NEW Reviews Beta Feedback

Nikon Coolpix S500

78

Good

Avg User Rating
1 User Review | add yours »

Pros
Optical image stabilization
Face detection
Cons
Pricey
No optical viewfinder

$149.00 - $167.99
From 3 Merchants

Pricing: Expensive: $300 (8/1/2008)
Performance: Very Good: 81
Features: Good: 78
Design: Very Good: 80

Find out how these four scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Pricing

Expensive: $300

Performance

Very Good: 81

Battery
Battery Life Score	Good
Number of Batteries	1
Number of Shots	234
Battery Life	128

Image Quality Tests (Max. points = 100)
Image Quality Score	Very Good
Image Quality, Color	73.3
Image Quality, Exposure	67.5
Image Quality, Exposure--Flash	61.7
Image Quality, Exposure--Normal	70
Image Quality, Sharpness	38.1
Image Quality, Distortion	57.1
Image Quality, Overall	67.9

Features

Good: 78

Imaging
Max. Megapixels	7.1Megapixels
Maximum Resolution	3072 by 2304
Optical Zoom	3X Zoom
Zoom Range Min. (mm)	35
Zoom Range Max. (mm)	105
Highest Shutter Speed	1500
Lowest Shutter Speed	4
Wide-Angle Aperture Maximum	2.8
Telephoto Aperture Maximum	4.7
Manual Focus	Yes
Interchangeable Lens	No
Lens Model	3x Zoom-Nikor Lens
Accessory Lens	No

Hardware
LCD Screen Size (inches)	2.5LCD Screen
Dimensions	3.5 by 0.9 by 2.0
Weight (ounces)	4.8
Viewfinder	None
Image Stabilization	Hardware
Media Slots	SD Card
Starter Media or Internal RAM	Yes
Battery Type	Rechargeable lithium ion
Charging Dock	No
Remote Control	No
Flash Shoe	No

Controls
Scene Modes	15
Aperture Priority	No
Shutter Priority	No
Full Manual Exposure Control	No
White-Balance Calibration	Yes
White-Balance Bracketing	No
Exposure Bracketing	No
ISO Range	ISO 50 to ISO 2000
Flash Slow Sync	Yes

File & Printing Formats
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF)	Yes
PictBridge	No
File Formats	JPEG

Warranty & Support
Labor Warranty (years)	One
Parts Warranty (years)	One
Weekday Support Hours	24
Saturday Support Hours	24
Sunday Support Hours	24
Toll-Free Support	Yes

Reliability & Service
Summary of results for all of brand's products in this category	A roller-coaster ride for this camera maker: Top-notch support, readers say, and above-average overall reliability coexist with subpar grades for severe problems and ease of use.

Reliability of brand's products in this category
Reports of product arriving with problems	Average
Reports of products with any significant problems	Average
Reports of problems that render a product unusable	Worse than Average
Buyers' rating of product's	Worse than Average
Overall satisfaction with reliability of brand's products in category	Better than Average

Service & Support Quality
Time spent holding for phone support	Average
Overall quality of vendor's phone support	Better than Average
Reports of problems unresolved after contacting service	Better than Average
Overall quality of service	Better than Average

Design

Very Good: 80

Nikon Coolpix S500 Compact Camera Review

by Paul Jasper

- The Nikon Coolpix S500 delivers top-notch image quality. At $300, it may seem a little pricey for a compact camera with a relatively standard 7.1-megapixel sensor, a 3X zoom lens, and a 2.5-inch LCD. Into its tiny and tough metal body, however, Nikon has also packed such features as automatic face detection and optical image stabilization, though most compact cameras now offer those features.

Read Complete Review »

User Reviews for Nikon Coolpix S500

Reviewed by: talldude123

Duration of ownership: 1 Day

Strengths: Image stabilizer, face detection, optical zoom, rechargable battery.

Weaknesses: construction, quality needs work.

Overall Evaluation: Looks like a nice camera for travelling, just be sure to get a case for it. Also the internal memory is a joke, only holds 7 pictures. Be sure to get a memory card, preferrably 2GB, as it holds 500 pictures.