Nikon Coolpix S51 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Matte Black) Reviews

• Compact, slick, and slow to respond

  
  By A3QU4N2IJN4H2B on 2007-11-27
  I purchased this camera as an all-around point-and-shoot for my family's use, and plan to return it and pick another - probably a Canon SD850 or similar.
  
  First, the good. Photos are very good overall, with the exceptions noted below, and much better than my previous camera, a Nikon 4300. The camera is small, nice looking, and has a huge LCD. I also appreciated the integrated (and internal) lens cover and non-protruding optical zoom. The image stabilization was another selling point for me.
  
  Then I got the camera home... The slick look is slick (as in slippery) to hold, too. The tiny buttons are not well differentiated, and like other reviewers I found myself accidentally hitting the power switch frequently. The big LCD always looks grainy, making me think my photos weren't very good until I viewed them on my PC monitor. I also found the interface confusing (and I'm no electronics newbie).
  
  But the real killer is the camera's speed. Although it snaps open and lights up extremely quickly, it refuses to take a photo for about two seconds. Press the shutter button again, and you're waiting 1 or 2 more seconds while it focuses and processes - by then the kids have turned away and are on to something else. In short, it's just unbearably slow in everyday use.
  
  Back in the box, then.
  
  UPDATE: I returned this camera and purchased a Canon SD850 IS as a replacement. I am much happier - the Canon is SUPER quick so I no longer get photos of the backs of the kids heads, their ears and hair, or the background when I was setting up the shot... Other quirks with the Nikon that I noticed in a week of use: The battery/card door is VERY hard to open and feels flimsy; the charger requires a big bulky power cord; the slim design fit very nicely in a pocket.
  
  

• Very good, but I have a problem (Muy buena, pero tengo un problema).

  
  By AMS3NT02EUN8C on 2007-09-28
  It is very comfortable and easy to use. The 3 inches screen is fabulous. The revolving wheel is a different way to show the multiple customized options and allows the reproduction of photos in multiple ways, one of them as a carrousel that turns when it rotates.
  
  The stabilizer of real images works efficiently! As if it was firmly supported.
  
  The problem I have is that the on/off button, located on top, reacts to very slight pressures unexpectedly turning on. It usually happens when sliding it into the protective case and into the trousers pocket. Although it turns automatically off in five minutes, the frequency of this occurrence contributes to unload the battery.
  
  I have found that 150 photos by battery load is very little. It forces to buy an extra battery. The battery icon appears too late when very little load on battery is left. It should be present when the camera is turned on as it does for the amount of available photos and the actual setting. This was one of the few things that made me angry about my old Nikon model which I still keep in working.
  
  -=+=-
  
  Muy cómoda y fácil de usar. La pantalla de 3" es fabulosa. La ruedita giratoria en una forma diferente de configurar las múltiples opciones personalizables y permite reproducir las fotos de varias formas diferentes, una de ellas en un carrusel que gira al rotarla y que simultáneamente presenta la selección en una imagen adjunta más grande.
  El estabilizador de imágenes realmente funciona, es como si estuviera apoyada firme.
  
  El problema que tengo con ella es que el botón de encendido y apagado, ubicado en la cara superior, se presiona con suma facilidad. Un simple topadito y ya está prendida. Al entrarla en el bultico protector se activa fácilmente. Y en el bolsillo de los pantalones, también se prende a cada rato. Aunque se apaga automáticamente a los cinco minutos, descarga la batería.
  
  Encuentro que 150 fotos por carga de batería es poco. Obliga a comprar una batería extra. El medidor de batería solo se presenta cuando queda poca carga para mostrar la batería floja. Debiera enseñarlo siempre al prender, como hace con la cantidad de fotos disponibles y la configuración actual. Esto era de las pocas cosas que me hacían incomodar de mi viejo modelo Nikon que aún conservo funcionando.
  
