum. This is definitely a camera that doesn't require a lot of input from the user - but any manual changes will require menu access. Fortunately, the self-timer, macro and flash menu can be initiated from a little, multifunction joystick and that helps eliminate clutter on the camera body and keeps it clean and sleek. Also, the asymetrical design gives it a significant weight bias towards the lens element and the tripod thread is located in the center of the camera but this does not affect tripod performance at all - even for the mini-pocket tripods.

Key Features

• 6 megapixel CCD
• 10x Zoom-Nikkor; 6.3 - 63mm (35mm [135] format equivalent to 38 - 380mm); f/3.5; 12 elements in 9 groups; Digital zoom: up to 4x (35mm [135] format equivalent to approx 1520mm)
• Image Sensor Shift, approx 2 stops
• 2.5-inch type, 230,000-dot TFT LCD monitor with brightness adjustment
• Auto, Scene Assist (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Portrait), Scene (Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy Back Light, Panorama Assist, Voice Recording), BSS (Best Shot Selector), AE-BSS, Color Options, Blur Warning, Date Imprint, Self-timer (10 sec)
• w/Electronic VR, With sound: TV movie (640) at 30fps, Small size (320) at 30fps, Smaller size (160) at 15fps, Pictmotion (320) at 15fps; Without sound: Time-lapse movie at 15fps
• 2.5-inch 230,000-dot high-resolution LCD w/ 170-degree viewing angle
• Dimensions (W x H x D): Approx 112.5 x 74.5 x 40.5mm (4.4 x 2.9 x 1.6 in)
• Approx 300 shots with EN-EL5 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery (based on CIPA standard)
• Standard or Advanced Pictmotion slideshow options
• Auto adjusts up to ISO 800 for sharp pictures even in lower light

Image tests

   Exposure bias value         +1.00 eV
   Max. aperture value         f/3.5
   Metering mode               Pattern
   Flash                       Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
   Focal length                6.3 mm
   White balance               Manual white balance
   Focal length in 35mm film   38 mm
  

Auto Whitebalance (very good)

In-Camera color effects:

Black and White

Cyanotype

Sepia

Vivid

Macro Performance

Macro with Flash
Since the flash is so close to the focal axis, macros with flash perform better than most P&S cameras in this class.

Conclusion

This camera is simple but offers all the basics you'd need without getting in deep into photographic principles. The size, functional swivel design, 10x zoom coupled with VR and usable ISO 800 makes the S10 a wonderful pocket camera (although not the smallest) for travel and snapshots. That's the good news.

Image stabilization technology is becoming a standard in consumer A/V and photographic tools but it's not a substitute for poor technique. My assumption was the S10 VR would do magic but you still need the required shutter speed to avoid motion blur. My personal tests in low ambient light produced a blurry image and a less blurry image with VR on. Impressive, huh? :) Even though there are significant savings for the previous version of this camera (Nikon S4) the ISO 800, VR and Li-ion rechargeable battery might justify the additional cost.

• Review: Nikon D80 dSLR
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