Nikon Coolpix S1100PJ (storewaranty) Review - 14.1-megapixel CCD sensor for stunning image quality. 5x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom-NIKKOR Glass Lens 5-way VR Image Stabilization System Optical VR Image Stabilization Incredible Built-in projector EXPEED C2 High ISO up to 6400 Record HD (720p) Movies 3-inch Touch Clear Color Display
Design wise, not much has changed on the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj. The camera features a tiny stand that tilts the camera on an angle for projecting on a wall, and the mirror-clad projector box sits in the middle of the camera's façade. There's also a dedicated Projector button on top embedded in a dial that adjusts the projector's spread focus, depending on how close the camera is to a wall or screen.
In back, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj has a 3-inch 460,000-pixel LCD, which gave us an adequate viewing pane. The LCD is a touch screen, though it's resistive, so certain times we found ourselves cursing profusely when we attempted to tap a button and nothing happened. Three small buttons stack up to the right of the LCD, controlling Video Record, Scene, and Playback functions.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj has a 28mm-wide 5x optical zoom lens, controlled by a shutter button zoom toggle. A rechargeable lithium ion battery is located in a hatch underneath the camera, along with an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. Aside from the projector, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is like any other simple point-and-shoot.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj was just as point-and-shoot on the outside as it was on the inside. We had Easy Auto, Auto, Scene, and Smile Portrait modes, and Auto seemed to be the most advanced of the bunch. Sure, we could set ISO up to 6400, adjust White Balance, and play with Exposure Compensation, but forget about shutter speed and aperture.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj's Scene modes were bountiful, ranging from Portrait to Landscape, and even to Fireworks. We got Multi-shot 16, which arranged 16 small images in chronological panes within the whole image. The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj also offered plenty of hokey point-and-shoot baubles like the ability to paint on an image and apply silly stamps during slideshows.
But the main attraction, of course, was the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj's projector, which featured up to 14 lumens of brightness and a contrast ratio of 30:1. We could stand as close as 10 inches from the wall and as far away as 7 ft. 10 in. The projector's throw ranged from 5 to 47 inches, and it all wasn't too shabby for a single white LED light. Snapping into projector mode was one button away, and the ability to project our computer screen was great. Think of all the…video games we could watch projected from the comfort of our own computers. That's right, video games.
Image Quality
Like nearly any other point-and-shoot camera, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is equipped with a recipe for mediocrity. Nikon kept the 1/2.3-inch sensor, but boosted the pixel count to 14 megapixels. That means smaller pixels, and more of them—all competing for as much light as they can.
The good news is that in optimal light with a low ISO, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj can produce beautiful images. However, the purple fringing, lack of detail in complicated shooting environments, and heightened noise in any questionably low light environment always met us around the nearest corner.
For a point-and-shoot, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is fine. It's meant for taking simple pictures and throwing them up on the wall with a built-in projector, and that's awesome. But don't expect groundbreaking photography here.
Design wise, not much has changed on the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj. The camera features a tiny stand that tilts the camera on an angle for projecting on a wall, and the mirror-clad projector box sits in the middle of the camera's façade. There's also a dedicated Projector button on top embedded in a dial that adjusts the projector's spread focus, depending on how close the camera is to a wall or screen.
In back, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj has a 3-inch 460,000-pixel LCD, which gave us an adequate viewing pane. The LCD is a touch screen, though it's resistive, so certain times we found ourselves cursing profusely when we attempted to tap a button and nothing happened. Three small buttons stack up to the right of the LCD, controlling Video Record, Scene, and Playback functions.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj has a 28mm-wide 5x optical zoom lens, controlled by a shutter button zoom toggle. A rechargeable lithium ion battery is located in a hatch underneath the camera, along with an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. Aside from the projector, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is like any other simple point-and-shoot.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj was just as point-and-shoot on the outside as it was on the inside. We had Easy Auto, Auto, Scene, and Smile Portrait modes, and Auto seemed to be the most advanced of the bunch. Sure, we could set ISO up to 6400, adjust White Balance, and play with Exposure Compensation, but forget about shutter speed and aperture.
