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  • Testing / Performance

  • Physical Tour

  • Components

  • Design / Layout

  • Modes

  • Control Options

  • Image Parameters

  • Connectivity / Extras

  • Overall Impressions

  • Conclusion

  • Specs / Ratings

  • Photo Gallery

  • Testing / Performance
  • Physical Tour
  • Components
  • Design / Layout
  • Modes
  • Control Options
  • Image Parameters
  • Connectivity / Extras
  • Overall Impressions
  • Conclusion
  • Specs / Ratings
  • Photo Gallery

Testing / Performance

The following graph shows the same color comparison by depicting the ideal colors as squares and the Nikon S6’s colors as circles. Notice the white almost exactly in the center of the graph; this means the white balance, which was manually set, performed very well.

Despite the accurate white balance, some of the colors shifted into error. The red colors are almost always exaggerated on compact digital cameras; this is no surprise. However, the blue end of the spectrum is also way out of control. Colors were heavily over-saturated, by 19.9 percent in the standard color mode and were blown out even worse by the vivid mode. Because of these inaccuracies, the Nikon Coolpix S6 brought in a mean color error of 9.48 and an overall score of 6.48. These numbers sound familiar. The S6’s ancestor, the Nikon Coolpix S2, received a 6.74 overall color score and a 9.01 mean color error. These compact Nikon digital cameras just can’t seem to capture true colors.

**Still Life Scene
**Below is a shot of our beloved still life scene, captured with the Nikon Coolpix S6.

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Click on the image above to view the full resolution version.](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=S6-StillLife-LG.jpg)

Resolution/ Sharpness* (2.96)
*Advertising 6 megapixels on its 1/2.5-inch CCD sensor, the Coolpix S6 offers substantial resolution in a very slim body. We tested the effectiveness of the sensor by snapping several shots of an industry standard resolution chart. We uploaded the images into Imatest software, which analyzed the files for sharpness. The following image is the sharpest shot from which we extracted data; it was taken using a focal length of 17.4 mm and an aperture of f/5.4.

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Click on the image above to view the full size file](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=S6-ResCH-LG.jpg)

The center of the image stays nice and sharp, but the outer edges are quite blurry. The four corners of the frame are especially bad. The subpar resolution shows in the numbers. Imatest output results in terms of line widths per picture height (lw/ph), which explains how many theoretical alternating black and white lines of equal thickness could fit across the camera’s frame without being blurred into each other. According to Imatest, the S6 maxed out at 1491 lw/ph horizontally with 10.7 percent in-camera over-sharpening and 1390 lw/ph vertically with 8.58 percent over-sharpening.

These results are quite different from the compact Nikon S4, which also has 6 megapixels but is paired with a much longer lens. It read 1363 lw/ph horizontally and 1805 lw/ph vertically and under-sharpened its images. For that, the S4 received a 3.97 overall resolution score that reflects the additional detail available over the S6, which received an overall score of just 2.96.

Noise – Auto ISO* (10.68)
*Earlier Nikon S-series cameras had some issues in this area, but the Nikon Coolpix S6 seems to have broken from a legacy of noisy models. In the brightly lit studio, the camera’s metering system automatically chose an ISO setting of 52, which has very low noise levels when manually set. For this, the Nikon S6 produced an excellent score of 10.68 which is much improved upon the S4’s 1.98 score, the S2’s score of 4.78, and is one of the best we’ve seen from a compact model.

Noise – Manual ISO* (6.1)
*We tested the noise levels at each of the S6’s manual ISO settings and loaded the results into the chart below. The horizontal axis shows the camera’s 50, 100, 200, and 400 ISO settings while the vertical axis depicts the amount of noise at each of those.

Noise was completely under control at ISO 50, which was what saved the automatic ISO noise test. There was a slight rise to ISO 100, then a plateau until ISO 200, then a significant jump to the ISO 400 setting. That last jump is extremely common in compact digital cameras. The Nikon Coolpix S6 received an overall manual ISO noise score of 6.1, which is also much better than the S2’s 5.07 and the S4’s 4.25 manual ISO scores. In optimal lighting, it is safe to use the automatic ISO setting but when the lights get low, the manual ISO settings will enable the user to better maintain noise management.

Low Light Performance* (5.25)
*We tested the camera’s color and noise performance in low lighting. We dimmed the lights on the color chart for four different tests. The first test was done at 60 lux, which is approximately the amount of light from an overhead light fixture with two bulbs and a frosted shade to soften the light. The second test was done at 30 lux, which is equivalent to the light from one 40-watt bulb. The last two tests were done at 15 and 5 lux, which are both quite dark are merely assess the effectiveness of the image sensor. Below are images from each of the tests.  

The first three tests produced similarly illuminated results. The darkest test showed a darker image, although this is still far better than any of the shots taken by the Nikon S2 at the same test. We kept tabs on the noise in each image; below is a chart showing the exposure time of each test on the horizontal axis and the amount of noise on the vertical axis.

