Nikon Coolpix S6

Reviewed May 2006

Interface & Software

Interface

While the user interface of the Coolpix S6 is relatively clear and easy to read — the legibility of the interface is obviously helped by the large monitor — the rotary multi-selector can be a bit more difficult to get accustomed to, in particular to manoeuvre it with some degree of precision.

As has been the case with some other recent compact cameras from Nikon, the Coolpix S6 does not indicate the aperture or shutter speed when the shutter release is half pressed. This is regrettable since it is more useful than a camera-shake symbol and, for example, can be useful to determine if the shutter speed is going to be fast enough to stop movement.

On the other hand, the menus of the S6 are concise, return automatically to the last option that was used, and offer a help system that provides a short explanation for every menu option. Similarly, the fact that the Setup menu — which serves to set all the basic settings of the camera — is readily accessible from all menus, whatever the mode, is a very practical feature.

The Setup menu provides for the following settings:

• Shooting/Scene/Movie/Playback Menu: returns to the previous menu.
• Menus: selects whether the menus are displayed as text (as is shown here) or as icons which fit on a single screen.
• Quick Startup: enables or disables the Welcome Screen and Startup Sound.
• Welcome Screen serves to select the display during startup:
  • Nikon: displays the Coolpix logo.
  • Animation: displays an animation of the Coolpix name.
  • Select an Image: displays an image captured with the S6.
• Date: allows setting the time and date on the Coolpix S6. A sub-option allows setting a home and travel destination time zone when travelling.

• Monitor Settings contains two sub-options:
  • Photo Info: serves to decide what information is displayed on the monitor, or display a framing grid. Note that the information does not include shooting data.
  • Brightness: serves to adjust the brightness of the monitor over 5 increments.
• Date Imprint: determines whether or not the date, or the date and time, will be imprinted on the image permanently. Options are: Off (default), Date, Date and Time, and Date counter which shows the number of days separating the shooting date and a selected date (for example a birthday or anniversary).

• AF Assist: enables or disables the AF assist lamp.
• Sound Settings controls the sounds produced by the camera:
  • Button sound (operation sound).
  • Shutter sound.
  • Volume.

• Blur Warning: controls the display of a message that indicates that the photo that has just been captured is blurred, and offers the option of not saving it. This button also controls the display of the camera shake symbol, which appears when the shutter speed is low and the image about to be captured might be subject to camera shake.
• Auto Off allows choosing the time delay before the monitor automatically shuts off to conserve power: 30 seconds, 1 (default), 5 or 30 minutes.
• Format Memory/Format Card: serves to format a memory card or the internal memory.

• Language selects the interface language: Czech, Danish, German, English, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai.
• Interface allows setting the various connections:
  • USB, serves to select the USB protocol, PTP (for use with PictBridge compliant devices), or Mass Storage (to have the camera recognized as a removable mass storage device);
  • Video Mode, serves to select the video signal output (NTSC or PAL);
  • and Auto Transfer, to decide whether all images marked for transfer are automatically uploaded to the computer when the camera is placed in its dock.
• Reset All: returns all camera settings to their default values.
• Firmware Version: displays the current version number of the firmware (version 1.0 for this camera).

As always, Nikon provides a printed manual for the Coolpix S6, and a printed Quick Start Guide. The Quick Start booklet contains basic information to operate the camera, while the "Nikon Guide to Digital Photography with the Coolpix S6" provides detailed information on all the functions of the camera. Both manuals are well-organized, and should be able to answer any question an owner might have about the camera and the way it works.

Software

(Please note that the software included can vary from country to country)

Picture Project presents images as a film strip at the top of one window with the currently selected image at a large size below, while the right window pane can list the image's properties, including its shooting data, if desired.

Meanwhile, the left side window pane provides links to import images — either from folders on the hard drive, a memory card in a card reader, or the camera itself — into the program's own database.

Moreover, images can be converted to black and white or sepia. Any editing done to the image can be seen immediately.

Beyond these tools, the program also provides procedures to reduce or eliminate the red-eye effect automatically, change the orientation of an image, or even apply the software version of D-Lighting, D-Lighting HS, which brings out details in any under-exposed areas of an image.

The other program included with the S6 is the utility that serves to create profiles of wireless networks. Wireless Camera Setup Utility 1.1 is designed to operate while the Coolpix S6 is on the Cool-Station and connected via USB to the computer running the Utility. Profiles can be created (screen capture at right), or viewed using the Profiles button at the top of the program's window, which also allows deleting profiles in the camera. Similarly, Wireless Printing connections — automatically created when a network profile is created — can be edited, making it possible, for example, to change the target printer.

Panorama Maker 3.5, also included, is specifically designed to assemble a series of photos, captured with the S6's Panorama Scene mode, into large seamless panoramic images.

And finally, Apple's QuickTime 6 can be used to view the movies captured with the S6.