  FA
  
  

• Great compact camera, especially for the price

  
  By A2AVGHBO8UNY3Q on 2007-12-04
  I wanted to replace my aging P&S digital camera and wanted something that was compact and easy to carry in a small handbag, that would still take good pictures. I specifically wanted a non-retracting lens camera - simply because I wanted the most compact camera I could get (and didn't want to risk having someone knock over the camera if the lens was partly open). Oh - and I wanted something on the cheap. This fits the bill. If you are willing to spend more money, I think you can probably get a better camera -- but for what I wanted, I couldn't find another ultra-compact in the sub $250 range that I liked as much. For $225, I was able to get a camera, a 2 GB SD card (free thanks to some promo Amazon was running a few weeks ago) and an extra battery. Can't beat that.
  
  The LCD screen is gorgeous, works great in a variety of lighting conditions (including bright sunlight) and is HUGE. Although I'm a big fan of looking through the lens on DSLRs, I'm of the opinion that most of the viewfinders on compact P&S cameras are less reliable than a LCD, so I would rather have a high resolution, bright LCD that works outdoors. The one downside of having a 3" LCD is that the battery life is less than some other cameras. I picked up an extra battery when I purchased my camera and would recommend potential buyers to do the same thing. The battery does not charge in the camera - something I personally prefer - but know that you will need to buy a separate AC adaptor if you want to do that.
  
  The build quality of the camera is fine. It's mostly plastic, with some pieces of metal - and it's lightweight, but if you are used to a heavier metal camera (like Sony features on their higher-end ultra compacts), I'm not going to lie, this feels kind of cheap in comparison. But at $200, I really don't expect it to feel like a camera that costs $160 more.
  
  This is not the fasted digital camera that I have ever used, nor is it the slowest. I had fewer issues with the speed than some of the reviews that I have read, mostly because it's the result of the auto-focus system doing its thing. You press and hold the shot button, wait for the AF sensor to turn green and then press again. The auto-focus is VERY good (even if you aren't using the facial recognition mode), so I'm fine with waiting another tenth of a second to take a shot. It's really not a huge thing.
  
  The image quality on the camera is quite good, once you become familiar with the controls. The macro mode is amazing -- for such an inexpensive camera, I was blown away. Fantastic. The flash is pretty bright, be weary of that when taking indoor shots, as it can often wash out the entire shot. The autofocus is great and the scene modes/white balance work as they should. Red eye is a problem - as it is for almost all compact digital camera. Fix that on your computer after the fact - but yes, it's definitely there.
  
  Straight out of the camera, the pictures and colors look very good. After some tweaking in Aperture or Lightroom (or iPhoto or the included Nikon photo software if you want to get less fancy), they look amazing. I put up some pictures from Thanksgiving on my Flickr page and someone was able to make out the photographs in the background of the original, even though it was partially obstructed by plant leaves, to know that it was an older picture of me.
  
  I can't speak for Windows (haven't used it with a Windows PC yet), but the camera works flawlessly with a Mac (I'm running OS X 10.5.1). I didn't install the Nikon software, preferring to use my other photo apps instead. Connecting the camera via USB is a breeze and the transfer from the SD card to the computer is very fast. I got a 2 GB SD card, but it supports up to a 4 GB card, and supports high-speed cards (well, it's been tested with certain brands, see the owner's manual).
  
  All in all, for the price - the camera can't be beat if you want something ultra-compact and with a large LCD. I only give it 4 stars because of the battery life and the fact that the build quality is on the plasticy side. Honestly though, for $200 - this is awesome.
  
  

• I do like it

  
  By A23UDS0QALLC00 on 2007-10-15
  Nikon Coolpix S51 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Matte Black)
  
  I have had it for a week. It is wonderful when on a trip and I can stop at THAT chain of coffee shops and email the picturs to the family. The quality looks fine for the size camera at normal iso. The BAD thing is the damn ower button. Even in the nikon case it often turnes on accidentally. Bad design
  
  

• Read the manual people!