The Nikon S6 kept noise relatively low even in higher ISOs and this is also true when the shutter is left open. All cameras produce more noise as the shutter speed is slowed down. This happened to the S6, but only after a full 1.6 seconds of an open shutter. The Nikon Coolpix S6 performed quite well for a compact model. It did enormously better than the Nikon S2, but not quite as good as the Nikon S4. The Nikon Coolpix S6 received an overall low light score of 5.25.

**Dynamic Range ***(4.25)*

At low ISOs, the Coolpix S6 delivered remarkably good performance on our dynamic range test, which means it shows detail in both dark and light regions of contrasty scenes.

We test dynamic range by photographing a standard chart that shows a row of rectangles that range from very bright to very dim. We use Imatest software to measure how well the image shows each distinct rectangle. Imatest generates results for high and low quality. The low quality result indicates how well the camera will show vague texture in the brightest and darkest areas, while the high quality result indicates how the camera does in areas that will probably be more interesting to viewers. Because the ISO setting has a big influence on dynamic range, we test cameras at each ISO setting.

The S6's remarkably good performance at ISO 50 is beyond what we'd expect for a compact camera, but the performance deteriorates enormously as ISO increases. By ISO 400, its dynamic range is not as good as competing cameras. S6 users should set the ISO manually, and keep it as low as possible.

Nikon S6 Dynamic Range - ISO 50

Nikon S6 Dynamic Range - ISO 400*

**Speed / Timing
***Startup to First Shot (6.87)
*The Nikon Coolpix S6 took 3.11 seconds on average to start up and take a first shot. Many comparable cameras take less time – around 2.5 seconds isn't unusual. Many users will miss shots because of the delay. Most candid moments, such as a spontaneous hug, a surprised laugh or a wet dog jumping on the bed, don't last more than a couple of seconds. The best option with the S6 is to turn the camera on well in advance of likely picture-taking opportunities.

*Shot-to-Shot (9.68)
*The Coolpix S6 shot 3 frames in a second, which is a very quick burst for a compact camera. After shooting a burst, it needed 6 seconds before it was ready for another burst. 3 frames per second is fast for a compact camera, but the limited number of shots per burst is a drawback. The S6 can also shoot in a high-speed, low-resolution mode. In our tests, it shot 16 images in 7.6 seconds. The S6 combines the 16 shots into a single image file, which shows the pictures in 4 rows of 4 images each.

*Shutter to Shot (8.25)
*The Coolpix S6 has a shutter delay of an average of 0.4 seconds. Compact cameras are generally slow, and the S6 falls in the middle of the pack. This is a case, however, in which mediocre performance is bad – a delay of more than 0.1 or 0.2 seconds will spoil a variety of spontaneous pictures of people, animals or moving objects. S6 users should get used to pressing the shutter before the moment they want to catch – which isn't a perfect solution, since so many moments are hard to predict.

Physical Tour

 **Front *(8.0)*The front of the Nikon Coolpix S6 looks almost identical to the front of the S5, with the exception of a tiny curve on the right side (when viewing from the front). The S5 is completely flat on that side, but the Nikon S6 bows out slightly at the top to accommodate the built-in WiFi chip. Its front plate is a shimmering silver material that almost looks like frosted glass. The right and left edges have chrome highlights. On the right edge, where the WiFi bump shows, the lens’s specs state, "Zoom Nikkor ED 5.8-17.4 mm 1:3.0-5.4." In the top right corner is the auto focus assist lamp, with the tiny optical zoom lens to its left. The built-in flash looks like it is coming straight out of the lens. Below the flash and lens combo is an embossed Coolpix S6 logo. A Nikon logo graces the top left corner of the front. The front looks quite plain, but sophisticated at the same time.  Back***(8.0)*The S6 is 3.9 inches wide, with 3 inches of that real estate being covered by the LCD screen on the left side. The screen itself protrudes from the camera body only slightly and has a black frame around it, with the white Nikon logo at the bottom. The right edge of the camera hosts the controls and a little thumb divot for more comfortable handling. This divot is smaller and narrower than the one on the S5, and not nearly as comfortable, but it’s there in the top right corner. Between the **

**divot and the screen are two rectangular buttons: the recording/playback button on top and the mode button on the bottom. A square LED sits right of the mode button; this flashes when files are being written to the card or the camera is otherwise busy. Two smaller, horizontal buttons sit below these two: the Menu button on the left and the Delete button on the right.

Below the menu button is a multi-selector that is also a rotary dial. A central OK button is surrounded by a rotating ring with bumps on it. An icon at the top indicates flash settings.  A self-timer icon is on the left and a flower macro icon is at the bottom. There is also a transfer icon on the bottom right, with a circled OK next to it; this signifies that the central button is the one to push to transfer files to printers or computers. Overall, the back of the camera is organized and the huge LCD screen is quite alluring.  **Left Side ***(8.0)*The left side of the S6 has a large chrome edge that looks like a mirror. An LED just above halfway up illuminates when pictures are being transferred wirelessly, and a WiFi logo sits at the top of this side. A little platform for the LCD screen sits on the back and protrudes from the mirror-like side.

