We take Nikon's top compact for a Northern photographic expedition. Will it survive the harsh Maine coast? Read on for the full Nikon Coolpix S710 review.
Review summary of the Nikon Coolpix S710:
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 The Nikon Coolpix S710 may appear to be just another stainless steel fashion cam, but after spending some time with this camera, we think its much more than that. The Coolpix S710's large LCD screen and spinning Control dial made shooting a blast and its packed feature set offered plenty of shot options. The 3.6x optical zoom didn't provide enough enhancement for our shooting needs, but the 28mm wide-angle lens helped us cram more content into our shots. Most importantly, the Coolpix S710 takes beautiful images, even in low light. We can't recommend this camera for full-size, 14-megapixel poster prints with professional results, but for 8x10s and web publishing, the Coolpix S710 will do the job with minimal hitches. Plus, it comes in that sexy maroon color. Release: September 2008. Price: $380.
Pros: Great image quality. Packed with features. Large LCD screen.
Cons: Lacks Mode dial. Zoom toggle needs improvement.
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Full Nikon Coolpix S710 Review:
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Design - Good
Nikon's top compact Coolpix model is a sleek slab of stainless steel available in Silver, Gunmetal or Maroon. Not only is the Nikon Coolpix S710 a sight for sore eyes with its chrome accents and iridescent paint job, it's also small and lightweight. We were able to slip the Coolpix S710 in our pants pocket with ease. This camera is rugged, thanks to its metal body, though the SD Card/Battery chamber door is one of the flimsiest covers we've come across on a compact camera. Thanks to the Coolpix S710's glossy, contoured shell, we found the camera to be extremely comfortable to hold during testing.
The Coolpix S710 features a fairly standard design. Nikon slapped a large 3" LCD screen in back and a spinning Control wheel for advanced navigation. Unfortunately the camera is devoid of a viewfinder and is saddled with a zoom panel rather than a circular shutter button zoom toggle, which we find offers more efficient control. The spinning control wheel is a great tool to have and it features four quick image adjustments, including flash and Focus settings. The narrow flash is covertly embedded in the left side of the front of the camera and a round On/Off button rests at the top of the camera instead of a switch.
Interface - Good
The Nikon Coolpix S710's steering wheel is a spinning control dial mounted to the right of the large 3" LCD screen, just like the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS. We liked the dial for its conduciveness to rapid menu selections and quick manual control adjustment, as opposed to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150's clunky 4-way directional pad. However, the Coolpix S710 does not have a Mode dial mounted to the top while the Lumix DMC-FX150 and PowerShot SD990 both feature one. The Coolpix S710's Mode dial is all digital, governed by the spinning Control dial. This is a great system, but we miss the instant satisfaction of clicking a Mode dial into gear. On a brighter note, we found that the ample 3" LCD screen provides a crisp picture and resists glare at steep angles, thanks to a special coating.
The Nikon Coolpix S710's menus are quick and highly responsive, and we had great success with the spinning Control dial. The only thing missing from the equation was a manual control-filled Function menu. Instead, the Coolpix S710 relies on the Main menu for ISO, White Balance and other manual controls. ISO is available as a quick adjustment in advanced shooting modes, but for most basic to intermediate shooting modes we had to dive into the menu for additional fine-tuning. This is not the end of the world, but it's nice to have all your manual controls in one drawer, just like you would your underwear.
Key Features - Good
The Nikon Coolpix S710 is one of those versatile little compacts that functions adequately in Auto mode, yet also packs in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, and Scene modes. We spent most of our time in Program AE mode, allowing the Coolpix S710 to automatically set the Aperture and Shutter Speed while we fiddled with ISO and White Balance. The nifty thing about the Coolpix S710's Program AE mode is that it allows shooters fiddle with the aperture or shutter speed, while keeping the exposure constant. This really came to our aid when we wanted to shoot landscapes at the tightest possible aperture and portraits at the widest the camera could offer.
The Nikon Coolpix S710 can reach an absurd 12800 ISO level, but those pictures can only be captured at 3-megapixels or smaller. The camera can handle ISO 3200 at its maximum 14-megapixel image size, which is impressive considering most compacts in this range treat ISO 3200 as a Scene mode and tack on a megapixel cap. The Coolpix S710's higher ISO performances were as noisy as we expected, but we found detail to be greater than most high ISO images we've seen.
We had a little fun with the Nikon Coolpix S710's color options, including cobalt blueish Cyanotype, but we were further amused with the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS's color options. The camera has a few enticing Burst modes, one called "Multi-shot 16" in which it captures 16 continuous images via a single press of the shutter button and displays each image as a small thumbnail as it captures within the LCD screen. At the end of a round, the LCD screen is filled with 16 icons, displaying each shot. We recommend using a tripod for this mode, but it offers so much more freedom for hand puppet performances.
Hardware - Good
The Nikon Coolpix S710 is equipped with a larger, 14.5-megapixel, 1/1.72" sensor. Though the Coolpix S710's sensor is larger than a typical 10-megapixel, 1/2.3" chip, it's packing in more pixels. The Coolpix S710 has a 3.6x optical zoom lens that has a 28mm wide-angle view, which enabled us to capture images without having to back up in order to fit in an entire scene.
