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  • Testing/Performance

  • Components

  • Design / Layout

  • Modes

  • Control Options

  • Image Parameters

  • Connectivity / Extras

  • Overall Impressions

  • Conclusion

  • Sample Photos

  • Photo Gallery

  • Specs / Ratings

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

Testing/Performance

Components

Design / Layout

Modes

Control Options

This digital camera won’t impress photography enthusiasts because it hardly has any manual controls. It has a few – white balance and ISO – but not enough to attract true photographers.

Focus
Autofocus (7.5)

Speed is an issue on this digital camera and it came into play in this area. The autofocus system isn’t as slow as some. We measured a shutter lag of 0.3 seconds on the S700 but the high-end P5100 had an awful 0.7-second lag. The slow autofocus system is far from DSLR quality but isn’t as bad as most competitors.

The Nikon S700 has four autofocus modes: face priority, 9-area, center, and manual. The face priority mode is a big step up from the scary smiley version included on previous models. The S700 is much faster and can detect up to 12 faces instead of just one. The 9-area autofocus works well - although not incredibly speedily. The center and manual focus options are fastest because the camera doesn’t have to search for the subject. The manual mode allows users to move the autofocus point to 99 areas around the frame.

The S700’s contrast detection system can focus as close as 1 foot, 7.7 inches (50 cm) normally or 2.4 inches (6 cm) in the macro mode. Because the system uses contrast detection, it can have a hard time in low light or with low contrast subjects. The orange autofocus assist beam is there to help; it can be turned on in the Setup menu.

Overall, the Nikon Coolpix S700 has a decent autofocus system that isn’t incredibly fast but is quicker than some others on the market. Its face priority autofocus mode is quick and fairly reliable too.

Manual Focus (0.0)

 The S700 doesn’t have a manual focus mode.

ISO(8.25)

The Nikon Coolpix S700 has a wide range of ISO options: 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 2000, and 3200. The manual settings up to 2000 are available at full resolution but the top ISO 3200 setting is only available when the image size is set to 5 megapixels or less.

The automatic ISO setting tops off at ISO 1000, which is more of a range than offered by most digital cameras. Many compact cameras’ auto ISO modes truncate the range to fit under ISO 400, although there are a few recent models offering higher auto ISO ranges.

The S700 has a new Expeed image processor that promises lower noise output in relation to its ISO sensitivity. There are more details in the Testing/Performance section, but the camera was only partially successful at this. The S700 did perform better than the S510 in this area, but the S700 reduced noise with the help of an overzealous noise reduction system that also smoothed over details in images. The smoothing is visible all the time but worsens beyond ISO 400. While the Nikon S700 has a healthy ISO range, it is best to use its upper end sparingly.

White Balance(7.0)   

This Coolpix has the same white balance settings as previous models. It includes Auto, Preset manual, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, and Flash. The manual mode can easily be set with the sub-menu and its cancel and measure options. There is a live preview of the white balance behind the menu but the view is obstructed by the menu text.

In general, the white balance presets performed better than the automatic setting; there are more details about this in the Testing/Performance section.

Exposure (7.25)

This digital camera provides similar exposure control as other compact digital cameras. It doesn’t allow users to adjust the shutter speed and aperture individually but it does allow users to tweak the exposure compensation on a +/-2 scale in steps of a third. The exposure compensation may be hard to find. It isn’t in the menus; it is located on the multi-selector. Its icon on the right side can hardly be seen though because it wraps around the side, making it hard to see from the back. 

If the exposure isn’t desirable, users can employ the D-lighting option in the Playback menu for a quick exposure fix. There is no hope for overexposed images, but it fixes underexposed images and does a decent job.

Metering (5.5)

The Nikon Coolpix S700 has a 256-matrix metering system, but it cannot be controlled. Most digital cameras have multi, center, and spot options, but the S700 doesn’t even have an option in the menu. Judging from its performance, it appears to be a center-weighted default.

Shutter Speed(0.0)

The S700 has a mechanical and charge-coupled electronic shutter that offers the typical compact digital camera shutter speed range. The shutter speed slows down to 4 seconds and goes as fast as 1/2000th of a second. The shutter speed cannot be manually chosen; it is selected by the camera depending upon the metering system and the selected exposure mode.

Aperture (0.0)

The Nikon Coolpix S700 has an electronically controlled aperture that moves between f/2.8 to f/8 when the lens is zoomed wide, and f/5.4 to f/8 in telephoto. The aperture is automatically selected by the camera.

