The Nikon Coolpix S500 is an ultra-compact camera
that integrates a 7.1 megapixel CCD, a VR stabilized 3X optical
zoom, and a 2.5-inch monitor.
Four controls are located
on top of the camera. On the right, there is the power
switch and the shutter release.
In between is a rectangular LED that glows green when the
camera is on, and blinks slowly when it is in sleep mode.
The shutter release is a standard two-stage release, calculating
the exposure (AE) and auto focusing when pressed halfway,
which allows re-framing a shot while still retaining the exposure
settings and the focus when holding the shutter release at
half pressed, and capturing the image when it is pressed fully.
On the left side of the top,
two rectangular buttons are mounted flush to the camera's
surface:
The one on the left controls
the Anti-Shake Mode, which automatically raises
the sensitivity to 1600 ISO to obtain a high shutter
speed and prevent camera shake. In addition, the button
activates the BSS (Best Shot Selector) mode that captures
10 images but only saves the sharpest one.
The one on the right controls
the One-Touch Portrait mode that:
allows the auto focus to automatically detect a
face in a shot being framed, causing the
icon to appear superimposed on the face that has been
detected. Should there be more than one face in the
shot, the camera places the icon over the face it
has detected as being the closest.
automatically sets the flash mode to red-eye reduction
while calculating the exposure so as to give more
importance to the subject.
In addition, when the
camera is set to the playback mode, this button serves
to apply D-Lighting to an image automatically.
The D-Lighting mode adjusts both contrast and brightness
so as to bring out details in shadow areas without affecting
bright image areas. Corrected images are then saved
as a new image.
The remaining external controls of the Coolpix S500 are on
the back of the camera, on the right of the 2.5 inch (6.3cm)
monitor composed of 230,000 pixels which serves to frame shots
since there is no optical viewfinder, and review photos.
The zoom control
is at the top, moving the zoom to the wide angle position
when pressed on the [W] side, and the telephoto end
when pressed on the [T] side. In playback, the same
control allows seeing an index []
of the captured images first in a group of 4, then 9, and
then 16 images per screen as it it pressed, or allows magnifying
[]
part of an image up to 10X.
Directly below the left side of the zoom control, a small
red LED serves to indicate that the flash is charged.
The other controls are positioned below.
On the right is the playback
button [].
The button can also be used to turn on the camera when held
pressed for more than 3 seconds, which avoids having the lens
extend. Pressing the shutter release switches the camera to
the capture mode.
On the left the MODE button displays a on-screen
dial when the camera is set to capture from which a specific
capture mode can be selected. Similarly, in the Playback mode,
the button displays an on-screen dial that offers different
ways or reviewing photos. The following choices are offered
when the camera is in capture mode:
Auto Mode lets the
camera select the exposure but leaves the user in control
of the white balance, the continuous mode, the BBS (Best
Shot Selector) mode, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation,
etc.
High Sensitivity
Mode allows the camera to increase CCD sensitivity
as necessary up to 1600 ISO, so the camera can freeze
movement under low light.
SCENE offers a
choice of 15 Scene modes. The Scene position
returns to the last used Scene mode, and selecting another
requires pressing the MENU button:
Portrait
Landscape
Sports
Night Portrait
Party/Indoor
Beach/Snow
Sunset
Dusk/Dawn
Night Landscape
Close-up
Museum
Fireworks Show
Copy
Back light
Panorama Assist
Voice Recording turns
the camera into a digital voice recorder. The maximum
recording time is of 5 hours using a memory card, and
47 minutes using the internal memory.
The Movie Mode
allows recording in a variety of formats:
TV Movie 640*: 640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames
per second with sound.
Small Size 320*: 320 x 240 pixels at 30 frames
per second with sound.
Small Size 320: 320 x 240 pixels at 15 frames
per second with sound.
Smaller Size 160: 160 x 120 pixels at 15
frames per second with sound.
