Nikon coolpix S4 (1 Viewer)

[andylockery]

Hi ,
I just lost my Canon A95 on a kayaking trip on Lake Superior [ it drowned ] and was planning to replace it this week when I saw a review of a new Nikon in the coolpix range, the S4. It had a similar swivel design to the Nikons that were so effective for digiscoping,and also featured a 10 times optical zoom and 6 megapixel rating.
The review I read didn't mention anything about accessories that would permit attachment to a scope. Has anyone at bird forum seen anything on those lines with respect to this camera?
cameraless Andy

 

[Barred Wobbler]

If anyone's heard anything, I'd be interested too. My 4500 is 3 years old now and although I love it like a baby, like a baby it has its drawbacks (substitute shutter delay for messy nappies). I'm not out to replace it yet, but with new technology who knows how short the life is?

I don't expect it to last as long as my Nikon FM that I bought in 1981 and it's still in immaculate working order.

 

[yossi]

On the face of it - it is a digiscopers dream camera. As far as I understand, there's no lens thread, and an adapter should be developed and no remote either. On the other hand - it has IF design - the ideal for digiscoping. The LCD is big, but not very detailed, the camera is lightweighted, uses AA batteries - which is great.
I've already ordered a sample for evaluation, and been promised that in October I may have it. Once I have it, I'll work out the interface with my scopes, and then post my comments and sample shots.

 

[andylockery]

Hi Yossi,
I was delighted to read your comments and will certainly look forward to your posting in October. In the meantime I will keep an eye on the web for additional reviews.
Many thanks
Andy

 

[Pelerin]

Looking at the limited info on this camera, it "appears" that the lens has a lip/shoulder to which it should not be to difficult to machine a step down adaptor which "might" slip onto the shoulder (secured with super glue?) and have a suitable "thread" which can be screwed into a traditional adaptor.28/30/32mm ??? That's assuming all the other bits /functions of the camera are digiscoping friendly.
Regards Pelerin.

 

[christineredgate]

There were some excellent digiscoped shots on the Gallery yesterday,by someone using a Nikon 775.Has anyone else used the cam for digiscoping.? A model I have not heard of until now.Cannot remember the name of the poster but the images were first class.A Coal Tit was one of the images,I think.

 

[Andy Bright]

There were some excellent digiscoped shots on the Gallery yesterday,by someone using a Nikon 775.Has anyone else used the cam for digiscoping.? A model I have not heard of until now.Cannot remember the name of the poster but the images were first class.A Coal Tit was one of the images,I think.

The 775 is an old model from the era of the 995 and 885... it's a fairly basic point and shoot, with an external lens.

I'm yet to be convinced about the S4.... that slow lens is a worry.

 

[andylockery]

The 775 is an old model from the era of the 995 and 885... it's a fairly basic point and shoot, with an external lens.

I'm yet to be convinced about the S4.... that slow lens is a worry.

Hi Andy,
Although I have a good knowledge of birds, my knowledge of photography is minimal. Could you explain to me what your concern about the slow lens on the S4 means in a way that I could understand.
Many thanks
Andy

 

[Blackstart]

Compared to the 4500 (or even not compared to the 4500), the S4 seems like a piece of crap and just another in a long line of fashion accessories posing as cameras.

Its delicate build quality is obvious, and its lack of filter threading alone speaks volumes - this is not a camera for anyone who is serious about photography.

And just where, exactly, is one supposed to hold this camera without putting one's thumb smack dab in the center of the monitor?

-Adam

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi Andy,
Although I have a good knowledge of birds, my knowledge of photography is minimal. Could you explain to me what your concern about the slow lens on the S4 means in a way that I could understand.
Many thanks
Andy

Hi,
yep I should've gone into detail a bit more as 'fast lens' can mean different things. I was using the phrase in regard of aperture size and how much light the lens lets in (therefore effecting shutter-speeds). The details are still vague, but if this lens is f3.5 at wide angle, then it's likely to be considerably worse as you zoom in... a fixed aperture zoom lens at this price is highly unlikely.
cheers,
Andy

 

[Jay Turberville]

Hi,
yep I should've gone into detail a bit more as 'fast lens' can mean different things. I was using the phrase in regard of aperture size and how much light the lens lets in (therefore effecting shutter-speeds). The details are still vague, but if this lens is f3.5 at wide angle, then it's likely to be considerably worse as you zoom in... a fixed aperture zoom lens at this price is highly unlikely.
cheers,

All indications are that this is a constant f/3.5 lens. Since this is not particularly fast and since the sensor is a very small 1/2.5" size, this doesn't seem that surprising. F/3.5 is perfectly adequate for most digiscoping since most rigs operating at 2000mm equivalent and beyond can deliver f/4 at their best. Faster than f/4 camera lenses are only going to be helpful for exposure speed when very low magnifications are used.

