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| Date Reviewed: 11/24/2007 |
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Strengths: Makes anyone's pictures look almost professional; huge, clear LCD screen; tons of options
Weaknesses: No carrying case; lens is in an odd place - where the flash normally is; LCD screen gets dirty easily
Summary: 2007-11-26 21:34:13 I'm no professional photographer but I work with them, and the Nikon Coolpix S51 lets me take photos that look almost as good as theirs.
It's a compact, sleek black camera about the length of a credit card. Despite being only about half an inch thick, it feels sturdy.
Once you get used to the strange placement of the lens where the flash normally is, the S51 is great to just point and shoot with. It's also good for photography buffs who know how to take advantage of the advanced settings.
Pressing the shutter button halfway down autofocuses. All the way down snaps a photo. The face detection works well and the automatic stabilizer is great for even the shakiest of hands.
The crisp, colorful photos can be viewed on the huge, bright 3" LCD screen with the photo review button. It also has a wheel button that lets you rotate through your photos via a slick menu. You can even make a slideshow of your photos with zoom effects and music that plays on the LCD screen.
The camera also records movies, but its bread and butter is photos - especially pictures that are perfect for computer desktop backgrounds.
Alas, it doesn't come with a carrying case. But it does have a wrist strap and a dual cable that can connect via a USB port to a computer or A/V plugs on a television.
The included software easily transfers pictures from the camera to a computer. That saves having to open the camera, remove the SD card (not included) and plug the card into an SD reader attached to a computer.
My favorite feature is the five-minute automatic shutoff - it saves some serious battery life.
Speaking of the battery, a lithium ion battery and charger are included.
Overall, the Nikon Coolpix S51 provides a lot of value for the price and is a solid point-and-shoot starter camera for amateurs.
 100% of People (10/10) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/09/2008 |
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Strengths: sleek,large viewing screen,image stabilization
Weaknesses: none
Summary: I purchased this camera despite reviews with complaints about the shutter lag. I read the directions and shutter lag is definitly not an issue. READ THE DIRECTIONS! I love this camera. The large viewing screen is great. I would purchase it again.
100% of People (1/1) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/18/2007 |
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Strengths: Good at size, weight, 3"LCD is very cool, easy to use, cool appearance.
Weaknesses: ISO1600 is somehow lower than the current trend, the battery life is short when you are using flash frequently.
Summary: Overall, I like this camera very much, although ISO1600 may limit its usage, it has fancy appearance and small size. The man-machine interface is user friendly. Nikon's lens is also very good. In addition, the 3" LCD provides a clear preview which is another reason I like it. The last thing is its low price, which marks Nikon S-51 a very popular choice among the slim point-to-shoot cameras.
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| Date Reviewed: 10/14/2007 |
- simon111
- Member Since:
Oct 2007
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Reviews
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Strengths: Small. Integral 3x zoom lense. VR image stabalization. D-lighting. Large LCD.
Weaknesses: Shutter lag
Summary: This camera has many benefits including:-
Large LCD screen. 1/2000th second shutter speed. D-lighting. VR antishake. Excellent macro. Solid build quality. Good flash range. Controls well laid out. Easy menu system. Small dimensions. Internal zoom lense. Picture quality excellent. One touch portraight mode. Face recognition.
This camera is a joy to use and it is hard to take a bad picture if you use the correct scene mode. Everything from backlit shots and flash come out excellent. The macro is first class. Very detailed and well lit shots from close up. D-lighting mode if you do make a mistake. If you want a point and shoot that is very small then this camera is excellent. The only down side is the shutter lag but this is common in some digital cameras.
97% of People (35/36) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 11/18/2007 |
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Strengths: Compact, no lense protruding from the camera to break. Extremely large 3.0" LCD, stores images in large format, has a good video mode.
Weaknesses: Didn't come with a case or bag to protect it, thats about it!
Summary: I purchased this camera after being a faithful Kodak user. The 8.1 is more than enough megapixel power for anyone to use from a digital compact camera. Out of the box it was not only sleek looking, but very functional. Anyone with any expertise or uses for this camera would have 0 difficulty in taking full advantage of it. Biggest plus if you buy it here, free shipping and it gets to your door in 2 days! You won't beat the deal here.
93% of People (14/15) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/28/2007 |
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 Nikon Coolpix S51 (Black) Strengths: Good Image, Image Stabilization, Very small
Weaknesses: Slow to turn on/off, Slow to focus, Auto White Balance isn't accurate unless using the flash, Bad ergonomics, Plastic Body
Summary: I love and use Nikon Film Bodies and DSLR Bodies, but I'll admit for small point and shoot cameras I have always used Canon Elphs since their first one nearly 8 years ago.
That said, my fiancee's SD400 is dying. So, one day while I was drooling over the new D3 the salesman at the camera store sold her on the S51. It was a bit of an impulse, and I was preoccupied. But she got it and we got it home. I did a lot of searching and could only find consumer reviews. Mostly good things were said, and I have an open mind about trying new things, so I opened the camera and started to play with it.
The image quality is good. No complaints there. The added IS for a camera in this price range is a great addition and selling point and it works well. Its everything else I was left unimpressed with.
1) Turn on/off time. This camera takes a couple seconds to boot up. The new Canons are pretty much instant. This is key for catching those easy to miss special moments.
2) Auto Focus. Its slow. Again slower then the Canons. Again unacceptable for those need to get the shot moments.
3) Lens placement. Because of the self enclosed design to remove a protruding zoom lens (the idea has its merits) they put the lens turret in the upper left corner of the body. Where you would usually find a flash. The problem is that its very easy to get your fingers caught in your own shot.
4) Small buttons. The zoom button is TINY. I mean ridiculously tiny.
