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Supplied Accessories
- AN-CP19 Strap
- EN-EL12 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
- EH-68P Charging AC Adapter
- UC-E6 USB Cable
- EG-CP16 Audio Video Cable
- COOLPIX Software Suite CD
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COOLPIX S8100
518
518
Works well.
I like the size and most of the features.
Easy to use but hard to get the results I want.
Long range zoom but hard to get an in-focus picture when you use it.
Lots of programmed shooting modes but no manual override.
Still trying to figure out how to control depth of field. Maybe you can't with this camera.
January 27, 2011
Great quality pictures!
This camera was recommended to us we love it only downside is that if dropped it doesn't wear and tear like other camera competitors.
January 27, 2011
Many inconvinent features
I liked the faster CMOS and 1080p HD. However, feasures like wind noise reduction, vibration reduction, etc, require the user to turn them off if not used in order not to cause "side effects". For example, I left the wind noise reduction feature on when I recording my daughter's piano recital, the recording ended up all the low key sounds stripped off and sounded terrible. I believe these shortcomings can easily be eliminated in the a new version of the firmware and am looking forward to recieving the updated version.
January 27, 2011
When it works, it is great.
When the camera work, it is great. Great zoom, great viewing screen, great image quality. However, on a recent trip taken with my family, two of us had S8100 cameras, less than a month old. Both cameras stopped working with a "lens error" before the week trip was over. If I had not had my D300 and my P80 backup, I would have been furious.
January 27, 2011
Great video, washout flash
The 1080p video is great - about as good as can be expected from a point and shoot. Nikon's done a great job of introducing an extremely capable camera at a very affordable price point. Most of the menu and advanced features are well thought out and implemented. I won't belabor those points.
The only real gripe I have with this camera is that the flash tends to wash out the picture, especially during close-up portrait shots. Not sure if the flash is too strong or if this is an image processing issue. I haven't experimented too much with various flash modes yet to see if I can mitigate this problem. The auto setting produces a harsh washout on skin tones and light colors up close. I hope Nikon can fix this through a firmware upgrade in the future.
Other than that, 2 minor flaws that don't upset me that much:
1. The position of the flash is on the top left corner where someone would ordinarily have their left index finger. I have to constantly remind myself to hold the camera differently. Otherwise, it inhibits the flash from popping up. I'm assuming this is to prevent lens shadow in the pictures and not just poor design.
2. The AF motor makes a small clicking sound which is audible in the videos. They do warn you about this in the manual though and it's not a major source of annoyance for me.
January 27, 2011
Excellent
I purchased a JVC picsio because I wanted a camera that was small that took pictures and video in HD. Well I was really dissatisfied with the JVC, mainly for the still shots. It did not have a flash and a lot of the pictures came out too dark. I saw the commercial for this Nikon S8100 and decided to look it over. I purchased it and could not be happier. the movies are better than the Picsio, and there is no comparison on the still shots. This camera has so many more features too. My wife loves the continious feature and it takes 5 pics and automatically chooses the best one. This camera has a flash, but I rarely need it because this camera captures light so well. I can't say enough good things about this camera. It is by far the best camera I have ever had and the price was in line with my prior camera purchases.
January 27, 2011
Sturdy Body
white balance on auto and auto scene is horrible. colors are vivid but when you use auto it should be a no brainer...to much work. this is my 1st Nikon always used Cannon, will go back to them next camera.
January 27, 2011
Love the size & features
I love the size - fits in my pocket, yet has more features than my previous camera that I needed a bag for!!
January 27, 2011
The Nikon S1800 is a great camera for all occasion
The S1800 Nikon is very convenient and easy to use and the picture quality is amasing and great and the video qualithy is unbelievable sharp and HD full 1080 HD quality
This camera will make memories cleareer and pleasant with all the great feature that the camera comes with,
January 27, 2011
This camera takes great, clear pictures
The quality of the picture is fantastic! I especially like how night shots turn out without having to worry about every little movement.
January 27, 2011
Point and Wait versus Point and shoot.
