|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nikon Point and Shoot and Non-DSLR
Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Nikon Digital Cameras > Nikon Point and Shoot and Non-DSLR
Advertisement
Nikon Coolpix S510 Digital Camera Reviewby Karen M. CheungPublished on December 21, 2007
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (6.75)The control panel puts looks ahead of practicality. While the button design is aesthetically pleasing, it’s not intuitive. The buttons are extremely small, suited for dainty hands, and don’t utilized the extra space on the back of the camera. The buttons are located where they should be, but their itty bitty size hinders ease-of-use. The buttons are also not that deep, which means users will have a harder time pressing them. The one thing Nikon got right regarding the control panel is the rotary selector, carried over from the earlier Coolpix S500. In lieu of a four-way controller, the selector serves as both a menu navigator and four-way controller for Flash, Self-Timer, Focus, and EV compensation. The rotary dial is a successful integration into the Nikon system, but the rest of the mini buttons make it a bit too difficult to use. Menu (7.5) The Coolpix S510 carries over from the S500 a simple, easy-to-use menu system centered on the rotary multi-selector. Instead of a traditional mode dial, Shooting mode access is moved inside the menu. Shooting mode, High ISO, Scene, Audio, Video, and Setup Tools are laid out in a circle, highlighted in yellow when selected. Each tool opens another menu with gray backgrounds and black or white text. The fonts are easy to read and navigate. Users can switch from a text-based layout to an icon-based layout, much like cell phone menus. The Shooting menu has settings including pixel resolution, named Image mode, and White Balance with a live preview overlay. Most settings are spelled out with text and icons, except for “BSS,” which stands for Best Shot Selector.
The Setup menu is standard:
Some users might miss the physical mode dial, traditionally located on the top of the camera, but the intuitive rotary dial and strong internal menu system gives the right amount of logical options and direct navigation. Ease of Use (6.25) First-time users will have a relatively easy time using the Nikon S510 right out of the box. With a thorough, simple menu system, the camera is easy to use. Some buttons are too small, but the intuitive rotary dial helps. Portability is sufficient. The inclusion of a help display, which explains settings, and live previews for white balance and color shooting will help beginner photographers develop their skills.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
© Copyright 2008 DigitalCameraInfo.com, all rights reserved. All trademarks and product names are property of their respective owners. DigitalCameraInfo.com makes no guarantees regarding any of the advice offered on this web site or by its staff or users. All user comments and postings are not the responsibility of DigitalCameraInfo.com. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||