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj's Scene modes were bountiful, ranging from Portrait to Landscape, and even to Fireworks. We got Multi-shot 16, which arranged 16 small images in chronological panes within the whole image. The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj also offered plenty of hokey point-and-shoot baubles like the ability to paint on an image and apply silly stamps during slideshows.
But the main attraction, of course, was the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj's projector, which featured up to 14 lumens of brightness and a contrast ratio of 30:1. We could stand as close as 10 inches from the wall and as far away as 7 ft. 10 in. The projector's throw ranged from 5 to 47 inches, and it all wasn't too shabby for a single white LED light. Snapping into projector mode was one button away, and the ability to project our computer screen was great. Think of all the…video games we could watch projected from the comfort of our own computers. That's right, video games.
Image Quality
Like nearly any other point-and-shoot camera, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is equipped with a recipe for mediocrity. Nikon kept the 1/2.3-inch sensor, but boosted the pixel count to 14 megapixels. That means smaller pixels, and more of them—all competing for as much light as they can.
The good news is that in optimal light with a low ISO, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj can produce beautiful images. However, the purple fringing, lack of detail in complicated shooting environments, and heightened noise in any questionably low light environment always met us around the nearest corner.
For a point-and-shoot, the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is fine. It's meant for taking simple pictures and throwing them up on the wall with a built-in projector, and that's awesome. But don't expect groundbreaking photography here.
Video Quality
We also get 720p HD video, which performed well in bright light and gave us a lot of noise in low light. We could optically zoom in video mode, which was a plus, and it was a lot of fun watching video on the projector. Videos are MPEG-4, so they're fine for uploading to the Internet, and they're recorded in the popular .MOV format.
Nikon has pioneered something incredibly exciting, and the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj will certainly win over a sizable amount of consumers who want that camera with the projector in it. Not only can we host slideshows for a room full of people, but we can also use the Coolpix S1100pj to give presentations using our computer.
There's no need to clamor around a little LCD screen—just sit back and enjoy 14 lumens of projected goodness via a 47-inch spread.
But the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj still is a little old point-and-shoot with a small battery and a claim of one hour of projector time. Though, we found the actual number to be closer to 35-45 minutes before needing a charge. Features are limited and image quality falls well within the point-and-shoot median. We'd recommend the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj for gadget freaks and technology lovers, but we also see a market within the broad spectrum of point-and-shooters.
One thing is certain, and that's the fact that Nikon is in the director's chair when it comes to projector cams. But when the rest of the competitors catch up, we'll undoubtedly see some cat fights.
Price
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is available now for $350.
Specifications :
Image Sensor Type
CCD
We also get 720p HD video, which performed well in bright light and gave us a lot of noise in low light. We could optically zoom in video mode, which was a plus, and it was a lot of fun watching video on the projector. Videos are MPEG-4, so they're fine for uploading to the Internet, and they're recorded in the popular .MOV format.
Nikon has pioneered something incredibly exciting, and the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj will certainly win over a sizable amount of consumers who want that camera with the projector in it. Not only can we host slideshows for a room full of people, but we can also use the Coolpix S1100pj to give presentations using our computer.
There's no need to clamor around a little LCD screen—just sit back and enjoy 14 lumens of projected goodness via a 47-inch spread.
But the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj still is a little old point-and-shoot with a small battery and a claim of one hour of projector time. Though, we found the actual number to be closer to 35-45 minutes before needing a charge. Features are limited and image quality falls well within the point-and-shoot median. We'd recommend the Nikon Coolpix S1100pj for gadget freaks and technology lovers, but we also see a market within the broad spectrum of point-and-shooters.
One thing is certain, and that's the fact that Nikon is in the director's chair when it comes to projector cams. But when the rest of the competitors catch up, we'll undoubtedly see some cat fights.
Price
The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj is available now for $350.
Specifications :
Image Sensor Type
CCD
· Sensor Size
1/2.3 in.
1/2.3 in.
