The Nikon Coolpix S570 is a solid camera offering at the popular $199.99 price point. Simple and stylish, the camera has a bright, wide-angle lens and 5x zoom helping it standout from the competition; as does its consistently good photo quality below ISO 400. A new specialty mode for portraits and its pedestrian shooting performance make the camera best suited for still subjects and landscapes, though. Also, despite its capability to keep shooting at full resolution in low-light conditions (the sensitivity goes up to ISO 3,200), doesn't mean you'll like the results.

Available in pink, red, blue, and black versions, the S570 is a slim, lightweight camera easily slipped into a pants pocket or small bag. The metal body gives it a sturdy, higher-end feel than its price might suggest. Its lens specifications add to that, hitting all the things good to find on an ultracompact camera.

Its controls are fairly standard and easily learned with little effort from the user. On top of the camera are the power and shutter release buttons with a zoom control around the release. In back to the right of the bright LCD and below the thumb rest are buttons for changing shooting modes, playing and editing images, accessing photo, video, and system setting menus, and deleting pictures. There's a directional pad for navigation and setting exposure, flash, timer, and macro. Again, it's all pretty straightforward.

One thing that might be confusing is S570's four-way VR Image Stabilization. The name may lead you to believe it has optical or mechanical stabilization, but it has neither. It's completely electronic, relying on high ISO settings and shutter speed adjustments along with motion detection to help with hand shake and motion blur.

Shooting modes on the S570 are aimed squarely at snapshooters. The Auto mode gives you the most control with selections for ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, focus area, light metering, and color effects. You can also pick drive modes: single shot, continuous, Best Shot Selector, and Multi-shot 16. Best Shot Selector fires off up to 10 frames and then saves the sharpest image, while Multi-shot 16 compiles a sequence of 16 shots and puts them all in a grid on one photo. There are 15 scene modes with nothing out of the ordinary as well as Scene Auto Selector, Nikon's automatic scene-recognition mode. What is unique is the Smart Portrait System that gets its own spot in the shooting-mode menu. It combines Nikon's previously available Blink Warning, Smile Shutter, In-Camera Red Eye Fix, D-Lighting, and Face Priority AF features into one mode and adds a new Skin Softening component. This type of mode is available from other manufacturers, but Nikon's implementation is fast and works well.

Performance for the S570 is average for its class teetering on the edge of slow. It takes two seconds to wake up and shoot. Subsequent shots will leave you waiting an average of 2.2 seconds between them, jumping to 3.8 seconds if you use the flash. Shutter lag is noticeable in good lighting conditions at 0.6 second; in dim lighting, it's a bit better at 0.8 second. The S570 has a full-resolution continuous shooting speed of 0.6 frames per second. These numbers really drive home that this camera is better for still subjects than moving targets.

Overall, the S570 produces very good photo quality. Many cameras in its class suffer a significant dip in quality when they use any sensitivity above ISO 200. The S570 is actually good to ISO 400 and to some extent ISO 800. The camera lets you limit the auto ISO range to either 80-400 or 80-800. If you're in daylight or bright conditions, I recommend locking it down to 80-400. Again, it did perform well up to ISO 800 with minimal color shift and most fine detail intact, but it's at its best below ISO 400. It can shoot at full resolution up to and including a sensitivity of ISO 3,200. However, both it and ISO 1,600 don't look good because of color shifting and yellow blotching. So while you can keep shooting photos in low-light conditions, you probably won't be thrilled by the results.

Nikon Coolpix S570 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Pink)

Nikon's CoolPix S640 is all about speed. Nikon claims that it has the fastest start-up time for cameras with a 5x optical zoom and image stabilization. It also features an ultra fast auto-focus system, making it easier to capture all the candid moments that life throws at you. Also included on the ultra-compact S640 is a 12.2 Megapixel imaging sensor, Nikon's 4-way VR Image Stabilization, Smart Portrait System, Auto Scene Selection, 640x480 movie mode and in-camera Quick Retouch features.


Nikon CoolPix S640 Key Featues:

• 12.2-Megapixel, 1/2.33-inch CCD imaging sensor
• 7/10 of a second Camera Start-Up time
• 5x optical Nikkor lens: 35mm equivalent of 28-140mm, f/2.7-f5.4
• 4-Way VR Image Stabilization
o Optical VR Image Stabilization (Lens Shift)
o Motion Detection
o High ISO (up to 6400)
o BSS (Best Shot Selector)
• Smart Portrait System
o Skin Softening
o In-Camera Red-Eye Fix
o Face-Priority AF
o Smile Timer, Blink Proof and Blink Warning
o D-Lighting
• 2.7-inch, 230,000 dot LCD with anti-reflection coating and 5 levels of brightness
• Auto Scene Selection
• 16 Scene Modes
• ISO 100-6400
• Contrast Detect AF
• Focus Area: Face Priority, Auto (9-area), Center, Manual (99-area)
• 640x480 Movie recording with sound
• Metering: 224-segment matrix, center-weighted
• Shutter Speed: 1/1500-8 seconds
• TTL Auto Flash with monitor preflashes
• Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery
• Body is less than 1-inch Thick

Inside the Box:

• CoolPix S640 Camera
• Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
• AC Adapter
• USB Cable
• A/V Cable
• Strap
• Software CD


Nikon Coolpix S640 12.2MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Calm Black)

The Coolpix S70 is Nikon's latest ultra-compact digicam, which is loaded with high-end features tucked into a stylish and sleek exterior. This model offers full touch control, with the only one button on the camera; the shutter release. For those who want full touch control, the S70 offers a "Touch Shutter" function, which allows you to tap the screen to capture an image. The point in which you touch the screen will also control the active autofocus point.