Image Parameters

Picture Quality / Size Options(7.75)

The Nikon Coolpix S700 is one of a handful of compact digital cameras that have a whopping 12.1 effective megapixels on their imaging sensors. The S700 has a 1/1.72-inch CCD with 12.43 total megapixels that has the ability to produce large and detailed images.

The top image size of 4000 x 3000 pixels is available at high and normal compression settings but the rest are available only at normal compression. The remaining options are 3264 x 2448, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480, and 3968 x 2232 (16:9).

We ran some tests to determine how effective the resolution is; the tests are outlined in the Testing/Performance section. The resolution proved better than the 8-megapixel Nikon S510 – as it should – but it wasn’t as sharp as a 12-megapixel camera should be. An overabundance of noise reduction smoothed over fine details to reduce noise at the expense of fine details.

In the Playback mode, users can resize images to 640 x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120-pixel options.

Picture Effects Mode (6.25)

There is a small handful of color effects in the Recording menu. Besides the standard color mode, there are vivid, black-and-white, sepia, and cyanotype options. These aren’t as elaborate or plentiful as the color filters on the Canon SD950 but are more than adequate for the average photographer.

Connectivity / Extras

Connectivity
Software (7.0)

This Nikon digital camera includes a software suite that includes, of all things, Kodak EasyShare Software. It also includes ArcSoft PanoramaMaker 4, Nikon Transfer software, and QuickTime.

It doesn’t take long to install the Nikon Transfer software from the CD-ROM. That’s probably because there isn’t much to it. It can upload pictures from the camera only, and doesn’t do much else. It can’t edit images either. It saves them into designated folders and allows users to view them. Most computers come with a program preinstalled that does this same function. Nikon’s Transfer software is a waste of disk space.

Nikon Transfer Software

The Kodak EasyShare Software takes quite a few minutes to install. It tries to amuse users with a slideshow of how awesome the program is: "calendar view lets you quickly find your pictures by day or by month." Once the software is installed and opened, users must manually add pictures to the program. Pictures can be loaded in folders, so it’s not terribly tedious, but it isn’t automatic either. Images can be viewed as thumbnails with a sliding bar that adjusts the size of the thumbnails. There are a few quick buttons just above the viewing window to view image details, print, add to an online print order, select all, tag as favorite, tag to hide, rotate, and delete. Above these icon buttons are larger buttons for more functions: add pictures, new album, edit, burn CD/DVD, and slide show. Along the left side of the window are various multimedia functions: my collection, print at home, e-mail, order prints online, creative projects (a marketing plug for Kodak’s photo mugs, cards, etc.), and EasyShare center.

Kodak EasyShare Software

The editing features of this version of Kodak EasyShare Software are decent. They include crop, rotate, red-eye fix, auto enhance, scene balance, color balance, scene effects, and fun effects. There is also a help function that can be found in any of the program’s windows. The EasyShare software is an odd inclusion because it is made by another camera manufacturer, but if the Transfer software is indicative of Nikon’s software offerings then it is best to stay away from their programs anyway.

Kodak EasyShare Software

Jacks, ports, plugs (4.0)

The S700 has a single port on its bottom that connects to a multi-connector cable that has AV-out and USB functionality. The port on the bottom is open, exposing it to dust and moisture and making it vulnerable to more wear and tear. Most ports on digital cameras are located on the sides and are protected with rubber covers. The placement of the S700’s port is worrisome because users will have to rest the camera on its front or back to plug it in. This will likely cause the surfaces to get scratched.

Direct Print Options (5.5)

The PictBridge-compatible Nikon Coolpix S700 can create print orders in the Playback menu. The second option down, print set, allows users to select and check images for printing. Users can choose to print an image 0-9 times. If users would like to imprint the date, that must be done separately in the Setup menu. Some digital cameras allow users to imprint the date in the same sub-menu as the print orders, but not the S700.

Battery (3.25)

The S700 comes with a skinny EN-EL10 lithium-ion rechargeable battery that gets about 150 shots before it needs to spend some time in the charger. The battery fits into a slot on the bottom of the camera beneath a flimsy plastic door. The door looks like it could break off at any moment; oddly, the camera still works when the compartment door is open. Battery capacity is rated at 3.7V, 740 mAh. The 150-shot battery life is a bit below average for a trim camera like this with a skinny battery. The Canon SD950 gets 240 shots per charge and the Panasonic FX100 gets 320 shots. The Nikon S700’s charger is included in the box, and it takes about 100 minutes to fully charge.