Time-Lapse Movie*: allows the camera to capture
up to 1800 images (233 using the internal memory)
with a frame size of the 640 x 480 pixels at a selected
interval (30 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes)
which are then assembled by the camera into a silent
movie at 30 frames per second.
Stop-Motion Movie: allows the camera
to capture up to 1800 images (278 using the internal
memory) with a frame size of 640 x 480 pixels, so
as to create an accelerated silent movie. The frame
rate can be selected, 5, 10 or 15 frames per second.
The maximum file size for any movie is 2 GB. The auto
focus can be set to be single (AF-S)
or Full-time (AS-F) and with or without
electronic image stabilization (e-VR).
The optical zoom is locked at its position at the first
frame during the recording, but a 2X digital zoom can
be used. Exposure and White balance are adjusted as
the recording progresses.
The last option of the menu
is the access to the Setup options of
the Coolpix S500, detailed in the Interface and
Software section of the review.
With the Coolpix S500 in Playback mode,
five options are offered:
The basic Playback
mode presents the last captured image full-screen,
and the 4-direction control is used to move from one photo
to another.
Calendar Mode:
displays a calendar on the right side of the monitor
with the dates on which images were captured underlined.
The left side of the screen displays a thumbnail of
the first image captured on the currently underlined
date.
List by Date Mode:
this option presents capture dates as a column on the
monitor, with a thumbnail of the first image captured
on that date on the left side of the monitor.
Audio Playback Mode:
serves to listen to audio recordings.
Setup: as
with the capture mode, this option provides an access
to the Setup menu.
The next control is the most impressive on the S500. The
Rotary Multi-selector can be spun much like
a command dial on larger Nikon cameras, or pressed in any
of the four directions — up, down, right and left —
like a traditional 4-direction control. At its centre is an
OK button that serves to confirm menu selections.
The OK button also offers additional functions, as indicated
on the lower left: when the S500 is connected to a computer
via USB, pressing the OK/
button starts the automatic transfer of images to the computer.
Similarly, the Rotary Multi-selector's four directions control
functions when the camera is set to a shooting mode, indicated
by icons on the periphery of the control:
The up direction controls the Flash modes:
Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off, Forced
On, or Slow Synch.
The right direction
serves to adjust the exposure, offering Exposure
Compensation over ±2 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
The down direction starts the
Macro Mode, which allows the lens to focus on a
subject that is 15 cm (5.9 inches) from the front element
of the lens when the zoom enters the Macro zone, as indicated
by the macro icon
changing to green on the monitor.
The left direction enables the
Self-Timer, which can be set for 10 or 3 seconds.
The last two external controls of the S500 are at the bottom
of the back. On the left is the MENU button
which displays the Shooting menu, or the Scene mode selection
menu, or when the camera is in Playback, the Playback options,
depending on the camera's current mode. (An overview of
the contents of the menus can be found in the Characteristics
and Interface and Software sections of the
review).
On the right, the
button serves to delete an image under review.
Ergonomically, the Coolpix
S500 is very similar to the Coolpix S200 reviewed recently.
However, in comparison, this model offers some clear benefits:
the 2.5-inch monitor has a high resolution, the camera is
equipped with a real — optical — image stabilizer,
and its rotary multi-selector makes it easier and faster to
change settings and navigate menus.
Finally, the heavier weight of the S500 is more comfortable
as its compact size demands a surer grip.
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Ergonomics
icon to appear superimposed on the face that has been
detected. Should there be more than one face in the
shot, the camera places the icon over the face it
has detected as being the closest.
]
of the captured images first in a group of 4, then 9, and
then 16 images per screen as it it pressed, or allows magnifying
[
]
part of an image up to 10X.
].
The button can also be used to turn on the camera when held
pressed for more than 3 seconds, which avoids having the lens
extend. Pressing the shutter release switches the camera to
the capture mode.
button starts the automatic transfer of images to the computer.
changing to green on the monitor.
button serves to delete an image under review.
