Nikon Coolpix S3000 Review

The camera captures images using a 1/2.3" CCD with a total pixel size of 12.39 megapixels, of which 12 megapixels are considered effective. The camera has a 4x lens zoom with a range between 27mm and 108mm at telephoto. In its normal mode, the camera has a focus range between 1'8" and infinity, and in macro close-up mode, the camera has a focus range between 3.2" and infinity. The camera can capture images as large as 4000 by 3000 in 4:3 and 3968 by 2232 in 16:9 widescreen. However, the camera can only capture video at resolutions as large as 640 by 480.

 

The camera does not have a viewfinder, consistent with other models like it, but it does have a 2.7" TFT-LCD rated for indoor and outdoor use with a total resolution of 230000 dots. 

 

The camera includes a rather sophisticated electronic vibration reduction system to reduce blur brought on by camera shake. This works in tandem with the camera's ability to automatically detect motion and to shoot at high exposures, making it easy to prevent blur even in the busiest potential situations. 

 

The camera has 47MB of internal memory, which can store a handful of photographs and perhaps a few minutes of video, but isn't feasible as a long-term storage solution. The camera does, however, support, SD and SDHC memory cards, which can be up to 32GB in size and will offer thousands of shots if necessary. The camera interfaces with computers or PictBridge-compatible printers (which can receive printing instructions directly from the camera, saving time and potential frustration) using a USB 2.0 port. 

 

The camera includes a smart portrait system which offers smile and blink detection and warnings, designed to ensure that it captures subjects' smiling and informs you when a blinking face may have snuck into a photograph. It also automates red-eye correction, can focus on up to 12 faces in a frame, and can soften skin tone on-camera in order to produce better portraits than would otherwise be shot. The camera can also track subjects in the frame to ensure focus on them even as they move and compensate for lighting and backlighting problems using a D-lighting system. The camera also includes a best shot selector, which can shoot up to 10 shots and only save the sharpest of the 10, reducing the amount of work you have to do later when sorting your digital photos. 

 

The camera includes 16 scene modes and special filter effects to make color shots more interesting: color, vivid color, black and white, sepia, and cyanotype are all available. 

 

The camera is also available in maroon, black, blue, gray, green, and orange.

 

The camera offers high exposure settings, allowing either automatic ISO settings between 80 and 1600, fixed-range automatic settings between ISO 80 and 400 or 80 and 800, or manual settings of ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, or 3200.

 

The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery included with the camera rated at 220 shots.