Auto Mode (6.0)
The Nikon Coolpix S51c is a little automatic beast, although it doesn’t have a true Auto mode. It has a camera icon on its virtual mode dial, but it acts as more of a Program mode because it allows you to adjust parameters like ISO, exposure compensation, and white balance. This mode remembers its settings, so the camera turns on and uses the same settings as it did when it was on last time (this can be good or bad). Sure, the settings can be individually set to “auto,” but a true Auto mode doesn’t even bother to extend that option. The S51c’s pseudo-Auto mode is also the mode with the most manual controls. There’s just something odd about that.
Move Mode (6.75)
The Nikon Coolpix S51c has a horrible Movie mode. This is an unfortunate trend among newer Coolpix digital cameras, particularly the P50 and P5100 that we’ve recently reviewed. The Nikon S51c’s Movie mode has the same resolution options: 640 x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120 pixels. It has different frame rates than the previously mentioned Coolpix models.
Its top resolution records 30 frames per second (fps), and there’s also a 640 x 480-pixel option labeled “Pictmotion 60” in the menu. This doesn’t mean 60 fps. This means 60 seconds. This mode records 10 fps for up to one minute and is specifically designed to fit into Pictmotion video shows.
The 320 x 240-pixel resolution records 30 fps, while the low-resolution 160 x 120-pixel videos capture only 15 fps. There is also a stop-motion movie option that records 640 x 480 pixels for up to 1,800 images. These can be played back at 5, 10, or 15 fps. This is a fun feature for teens: they can make inanimate objects “move” in these videos and perhaps be the next YouTube stars.
The Movie mode’s performance isn’t as glamorous, though. There are some serious limitations. The optical zoom cannot be used, and the 2x digital zoom that is available degrades the already poor image quality. Shooting in low light is nearly impossible: noise is ridiculously high and speckles the image with purple and blue dots. The colors are horrid in most lighting because there isn’t any manual white balance control. The focus is soft, there are moiré and other issues from the lens, and the audio makes subjects sound like they’re drowning in pudding.
Video can be played back on the camera with sound, but it cannot be edited. Another boon to the S51c.
The Nikon S51c limits video recording to 2 GB, and we don’t recommend that you shoot even that much. Don’t buy this camera for its Movie mode, and avoid using the Movie mode altogether.
Drive / Burst Mode (5.0)
The Nikon Coolpix S51c won’t be known for its speed. Its default is set to single and its other options include Continuous and Multi-Shot 16. When the single drive is activated, it takes the camera about 4 seconds between shots (with the flash turned off). The Continuous burst mode quickens that pace to a shot every 1.2 seconds and can do so for up to 100 shots. This is slower than the Nikon S6, another Wi-Fi-enabled Coolpix in the “style” series, which can shoot 2.2 fps. The Multi-Shot 16 mode snaps 16 images and stitches them into a single 3200 x 2400-pixel image that looks like a quilt when all is said and done. The camera’s self-timer is activated from the left side of the multi-selector and delays picture-taking by 3 or 10 seconds. It flashes a bright orange beam to indicate when the picture will be taken.
Playback Mode (8.25)
The Playback mode can be viewed even when the camera is turned off; the playback button on the back acts as another sort of power button. It turns the camera on directly in the Playback mode. You can also go the traditional route by pushing the playback button from the Shooting mode; either way works. Users can scroll through images by pushing on the right and left sides of the multi-selector. It is faster and more comfortable on the thumb to rotate the dial. This action makes half a virtual dial appear with thumbnails on it. One image is always selected and enlarged. Pushing the OK button returns you to the original view.
The view is nice and large with the S51c’s 3-inch LCD screen and 230,000-pixel resolution. This digital camera offers a lot of perks in the Playback mode. Users can create Pictmotion slide shows by selecting up to 200 images from the Pictmotion position on the virtual Playback mode dial. Background music can be added, too; there are preloaded tracks and you can add more with the included software. More details on this are available in the Pictmotion Playback menu.
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Background Music
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High-speed, Emotional, Natural, Up-tempo, Relaxed
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Effects
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Motion, Moody, Pro-slow, Pro-fast, Classic
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Playback Order
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Random, Play in order
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Playback Duration
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Fit to music length, Show all images
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Select Images
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Auto select 30, Auto select 50, Auto select 100, Auto select 200, No auto select
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The Pictmotion feature is interesting, but it takes the camera a few minutes to create even a simple one. Be sure the battery is charged up and there is space on the memory card for a show.
The playback options are a bit scant, and are found in another menu.
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Print Set
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Print Selected, Delete Print Set
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Slide Show
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Start, Frame Interval (2, 3, 5, 10 sec), Loop (On, Off)
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Delete
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Erase selected images, Erase all images
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Protect
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On, Off
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Rotate Image
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90 degrees left, 90 degrees right
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Small Picture
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640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120
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Copy
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Internal Memory to Card, Card to Internal Memory
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Images can be viewed on a calendar or listed by the date from the Playback mode’s virtual dial. It is from this dial that users can send photos to Nikon’s online photo sharing website, my Picturetown. You can scroll through and select images to send, then push down the shutter release button. The camera then searches for a hot spot, displays SSID options, and allows you to input the WEP so it can transfer images.
This is where the camera actually connects to Wi-Fi. This can be a bit confusing because there is a button atop the camera, the “picture mail button,” that sounds similar. This only marks pictures for e-mailing; it doesn’t actually e-mail them. Next to that button is another button that functions in the Playback mode: the perfect fix button, which applies an automatic exposure fix to brighten underexposed images and supposedly eliminate red-eye. It brightened images wonderfully, but red eyes did not disappear.
Overall, the Playback mode is great. The large high-resolution LCD screen paired with the fancy, musical Pictmotion shows makes it fun. The rotary dial is a nice control to have for navigating quickly through lots of images, too.
Custom Image Presets (8.0)
The Nikon S51c has a nice set of Scene modes that include High ISO directly on the virtual mode dial. This mode keeps the image size at full-resolution, unlike some digital cameras that reduce the image size. However, this mode is still not something you want to use often. It increases the ISO to 1600, which makes it easier to photograph subjects without the flash. It may stop the action, but it will also introduce so much noise that it will make your subjects look like they’ve been attacked by a swarm of locusts.
The other Scene modes are located in a position on the mode dial. Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Portrait, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Backlight, and Panorama Assist are in the menu, along with the image size option. No other settings, such as white balance, can be changed in the Shooting menu. The exposure compensation, available from the multi-selector, can be accessed, though.
Oddly, the Portrait mode doesn’t automatically activate the face detection system. Users still have to push the button atop the camera. This seems like a basic logical move; most digital cameras equipped with face detection now link the technology with the Portrait mode. It makes sense. It is like linking the Continuous burst mode with the Sports mode: thank goodness the S51c got that one right.
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