**Right Side ***(8.0)*The right side is also very mirror-like, but has an eyelet in its center. This side is a bit skinnier than the left because of Nikon’s interesting wave design.

**Top ***(7.0)*The top of this camera has the same color scheme as the front, except for a chrome highlight on the right side that encompasses three controls. One of the tiniest zoom switches ever constructed sits on the right side and the oval-shaped shutter release button sits on its left. A circular LED is left of that, with the power button on the far left side of the chrome band. The camera’s microphone is located to the left of the power button, with four holes on its left acting as a speaker. The far left edge of the S6’s top has an oval-shaped button that accesses all of Nikon’s innovative technology: face-priority auto focus, in-camera red-eye fix, and D-lighting compensation.

**Bottom ***(8.0)*Beneath the skinny side of the Coolpix S6 is a battery compartment that also houses the SD slot. This compartment is protected by a flip-up door with a wide hinge that almost looks like a Lamborghini. To its right is a multi-terminal that can sit right on the included CoolStation MV-15 or connect to an included adaptor. To its right is a tripod socket, with the serial number and other required info printed on the far right.

Components

Viewfinder*(0.0)*There is hardly any spare space on the Nikon Coolpix S6, so the optical viewfinder has been replaced by a 3-inch LCD monitor. The huge screen has good resolution, with 230,000 pixels, and a smooth view because of its fast refresh rate. There is one drawback to it, though: it only has a 97 percent field of view while recording, so the finished product will have some extra edges that weren’t seen before.  **LCD Screen *(8.75)*The entire left portion of the Nikon S6 is covered with a 3-inch LCD screen that has a 170-degree viewing angle. This is a half-inch larger than the screen on the Nikon Coolpix S5, which has the same resolution. The view on the S6’s LCD is good both vertically and horizontally, so users can snap shots over head or off the hip. Its 230,000 pixels of resolution look good, and the quick refresh rate keeps subjects smooth instead of blurry. Five steps of brightness, available in the setup menu, let users view the low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD can be viewed in bright sunlight. Viewing options are also available there: users can show info, hide it, and as add framing grids. The S6’s LCD screen isn’t the best viewfinder out there, as it gets only 97 percent coverage of the recorded field. However, the playback mode shows 100 percent of the recorded image. Overall, the huge LCD screen is one of the best features on the Nikon Coolpix S6.  Flash *(5.75)*The flash on the Nikon S6 is quite weak, although the burning in subjects’ retinas may indicate otherwise. It reaches from 1-8 ft 6 inches at the widest focal length and from 1-4 ft 7 inches in the most telephoto focal length. Powerful when close up, it’s completely ineffective beyond 8.5 ft.   Flash modes available on the rotary dial include Auto, Auto with Red Eye, Off, On, and Slow Sync. The burst mode and some scene modes, such as Museum, also deactivate it.  One-touch portrait mode automatically sets it to fire with red-eye, which fires three distinct flashes before sending out the last strobe to capture the picture, and activates the camera’s digital red-eye fix. Neither of these works well, though.  The flash looks stronger on the left side of the frame and casts a circular light that leaves the corners dim. While low quality, it’s hard to avoid.
The S6’s highest ISO sensitivity is 400 and the widest aperture is f/3.0 – and users can’t manually select the shutter speeds. With these limitations, there’s hardly any good way to get natural light in the picture – making the flash necessary in low light.  
Zoom Lens ***(6.5)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 has the same 3X optical zoom lens as the S5. It measures from 5.8-17.4 mm, which is equivalent to a 35-105 mm zoom in the 35 mm format. This lens is constructed from 12 elements in 10 groups. The Nikkor lens’ widest aperture is f/3.0, which is just a step smaller than what most compact models now offer. When the camera is zoomed in to the telephoto range, the maximum aperture shrinks to f/5.4.  Zooming itself takes some serious effort. The zoom switch on the S6 is the smallest I’ve ever seen on a digital camera. Not even Kate Moss has fingers skinny enough to comfortably move that thing. If users can jam their fingernails into the switch and get it to zoom, there is minimal motor noise and about 6 focal lengths available throughout the 3x range. This is average for a lens of its size. When zooming, the S6 shows a bar across the top of the screen that displays a ‘W’ for wide on the left and a ‘T’ for telephoto on the right. A line divides the bar, designating where optical zoom stops and digital zoom begins, but is closer to the ‘T’—though, on most cameras, the ‘T’ is located just above the line instead of all the way to the right. After hitting the line, users must push the control again to enter the realm of the digital zoom. Unfortunately, it looks somewhat legit to use the 4x digital zoom. This is too bad, as it will only ruin perfectly good pictures! In the macro mode, the S6 had trouble focusing even when more than 1.6 inches away. It broadcast the message "Initializing lens cannot focus!" but would be fine after moving further away or zooming out. The other problem with the lens is its location. The left fingers wrap around the camera and, often, onto the lens itself. The lens isn’t all bad, though: it showed hardly any barrel distortion and remained nicely protected within the camera body at all times.