After much research and on the recommendation of a leading consumer products magazine, I purchased the Nikon S8100 to replace my Canon point and shoot. I have been an avid photographer for over 40 years and cut my teeth on a Nikorex SLR from the 1960's and have owned several other Nikon products over the decades.
Likes - well laid out controls and large screen. Great pictures - when it works.
Dislikes - when taking pictures inside, the camera seems to take a long time to figure out the focus and then trigger the flash. As a result, I ended up with a lot of lost pictures. For example, at a recent wedding I was taking pictures of the procession down the aisle. When I clicked the shutter at what I thought was the right time, there was a delay of about a second and instead of getting a nicely framed frontal shot of the bride or attendant, I got a sideways pic of the body or worse the backsides. Very frustrating and I don't think it was due to dim light - which it was not. Also the flash recharge of the S8100 seems to take much longer than my 3 year old miniature point and shoot - and pictures were missed because of that too. Battery life seemed short too. The pictures I did get, were in general very good. I just felt that the camera was in some cases trying to hard. I checked the auto-focus settings and checked the firmware version, but it did not make much of an improvement. I may have picked another camera had I known beforehand. You would think that Nikon's flagship point and shoot camera would have performed better than this. I would call it "point and wait".
January 27, 2011
Camera does not work
Cannot get the camera to focus on any settings and most any distances. Appears to be defective. Taking it back. No help from online support.
January 27, 2011
Poor indoor camera
I expected much more from Nikon. While these cameras are 'travel cameras' because of the long zoom, appearantly they have sacraficed the indoor pictures. My pictures indoors were fuzzy, and the flash ones were worse. I have an old 3 megapixel camera that takes sharper photos.
I returned the camera and got a competitor. Better pictures - almost as good close up as the 10 year old camera. And great zoom.
Quit focusing on all the bells and whistles and have the software guys sharpen the photos. 12 megapixels should be better than 3.
January 27, 2011
This is a good Camera!
I bought my first Nikon (F) in 1965, It is a Fotomic T which adds TTL metering through the classic F body. I've been hooked on Nikon's ever since. This S8100 satisfies a need for a quality Point & Shoot with features. I was attracted by the 12Mp & 10X zoom w/1080p HD video. I have not been disappointed, In fact, after taking it on a cruise vacation, I bought another one for my son for Xmas. This thing is fast, easy to use, takes great pics and videos. My only complaint is the placement of the pop-up flash which is right where you instinctively grip the camera. But, I can live with it and am slowly learning not to hold it that way. I love this camera.
January 27, 2011
Great Camera. I need to study the manual..
A great camera. Does everything "Ashton" says it would. I need to study the modes a little more. Flash mode in auto is a little overactive indoors. Washes the faces. Just turn it off in moderate light. Night portrait mode is off the chart great. I have attached a Disney picture from the fireworks. I added a Delkin 3.0" sun-shield to protect the viewfinder and an 8gb class 6 sdhc card. The 1080p movie mode is more than adequate. This is a perfect vacation camera.
January 27, 2011
Great things come in small packages
I wanted a camera that had good zoom, took great videos and stills in all conditions, didn't have that annoying delay you get between shots, one that didn't involve fiddling with AA batteries every 50 pictures and would fit in the pocket of my ski jacket. The S8100 does all of that and more ! If you want these qualities in a no fuss camera then the S8100 is definitley for you. The big lcd is crystal clear even in extreme sunlight, the buttons are all exactly in the right place and of course the pictures are excellent with vivd colors. To summarize, an all round winner. I have recommended this to all of my friends.
January 27, 2011
Very happy with this camera
I find the Nikon S1800 easy to use. The flash is in a bad place and have to be careful where I hold it so the flash will not be held down. Still learning all the features. I wish there were more instructions in the book provided and would not have to refer to the manual on a disk. Do not always have my computer on, or away from computer and easier to refer to the book. Very happy with quality of the pictures.
January 27, 2011
Good camera
The camera is easy to use. The night function is amazing. The only problem the flash takes a long time and young kids don't stay still too long.