  
  By A1ZK1WEGZLGRFX on 2007-12-08
  I keep seeing all of these review with silly problems, just read the manual! If it seems slow to take pics, change the shutter speed to the higher/faster speeds and the camera will keep up with your multi fast action photos, no delay as described by others. The power button is just like the one on the L series, although easy to turn on, the camera has an automatic sleep mode before it actually turns off. I love this camera, and when in high resolution photo mode, the display is vivid and quite clear, unlike the grainy lo res pics show on it. I give it a 5+ for outstanding ease and wonderful functions.
  
  
• Pretty Good Cammera
  By A2AU257S4JB9OM on 2007-11-15
  This is the first point and shoot digital camera I have purchased. I usually use a DSLR but wanted something I can slip in my pocket and take with me all the time. This camera fits the bill. As with all Point and Shoot digital cameras its image becomes grainy in low light situations making flash use a common occurence.
  
  Its design makes it great for slipping into a breast pocket and heading anywhere. The image is about on par for any Point and Shoot Camera, nothing to write home about. The positioning of the power button and lens are a bit of a nuisance. It is easy to accidentally turn the camera on when slipping in your pocket, and the on several occasions I caught myself with my finger over the lens.
  
  I wouldn't recommend and Point and Shoot camera if your planing on doing any photography, but if your looking for something to slap in your pocket and have available anywhere this camera will work great for you. It has a surprisingly large list of options including manual white balancing. It also has a one button for taking portraits of people, it uses face tracking to insure the right subject is in focus (this option only works write if you have enough light).
  
  
• Cool Coolpix
  By A2X66VAM25LPRC on 2007-11-22
  This is our second Coolpix. We bought this one because of the large viewing screen plus our good experience with the earlier one. Now that we have used it several times, we find the small slim profile makes it very easy to carry around in purse or pocket -- so it's available on many instances where a bulkier camera would be sitting at home [we also have a D-70 which travels in its own luggage what with accessories and all]. Very easy to operate and surprisingly intuitive so there has been little running back to re-read the manual.
  
  
• To the guy that said the image quality is horrible...
  By AKRI13S2727PX on 2007-11-26
  A camera is only as good as the person using it. If you are not familar with how to adjust the settings to suit the current environment (bright sunny day, dark cloudy night etc) then you can't blame the camera, you blame yourself. If you fail a class, it's not the teacher's fault it's primarily yours. Similarly, if you are unable to use a high quality camera to take pictures then you have yourself to blame.
  
  
• Great Little Camera for the Price
  By A31UYC5VYQ3UB5 on 2007-11-20
  I'm sure you could find a better camera for a similar price and a MUCH better camera for alot more money, but I'm not sure you'll find too many cameras with this many features that take such great pictures...& in a compact design that you can literally take anywhere. I have a Canon Rebel that I take with me on trips and to do "serious" photography, but I just love carrying this little camera with me everythere I go in my bag. You'd be surprised how many cool things you come across that you'd take a picture of...if you only had a camera with you. Well, now you can! ...& cell phone cameras don't count! :-)
  
  
• LOVE IT!!!
  By A2SLN56WSBVJBM on 2007-11-29
  This is the best camera I've ever had. It takes incredible pictures, and very easy to use. The camera has never given me problems- it works perfectly. The screen size is great and makes it easy to see what your taking a picture of.
  I was stupid enough to put it in my pocket once- and then ended up falling on it and breaking it --- i sent it to get fixed- and it came back perfect.
  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this camera!
  
  
• Image quality is horrible
  By A3BZ4HGS1C8JX6 on 2007-10-13
  The image quality of this camera is below average. For a camera priced at $270 +, I would expect the image quality to be at least good if not best. I tried both indoors and outdoors and 9 out of 10 images came out grainy. I would not recommend this camera.
  
  
• Great pictures, but S.......................L.......................O........................W
  By A2RJ7892K42GNZ on 2007-12-11
  The pictures I took with this camera were all beautiful. There's no question - it is a very intelligent camera. I didn't get one shot that was blurred, overexposed or dark. The two complaints I have with it are how slow it is and that I got a LOT of "orbs" in my pictures. This camera works so hard and performs so many calculations that it is impossible to "capture a moment." By the time the camera is ready to shoot, the moment is gone. I'm not sure what to say about the orbs other than that they were there. I ended up returning it because I just couldn't deal with how slow it was.
  
