Nikon Coolpix S5

2.5 stars

"Easy interface but poor in low light and VERY fragile" on September 14, 2006 by artflyer

Pros: A large LCD and the easiest interface I've ever encountered make this a very user friendly camera. The round scroll dial makes reviewing pictures and selecting menu options a pleasure

Cons: Like most "point-and-shoot" small cameras, this does amazingly poor in low light. JPG artifacting is quite present in all lighting condtions and especially in anything less than bright sunlight.

Summary: I researched this class of camera exhaustively before making this choice, selecting it over Canon's Elph SD450. I selected the Nikon largely because of it's interface, but in I have my doubts now, because of it's poor performance in medium to low light. Another important quality about it's construction: the lens is all self contained. It operates vertically and uses a mirror to turn the corner. I suspect this makes it a very fragile camera, even more fragile than most. I had one small drop, in a padded case, from a 2 foot height and that was enough to cause a "lens error" that required warranty repair. My previous Nikon 2500 sustained multiple drops and shocks and never produced such an error. Many have reported to me that the Canon Elphs survived many drops. If I were buying again, I'd go with the Canon.

3.0 stars

"It's been good to me for two years" on December 14, 2008 by jnorton123

Pros: Slim design, easy to use, sturdy and stylish.

Cons: Picture quality in normal lighting even with flash and length of time between pictures.

Summary: I have had this camera for two years. I am getting ready to upgrade but the Coolpix S5 is still going strong. I am a major picture taker so in the two years I 've had it I gave it 4 years of wear and tear.It has been dropped several times, gotten wet and has beed bumped around in my purse or pocket almost daily for the last two years. It goes everwhere with me. It's so light weight and easy to carry. It is very stylish and just an overall cool camera. It is easy to use and great for just a "point and shoot" type person. I rarely use the settings because it's too much hassle to try and figure it all out and seems to suck all the battery life if you use it on anything other than the regular setting. Night mode is really a pain. It uses tons of battery life and takes FOREVER in between photos. That is one of the main cons of this camera for me. There is a lag time between pictures. It takes a while to actually take the picture which normally results in us having to hold our smiles and stand like statues way to long before it snaps the pic. It is not good for trying to catch something in the moment. It also takes a while between pics so if someone blinked and you want to take another picture, you have to again stand there and wait for it to "reload" and get ready for the next picture. The other major con is that almost all the pictures come out slightly dark unles they are taken in bright sunshine. i have to edit 95% of my pictures to brighten them up. I am not talking about tthe night or low lighting; even regular or bright lighting with the flash results in a dark/lower quality picture. With that said, it takes great close ups and overall the picture quality is good once you brighten them a little. To sum it up...it's not a bad camera and has worked well for me. I just had higher expectations. When I bought it in 2006 it was quite pricey about $299.00 back then compared to other models and I expected a little more for my money. Now cameras have many more features at a lower price. I am getting another Nikon but this time the S550 which is similar to this camera but seems to have improved the few things I have an issue with. Good luck and if you find this for a good price...go for it!

2.0 stars

"Disappointed" on October 17, 2008 by leeinman

Pros: small, slim design

Cons: Won't connect to my Mac (and can't find software online), poor in low light conditions, no image stability (blurry images)

4.0 stars

"Super Camera" on November 23, 2007 by M-Wehner

Pros: Light weight, clear pictures, and good flash

Cons: Slow write speed.

Summary: This camera was bought for me last year and I love useing it. But it is no good for the type of photos I want to take. All in all it is a good party cam but not really good for anything eles.