The time from powering on to first shot is a little over 3 seconds with the Nikon Coolpix S710. In most respects, we found this camera took its sweet time, even in burst modes. It captures images to SD and SDHC cards, but also has 42 MB of internal storage, which will accommodate approximately eight 14-megapixel images. The Coolpix S710 runs on a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery.
Image Quality – Very Good
The Nikon Coolpix S710 cranked out an awesome image performance, but at a small cost. We found most images to contain some degree of noise, whether it was unfocused, benign background fuzz or full-on in-your-face haze. All of our sample images were assessed at their full resolution, so we believe this is a case of High Megapixel syndrome, where the manufacturer packs in as many pixels as the competition, even if the pictures would look better with fewer pixels on such a large sensor. Images we captured at 8-megapixels fared much better. Overall, the Coolpix S710 produced beautiful pictures, even in low light. Image artifacts were exceedingly low for a compact and dynamic range was very good. This camera will treat you very well if you plan on sizing images down and posting them online. However, don't expect high-quality poster prints with the Nikon Coolpix S710.
Scene Test – View From Flying Mountain
We're seeing great exposure overall, but the shadowy areas of the trees in this image could stand to be a be it brighter. This is where Manual mode comes in to play, for when we boosted the Shutter Speed, we were able to achieve a much better exposure without any blowouts. In this image, nothing is blowing out, not even the sky above the horizon, which is an example of the Nikon Coolpix S710's good dynamic range. At full resolution, we see that it struggles with sharpness within the water and trees along the right and left sides of the image. However, this is minimal noise and the image as a whole is top notch.
Portrait Test – Lucy the Wolfdog in Bar Harbor
In this image we're not seeing any blatant artifacts like fringing along the trees or blowing out within the snow or sky, which is a great sign. What we do see is a minor lack of detail in Lucy's coat, though this is only apparent at full resolution. We want a little more sharpness in Lucy, who is the main focus of our portrait. Regardless, colors are very realistic and this image is beautiful at full crop.
Macro Test – Causway Barnacles
The Nikon Coolpix S710's Macro feature worked wonderfully, allowing us to shove the lens right into the cluster of unassuming barnacles to grab this shot. The detail is outstanding and we were shocked to see no fringing at all in the background.
Contrast Test – Southwest Harbor Stuffed Animals
We tested the Nikon Coolpix S710's ability to compensate for extreme contrast here and the results are better than we expected. Most compacts will have a hell of a time with an image like this, and blown-out whites are inevitable. However, the Coolpix S710 succeeds in minimizing the blow-outs in the background so that figures are still discernable. We're seeing blown-out borders and lines rather than large patches that reach the maximum color levels. Furthermore, detail is exceptional amongst the animals in the foreground, and exposure is admirable given the circumstance of this shot. This is not a perfect image, but it's pretty darn good for a compact.
Color Test – Vegatables in Food Mode
Color is actually one thing we couldn't wrap our heads around with the Nikon Coolpix S710. This image was captured in the Food Scene mode after numerous attempts in Programmed Auto mode. In Program mode, our colors were exceedingly warm, even after we adjusted the White Balance. Food mode gave us this image, which looks like it was copied from a 1970's Home-Ec textbook. The camera does exhibit some awesome detail within the broccoli, but colors are a bit washed out. Experimentation is necessary in order to obtain optimal color with this camera.
Detail Test – Maine Forest Ground
Now we're really seeing some Nikon detail within the patch of moss, pine needles and crystalline snow. It's hard to fin anything wrong within the focused portion of this image. Color looks great, noise is nonexistent and detail is as sharp as you can get.
Water Test – Southwest Harbor Causway
Shooting this frothy stream along the Maine coast required us to close the aperture up to f/6.7 and lower the shutter speed to 1/20 to achieve the velvety texture of the water. We're really pleased with the results, but could have gone down to a slower shutter speed with a tripod for more of a mystical water effect. This is the first time we can catch any traces of fringing, which appear in the trees to the left of the house in the distance. The background is slightly noisy as well, but does not detract from the focus of this image.
Backlight Test – Top of Flying Mountain
Difficult Light Test – Flying Mountain Hike
This is one of the few instances where the Nikon Coolpix S710 failed to provide a proper exposure. A flash would have ameliorated the light issue amongst the underexposed subjects, as the background is clearly exposed properly. The second image is a bit noisy, but look how the Coolpix S710 fights to save every piece of the blue sky it can. Most cameras would have detonated the sky into a sea of white. Other than that, colors are great in this image, but we could certainly do without the noise.
Low Light Test – LED Lights
We were very lucky with the Nikon Coolpix S710 when the sun went down and this image is a prime example. Noise is minimal and detail along the braided wires is sharp. You can even retain a fair amount of color within each light. The Coolpix S710 handles low light better than most cameras in its class. Even at ISO 100, you can't really ask for a better exposure from a compact. We had to dial the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 up to ISO 400 for this same shot and it still couldn't match the Coolpix S710's exposure.
Price and availability
The Nikon Coolpix S710 is available now and can be found online for around $380 or less.
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