5) Auto White Balance. Its works well when you are using the flash. Its doesn't like it works at all when you have the flash turned off. This is no good as I am someone who uses the flash as little as possible, usually not at all. Sure I can correct this in post, but why should I have to?
6) In order to switch modes from movies, to camera, to scene you have to go into the menu. It doesn't take very long, but I feel like its too many steps. Again with Canon, its a simple switch on the back. Its very quick to go from movies to camera and back. And i've been in many situations where you need that convenience of speed lest you miss something.
I went into this camera with an open mind, but I just found the system that I am used to be a better set up. Everything is pretty much subjective and preference, but what really killed the camera for me and my fiancee was the lack of speed. The slow on/off and slow focus is just a dead weight. Especially at this day in age when you have cameras that are so much faster. I have an older SD800 that is twice as fast as the Nikon, and after testing out the SD750 today, its pretty much instant.
So, we returned the Nikon S51 and will be staying with Canon and ordering a SD750. We will lose having IS, but gaining so much more.
I hope this helps anyone else trying to decide whether or not to get this camera.
75% of People (6/8) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/07/2007 |
- sleepingmousezz
- Member Since:
Dec 2007
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Reviews
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Strengths: Small. Integral 3x zoom lense. VR image stabalization. D-lighting. Large LCD.
Weaknesses: Shutter lag
Summary: I like it very much!It's a compact, sleek black camera about the length of a credit card. Despite being only about half an inch thick, it feels sturdy.
50% of People (1/2) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/02/2007 |
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Strengths: - protect shake in dim condition indoor shot
- slim design
- reasonable price
Weaknesses: - grib feel when you take shot isn't first rate
Summary: I like this camera overall. It's light and easy to use. Scene mode is very good and don't need to sdjust anything to take a shot.
Only downsize to use this is I think grib feel isn't very good when you take a shot. I don't know where to grib when I take a shot.
33% of People (1/3) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/30/2007 |
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Nikon S51
Strengths: Small. Large LCD. VR image stabalization. D-lighting.
Weaknesses: Shutter lag.
I can hear a rattle in my camera when I shake it slightly.
Slow to turn on/off.
The battery life is short when you are using flash frequently.
Summary: The image quality is good but that's it.
In order to switch modes from movies, to camera, to scene you have to go into the menu - too many steps.
VERY SLOW so be prepared to miss a lot from that trip you are planing for next year.
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| Date Reviewed: 11/12/2008 |
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 i'm quite happy Strengths: it does what it promised
Weaknesses: the video-films are not sharp at all
Summary: i bought it a year ago really cheap in Florida and took it with me to Belgium (costs here 274 euro and in Florida 147 euro). The only bad thing is the fact that the video-movies never are as sharp as the foto's are. It looks as if you look through the spectacles of somebody else. Maybe the software doesn't use the autofocus in the video-mode ? Or do i need another software-version ? Can anybody help me ? : kivi@euphonynet.be
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| Date Reviewed: 02/19/2008 |
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Strengths: Compact and easy to use
Weaknesses: seems a little "loose" some of the pieces holding the chip and battery in rattle
Summary: This camera is a great little unit for the money. I actually had to return my first one, though, because there was a rattling sound coming from inside the camera. The sound was diminished (but did not disappear) when the battery and SD card were in place, but it was still there. I returned the camera for a new one not wanted to take a chance that something was broken or waiting to break, and the new one was better.... but there is just something about the moving parts that don't seem solid. Time will tell. The photos and movies from the S51 are beautiful.
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| Date Reviewed: 01/30/2008 |
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Strengths: Compact Size--It's small, yet has a good heft and feels solidly built.
Huge LCD screen--makes taking and reviewing pictures very easy and pleasant.
Weaknesses: All surfaces are very smooth, making it hard to hold without fear of dropping it.
Summary: Picture quality is extremely good.
Controls are easy to use.
Picture modes are sufficient to cover most shooting conditions for a point-and-shoot.
Manual settings are very limited.
The cover for the media card slot is rather hard to open.
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| Date Reviewed: 01/29/2008 |
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Coolpix S51
Strengths: great videos, big screen
Weaknesses: battery runs out fast if using flash a lot. Takes awful pictures! always makes them blurry.
Summary: I would not recommend this camera. The pictures are always blurry if you dont use the flash. And the flash doesn't always make it better either. It does take good videos though.
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| Date Reviewed: 01/21/2008 |
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Poor Peformer
Strengths: The pictures generally look pretty good.
The camera is slim and attractive.
Weaknesses: Long shutter lag.
Slow to reset between shots.
Battery/SD slot door is cheap plastic and extremely difficult to open.
Summary: I highly recommend that you look elsewhere--try the Panasoninc Lumix FX line, for instance, which has none of these flaws (I bought this to replace a Lumix FX 9S which I gave to my son). The biggest problem with this camera is, in my opinion, the deal-killer. The shutter lag is enormous, guaranteeing that, unless you're shooting posed portraits or still life shots, your picture will not end up with what you were trying to capture. This is incredibly frustrating and unlike any digital camera I have ever owned (this is my 5th over about 10 years). The camera also takes an inordinate amount of time between shots, too. Another real problem that I have not seen since my first digital camera many years ago. Finally, the crappy little plastic door that covers the battery and SD chip needs to be "sort of" pressed down while sliding it open. You cannot slide it open if you don't press down, and you cannot slide it open if you press down too hard. I struggle every time to find the right touch, and I am sure it's only a matter of time before it breaks.
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| Date Reviewed: 12/21/2007 |
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Strengths: everything
Weaknesses: nothing unless you don't like a really small camera
Summary: I researched for about a week trying to find the right camera for me, and I almost bought the nikon coolpix s200 until I found this one for $10 more. I love everything about it.
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