COOLPIX S9100 Specifications - he COOLPIX S9100 is loaded with innovative Nikon technology, like a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and ISO speeds up to 3200 that assure superb image quality in low-light conditions. Optimized with Nikon's exclusive EXPEED C2 processing engine, you'll capture natural looking pictures with exceptional detail. You'll love composing and viewing images and HD videos on the dazzling 921,000-dot, ultra-high resolution Clear Color Display, and at just 1.4 inches thin and 7.6 ounces, you can take the COOLPIX S9100 on every adventure.


Back view of the COOLPIX S9100 showcasing its ultra-high resolution LCD display

The COOLPIX S9100 is loaded with innovative Nikon technology, like a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and ISO speeds up to 3200 that assure superb image quality in low-light conditions. Optimized with Nikon's exclusive EXPEED C2 processing engine, you'll capture natural looking pictures with exceptional detail. You'll love composing and viewing images and HD videos on the dazzling 921,000-dot, ultra-high resolution Clear Color Display, and at just 1.4 inches thin and 7.6 ounces, you can take the COOLPIX S9100 on every adventure.


Producing precision camera optics is at the heart of Nikon's proud photographic heritage. The COOLPIX S9100 is no exception. Its high quality 18x wide-angle optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens offers impressive telephoto coverage (25–450mm) and razor sharp results. It's the only lens you'll ever need for exacting portraits, scenic panoramas and challenging compositions. And since shooting from a gondola in the Swiss Alps or a whale-watching boat in Iceland can get bumpy, we've included our five-way, Hybrid VR Image Stabilization system—say goodbye to unwanted streaky or blurred images.

The world is brimming with creative shooting opportunities, and the COOLPIX S9100 has the advanced features to match. Choose one of 19 Scene Modes or let Scene Auto Selector choose the ideal mode for your situation. Nikon's amazing Easy Panorama mode lets you pan the camera in any direction as it automatically detects, combines and assembles your shots into one seamless panoramic image. And say goodbye to post-shot processing—the COOLPIX S9100 is loaded with in-camera special effects like Nostalgic Sepia, Selective Color, High and Low Key and many more.

Sharing your travel adventures is even more exciting with Full HD (1080p) movies. With one touch of the COOLPIX S9100's movie recording button, you'll be shooting 1080p HD movies with stereo sound. Optical zoom and autofocus functions will bring you close to the action. You can even shoot still images while recording movies or experiment with special effects like fast or slow motion. And the in-camera playback feature and convenient HDMI-CEC output for quick hookup to an HDTV or computer make sharing your movies a breeze.


Photos and video are framed and reviewed on the S9100 via a 3-inch 4:3 aspect ratio LCD. We also get Full HD 1080p movie clips at 30fps with stereo sound, with an instant record button located at the top right hand corner of the back plate. Its implementation is similar to the one found on the less expensive Coolpix S3100 snapshot, in that it features a raised surround to avoid accidental nudges.
Whilst that much is standard, less so is a screen resolution that again betters what one might expect at 921k dots, so visibility is clear with it. We were shooting under bright spring sunshine for most of our test period and weren't compelled to cup a hand around the screen to view it. Videographers will be further interested to note the S9100's facility for slow motion video clips; the walking through treacle look on playback being achieved via a fast capture speed of 240fps. This requires a resolution drop to 320x240 pixels however. The alternative is a slightly better 640x480 pixels at 120fps.
For hooking the S9100 directly up to a flat panel TV HDMI connectivity is provided under a side flap, while, rather than being located alongside, a separate flap for AV output and USB 2.0 connectivity has been shunted onto the base where it nestles next to the compartment for the lithium ion rechargeable battery.
Build wise the camera feels up to Nikon's usual high construction standards when gripped in the palm, at once solid yet manageably lightweight with it and feeling like it will withstand the odd knock (as long as it's not directly to the lens). There's a high proportion of metal on show and thin rubber coating to the front surface and sides help prevent slippage. There is a slender 'grip' of sorts provided. via a raised metal ridge at the front into which we managed to dig our middle fingers, complemented by a pad of 16 plastic nodules at the back. This provides limited help to prevent the thumb from sliding about.
Given the camera's portable size that longer than average lens reach is supported by sensor shift anti shake, electronic vibration reduction plus motion detection technology to avoid blur from hand wobble at longer focal lengths; a combination that in practice largely appears to work.
The front of the camera is unsurprisingly dominated by that Vibration Reduction assisted lens, with a small AF assist/self timer lamp located top left, and the aforementioned sliver of a grip being otherwise the only feature to adorn the faceplate.
Looking down on the top of the camera one of the most noticeable features is left and right stereo microphones flanking a speaker in their midst. An integral flash is sunk into the top plate to their left and manually activated by a switch at the side rather than automatically popping up (an on-screen message prompts you to raise the flash if you haven't already done so). Over at the right hand edge of the top plate we find an on/off button recessed to avoid accidental activation, shutter release button encircled by zoom lever, plus a tiny 8-option shooting mode dial that's smaller than a dime or halfpenny.
The front lip for the zoom lever is slightly ridged to provide purchase for the fingertip and, upon switching the camera on, the ring encircling the power switch briefly glows green for no other apparent reason than it lets you know the camera's working and it looks cool.
The Coolpix S9100 is relatively swift in its response times, powering up in just over a second, LCD screen fading up from black and lens extending from flush to the body to its maximum wide angle setting in readying itself for the first shot. A few minutes of inquisitive button poking and shutter firing and there's no disguising the fact that, for all its outward sophistication this is actually a fairly usable point and shoot, unburdened by much in the way of manual control. The mode dial doesn't feature any program, aperture priority, shutter priority or manual modes for example; it's preset auto modes all the way.
As on the newly launched D5100 digital SLR, the S9100 features a shooting mode option given over to 'special effects': digital filters in other words, although here they feel less special and more modest compared to the wackier settings found on competing models such as the Olympus SZ-20 with its 'punk' option alongside the regular toy camera and miniature modes. On the Nikon we are offered a 'soft' effect, nostalgic sepia (not only rusty coloured but softened too), high contrast monochrome (one of the most distinctive options), high key, low key and selective colour options. While these are applied at the point of capture, drill down into the playback mode and soft, selective colour, plus fisheye and miniature effect filters can also be applied post capture.
Crammed around the same shooting mode dial we additionally get a regular auto mode, a scene auto selector mode which is an intelligent auto option by another name, a manually selectable range of scene modes (15 in total, including 'Easy Panorama' and the usual aids to portraiture and landscapes), plus dedicated night landscape and night portrait modes, continuing around the dial, along with a flash deploying back lighting mode (for shooting against the sun), and finally a continuous shooting mode, with up to a Casio Exilim-alike 120fps achievable if opting for the 'Continuous H' option. We also get best-shot selection and a pre-shooting option to round out the package.
As with automatic panorama similar modes on Sony Cyber-shot and Casio Exilim models, the 'Easy' option here automatically composites together a single elongated panoramic image as the user pans across the scene. The gimmick here though is that both horizontal and vertical panoramas can be created, with the further option of either shooting a 'normal' 180° panorama or usefully the full 360°. Operation is completely silent, so just as good for taking images in hushed environments as anywhere else.

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