Other appealing features Nikon integrated on the S70 include a sliding lens cover, which also acts as the power on/off switch, a wide Nikkor 5x optical zoom lens with their newer 5-way VR (Vibration Reduction) stabilization system, 720p HD video recording, Subject tracking, and much more.

Nikon Coolpix S70 Key Features:

• 12-Megapixel, 1/2.3-inch imaging sensor
• 5x optical zoom: 35mm equivalent of 28-140mm
• 3.5-inch touchscreen OLED monitor with anti-reflective coating
• Touch Shutter function, tap the LCD to start autofocus and capture an image
• Record video at HD and SD resolutions: HD 720p (1280x720), TV movie 640 HQ, TV movie 640, small size 320 HQ, small size
• 9-point AF system with Intelligent, Spot, Multi, and Subject Tracking options
• Easy Auto, Auto (Program), and 17 pre-programmed scene modes
• Automatic scene mode selection with "Scene Auto Selector"
• 256-segment mettering with Matrix, Center-weighted, and Spot options
• Quick retouch
• 5-way VR image stabilization
• Smart Portrait System
• 20MB internal Memory
• Li-Ion rechargeable Battery, which can be charged via USB
• Included rapid AC charger replenishes battery in 4 hours or less
• SD and SDHC compatible

The Coolpix S70 is available in 4 colors combinations (Red & Red, Black & Black, Champagne & Light Brown, and Champagne & Beige.), With $299.88US on Amazon.Com

Included with the S70:

• Camera
• Li-Ion Battery
• Battery Charger
• USB Cable
• Strap
• AV Cable
• Software Suite CD-ROM

Canon PowerShot SD3500 IS Review

ThePowerShot SD3500 is Canon's latest compact digital camera, with an awesome touch screen and a durable metal body. With a 5x zoom and 14-megapixels, you get close to the action and clear crisp images. The touch screen is the most responsive and diverse as I have seen. Even the little things like bumping the camera to advance through images make this camera a lot of fun to use.

Canon PowerShot SD3500 Key Features:

• 14-Megapixel, 1/2.3-inch imaging sensor
• 5x optical zoom: 35mm equivalent of 24-120mm
• 3.5-inch touchscreen
• Record video at HD and SD resolutions
• 24mm ultra wide angle
• Movie, Auto, Program and 16 scene modes
• Smart Auto chooses settings for you
• Smart Shutter takes pictures with just a wink or a smile
• Optical image stabilization
• Smart Portrait System
• Bump technology
• SD and SDHC compatible

The PowerShot SD3500 is available in 3 colors (Silver, Black and Pink.), with a MSRP of $322.17US.

Included with the SD3500:

• PowerShot SD3500 IS Digital ELPH Body
• Lithium-ion Battery Pack NB-6L
• Battery Charger
• Wrist Strap
• Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
• USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
• AV Cable

This SD3500 is currently on sale through this link on Amazon.Com

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS replaces the A2100 as the new top-of-the-range model in the affordable PowerShot range of digital cameras. Featuring a 12.1 megapixel image sensor, 4x optical zoom lens complete with image stabilizer and 2.7 inch LCD screen, the A3100 IS sports a slim and lightweight body in three different colours. Other highlights include 18 shooting modes including Smart Auto and Easy modes with Scene Detection Technology for point-and-shoot operation, Face Detection, Face Select & Track, FaceSelf-Timer, i-Contrast and Auto Red-Eye Correction technologies, the DIGIC III image processing engine and VGA movie recording. Available in red, silver and blue for $179.99 / £189 we find out if the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS deserves its place at the top of the Canon A-series range.

Ease of Use
The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is outwardly very similar to the more expensive and better-specced A2100 IS camera, which has now been dropped from the range, and the cheaper and less-capable A1100 IS, which is still listed as an available model. Despite its budget price-tag, the A3100 a well-made and compact digital camera with a serious matt-blue plastic body and excellent overall finish. It's easily small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, mainly thanks to the new 4x optical zoom lens that's equivalent to a 35-140mm focal length and an excellent maximum aperture of f/2.7. Although the zoom range on offer is smaller than the 6x of the A2100, it does make the A3100 a slimmer and lighter camera, measuring 2.8cms thick when turned off and weighing 30gms less at 155gms without the battery or memory card fitted.

Every aspect of the Canon A3100 IS has a quality feel with nothing feeling flimsy or ill-thought out. The main criticism that we leveled at previous PowerShots, namely that the tripod mount was plastic instead of metal and positioned in the extreme left corner of the bottom of the camera, has been rectified by the A3100's central, metal mount, so kudos to Canon for listening to user feedback. One of the most significant changes to the A3100 is the use of a Lithium Ion battery rather than AA batteries, which virtually all previous A-series Canon cameras have used. This helps make the camera lighter and significantly improves the battery life to around 225 shots from a full charge, but it does take away the flexibility of using widely available AA batteries and makes it more expensive to buy spares.

The A3100 continues to lack any kind of hand-grip. Older PowerShot models were comfortable to hold thanks to a chunky, rubberised hand-grip, but this has been completely removed on the A3100 (and the previous A2100), replaced instead by a smooth, flat finish, embossed with the Canon logo. This makes it more difficult to hold the camera than it really should be, especially as there's only a tiny horizontal row of three raised dots on the rear of the camera to assist you. On a more positive note, the majority of the external controls are well-made and easy to operate, with the action of the shooting mode dial stiff enough to resist being inadvertently turned to the wrong mode when stored in a pocket or bag. There are no real innovative features here, but everything that the Canon Powershot A3100 IS does, it does well. Check the Latest US Prices on Amazon.com