January 27, 2011
Performs well as advertised. Good features set.
I am generally well pleased . It does not give me the image quality of my D90, but that's not a surprise. It is great for burst photos, hand-held low light, and the in-camera HDR processing is better than expected.
It's main purpose was pocket-size, long zoom range, and convenience. It does that well.
I don't think there's an accessory battery charger available. That would be a convenience for keeping a spare battery ready.
January 27, 2011
Excellent Compact MegaZoom
I bought this camera several weeks ago. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase. It does a lot of things right, and thought it has some compromises, that's expected in a camera this compact and feature laden. A quick rundown of my pros and cons would be:
PROS:
- Excellent color and saturation, if not the most accurate colors.
-Sharp images. High mega pixel camera's tend to produce mushy pictures. This one handles itself quite well.
-10X optical zoom. Amazing reach
-CMOS sensor gives quick shot to shot and good night time pictures
-Very fast start up
-Compact for having such a huge lens.
CONS:
-No manual controls. You are very limited to what kind of long exposure shots you can take
-Color reproduction is a little off. Often overexposes dark shots, taking away from a dark atmosphere (easily fixable by lowering exposure)
-Zoom/AF noise in video. Many cameras nowadays cancel this out
-Off center tripod mounts. This makes it less stable on a small tripod than if they'd put it closer to the middle.
I definitely feel I can live with the cons, considering the camera's excellent performance. My needs when shopping for a camera were 1)10x zoom. 2)Excellent night shots 3)Sharp images/Effective stabilization. This meets those. I also wanted manual controls, but to get the 10X zoom, CMOS sensor, and manual, you'd have to get a Sony DSC-HX5V. Personally, I don't think the feature is worth 100 dollars, especially since the Nikon takes sharper images (my friend owns the Sony)
January 27, 2011
Does a nice job but............
We've had it for three months and are essentially pleased but wish it had more battery capacity. The auto shut off is set at 30 seconds but it still seems to have a shorter life than one would expect. An extra battery and external charger cost almost $50.00.
Picture quality, versatility and ease of use are exceptional and the zoom lens range is spectacular!
January 27, 2011
Basically a solid pocket point and shoot
I have not experimented all features with this camera yet the basic options work very well. Great, sharp pictures even in low light. I have to spend some time to see how the camera performs with Image Stabilization. I have not had time to do that yet. Long battery life.
I bought the camera to use when deep sea fishing among other uses but will have to wait for spring to see how it does out on the ocean.
So far though, the camera turns out excellent pictures in both still and movie modes.
January 27, 2011
jasbo
I take pictures of my wife's artwork which are graphite portraits on white paper. I have trouble getting good pictures as this (and all point and shoots seem to do) tends to make the paper grey in tone. If there is a way around this or a hint I could get, please email it to me. Otherwise, I am still learning some of the settings, but so far it does a good job. I would recommend it.
January 27, 2011
great camera easy to use and lightweight not a bad price.
January 27, 2011
Couldn't Be Happier!
Got exactly what I was wanting. A great little Point-and-shoot, simple to use and loaded with features. Couldn't have gotten a bigger bang for my buck!
And with a great name.
January 27, 2011
I love it!
Best camera I have owned ever! I would definitely recommend this camera for someone who is looking to capture great quality photos with little experience. I am very happy with this camera.
January 27, 2011
Great pics!!
Video is great too
But.... Clicking in audio while it's trying to live focus.
January 27, 2011
Easy and intuitive to use.
I have only had the camera for 4 days but initial thoughts and results are good. The best part is the zoom function and clarity of the pictures.
January 27, 2011
Outstanding camera, great low noise at high ISO
I am so impressed at the quality of this compact camera. What is so amazing is the low noise at high ISO. If you're worried about blurry shots, just set your ISO to 800 or higher and the high shutter speed will take care of everything.
The white balance is also extremely accurate; going off of Auto and selecting a white balance to match scene lighting yields excellent results.
