Nikon S210

In the years since digital cameras became popular, there’s always been a price range that proves the major battleground for manufacturers. With similar prices and specs, each camera is struggling to stand out from the crowd. Nikon’s Coolpix S210 is not only incredibly compact, but has one or two features that may well give the consumer something to think about.

The physical size of the S210 is the most immediately striking element, as it will easily fit into an adult-sized palm. The depth is also such that it wouldn’t be a problem to fit into a normal-sized pocket and wouldn’t make a dent in a handbag. Design may not be on a par with the Casio Exilim S10, but taking the price tag into account, it does appear to punching above its weight somewhat. The shiny, metallic front isn’t continued around the rest of the body, with a duller finish round the sides and back. In spite of this, the body still feels reasonably robust and sturdy, with a decent level of weight for such a compact model. There are a few flimsy parts to spoil the otherwise impressive feel, such as the weak battery/card flap, and a couple of the buttons don’t exactly inspire confidence. Both the On/Off and Delete buttons are too recessed into the body and given the slight delay on powering up, it could easily lead to an unnecessary extended depression. Most of the other controls feel solid and responsive enough to perform in a satisfactory manner, although the manner in which the zoom is controlled is a little perplexing.

Most manufacturers offer an analogue method of controlling the magnification, meaning that the user can determine a gradient as to the level and speed of zoom. The Nikon S210 has a digital control, meaning either the camera is being zoomed, or it isn’t. The zoom is also stepped, meaning it shifts a set amount with each press. This can become annoying when the camera overshoots or stops short of the required distance, and while having only a 3x zoom doesn’t make it a massive issue, it’s an oversight that makes the camera feel cheaper. This may be seen as a space-saving issue due to the rear of the S210 not being able to house a larger rocker switch, which also explains the lack of a Mode dial. Instead a button is employed, meaning opening a menu is necessary for the setting to be selected via the D-pad. This can be confusing as although the scene mode can be selected in this manner, actually changing the scene is performed via the Menu button. This leads to unnecessary delays in selecting the desired setting and far too frequent menu trips, as the standard menu cannot be accessed. Altering the resolution is put at the tail end of the Scene options, making a lengthy scroll through three other screens necessary. Fortunately, this overcomplication is kept away from the shooting screen, which unlike many other cameras of the same ilk, Nikon manages to keep the display clean and simple, foregoing the current trend for overly flashy animations that usually delay the desired operation. The screen is kept relatively bereft of icons as well, ensuring only those necessary take up LCD space. When focusing, for example, the majority of symbols disappear, leaving only Shutter Speed and Aperture.

Having a clean display helps pick out where the focus is settling, which in the case of the Nikon S210 is impressively quick. Even when drastically changing depths or zooming, the focus speed is still rapid and the Vibration Reduction stabiliser helps a surprising amount. Accordingly, the images are for the most part impressively sharp, really bringing out the detail in closer objects. It’s worth keeping a careful eye on the Auto focus placement though, and resetting it to Centre Spot or even Manual mode can avoid an unwanted object or person coming out sharp, as the multispot has the tendency to be skittish. Colour quality was impressive, not giving any obvious indications of oversaturation and ensuring the reds didn’t overload the whole frame. As a result, most images were kept to the darker end of the scale, giving a slightly duller final output. Keeping all of the competing shades in check is no mean feat, even if it does result in a less punchy image, so the S210 can at least be applauded for that. There were a few important oversights on the settings front that could have helped the images out, such as control over metering and a closer focal distance in Macro mode.