  
• Stopped working one month after purchase
  By ARQ0BSBAPVC7E on 2007-12-02
  I have this camera in red and liked it so much I bought one for my husband in black. The large display was great and the slim, small size fit in any purse or pocket! Unfortunately, before he ever used his black one, my red one stopped working. We took it on vacation to Tahoe over thanksgiving and it started taking terrible quality pictures and would take/show completely black, fuzzy pictures instead of focusing on the subject in the photo. I have contacted Nikon and I have to send it to them to see if they can repair it...I hope so becasue I really liked it before it went crazy! In the meantime, I returned my husband's unopened black one in case it is a problem with the camera model.
  
  
• Coolpix S51
  By A2JOVDI24FZC8P on 2007-12-07
  I have been shooting with Nikons since 1984. This is a great, pocket sized, QUALITY camera to use when you don't want to carry the big guns with all the lenses and accessories.
  
  
• Somewhat disappointed with quality but price ok
  By A3HI270DWKT3SX on 2007-12-29
  I bought this camera for my daughter for Christmas. The price was right and I'm sure it will be fine for what she will use it for. I personally would not want to have this camera for the following reasons. LCD monitor has horrible color recreation indoors. If you have any florescent bulbs in your house (more and more people do), the green tinting of the objects on the monitor screen is terrible, especially lighter colors (white objects are green), it is better when only incandescent lighting is used but still noticeable. The good news is that the auto white balance setting of the camera does do a good job in rendering the colors in the images themselves quite well. Interesting enough, using the florescent or incandescent white balance settings of the camera for either condition produced very poor images (flash mode didn't help either). The colors are fine in the monitor when viewing the images in playback mode, it's just when taking them is there is a problem. In addition, I'm not sure if it's the 3" LCD screen or not, but as mentioned by others, the battery life seemed bit short to me. While certainly you can buy an extra battery, that's just something else you have to carry around with your pocket camera. A viewfinder with an option to turn the LCD off might be a nice addition to this camera. Also, as mentioned, the images themselves are somewhat grainy even at the lowest ISO setting and the highest image quality settings. This is very noticeable as full image size, but not as bad when viewing fit to screen on your monitor. There are also sometimes some shadowing around the edges. Truthfully though, I find the image quality to be fairly decent for a camera at this price and not something the point and shoot user should probably be concerned about. I have not printed any of the pictures and I would say at a 5 x 7 size the graininess would be even less of an issue. Also, as mentioned on other posts, the on/off switch is very sensitive and several times I have accidentally turned the camera on while in it's case just by picking it up carefully. Also, the AF assist which flashes short burst of light to assist in focusing in low light situations will blind your subjects and is quite annoying. It can be turned off, but you then may have issues focusing. Also, the camera is very slow indoors. Not as bad outdoors when AF assist and flash aren't needed. I can't imagine how someone could catch somebody blowing out candles. On the plus side, the camera is very slim and light and can be carried around quite easily. Again, the images are probably fine for the casual user. I found the controls easy to manipulate, even for my fat thumbs (that was a concern of mine given the small size of the controls). The menu system is fine, although backing out of mode screens is not as intuitive as I would hope, I'm sure that won't be an issue with a little practice. I have a digital slr but would like to buy a point and shoot for myself. It won't be this camera for the reasons I've just given. I bought my other daughter a Sony Cybershot DSW55 for Christmas and plan on reviewing that once I have a chance to play with it, probably within the next week or two. I'm also looking at the Canon SD1000. A co worker just got one and is supposed to bring in some pictures. He knows a little something about cameras and said he was very happy with the SD1000. As an update 4 months later, my daughter says she is no longer having the green lcd screen issue I mentioned above which is good. I have not yet written the review on the Sony DSW55 because I'm just now getting it out of my daughters hand's to play with. I will say that I'm very happy with what I've seen so far with it. Great pictures, great color, auto settings work wonderful, and the it's also very easy to use the menus and such. I would definitely recommend the DSW55, and it's without a doubt a much better camera then this Coolpix in every respect.
  