Design / Layout

 
Model Design / Appearance*(8.25)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 comes in a sleek metal body that is modeled by none other than Kate Moss herself. Nikon describes the camera as "provocative" and "stunning" and the claims are almost correct in this case. Its body is plain, but sophisticated, boasting a frosty looking surface with chrome highlights so shiny they could be small mirrors. The skinny 0.8-inch thick camera can fit easily into a pocket or in a hand. Its wavy design makes it thicker on the left side where the lens and WiFi chip reside and thinner at the point where the right hand grips the camera. The Nikon Coolpix S6 will turn heads – especially when handled by the likes of Kate Moss.  **Size / Portability***(8.25)*The camera’s size is one of its best attributes. It measures only 0.8 inches thick, 3.9 inches wide and 2.4 inches tall. This is slightly taller and wider than the S5, but no thicker. The Nikon S6 weighs in at 4.9 oz, which is perfect for its metal body. It’s both durable and lightweight: a tough combo to find. An included strap, which attaches to the eyelet on the right side, makes the S6 comfortable to carry around on a wrist, and the wave design lets it slide easily into a pocket.  **Handling Ability***(5.0)*The wave design does wonders for aesthetics and portability; it plays a small part in handling, too, making the lightweight Nikon S6 relatively comfortable to hold and steady. Handling can still get tricky though. Users have to be vigilant of the lens or risk blocking it with their left fingers could block it.  The biggest hindrance to handling is the tiny buttons and controls. The zoom switch on the top of the S6 is the smallest we’ve seen to date. The power button is so small that large-fingered users will have to use the tip of a pen to boot up the camera. Nikon made a few attempts to make handling comfortable with the wave design and a thumb divot on the back, but their controls are just too small for any user to handle.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size ***(4.25)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 has incredibly small controls on the top of the camera and decently sized and positioned ones on the back side. The shutter release button is adequately sized, but the power button is tiny and recessed into the camera body, thus hard to push. The zoom switch isn’t much larger than the power button. It does protrude from the camera body, but users will still have to sacrifice their freshly manicured nails to pry the tiny thing right and left. A multiselector, which incorporates a rotary dial, is the most interesting control on the S6. The central OK button has a ring around it that rotates smoothly and accurately to scroll through pictures and menu options quickly. The dial can be pushed in the four navigational directions too. It’s the only redeeming quality on an otherwise bleak landscape of miniscule controls that make handling difficult and tedious.  Menu *(7.0)*The new S-series cameras have a different menu system from Nikon’s last setup. Their new menus use larger fonts and icons along with different, lighter colors. A rotary dial, which can scroll like a multi-selector or rotate quickly through many options, makes them even cooler.  The menus show gray text on a white background; the selected option is highlighted yellow and has an arrowed edge to show which way to scroll for more choices. Even the 3-inch screen cannot display all the options at once, so the Nikon S6 shows a scroll bar on the right side of the window and page numbers at the top (eg. 1/3). An Exit option and an OK icon occupy the bottom of the screen. The following is the recording menu from the auto mode, which provides the most options.    Live views are available when choosing the white balance, exposure compensation, and color option, but large icons and text block the view. If users get lost at any time in the menu system or don’t understand an option, they can push the ‘T’ end of the zoom switch to access the Help function. This function provides such explanations as "Exposure Compensation: Adjust exposure to make pictures brighter or darker."  The playback menu can be accessed by pushing the playback button and then the menu button.   The playback menu has the same white background with gray text, as does the setup menu.    Menus can be set to display text or icons in the setup menu; the icon system is set up in a grid and looks way too cluttered. The text option is much better because it is more organized and displays both text and icons. Overall, the menu system is intuitive and even fun to navigate with the rotary dial/multi-selector.  Ease of Use ***(6.5)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 has multiple personalities. As an automatic point-and-shoot digital camera, it is definitely easy to use. There is a recording mode with plenty of scene modes and a playback mode that users won’t have to squint to see. There are "scene assists" to help users properly place subjects and get a clear focus. A one-touch portrait mode calls up Nikon’s technology suite: face priority auto focus, in-camera red-eye fix, and D-lighting compensation. These features debuted on 2005 models but were buried within menus. Nikon made them easier to find by designating a button atop the S6 as the one-touch portrait button. The Nikon Coolpix S6 is easy to use as an automatic camera.  Its other identity is a little more twisted. The wireless S6 requires patience and a bunch of wires, ironically, to hook up to the network. Users must know their network settings and other tech garble to set up the S6. If the term ‘SSID’ doesn’t ring a bell, it will not be an easy task to set up the WiFi function on the Nikon S6. Once the camera is initially hooked up to the wireless network, life gets a lot easier.

