Customer Reviews

Nikon Coolpix S630 12MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Ruby Red)

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I have been a dedicated Nikon 35mm fan for years, but this is my first Nikon digital camera. I did debate very long between the SLR series and the Coolpix line, but in the end, the compact design and the lighter weight of the Coolpix nudged me in that direction. So far, I am not disappointed.

The menu structure is different from the Olympus menu system I had become used to, but a short session with the Nikon owner's manual quickly showed me how to access all the functions. Perhaps it is because I had used another band of digital camera for the last few years, I did not originally find the Nikon menu quite as intuitive. I had no trouble changing over however, after less than an hour or so.

The Coolpix is clearly designed as a point and shoot digital camera. Personally, I favor more of a wide angle style than what this camera delivers, but the zoom range is quite nice and very useable. Automatic modes are the default for everything. In my initial testing, I found very few photos that were not acceptable using the fully auto everything. Excellent optics and a vibration compensation system yielded very crisp hand held images. Good marks for this area.

While there is no full manual operation for the S630, there are shooting modes galore that will provide settings to isolate the subject from the background using larger apertures (portrait modes) or favor smaller apertures for greater depth of field when photographing scenic views. There is even an extreme close up mode, similar to the macro mode of many 35mm cameras. Other overrides will allow you to modify the flash effects (fill in, red eye reduction, off and others), fire bursts of shots (depending on exposure up to several per second), set automatic intervals (pre-determined) or even some in camera creative effects. While it did take some getting used to the controls, the S630 again took high marks in this area.

One of the features I really like about the Coolpix S series in general is the large, compared to my older digital camera, viewing screen. I was even more pleased to find I could superimpose a small grid as an aid in composition. I was trained on a 4x5 view camera and had a grid screen for my old Nikon F2S, so this was like coming home for me. I would have liked some intermediate lines in addition to the three by three box pattern, but even this simple implementation will prove useful.

The S630 uses an exclusive rechargeable battery. I suggest buying at least one spare battery with your camera. While the battery is rated at well over 200 exposures before needing to be recharged, I'm sure Mr. Murphy will be at the party you are photographing and your battery will die, just as you are about to snap that great celebrity photo you dreamed about taking. The S630 makes the external charger as part of your purchase package and an AC cord is an option. If you like being able to run on standard batteries, this may be less than desirable for you, but I like the rechargeable feature from an environmental standpoint. Call this an even trade.

I was disappointed in the lack of an uncompressed format to save images in. My last digital camera had a RAW format that while not used for every photograph nonetheless was used often enough I miss not having it. You do have some selection in the JPEG compression, however, so I have to be content with that. Your photos do look their best using the maximum pixel count, so you will want a high capacity card. I urge you to get at least a 4 GB card to supplement the minimal onboard memory.

Now we come to my only real dissatisfaction with the S630, and that has little to do with the camera itself. I hate the software suite Nikon supplies. I must digress a moment here. If you use a high capacity SD card, one that is 4 GB or more, you may not be able to read the card with the card reader built into your computer. While technically still an SD card, the SDHC series cards use some internal difference to break the 2 GB barrier. Whatever the reason, you should purchase an external reader capable of handling the SDHC format cards.

Without an external card reader, you need to plug the camera into your computer and use the Nikon Transfer software to transfer the images to your computer. While the plug fitting on the camera looks like a mini-USB, I could not get a mini-USB cable I already owned to fit the socket. I needed to use the Nikon supplied cable. My computer would not recognize the camera until I loaded the software. The transfer process is slow and the interface is clunky at best. I also have my own photo retouching software and do not need the software Nikon supplies. With an external card reader, the process is greatly simplified: remove the SD card, pop it in the reader and transfer the images just like any other file collection. An external reader will also provide a faster transfer speed.

All together, I found the S630 a very nice travel package. This camera will deliver some very high quality images without the bulk of an SLR. You can easily fit a spare battery, spare memory cards and the camera into a small case not even the size of a case for sunglasses. Well worth the price until you really need the versatility of a digital SLR.

6/30/2009
Recently returned from 10 day trip to Japan. The camera performed flawlessly and delivered photos even better than I expected. Great available light shots, very good flash fill in, good video in karaoke bar and wonderful overall grab shots. My only complaint is I wish it had a wider wide angle, but I knew this going into the trip. Used the telephoto at maximum to capture details at the top of castles, shrines and temples; great results there made up for the lack of a wider view.

I purchased a Nikon Coolpix S630 just before I went to Europe five weeks ago. After 1000 pictures of mountain tops, people, dark museums and action shots, I am done testing it and am very pleased. For years I wanted a hassle-free camera with a high amount of optical zoom yet small in size and shoots well without a lot of light. I hoped to spend less money but was afraid a cheaper camera would frustrate me due to lack of features, poor quality or confusing operation. The S630 gives me all I want in a camera for a reasonable price.