  
• Most bang for your buck...
  By A33MCLDV39HUQV on 2007-12-31
  My mother has this camera, except it is the 6mp version. She paid $250 in Circuit City. I have been wanting to steal it from her for years, but I was in college, so every time she offered to buy me one I told her to just send me the money, lol.
  
  Anyway, I spent several hours doing my research. I read every single customer review. Some of the reviews are misleading. The complaints that a lot of people have about many of these cameras is that they don't read the manual. Either that or they just don't get it. My sister had a long love/hate relationship with a lot of her electronics and it took her forever to figure them out. Now she loves them all.
  
  So, yes, I think there are a lot of better, more fancy, etc cameras out there.... but not for this price. I am not a shopper who searches for the lowest price. That's stupid. I search for the item that offers the most bang for the buck (value + quality). My mom has had her camera for 3 years and has never had a problem. My cousin has one, but hers is a much older model and hers has lasted forever! This camera rocks!
  
  
• The Best Camera with a Good Value!!
  By A2VZHBC7POBWU1 on 2008-01-13
  I have owned different brands camera like Cannon, Sony, Kodax and Pentax. This Nikon S51 so far is the best. Very clear images even if you download them in the computer. I rarely have any blurred pictures even if I am not using any tripod and my hands are little bit shaking when I take pictures. A good size screen 3" LCD and it is large enough when I view my pictures. This camera is good when I take outdoor and indoor pictures. However, when I go out at night and take pictures outside the street, unless the object is very close by, otherwise, I do not see any objects in my pictures. It is a very good value for a Nikon, 3" LCD camera.
  
  
• Beware!
  By A2O59XT79PTUDS on 2008-01-14
  The LCD lens on this camera will BREAK very easily.
  I had it in a purse in a case and when I opened it up, there was a huge crack on the inside.
  I took it back to the store and they want $199 to replace the lens.
  Nikon says to mail it to them and they will decide if it was "negligence" or not.
  This camera was not dropped or misused in any way.
  If they deem it negligence I am out $269 on a 3 week old camera.
  
  
• Perfectly good camera for the average user!
  By AFIZFF51KXYSA on 2008-05-14
  This is a great camera for 99% of us who want to point and shoot. It takes great pictures whatever time of the day, or conditions, and you don't have to do much, they always come out great. Off course, if you want to use it's configuration settings, you can get "exceptional" picutres, but I have to say I'm pretty lazy to do that. I've had a 10.1mp sony cybershot before, and it had so many different options, that unless you configured it just right for your settings, the pictures came out horrible... with the nikkon, you just point and shoot!
  
  The 3" screen is great, it makes a BIG difference from the 2.5" (it doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it is). And don't get impressed by the low price - this camera outperforms sonys, kodaks etc that are twice its price.
  
  Menus are very simple to use. You can't go wrong with this one.
  
  
• Excellent image quality
  By AGPT12VAJ9715 on 2007-12-07
  This is really great compact camera. I'm not really into compact cameras as I usually use SLR, but the image quality is outstanding for its class. Low noise in high ISO, nice Colours and sharp image. The 3" LCD is real delight.
  Menu and buttons are easy to use and set in logical order.
  The downside is the absences of viewfinder and the face recognition is not really reliable.
  
  
  
• A bit disappointed
  By AHAE5SARRHCHD on 2007-12-31
  I had a Nikon Coolpix before and was a bit happier with the older version. I purchased this to get more megapixels and a larger screen.
  
  So far, I'm not as thrilled as I thought I'd be. I'm a bit worried about the opening for the battery and memory card which seems a bit flimsy. I also noticed that on many indoor shots, white spots appear. I called Nikon and this is not considered a flaw. The camera captures dust particles in the air when a flash is used. You can try to get the picture by disabling the flash or can clean it up on the computer. I never had that problem before with any other camera and it's annoying.
  