Modes

 

 
Auto Mode ***(7.5)*Pushing the Mode button and rotating around the on-screen mode dial to the camera button brings up the automatic mode on the S6, which the dial also calls "Shooting." Some users may not like the fact that there is no single button or physical dial to easily access the auto mode.  The auto mode uses default settings until users change them, then remembers the settings for later. Ironically, it has the most manual control available, including the lengthiest menu, complete with manual white balance and ISO selections. The auto mode seems to take decent pictures except in low light, when it either blurs subjects or fires the nasty flash.  Movie Mode***(7.0)*The movie mode can also be found on the on-screen dial. It records QuickTime movies at the following resolutions: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120. The top resolution records 30 frames per second, while the QVGA resolution can capture 30 or 15 fps. There is also a Pictmotion movie mode that records 320 x 240 pixels at 15 fps for up to a minute. It records sound, but the background music muffles it in an actual Pictmotion sequence. When recording movies, users cannot access the zoom lens, but are restricted to 2x digital zoom instead. This degrades picture quality, of course, so the old-fashioned zoom of walking toward or away from the subject yields better results. There is an electronic vibration reduction system that can be turned on and off in the movie mode, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. The other available option is the auto focus, which can be set to Single or Full-Time AF. The focus system worked quickly and kept subjects fairly crisp even when in motion.  The Nikon Coolpix S6 has a time lapse movie mode, which can be found in the Movie Options portion of the menu with all the other size options. It records a single frame at intervals of 30 seconds or 1, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes. It does this for up to 1,800 stills, then strings the frames together in a movie file. This mode can keep vigil on the cookie jar or track the progress of the new building going up next door.  **Drive / Burst Mode *(6.75)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 has a decent burst mode, especially when compared to its ultra-slim counterparts. At its best, it can shoot 2.2 frames per second for 5 consecutive images. This is only when the continuous mode is activated in the recording menu; the camera’s default is the single mode. Other burst choices include a multi-burst mode that snaps 16 shots at 2 fps, then stitches them together in a grid that looks similar to the Brady Bunch intro. This works well as long as subjects don’t move toward or away from the lens. Don’t expect to crop these and enlarge them either; all sixteen images make up one 6-megapixel file. An interval timer shooting function that operates much like the time lapse movie and even has the same interval choices (30 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes), but keeps the images as separate files instead of merging them into a movie. Also of note is a self-timer that snaps a shot after 2 or 10 seconds of waiting.  Playback Mode (7.25)*The playback mode is facilitated by the large 3-inch LCD screen, which lets friends and relatives can gather round and check out the day’s photos. This mode displays pictures in the traditional manner or as moving slide shows in Pictmotion mode. It shows the images one by one, automatically rotating them; the monitor settings section of the setup menu lets users choose whether to show or hide file info.  With playback mode, users can pan pictures, zoom in on them up to 10x, and resize them into the following formats: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120 pixels. They can also copy individual *pictures – or large amounts of pictures at a time – to the memory card or internal memory and add transfer markings to one, some, or all, to streamline transfer later. Users can also protect and delete pictures.

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Pictures can also display in index frames of 4 or 9 images. Users can scroll through the index frames and select images for deletion, print orders, transfer markings, slide shows, etc. The Nikon Coolpix S6 doesn’t offer many in-camera editing features, but does have a one-touch D-lighting button (the same button as the one-touch portrait button) that automatically brightens pictures. This works well, showing users the before and after shot before overwriting the better image.  The Nikon Coolpix S6 was designed well for organizing and storing lots and lots of pictures. Its rotary dial lets users navigate through scores of pictures with a single sweep of the dial. Users can also list pictures by date and in a calendar grid.  While it’s possible to play movies back with audio, and the rotary dial can scroll through movies frame by frame. However, the S6 doesn’t offer any other interesting movie features, such as splicing or editing options.
Traditional slide shows play pictures for 2-10 seconds and offer a loop option. Once users see the Pictmotion mode by muvee, though, they won’t want to use the standard slide show function any more. As the function doesn’t work with the internal memory, however, users without memory cards won’t see it at all.  Once users insert a separate memory card, the Nikon S6 allows access to the Pictmotion mode. This lets users scroll through pictures and video, selecting up to 30 files to play back in a cool Pictmotion slide show. After choosing pictures and movies, users can go on to pick out background music, effects, and playing options. There are five soundtracks preloaded onto the camera: Pachelbel Kanon, Scarborough Fair, Pomp and Circ. March, Turkish March, and Grandfather’s Clock. These aren’t as classical as they sound; Nikon mixed these tunes to give them a techno flare that could spawn a dance party. If this doesn’t sound appealing, the included PictureProject software can load three more soundtracks onto the camera.  The Pictmotion mode calls its transitions the following: Moody, Pro-Slow, Pro-Fast, Classic, and Motion. The Moody transition moves the frames vertically or horizontally continuously, while the Pro-Slow option looks a little more traditional: it keeps pictures still and just uses fades. The Pro-Fast option looks like a Baz Luhrmann movie, (remember the erratic filming of the 1996 Romeo and Juliet?) with images quickly flashing, panning every which way, and disappearing. The Classic option looks traditional but colors all photos in an awful pinkish sepia tone. The Motion transition fades, moves, and pans pictures quickly; it almost makes users wish the Pictmotion mode included the electronic vibration reduction system.  Users can play pictures randomly or in order and choose whether to repeat the photos or music. As cheesy as it sounds, the Pictmotion mode is one of the coolest slide show functions I’ve seen on a digital camera. A demo is at http://www.stunningnikon.com/, where users can select pictures of Kate Moss along with a soundtrack for a Pictmotion slide show.  **Custom Image Presets (8.0)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 has 15 scene modes. There is a scene position on the on-screen mode dial, along with the basic scene modes that come with some assistance. These include Portrait, Landscape, Sports, and Night Portrait. Selecting these and pressing the menu button brings up the option of framing helps, yellow outlines that indicate the ideal location for subjects’ heads and bodies. The Portrait and Night Portrait modes offer the following assists: Portrait Left, Portrait Right, Portrait Close-up, Portrait Couple, and Portrait Figure. The Landscape mode offers Scenic View, Architecture, Group Right, and Group Left. The Sports mode has a spectator mode and a *composite mode similar to the multi-burst mode.  The remaining 11 scene modes are located in the menu when accessing the scene position from the mode dial. They include Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night **

**Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Back Light, and Panorama Assist. The menu is set up as a grid, with image size and exposure compensation as squares on the grid next to the scenes. The Panorama Assist mode shows a light overlay of the last photo taken; making it easier to line the next shot up, but doesn’t stitch pictures together in the camera, leaving that to the software program.  Nikon included a designated button atop the S6 to access its portraiture technology. The one-touch portrait button activates the face-priority auto focus and in-camera red-eye fix. Face-priority, which shows yellow brackets around faces once it finds them, then focuses on them, was a little slow. The red-eye fix doesn’t work nearly as well. Devilish-looking eyes still plagued many pictures.

Control Options

Image Parameters

 **Picture Quality****/ Size Options *(7.0)*While most digital cameras have a designated button that selects the picture size, the Nikon Coolpix S6 includes this list right in its menu system. The compressed JPEGs can be saved in the following image sizes: High (2816 x 2112), Normal (2816 x 2112), Normal (2048 x 1536), PC (1024 x 768), and TV (640 x 480). The top image size comes in fine or standard compression, but is the only size with options. Users who shoot at higher resolutions can resize pictures to streamline the email process. Pictures can be resized to the following: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120 pixels.  Picture Effects Mode ***(7.0)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 comes with several different color modes: Standard Color, Vivid Color, Black and White, Sepia, and Cyanotype. The Standard mode is the default, with the Vivid mode simply over-saturating colors. If users want to exaggerate those hot pink pants, this mode will do it. The first two color modes look decent, but the rest of them just look a little off. Black and White could use some more contrast, Sepia looks too pinkish, and the Cyanotype looks too bluish. All of the color modes are only available before recording the picture – not in playback. There are live views of the color modes in the menu, but they are hard to see with the large text.

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Nikon added a designated button to the S6 that does enhance pictures in the playback mode. It is the same button that accesses Nikon’s technology for optimal portraits. This activates Nikon’s D-lighting compensation technology, which automatically enhances pictures, brightening them and fixing the colors. This mode shows a preview, with before and after pictures, before users confirm whether they want to save the enhanced photo. It works very well and generally yielded better results.

Connectivity / Extras

 **Connectivity***Software (6.5)*The S6 comes packaged with a CD-ROM that includes PictureProject version 1.6 software and a wireless setup utility. The setup utility prompts users to connect the S6 to the computer so it can add a wireless profile. Users must add information like the SSID, network password, and type of network. Once all of the info is entered, the setup utility closes: users who enter incorrect information won’t know it until they try connecting to the network from the camera. They also cannot edit profiles: changing a profile requires adding the new version, then deleting the old.  The PictureProject software is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh systems, but the Pictmotion files can only be transferred to Windows. This is only one of this software’s many quirks. When it is loaded, it automatically uploads any Nikon pictures on the computer. However, if file names have been changed, the software won’t recognize them. Thus users must manually import photos if they’ve changed their names or taken them with other cameras. This process is incredibly tedious, as users have to import photos one by one – the old school way.  Like most software programs, PictureProject offers three viewing modes: thumbnail, preview, and list. The first shows a screen full of pictures; a sliding bar on the bottom of the window adjusts the size of the thumbnails. Preview mode shows a strip of thumbnails across the top and the selected image enlarged on the bottom. Finally, list mode shows the thumbnail on the left and all kinds of shooting information on the right.

