Nikon Coolpix S5100 Review

For less than $ 300 on launch, the 12.2-megapixel Coolpix S5100 a very tempting bit of kit. With little more than a fully automatic point-and-shoot mode, but it has to go a long way to convincing us that it deserves a place on the list A.

Nikon Coolpix S5100 Front Nikon Coolpix S5100 Review

Design

Build quality feels convinced, although we are left with doubts about the flimsy-feeling battery are not the first time that we have leveled complaints at a compact mid-range Nikon. The shell is made of plastic and the buttons on the back feel a little cheap. However, the S5100 is can be virtually as small as a compact. At 97mm wide and weighs a shade over 130g, it is ideal for dropping into a pocket. The 2.7in, is 230,000-pixel screen is a different tick in the box: It is light and fairly crisp.

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Features

The features list is otherwise sparse. There is a face-priority face detection mode, which focus primarily on human faces and works well, and there is a similar self-timer. Select the Smart Portrait mode and level of the camera at someone’s face, and he will wait until they crack a smile on the shutter fires. It is an impressive piece of party, and works reliably, even though a group might timer mode to have been useful as well.

Otherwise, manual modes are scarce: white balance, and two stops of exposure compensation all you get. While the S5100 is not a good choice for still images purists is the inclusion of a decent HD 720p, 30fps movie mode, a definite plus, especially at this price.

Nikon CoolPix S5100 Top Nikon Coolpix S5100 Review

The focal length of the lens is a modest 28mm-140mm in 35mm terms, but while not offer the spectacular length, it is more suitable for point-and-shoot camera, and lens shift image stabilizer is very effective. More importantly, it is extremely sharp. At low ISO settings and a careful focus, the S5100 produced some nice sharp images in our tests.

Performance

Adjustments on that front running from ISO 100 up to a very ambitious 3200th ISO ISOs 100-400 are not each other: sharp edges, and virtually no noise meant our test shots all looked very good. ISO 800 began to produce more noise, although not enough to discourage pressure on large sizes. Many images were taken at ISO 1600 is good enough for print, cut, and if not to expand.

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Only the top setting of ISO 3200 produced severe defects pictures. There is established the option of ISO settings up at either 400 or 800 ISO, you should rely on the S5100 to choose its own ISO, without visiting the upper reaches of its capabilities.

Of greater importance is the S5100′s performance when it came to chromatic aberrations, the unpleasant symptoms in almost every test pattern that areas had made the extreme contrast. Spindly branches against a cloudy sky brought it particularly bad, but it was available elsewhere. It is the only large optical S5100 failure and the only factor that keeps the A-list.

Nikon Coolpix S5100 Back Nikon Coolpix S5100 Review

Conclusion

The fact that the S5100 is less than $ 200 is an undeniably good thing: it usually takes very good pictures, regardless of color edges, and is especially sharp in the lower to mid ISO settings. The 720p movie mode is also a good reason to consider this instead of the Canon Ixus 105, which records video at VGA resolution only. We are not crazy about the all-plastic construction, or purple fringing issues, but we like almost everything.

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