The zoom range is also incredible, wide enough to shoot in tight situations, and long enough to get close to all but the most extreme needs.
No manual controls except selection of focus point (Manual focus) - this is a great tool (although the auto focus is very good too) - pre focus on a rim at a basketball game using the manual focus mode (bad name for the feature, as you're selecting the point to focus and the camera then focuses on that point) - wait for the players to get around the rim, then snap the picture. Works great.
Prints look great out of the camera, glad to see Nikon isn't engaging in the "pixel wars" - people need to understand that on similar sized sensors, if you have less pixels, the quality goes up as each pixel (photo cell site...) is larger.
I'll still use our D300 for serious shooting, but for everything else, we use this camera - and it's much easier to carry than a D300 and several lenses!
Great job.
January 27, 2011
Good camera on every aspects except USB connection
It's a great camera except weak USB connector which is velnerable if user did not plug in the cable straight forward.
January 24, 2011
134 Questions | 154 Answers
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134 Questions | 154 Answers
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All
So after I take around 10 pictures i get an error saying my memory card is full, any ideas? thanks!
1 year, 2 months ago
by
Anonymous
4 Answers
Answers
Answer:
well its an 8gb memory card, i tried resetting the factory settings so i will see if this works, thanks for all of your help!Answer:
This camera doens't shoot RAW.Answer:
Like keith said, what size card? Also remember that if you are shooting in RAW format your card will fill up much faster. This isn't a bad thing, it just means you should dump your card pretty often. My suggestion? Go buy yourself a bigger card.Answer:
What size card and what image settings are being used ??Try formatting the card in camera before using it, this will clear eveything off and leave it empty.
1 year, 4 months ago
by
Anonymous
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
yes you can when recording at 1080P, 720P VGA and QVGA. but you can't zoom when using 15fps, 60fps, 120fps or 240fps.Mar 9, 2011 by
by
luissandovalmendivil
Mexicali, Mexico
Location :
Mexicali, Mexico
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Travel
Nikon Family: 0-1 years
Experience: 1-3 months
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
Answer:
You can, but in my case, as soon as i touch the zoom control, it goes out of focus, and, it does not regain focus 50% or more of the time.Has staff answer
COOLPIX S8100
2 Answers
the camera just stopped turning on - even after full charge
1 year, 4 months ago
by
sofia
Florida
Location :
Florida
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Nature
Nikon Family: 0-1 years
Experience: 1-3 months
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
yeah Sofia,it's a problem...nothing ya can do except buying 2 or 3 batteries as backups..it runs 80 mins. after full charge..Mar 25, 2011 by
by
Anonymous
Ohio
Location :
Ohio
Age: 18-24
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Answer:
If you already tried troubleshooting and still not charging, you are welcome to send your camera for evaluation.Title: How do I get my Nikon product serviced?
URL: http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bi...
Can it take 3 to 5 pictures making it a panorama picture?
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Anonymous
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
Choose Scene mode on the dial, press the Menu button and select the Panorama Assist mode. As you snap pictures, the camera leaves a transparent view of the last image captured on the screen so you can line up your next shot(s).Answer:
Yes, this model has the Panorama Assist feature.
The flash turns everything white and washed out. Camera is Nikon Coolpix s8100.
Sample Photos & Videos
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Anonymous
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
Problem with Nikon 8100 is that the default flash is too bright.Is there a way to reduce the flash brightness?
Someone please reply otherwise I am thinking of returning this back.
Dec 15, 2011 by
by
Example: NikonPro. For privacy reasons, do not use your full name or email address
San Francisco, CA, USA
Location :
San Francisco, CA, USA
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 0-1 years
Experience: Less than a month
Role: Occasional user, memory keeper
Answer:
Please reset the camera to default settings:Go to MENU > Setup > Reset All
Thinking about buying this camera and was just curious.
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Pwhoel
washington,mo
Location :
washington,mo
Age: 25-34
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
Yes. The way to do this is by:1. Turn the dial located on the top of your camera to the "Scene" setting.