Across the top of the window are three tabs: Organize, Edit, and Design. From the Organize tab, users can view shooting information for each file and add comments and keywords for searching. The Design tab lets users create and print layouts for photo books, choosing from about 30 layout options, and add captions to images. It functions like a digital scrapbooking tool.  Pushing the Edit tab brings up a few options: Brightness, D-Lighting HS, Color Booster, Photo Effects, Sharpening, and Straighten. Panning, rotation, cropping, and red-eye tools also appear above the picture. A sliding scale on the Brightness tool facilitates adjustments from +100 to -100 and even has an automatic enhancement function. Users who forgot to fix pictures in the camera can do so via the D-Lighting editing function, which has Low, Normal, and High options. The Color Booster has a 0-100 adjustment scale, with People and Nature saturation choices; it, as well, has an automatic adjustment. Photo effects include Black and White and Sepia. Sharpening settings are Low, Normal, or High.  The image can also be straightened +/- 10 degrees.

The Nikon PictureProject software can sync with a home printer or email from the default mail program on the computer. Slide shows are interesting because users can choose from 12 transitions and 33 included soundtracks. The Pictmotion mode is even more interesting. It lets users select photos, music, and the style of the slide show. Users can add captions to the photos as well, and can manually stitch the pictures into a movie clip or have the program do it automatically. Once the Pictmotion shows are refined, they can be saved and burned onto CDs.

Overall, the software provides decent options for a compact digital camera. The biggest drawback is importing files one by one by one.* ***Jacks, ports, plugs (6.0)

The Nikon Coolpix S6 has a single jack on the bottom of the camera that connects to the included Nikon CoolStation MV-15. The camera sits atop the cradle, which has several jacks going out the back, including an AV-out jack and included cable that send photos and video to televisions. This can be set to NTSC or PAL formats, so users can watch their slide shows in Europe or America. A USB port and included cable can also be connected to a PictBridge compatible printer or computer: users must select PTP or Mass Storage in the setup menu to send data to the appropriate device. The CoolStation also has a jack for the included power adaptor, which comes in a set of two connecting cables. This powers the camera dock and allows it to charge the camera’s battery while uploading pictures and playing slide shows. In the end, the Nikon S6 has tons of wires for a wireless camera. The CoolStation setup will be great for users who download pictures onto a personal computer frequently, but could be inconvenient for users who tote their primary computer around as a laptop. Of course, there is always the wireless function, which can send pictures to a WiFi enabled computer. However, users have to charge the battery every 200 shots or so anyway. They might as well upload pictures at the same time. * *Direct Print Options *(9.0)*With 6 megapixels on its sensor, the Coolpix S6 supposedly can print as large as 16 x 20 inches. Most users of this model will only print 4 x 6-inch photos though. This could be complicated by the fact that the camera does not have a perfect 3:2-format. Thus, if users want control over the crop, they will have to use editing software. However, they can automatically enhance their pictures with Nikon’s D-lighting compensation technology.  Users can create print orders in the playback menu by selecting all the photos or scrolling through and marking only some for printing. The quantity of prints for each picture can be adjusted from 0-9. In the setup menu, users can choose whether to include the date and info on the print. Once the print order is completed, users can delete it or send it to a printer via the OK button in the center of the rotary dial. The Nikon Coolpix S6 is DPOF compliant and sends pictures directly to PictBridge printers. It can do this either through the included Nikon CoolStation camera dock or wirelessly if the printer is enabled. When the wireless profile is set up and profiles are created, the camera attaches a networked printer to each computer profile – even if there is no printer. Still, this streamlines the home printing process later. Pictures can be wirelessly sent within 20 meters of the printer.  Battery ***(5.25)*The Nikon S6 comes with an EN-EL8 rechargeable lithium-ion battery that allows the camera to

