Ultra-Compact Camera with a Punch! Weighing only about 5oz and flat as any real camera can be (easy on the side pocket), the Coolpix S5 has many advance features today's camera must have, and then some. A 2.5-inch LCD let's you preview and review the images with ease, a 3x zoom allows for most everyday shooting situations, and a 6-megapixel maximum image size permits enlargements up to 11x14. Most "flat" cameras in this ultra-compact class cannot print decent images above 8x10 because of the tiny lenses they use, however Nikon deployed a "super" glass called the "ED glass", or extra-low dispersion glass, for the S5, which translates into excellent image quality despite the smallness. Beside the basic photo stuff, the S5 also records video, with sound, at 640x480, 320x240, and 160x120 resolution. With a $30 2-gigabyte SD memory card, I was able to capture nearly 30 minutes, one hour, and two hours of video respectively. It also records sound without video, up to 5 hours. Two other aspects of this camera I really like, beside the ability to carry a real camera in my pocket without a bulge, is the D-Lighting darkness-correction feature, and the time-lapse photography. D-Lighting enables you to correct an image already in the camera, where the desired portions are too dark. The S5 senses where the details are too dark, and lighten them up, and stores the result as a new image. Amazingly time-lapse photography is permitted in this little camera, from intervals of 30 seconds to 1 hour, and will run until either the battery is exhausted, or the memory card is full. This is also my first recent camera that relies on a docking station or cradle (comes with the camera), which charges the camera custom lithium-ion battery, automatically downloads the images to your computer, and enables hookup to a TV set. By using the cradle, your time-lapse photography will never run out of battery. Other features of interest include the ability to add or delete audio memo up to 20 seconds to any existing still images on the memory card, and continuous-shooting of up to 2 frames per second. For about $205, and a 2GB memory card for $30 able to store about 600 full-resolution images (or about 7,800 one-megapixel images capable of 4x6 prints), this is the new king-of-everyday-camera in my book! Something to buy your son, daughter, wife, and even tech-savvy husband, this Christmas. Update: The new S9 seems to replace the S5 without any obvious difference, except for a lower price, and some changes in the way it charges the battery and downloads the images. Also check out its "big brother", the Nikon Coolpix s7c, at $275, it does everything the S9 does, but has a 7MP instead of 6PM sensor, 3-inch LCD screen instead of 2.5-inch, has Wifi capability, and a blacken exterior. Home | Privacy Policy | Info | View Cart Contact OKPhotos.com at (405) 377-5967 or Email Content subject to change without notice. Not Responsible for typographical error. Copyright ©OKPhotos.com, All Rights Reserved. Bixbook is a trademark of OKPhotos.com.