2. Click on the "Menu" button that's located on the back of the camera next to the screen.
3. On the screen choose the [SCENE] tab,
4. Scroll down to "Copy" located next to a picture that looks like a sheet of paper.
5. Press "OK" on the center of the dial
Take B&W pictures.
Enjoy!
Dec 22, 2011 by
by
MsJenX
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Location :
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Nature
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Experience: 1-3 months
Role: Occasional user, memory keeper
Answer:
Yes, you can take black and white pictures.
how can this camera interface with a ipad?
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Linda
22801
Location :
22801
Age: 45-54
Favorite Subject: Travel
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
Linda, I hope by now you got your answer. Get an iPad Camera Connection Kit from the Apple Store. The part # is MC531ZM/A and it is about $29.00. Uploading is easy and quick to your iPad (I have an iPad2). Your pictures will look fabulous.Sample Photos & Videos
Aug 21, 2011 by
by
geogiperl
Fresno, CA
Location :
Fresno, CA
Age: Over 65
Favorite Subject: Travel
Nikon Family: 21+ years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
Answer:
Please get in contact with the manufacture of your IPad for more information.
how do you use the continuous feature on the s8100? i cannot get the instruction manual to download and i cannot figure out how to use this feature.
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Anonymous
naples+, fl
Location :
naples+, fl
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 0-1 years
Experience: Less than a month
Role: Just getting started with photography
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
Turn on your camera. On top you have a dial turn it one notch passed the green auto button, and you are in continuous mode. Press the menu button and select your particular venue you need.Apr 16, 2011 by
by
juergen
Bremerton, WA
Location :
Bremerton, WA
Age: Over 65
Favorite Subject: Travel
Nikon Family: 6-10 years
Experience: 6-12 months
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
Answer:
Rotate the mode dial and align the Icon for Continuous Shooting mode (see page# 42 of the user’s manual). Press the MENU button and confirm or change the settings in the continuous menu.Answer Title: User's Manual - Coolpix S8100 - Guide to Digital Photography
Answer Link: http://support.nikonusa.com/app/ans...
Has staff answer
COOLPIX S8100
2 Answers
New camera S8100 the battery light continues to blink slow when plugged in........it does not appears that the battery is fully charged
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Anonymous
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
The charge lamp slowly blinks green to indicate that the battery is charging. About three hours and 50 minutes are required to charge a fully exhausted battery.Answer:
If its the first charge then it will take some time to become fully charged, leave it plugged in to charge over night and the light should eventually go out when charging cycle has been completed.
I know you get about 220 pictures on one battery charge. I am trying to figure out how many KB of flash memory to buy.
1 year, 3 months ago
by
Anonymous
2 Answers
Answers
Answer:
For example if you're using a 4GB memory card and you have the Image Mode set to the highest (14M), an approximate of 650 pictures can be store in the memory card.Please click in the link below for more information:
Answer Title: Approved Memory Cards - Coolpix S8100
Answer Link: http://support.nikonusa.com/app/ans...
Answer:
Depends on a lot of things, theres no set rule for how many pics can be taken as it depends on settings image content etc.
Close
Review
Nikon COOLPIX S8100 Review
by Joshua GoldmanJanuary 2011
CNET's Joshua Goldman reviewed the COOLPIX S8100, and said, "it is one of the better compact megazoom cameras" he's tested for its price. Features touted were the camera's excellent shooting performance, attractive compact body, great LCD and large zoom range.
Close
Review
Nikon COOLPIX S8100 Review
by David Elrich and Stephanie BoozerMarch 2011
The Imaging Resource posted its review of the Nikon COOLPIX S8100 digital camera, noting that the camera packs a nice sized zoom range into a compact body. The reviewers, Dave Elrich and Stephanie Boozer, found the camera to be nicely designed, with a good feel. They found the camera to be quite responsive, with a great LCD and simple user interface. One of their favorite features was the Backlight HDR Scene Mode. Overall the reviewers enjoyed using the COOLPIX S8100, recommending it as a Dave's Pick.
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