My cousin was a professional photographer and he is impressed with how well this camera performs. Closeups of flowers are great. Pictures displayed on a 42" TV have great resolution and color accuracy. Photos of poorly lit rooms have bright colors. Video and audio quality also are impressive.

Reading reviews critical of this camera made me a little nervous about deciding to buy this camera but I am glad that I figured out they are overly critical except for the zoom speed. The zoom motor is too fast and you often overshoot where you want it to stop. All too often it will not stop where you want it to and you have to step forward or backward to frame the shot. No camera will always produce a perfect shot on the automatic setting. Photography is a learned skill. The large screen lets you see if the shot did not come out right. You learn and try one of the other settings available. Battery life was roughly 125? pics. Time between pics is a little slow, but OK.

PROS: Quality pictures, video and audio; 7x optical zoom in a small body; logical hassle-free operation; reasonable price; low light pics are outstanding; has many other nice features.

CONS: 1) Zoom speed as described above. 2) The Nikon S630 does not use common batteries, so you need to pay for a special spare battery that you need to keep charged at all times. 3) The software included has no editing capability just viewing and transferring. 4) The optional Leather Case (Nikon #5811) is too small to carry a spare battery or extra memory card. I bought a case at Wal-Mart that works perfectly. It was a little tight at first, but it stretched out after a couple days.

I was in desperate need of a new digital camera! I have an OLD version of Nikon coolpix 4800 but I love the 8x optical zoom. My friends all made fun of the giant size of it! After I saw the S630 coolpix advertised I really wanted to try it out. I went to the store and played around with it then purchased it through Amazon and got a great deal! I am VERY pleased with this camera! I took it to the Lake with me and played around with it and got some good shots! I was even able to record video of my friends innertubing at full zoom and the clarity is great! I have the settings on auto mode and the camera does a great job! All I can say is some of these negative reviews must be due to user error or they are professional photographers expecting TOO much! If you are interested in this camera, I must say I am VERY happy with my purchase. If I could figure it out, I'd share some of the great pics and videos I took! Good luck with your purchase!

This is actually my second Coolpix 630. My first one was stolen. I immediately ordered another one because dollar for dollar no other camera can produce the results I got from this small and handy powerhouse.

The zoom is great at 7X optical, and 12 megapixel gives me all the resolution any normal user will ever need. Easy to use features, including an "auto" that does all the work for you. I can even make movies.

I studied long and hard before I bought and my research paid off handsomely. I strongly recommend this product. My only suggestion is to spend the $40 for a 150X memory card for ultra-fast operation between shots.

I have had this camera for over a month and have been very happy with its performance. The pictures are extremely clear when downloaded to my computer. The setting menus are simple to use. The cameras round edge where you place you picture thumb is a nice ergonomic feature. The two areas of concern are: 1.) The cover for the USB port cable seems very flimsy and could easily break from the cord attaching it to the camera. I have not had any problems with this, but is seems very cheap. 2.) The Camera LCD appears grainy when focusing on an image. Although the pictures when downloaded to my computer appear clear with no hint of graininess.
Given the two concerns, I would definitely buy this camera again given the choice of current cameras on the market.

I can't say enough about this camera. Before using I suggest that you READ the manual before using and get to know it's features. Once you have mastered the features and know what it can do there should be NO problems. The problem with some negative reviews I have seen in other articles/comments about this camera is that people fail to study the manual before they use it. This is a great little camera and the only things I have to say is that the USB port cover on the camera is somewhat flimsy and I'm afraid I might break it off. The zoom feature moves a bit too fast to get it exactly where I want it at the moment. That's why I'm only giving it 4 stars. Other than that it's a great product.

I only work with Nikon cameras. I have various sizes but saw this one and wanted to give it a try. I love it for the most part. I wanted something that I could put in my pocket and go. The quality of the photos is very good and if you take the time to learn all of the functions you can really get this little camera to perform. The only thing that I wish it had was an eye piece to look through. I don't like looking through the digital display, especially in bright sunlight. You can't seen what you are shooting. Other than that is it a dream.

I bought this for travel so I would not have to carry my Nikon D70. The pictures have the same expected quality as from my SLR camera. The zoom control is not as flexible as I would like. It seems to want to go from one extreme to the other rather than slowly letting you choose the power of zoom. Other than that it is extremely nice to carry, fits easily in my jeans pocket or my purse.

This little Nikon was perfect for what I was looking for. Just went on a trip to London and Paris and took over 750 shots. The camera was great no worries. The quality and features where as expected from Nikon. Picture quality was very good and the zoom was excellent for this size camera. Battery life was just a little less than I expected but it would last an entire day before another charge was needed. Overall I would recommend this camera

This is the fourth Nikon camera I have had, and like the others I was not disappointed. The camera takes great pictures, even when zoomed out. The only fault I find with the camera is that the zoom button is too touchy. The menu is easy to navigate and gives you lots of ways to personalize your picture taking. Unlike some cameras this camera even takes great night photos, even when hand held. Would highly recommend this camera.