The Coolpix S200 is very compact, and very simple to use,
demanding only that the user frame the shot to obtain a good
image.
The Coolpix S200 has very few external controls as it is
conceived as an automatic camera: a point and shoot. Still,
the Auto Shooting mode allows for some user controls over
the white balance, the sensitivity, and, to some extent, some
control over the way colours are recorded.
In addition, the camera offers scene
modes, designed to suit fifteen specific types of subjects,
allowing the camera to adapt to the scene while still keeping
things simple for the user.
The Coolpix S200 is equipped
with an electronic image stabilization system called e-VR
for Electronic Vibration Reduction. To quote Nikon, "the
system takes data from a built-in angular velocity sensor
and applies in-camera image processing to turn blurred images
into sharp shots or to create a movie with minimal image vibration."
Nevertheless, this electronic image processing should not
be confused with Nikon's VR system, used
on some of its cameras and lenses, and which dampens camera
shake optically.
Aperture: f4.6, shutter speed: 1/100 sec., 50 ISO
In fact, a stabilization system
is almost essential with the Coolpix S200. The camera's 3X optical
zoom has maximum apertures of f3.1 at the wide angle end, and
f5.9 at the telephoto end, and it is not unusual for shutter
speeds to drop into a range that can lead to images blurred
by camera shake, particularly when the zoom is used.
Images reveal that the zoom
lens has some light barrel distortion at the wide end, and
a bit of pincushion at the telephoto end. And, when the subject
contains strongly contrasting zones and is captured with the
zoom at the widest angle, a slight chromatic aberration can
become visible.
Moreover, at the shortest focal length, images tend to be
a touch soft, the sharpness increasing quickly as soon as
the zoom is past the widest angle, or the subject's brightness
allows the camera to select a smaller aperture.
The Coolpix S200 uses Nikon's well
known 256-segment Matrix metering system. The exposures the
camera yields are generally excellent, even under difficult
circumstances. Colours are precise and natural-looking, easily
reproducing subtle differences with accuracy.
The ISO sensitivity range
of the Coolpix S200 covers from 50 to 1000 ISO. From 50 to
100 ISO, images are usually free of noise, although on occasion
some coloured grain can be seen in the shadow areas when lighting
conditions are not at their best. At the 200 ISO level noise
becomes a bit more noticeable, but images remain quite useable.
At the 400 ISO level, noise is omnipresent but, using noise
reduction software, images can be printed out to a 4 x 6 inch
(10 x 15 cm) size without too much difficulty.
With the higher sensitivities, however, 800 and 1000 ISO,
noise is so pronounced that it limits the usefulness of images.
The Coolpix S200 offers two levels of JPEG compression, but
only at the highest image resolution. All other image sizes
are limited to a Normal compression, which
regrettably has a tendency to average out the finer details
in an image.
Aperture: f5.9, shutter speed: 1/25 sec., 50 ISO.
This compression level is
best reserved for images that will be reduced in size, such
as those that will be used on the Web, or sent as attachments
to e-mail. At the highest image quality, 7M*,
compression is half of the strength of the Normal
level, and images retain a very reasonable level of detail.
Indeed, when printed out to a 10.2 x 7.7 inch size (26 x
19.5 cm) and at 300 dpi, images are sharp and should satisfy
most users as long as they do not contain too much noise,
as it can impact the effectiveness of the compression.
The built-in flash of the Coolpix
S200 is a bit too weak to be the only source of light, but is
quite capable of providing fill-in light when the camera is
set to Auto ISO and allowed to boost sensitivity up to 250 ISO.
Then, images are not too noisy and the increase in sensitivity
allows the flash to have more impact.
But, more than likely, what will attract most of its purchasers
will be its compact size and its simplicity of use.
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