  I'm still considering whether or not to keep it, I'm disappointed overall.
  
  
  
  
• Not a bad camera but missing ease of use
  By A1A2JY585I84ED on 2008-01-09
  The biggest plus is the big LCD screen. The biggest minus is that there is no easy way to select presets such as landscape mode, macro, etc..
  
  Since I need to quickly go from preset to preset, this camera is better as a back up portable. Get a Nikon DSLR for a real camera.
  
  
• Great budget camera
  By A35DZ2414ZIFSQ on 2008-01-17
  I use a Nikon DSLR and wanted an inexpensive pocket camera to complement it. Nikon seems less popular than Canon in the P&S market and it's easy to find this camera with a healthy discount.
  
  The camera features a huge LCD, a fast start-up time, very intuitive controls and menus, optical vibration reduction (VR), and high light sensitivity (ISO). The last two features in particular set it apart from earlier Nikon models like the S1, which could not take a clean picture without the flash anywhere short of a professionally-lit studio. Of course, the picture gets grainy fast if you use the higher ISO settings.
  
  The camera does have several faults mentioned by other reviewers: the response time is terrible, especially if you do not partially press the shutter button to pre-meter and focus. The power button is too easy to hit accidentally. It is easy to cover the lens with a finger because of the lens's location.
  
  All in all, I would recommend this a good, inexpensive pocket camera for anyone EXCEPT for those who mainly take candid action snapshots of their kids or friends. Those users should look for a faster camera.
  
  
  
• I was disappointed
  By A1VF7R4MR6XXOW on 2008-02-23
  Unfortunately I was disappointed with the Nikon Coolpix S51. It looks nice, but when taking a picture, it takes it like a second after you push the button, so the lag always messes up your shot. In the movie mode, it has a very awkward zoom that's very blocky and looks terrible.
  
  The 3-inch screen is pretty nice but easy to get smudged.
  
  However, despite my bad experience, if you don't use the movie mode or don't really care about lag, this seems like a nice camera otherwise. It has a lot of features (some a little too specific; but it's nice to have). I just didn't really like it, that's all.
  
  
• Camera Distorts Images
  By A3VZ91XPK2QORS on 2007-12-25
  This camera distorts images, almost like looking through a fisheye lense. It is going back.
  
  
• good -- with a couple of flaws
  By A25EYW5R8U72KL on 2008-01-07
  Features work as advertised. LCD is good BUT is scratched VERY EASILY, so be careful. Battery life is on the low side. Else, for the money, you will be hard pressed to get a better camera with image stabilization, movie mode, small size, 4 cm macro focus capability and Nikon lens.
  
  
• Great Buy!!!
  By A1ODIGUOMK33G5 on 2008-01-18
  I first have to say... I love AMAZON they have the greatest deals and great service!!! My husband and I went to Best Buy to see if we can find me a good camera and of course at a great price. Well, they had the camera which is the Nikon S51 but it was for 229.99. Went home did my homework and shopped around online, and as I expected AMAZON had the best deal!! What was great about it as well, was that I was able to read all the reviews on it and that helped me with my purchase. I ordered the camera and got it within days. It came well, packaged and it was everything I wanted!! It was everything Best Buy had to offer but at a lower price! I'm very well, pleased with my camera and I get tons of compliements on it!!!
  
  
• not worth the money
  By A3BYPKP62NORLZ on 2008-01-21
  We bought this camera just before the birth of my daughter. Needless to say, we were disappointed. THe pictures were overexposed and underexposed. We were disappointed with the quality of the pictures and when we tried dealing with Nikon themselves we experienced very poor customer service. At first they tried to tell us that our pictures looked great. Then they agreed that there was a problem with the camera but would not let us exchange for another camera. So now we have a refurbished camera. This is the 2nd time we have had problems with a Nikon - so I think i will be a Canon user from here on out!
  
