Nikon Coolpix S51c

The latest digital camera in Nikon’s “style” series is the wireless-enabled Coolpix S51c. It was released alongside the S51 and offers the same automated features, with the addition of wireless transfer technology. The Nikon S51c has 8.1 megapixels, a stabilized 3x optical zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD screen. It comes in a sexy little body and retails for $299, making it one of the least-expensive and best-looking wireless-enabled digital cameras on the market.

Physical Tour
Front (7.75)
The front of the Nikon Coolpix S51c is sleek and sophisticated. It has a wavy face plate, with the right side thicker than the left. The tiny 3x lens sits on the right side, surrounded by an oblong ring of chrome. Its specs are printed vertically along the right edge: “Zoom Nikkor 6.3-18.9mm 1:3.3-4.2 VR.”

To the left of the lens is a thin flash unit with a round autofocus assist lamp below it. The Coolpix logo is embossed in chrome beneath the lens and flash, and the Nikon logo is printed in the upper left corner of the front. The front of the S51c is flanked by shiny chrome edges that add some visual interest.

Back (8.0)
The majority of the back of the camera is occupied by the 3-inch LCD screen. The Nikon logo appears at the bottom of the LCD. The LCD is situated to the left, leaving about a half-inch on the right for control buttons.

In the upper right corner of the back is a tiny zoom control that rocks left and right. Below it is a speaker grill consisting of 12 holes. There is a tiny indicator LED to the right of the grill. Below it are two round silver buttons. The one on the left is labeled “mode” and the one on the right has a playback icon next to it. A rotary dial with a central OK button sits below the set of silver buttons. The rotary dial can be used as a traditional multi-selector with its flash, exposure compensation, macro, and self-timer functions. The dial has grooves on it, allowing it to rotate easily.

Below the rotary dial is a matching set of small silver buttons. The menu button is on the left and the delete button is on the right. The controls are undersized, but make room for the LCD screen, which is easy on the eyes.

Left Side (8.0)
The internal lens makes the left side of the S51c thicker than the right. The Wi-Fi also functions from here: there is a blue LED that flashes when the camera is connecting to a server and transferring images. There is a small Wi-Fi logo here, too. The side has a shiny chrome wave that contrasts with the glossy black side of the LCD, which can also be seen from here.

Right Side (6.75)
The left side of the camera has a wavy chrome plate and looks almost like a funhouse mirror, but users can actually check their teeth on the right side. Its shiny chrome plate is smooth and flat, with only a wrist strap loop in its center to obstruct the view. At the back is the glossy black plate. Oddly, an exposure compensation icon, which is controlled with the dial on the back of the camera, can be seen from this side.

Top (7.5)
The S51c's wavy design is evident from this angle. The silver-colored plate from the front wraps around to the top and is flanked by chrome edges. There are two incredibly tiny buttons on the left side: the face detection/automatic fix button on the left and the picture mail button on the right. There is also a Coolpix S51c logo printed below the buttons on that side. Near the center of the top are four holes that make up the built-in microphone.

There is a chrome wedge shape that encloses two buttons on the right side of the top. There is a power button with a tiny LED indicator next to it, closer to the middle of the camera. Near the right edge is a larger shutter release button.

Bottom (5.25)
The bottom of the Nikon Coolpix S51c has a battery and memory card compartment below the thinner side. In the center of the bottom is a multi-port so the included USB/AV cable can be connected. A plastic tripod socket sits to its right. The bottom of the camera shows where the seams from the different-colored plates come together, so there is an interesting mix of glossy black, silvery metal, and mirror-like chrome. There are also several bolts to hold it all together.

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