Nikon Coolpix S210

Nikon's 8-megapixel Coolpix S210 ($179.99 list) offers a slim profile and good looks, especially when compared with its more-capable Canon counterpart, the bulky PowerShot A590 IS, which fetches the same price. Unfortunately, the benefit of its slick design is completely overshadowed by poor image quality.

A trim 0.7 inch thick, the 4-ounce S210 slips easily into pretty much any pocket. The brushed-metal body comes in a handful of colors; the model I tested was "Plum." The back of the camera houses a 2.5-inch display that seems bigger than it is, since the camera is so small. Its lens offers a 3X zoom and a focal range of 6.3mm to 18.9mm (35mm equivalent: 38mm to 114mm), with corresponding maximum f-stops of f/3.1 and f/5.9.

The menu system is straightforward, with clearly labeled settings. Just don't expect any tips or guidance like those you find on some higher-end pocket cameras, such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 or the Olympus Stylus 1030SW. The T300 offers a brief description along with each option and mode, while the Olympus SW1030 offers a Guide mode that describes the scenario you want to capture and then adjusts the camera's settings accordingly. The S210 offers 11 scene modes, image stabilization, face detection, continuous shooting (1.2 frames per second), and a few onboard editing options, including cropping and D-lighting (for correcting overexposed images.)

The S210 can be frustrating to use. Boot-up time was more than 6 seconds, meaning you'd better have it already powered on and at the ready before you want to snap a shot. Recycle time is average; after you shoot one image, it takes 4 seconds before you can capture the next shot. Shutter lag is also disappointing: After pressing the trigger, it took about 0.8 second for the camera to snap off a shot. The Canon A590 IS is a lot speedier, with a 2.7-second boot-up time and excellent recycle and shutter-lag times, at 2.8 and 0.39 seconds, respectively. The S210 was able to resolve only 1,650 lines on our ISO test chart, well below average for an 8MP camera. The 8MP Canon A590 IS averaged 2,150 lines, and Casio's 8MP Exilim EX-Z9, 1,850. The resolution deficiencies can be seen in the S210's softer, less-sharp images. Barrel (wide-angle) and pincushion (telephoto) distortion was not blatant in real-world testing, but there was evidence of both in the lab.

Color fringing was very noticeable in many of my test shots, especially in areas of the image with high contrast. The most noticeable example was in a picture where I was sitting in front of a white wall wearing a black shirt—I was outlined by a blue haze. ISO noise was also problematic. The camera is capable of shooting up to ISO 2000, but even at ISO 200 there were noisy spots. As with many other point-and -hoot cameras, noise really kicked in at around ISO 400.

Video recording set at its highest resolution of 640-by-480, at 30 frames per second (SD quality), was smooth and comparable with that of most other 8MP cameras. (The Kodak EasyShare M1033 is the standout in this area: It's capable of recording HD (1,280-by-720) video at 30 fps—an amazing feature for a sub-$200 camera.)

You get 52MB of internal storage (which holds about 23 pictures on the camera's highest setting), and the S210 supports SD and SDHC cards, which can be found in capacities up to 32GB. The S210 runs on a rechargeable lithium ion battery; the A590 IS, in contrast, uses generic AA batteries—a nice feature, since you can find replacement cells almost anywhere.

Sure, the Nikon Coolpix S210 is amazingly small, but size isn't everything. Since its images aren't very impressive, and its features don't stand out in any way, it's difficult to recommend. If you're looking for a budget shooter that takes good shots and has a lot of versatility, try the Canon PowerShot A590 IS, the Kodak EasyShare M1033, or the Casio Exilim EX-Z9.

Benchmark Test Results
Check out the Nikon Coolpix S210's test scores.

Compare the digital cameras mentioned above side by side.