snap about 200 shots per charge. With this short battery life, the S6 will be spending a lot of time in its CoolStation camera dock. Because of this, users may forget that the S6 is "wireless." The camera comes with lots of wires, including two that make up the power adaptor for the camera dock. In short, the battery life of this Coolpix stinks.  
Memory ***(4.0)* **The Nikon Coolpix S6 comes with 20 MB of internal memory, which holds about 7 pictures at the maximum resolution. Because this is definitely not enough to capture the essence of the family reunion, there is a slot for a SD card down by the battery. If users have an old card from a previous camera, they just need to make sure it’s formatted. The Nikon S6 won’t read or write to it if it isn’t.  **Other features **(7.75)*WiFi capable* – The wireless function has its own position on the on-screen mode dial, which can be found by pushing the Mode button while in the recording mode. It is from here that users can wirelessly transfer images with its IEEE 802.11b/g signal to profiled computers and printers within about 20 meters. The wireless function cannot be used straight out of the box. First, users must download the wireless setup utility from the included CD-ROM. The setup utility asks for the network SSID and the security settings and password. With the camera connected – with wires – the setup utility saves the profiles to the S6. If users need to change the password or otherwise edit their profile, they will have to hook the camera up – with wires – once again, delete the profile, and start over. There is no editing of existing profiles, which is quite inconvenient. Once the profile is correctly saved on the digital camera, the S6 can remain somewhat wireless (it still needs to be connected to the power adaptor or included CoolStation MV-15 to charge the battery).  The camera opens its list of profiles in the wireless mode. Users must choose a profile before the S6 connects to the network; a blue LED on the left side flashes to indicate that it’s working hard to try and talk to a computer or printer. Once the camera’s connected, the following options appear: Easy Transfer (PM), Easy Transfer (No PM), Shooting Date, Selected Images, Shoot and Transfer, Marked Images, and PC Mode. The first two options transfer new pictures that have not yet been uploaded or printed, with the only distinguishing feature being whether a Pictmotion (PM) clip is to be loaded (they take longer to transfer). The Shooting Date option lets users pick a dated folder and send its pictures. If users want to pick and choose, the Selected Images option works well. For those users who take all of their pictures within 20 meters of the computer, the Shoot and Transfer option uploads after each shot. If users have created a print order, they can send it with the Marked Images option. Finally, the PC Mode links the camera with the included PictureProject software. Once an option is selected from that menu, the camera shows a "Connecting…" display, then the pictures to be sent. Once users confirm the selection, the pictures will transfer wirelessly to the computer or printer.  The Nikon S6’s WiFi setup is more complicated than similar features on other manufacturers’ wireless models. The process of hooking up the camera to the computer to change the profiles seems a little silly on a "wireless" model. The setup utility is simple if users already know their network’s information. If this is a gift for Grandma Maude, consider setting it up for her. Once the setup process is finished and correct, the only complications arise from wireless signal problems. Users have to stay within range to transfer, and sometimes the connection fails and takes numerous attempts to work.  The Nikon Coolpix S6 has to sit in its CoolStation MV-15 anyway to charge its lithium-ion battery; users might as well just transfer pictures from there at the same time to avoid waiting for the connection. The wireless connectivity is always nice – the more options the better, right? – but this setup isn’t very streamlined or easy to use.  Voice Recording Mode – Users can add up to 20 seconds of audio with each picture by holding down the shutter release button continuously while viewing the photo in playback mode. The on-screen mode dial also includes a separate voice recording mode; this is completely independent of any picture taking capability. It records audio without a limit and could be used to record a graduation speech or a lecture, but the camera will not take pictures during recording.  **Value ***(7.0)*The Nikon Coolpix S6 originally retailed for $449 when it was announced in February 2006. Just a few short months later, Nikon lowered the retail price to $399. This is just fifty dollars more than the similar Nikon S5, which has a half-inch smaller LCD screen and no wireless capability. For consumers looking to save a few dollars, the cameras have almost the same body and exactly the same modes and options – with the exception of the wireless function on the S6. If you don’t care about wireless transfer and just want a skinny, automatically oriented digital camera, the Nikon S5 would be a feasible option. If wireless transfer and a sexy design are important, the Nikon Coolpix S6 might just be the pick. It comes with a Nikon CoolStation to charge the included lithium-ion battery and connect to televisions, computers, and printers. The $449 price tag is still too much for an automatic camera, but the $399 price tag makes the S6 look that much better.  

Overall Impressions

Conclusion

 
ConclusionThe Nikon Coolpix S6, with its sexy all-metal body and big screen, offers some very nice features but still has the "small camera syndrome." Symptoms include poor handling from overall tiny size, automatic modes, blurry pictures, a weak flash, and a body sexier than its true functionality. Indeed, the Nikon S6 has perhaps the smallest zoom control ever included on a digital camera and is sure to break thousands of fingernails. The camera is equipped with automatic modes that work well in bright lighting, but lacks the sensitivity needed to capture decent pictures in lower light: users will end up with plenty of blurry pictures if their subjects are moving. The S6’s tiny flash is powerful in the short range, but can’t reach beyond about 8.5 ft. As with many other small cameras, many pictures from the S6 had red eyes and a harsh flash – despite Nikon’s portraiture technology.  Still, this Coolpix has an incredibly good-looking body that is durable and sophisticated, and the S6 throws a very enticing feature into the mix: WiFi compatibility. The setup isn’t terribly painful if consumers know tech jargon and, once the camera’s hooked up, it is easy to send pictures to the computer or printer. Users can choose to upload after every shot or only when memory is scarce – as long as they are within 20 meters of the network source. This wireless compatibility still comes with strings attached, though.  The Nikon S6 has a weak battery that only gets 200 shots per charge. With that, users will have to park the camera into the dock to charge the battery anyway. They may as well upload photos then too. It’d take less time, as it takes a few minutes for the camera to connect to the network and transfer photos.  Overall, the WiFi-enabled Nikon Coolpix S6 does have a great body and good features, but lacks good image quality. The provocative S6 retails for $399.

Specs / Ratings

**Specs / Ratings
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Emily Raymond

Emily Raymond

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Emily Raymond is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

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