· Total Pixels
14.48 million
14.48 million
· Effective Pixels
14.2 million
14.2 million
· Image Area (pixels)
4320 x 3240(14M)
3264 x 2448(8M)
2592 x 1944(5M)
2048 x 1536(3M)
1024 x 768(PC)
640 x 480(VGA)
4224 x 2376(16:9)
4320 x 3240(14M)
3264 x 2448(8M)
2592 x 1944(5M)
2048 x 1536(3M)
1024 x 768(PC)
640 x 480(VGA)
4224 x 2376(16:9)
· Vibration Reduction
Lens shift VR
Lens shift VR
· LCD Monitor Size
2.7 in. diagonal
2.7 in. diagonal
· LCD Monitor Type
wide-viewing angle TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating
wide-viewing angle TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating
· LCD Monitor Resolution
230,000 Dots
230,000 Dots
· ISO Sensitivity
ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, Auto (auto gain ISO 100-1600), Fixed range auto (ISO 100-400, 100-800)
ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, Auto (auto gain ISO 100-1600), Fixed range auto (ISO 100-400, 100-800)
· Storage Media
SD
SDHC
Not compatible with Multi Media Cards (MMC).
SD
SDHC
Not compatible with Multi Media Cards (MMC).
· Internal Memory
Approx. 32MB
Approx. 32MB
· Interface
Hi-speed USB
Hi-speed USB
· Lens Zoom
7x
7x
· Lens Specification
5.0-35.0mm (equivalent with 35mm [135] format picture angle: 28-196mm); f/3.7-5.6; Digital zoom: up to 2x (35mm [135] format picture angle: 392mm)
5.0-35.0mm (equivalent with 35mm [135] format picture angle: 28-196mm); f/3.7-5.6; Digital zoom: up to 2x (35mm [135] format picture angle: 392mm)
· Focus Range
50 cm (1 ft. 8 in.) to infinity (∞), Macro mode: 3 cm (1.2 in.) to infinity (∞)
50 cm (1 ft. 8 in.) to infinity (∞), Macro mode: 3 cm (1.2 in.) to infinity (∞)
· Battery Type
Rechargeable
Rechargeable
· Battery / Batteries
Nikon EN-EL12 Lithium-ion Battery
(supplied)
Nikon EN-EL12 Lithium-ion Battery
(supplied)
· AC Adapter
Charging AC Adapter EH-68P
EH-62F AC Adapter (optional)
Charging AC Adapter EH-68P
EH-62F AC Adapter (optional)
· Battery Charger
MH-65 Battery Charger
(optional)
MH-65 Battery Charger
(optional)
· Battery Life (shots per charge)
EN-EL12: 210shots
Based on CIPA industry standard for measuring life of camera batteries. Measured at 23°C (73°F); zoom adjusted with each shot, built-in flash fired with every other shot, image mode set to Normal.
EN-EL12: 210shots
Based on CIPA industry standard for measuring life of camera batteries. Measured at 23°C (73°F); zoom adjusted with each shot, built-in flash fired with every other shot, image mode set to Normal.
· Approx. Dimensions
Height: 2.2 in. (55.5mm)
Width: 3.9 in. (97.0mm)
Depth: 1.0 in. (25.0mm)
excluding projections. Method of noting dimensions and weight is in accordance with CIPA DCG-005-2009 guideline.
· Approx. Weight
5.5 oz.
with battery and SD memory card
Height: 2.2 in. (55.5mm)
Width: 3.9 in. (97.0mm)
Depth: 1.0 in. (25.0mm)
excluding projections. Method of noting dimensions and weight is in accordance with CIPA DCG-005-2009 guideline.
· Approx. Weight
5.5 oz.
with battery and SD memory card
· Supplied Software
Software Suite CD-ROM
Software Suite CD-ROM
· Optional Accessories
AC Adapter EH-62F, Battery Charger MH-65
· Supplied Accessories
AC Adapter EH-62F, Battery Charger MH-65
· Supplied Accessories
- Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL12
- Charging AC Adapter EH-68P
- USB Cable UC-E6
- Audio Video Cable EG-CP14
- Strap AN-CP19
- Software Suite CD-ROM
Categories:
Digital Camera,
Reviews
