Compact Easy to Use Camera

We bought the Nikon Coolpix s50 recently after spending a few weeks browsing in stores and onlines at the multitude of slim ultraportable digital cameras. We finally settled on the Coolpix s50 because of it's formfactor, functionality, and picture quality.

The s50 is a 7.2 megapixel camera that is about the size of a deck of cards. The exterior of the camera is painted in a matte finish and the ends are polished chrome. On the front of the camera there is only a slim flash next to a small lens opening located on the right upper corner and a small timing light. The back of the camera is taken up by an enormous 3 inch display and a small strip of control buttons on the right side. The top of the camera has the power buttong and the picture release button. It also has a button for vibration reduction and portrates. The bottom has a standard camera mount screw hole and the cover for the battery and SD card.

The functionality of the camera is impressive for it's small size. The camera has built in vibration reduction as well as a mode for portrates which can be accessed by buttons on the top of the camera. The menu selection is easy to access with the log wheel on the back of the camera. Picture resolution can be selected within the menu. Picture type can also be easily selected (eg. B&W, sepia, etc.) Viewing pictures is also quite easy. A circular picture gallery is presented and can be scrolled through with the log wheel.

We love the picture quality of this little camera. The flash is surprisingly bright and the panoramic stitching mode enables us to take beautiful shots. The camera has only a 3x optical zoom but it is fairly impressive since there is no external telescoping element to the lens. Startup to first picture speed is also quite fast - a few seconds. Connectivity is also quite good. The included programs work with both Mac and PC and easily connects with USB.

The biggest problem we had with the camera was that due to the large screen and small camera size it can be a little awkward to hold if you have big hands. The screen also smudges fairly easily. But these are small things to quibble about because the large screen is definitely a bonus. We also did not like the gallery very much because we can only see a few pictures at a time instead of the usual tiled layout in other cameras. Also, the battery does have to be charged out of the camera in the included recharger and for a 300 dollar camera it should come with the camera case (IMPO).

Overall, the fit and finish of the camera is excellent and feels solid in hand. The buttons have a nice definitive feel when pressed and the log wheel is easy to use.