Memory (4.25)

The Nikon S700 includes 52MB of internal memory. This is more than what the average camera offers, but keep in mind that it offers more resolution than the average camera too – and thus needs more space to record images. Nine full-resolution images can be recorded to the internal memory. The camera also has a card slot in the same compartment with its battery, so users can insert an SD or SDHC card to snap more than nine images. In the Playback mode, images can be moved from the internal memory to the card and vice versa.

Other features(3.5)
Voice Recording Mode – On the virtual mode dial there is a microphone icon that represents the voice recording mode. It allows users to record mono audio – albeit not the best quality – for up to five hours at a time.

Overall Impressions

Value(5.0)

The Nikon Coolpix S700 was announced in August 2007 and released the following month. It originally retailed for $379.95 and can be found online a few months later for about $320. The S700’s main selling points are its excellent 12-megapixel resolution and its convenience in a 0.9-inch body. Beyond that, though, its components are basic: 3x lens, 2.7-inch LCD screen, and spotty flash. It isn’t worth the original price for sure and even the recent online price isn’t stellar enough to make it a tempting purchase. The Nikon S510 is meant to be the budget model as it has many of the same features and a smaller price tag.

Comparisons
[

Nikon Coolpix S510](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/Nikon-Expands-S-Series-with-Vibration-Reduction-15387.htm) – This digital camera is the sister model released at the same time as the S700. The S510 has 8.1 megapixels, sells for $299, and has many of the same modes and features. Both have new image processors with improved face priority autofocus systems and 3x lenses with optical vibration reduction. The S510 does not have the distortion correction feature that is in the S700 and its ISO tops off at 2000 instead of 3200. It also has a 2.5-inch LCD instead of the 2.7-inch version on the S700.

[

Canon PowerShot SD950 IS](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/Canon-Adds-SD9870-IS-and-SD950-IS--14970.htm) – Yet another 12.1-megapixel digital camera in the mix. This model comes in a titanium shell and has a 3.7x optical zoom lens with image stabilization. Sounds fairly familiar, but the SD950’s face detection recognizes a whopping 35 faces instead of Nikon’s 12. It has the same LCD resolution but has a smaller overall 2.5-inch size. Announced the same week as the Nikon S700, the Canon SD950 retails for even more at $449.

[

Kodak EasyShare V1253](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/Kodak-Launches-HD-Enabled-V1253-and-V1233-15324.htm) – This slim digital camera also has 12 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens. It has a much larger LCD screen at 3.1 inches but an inferior digital image stabilization system. The Kodak V1253 has face detection and HD capture and video recording. The movies record 720p at 30 fps. It has more Scene modes and less manual controls. Its white balance settings aren’t as complete and its ISO tops off at 1600 in full resolution. The V1253 retails for $299.

[

Olympus Stylus 1200](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/Olympus-Updates-Stylus-Weatherproof-Cameras-15192.htm) – The flagship of the weatherproof Stylus lineup has a metal body, 3x lens, and 2.7-inch LCD screen. It also has 12 megapixels, making it nearly an identical twin to the Nikon S700. The Olympus 1200, however, has digital image stabilization rather than an optical system. Perks include in-camera panorama stitching and a "Perfect Fix" function that automatically adjusts the exposure in the Playback mode. The Stylus 1200 retails for $349 but can be found online for less than $300.

 

 
[

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX100](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/Panasonic-Launches-12MP-Lumix-FX100.htm) – This 12.2-megapixel digital camera offers a wider 28mm 3.6x optical zoom lens with an optical image stabilization system. It has a smaller 2.5-inch LCD screen with less resolution of 207,000 pixels, but it has a more powerful flash that lights up to 52 feet in front of the camera. Its movies record at 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 pixels, and its Burst mode moves at a quick 2 fps clip even at full resolution. The Panasonic FX100 retails for $399.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – These consumers will love the ease of use and convenience of this pocket camera, but are the 12.1 megapixels really necessary?

Budget Consumers – At $379, these consumers will find another model and perhaps settle on the Nikon S510 that offers nearly all the same features with a little less resolution and a lower price tag.

Gadget Freaks – The sleek and metallic camera body is attractive and the monstrous resolution is a plus, but the S700 is otherwise bland when it comes to true gadgetry.

Manual Control Freaks – There aren’t enough manual controls to attract this audience.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – Without manual controls and decent handling, the S700 is far out of the running for hobbyists. It isn’t even a thought for a pro.

Conclusion

Sample Photos

Specs / Ratings

Specs Table
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Meet the tester

Emily Raymond

Emily Raymond

Editor

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

See all of Emily Raymond's reviews

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