  
• Decent Point & Shoot Camera Overall...
  By A2BP5XA2BGWCJV on 2008-03-09
  I mainly shoot a Nikon D80 DSLR with an assortment of lenses. I purchased the Coolpix S51 as a very portable backup for when use I'm not lugging the D80 around.
  
  I won't compare the S51 to the D80; they are different cameras with very different expectations for each. I just would like to note some observations on my experience with the S51.
  
  a) Outside shots are perfectly exposed and very sharp at all zoom levels. This is where this camera excels, you will be impressed.
  
  b) Inside shots are harsh with the built-in flash; but no worse than any other point and shoot camera.
  
  c) The autofocus system takes more time than I would like both inside and out.
  
  d) The camera is extremely compact and light, but feels sturdy.
  
  e) I've gotten about 150 shots per charge on the battery with a mix of flash and non-flash shots.
  
  f) The power button is mind boggingly frustrating; I absolutely wish Nikon made this button have to pressed for a couple of seconds before turning the camera on or off. You have to pretty much assume the camera will be turned on and off, on and off if you carry it in your pocket.
  
  g) High-ISO performance is pretty poor, but no worse than other point and shoot cameras.
  
  h) The camera produces better images than the LCD screen displays in playback mode; the LCD for lack of a better word is 'coarse'.
  
  Overall I'm happy with the S51. It serves its needs for me when I am in situations where I want to get a shot and I don't have my DSLR with me.
  
  
• Great camera, sluggish..
  By A1N2Y93PMX7GEC on 2008-03-16
  I got this Nikon S51 for Christmas, and I absolutely LOVE IT!
  There's one major problem with it.
  Yeah, you've probably heard this...but it's worth considering if you are thinking about the pros and cons of this camera.
  The phone has a pretty bad shutter lag! It's not as bad as it could be, but it really annoys me when I see the Canons, and how they can take instant pictures when I have to wait for mine to focus after I hold down the shutter button.
  It's really impossible for me to take fast-moving pictures. It makes me wait a second or two, because it has to focus it. While it's nice that it does that, it's still extremely annoying. I've missed many shots.
  If you are the type of person, like me, that that doesn't bother, then this camera will definitely work for you!
  It takes really amazing pictures, too. I definitely have to mention that!
  
  The camera has amazing features on it.
  of course, there's the wheel, which is my absolute favorite thing about this camera! It's much easier to navigate through menus, and look at pictures...it is definitely a selling point!
  Also, it has a 3" LCD screen. That's a major plus!
  One other thing I found really awesome about this camera was that it had a built-in picture program that allowed you to put together pictures in a slide show, with music playing in that back ground. That's really awesome!
  
  However, the major con of this camera having a huge shutter lag really brought it down to three stars.
  I would get this camera again, but I think I would consider a few more a little more heavily though.
  However, I'm REALLY impressed with the picture quality! THEY ARE AMAZING! I just happened to find that it had a lot of dust on the lens a lot, and I got big circles...but every camera does that. It's not an issue.
  
  If you are thinking about getting this camera, DO IT!!! I REALLY like it. Sometimes I find it's hard for me to put it down. It never gets boring!
  However, if you find that you like to take pictures of kids and animals, I don't reccomend this camera for you. You will find you are missing a few photo opportunities in the event of trying to take a picture. It rarely happens, but if it's something extremely quick, it will.
  I love this camera!!
  
  

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• Adobe Photoshop CS4 Upgrade
• Corel Photo Album 7 Deluxe

• Kingston 2GB Secure Digital Memory Card (SD/2GB, Retail Package)
• Nikon Coolpix 5617 Leather Case/Bag + (2) Spare EN-EL8 Batteries Kit for S6, S7c, S9, S50, S50c, S51, S51c, S52 & S52c Digital Cameras
• Transcend TS2GSDC 2GB Secure Digital Card
• Kroo Camera Case for Nikon Camera Case Nion Coolpix
• Nikon Coolpix S Series Deluxe Leather Case