I agree, however, that this camera will probably disappoint. I have yet to see any camera with zoom range greater than 4x that was a good digiscoping candidate. I will be surprised if this one is any different.

What we needed was a CP4500/990 with an integrated shutter release, that nice 7Mp 1/1.8" sensor, a faster internal processor, improved autofocus, a larger LCD, and RAW capability at fast frame rates. The S4 is definitely NOT that camera.

 

[Andy Bright]

All indications are that this is a constant f/3.5 lens. Since this is not particularly fast and since the sensor is a very small 1/2.5" size, this doesn't seem that surprising. F/3.5 is perfectly adequate for most digiscoping since most rigs operating at 2000mm equivalent and beyond can deliver f/4 at their best. Faster than f/4 camera lenses are only going to be helpful for exposure speed when very low magnifications are used.

If that is the case, then it should be a handy camera for general use. Quickly diminishing aperture zoom lenses are not ideal, light is always a factor and every extra bit you can get, the better (in northern europe anyway)
Yep, f3.5 is fine, it was the thought of f6+ at around 4x that I didn't like the sound of.

 

[Jay Turberville]

If that is the case, then it should be a handy camera for general use. Quickly diminishing aperture zoom lenses are not ideal, light is always a factor and every extra bit you can get, the better (in northern europe anyway)
Yep, f3.5 is fine, it was the thought of f6+ at around 4x that I didn't like the sound of.

Yeah - it sounds like a decent enought general purpose camera. But I don't have a lot of hopes for it for digiscoping.

 

[andylockery]

Nikon S4 review

Hi ,
I was just reading some reviews and comments about the S4 on the web site
http://www.dpreview.com All of the comments expand upon some of the good and bad points of the camera that have been mentioned in this thread.
The one thing I found helpful, was one article that contained some sample pics that show the same subject without and with the optical zoom. They certainly show that the absence of image stabilisation can be overcome.
To view the samples go to the site and type Nikon S4 into the forums search window.
Andy

 

[andylockery]

Nikon S4 Review

Hi ,
I was just reading some reviews and comments about the S4 on the web site
http://www.dpreview.com All of the comments expand upon some of the good and bad points of the camera that have been mentioned in this thread.
The one thing I found helpful, was one article that contained some sample pics that show the same subject without and with the optical zoom. They certainly show that the absence of image stabilisation can be overcome.
To view the samples go to the site and type Nikon S4 into the forums search window.
Andy

Just a quick message to mention a review which compares the S4 with the 4500 and 995. It can be read at...
http://www.dpreview.com/... ...nikon_cps4%2Cnikon_cpsq%2Cnikon_cp995&show=all
Andy

 

[andylockery]

Nikon S4 Sample Pics

Hi The S4 seems to be readily available in stores and I noticed that several users have posted samples of pictures taken with the S4 at various settings. They can be viewed on the website dpreview.com . Just type in
Nikon S4 in the search forums window.
I was wondering if anyone in bird forum had had a chance to check out if it has digiscoping potential yet?
Andy

 

[cubiczirc]

Hi The S4 seems to be readily available in stores and I noticed that several users have posted samples of pictures taken with the S4 at various settings. They can be viewed on the website dpreview.com . Just type in
Nikon S4 in the search forums window.
I was wondering if anyone in bird forum had had a chance to check out if it has digiscoping potential yet?
Andy

Thanks, all of you... for all the info on the Nikon Cp S4, I did not even realize the world of (negative) differences from the COOL Cp 4500. I still need to figure out a good choice for a Digiscoping camera to fit my ATS-65 HD scope. Any suggestions?
~cubiczirc

 

[yossi]

I've just received today the S4. In the next days I'll try to run an initial test. I'm going abroad on Friday, so I'll have to hurry...

 

[andylockery]

Nikon S4

I've just received today the S4. In the next days I'll try to run an initial test. I'm going abroad on Friday, so I'll have to hurry...

Hi Yossi,
That is great news !! I have seen some impressive bird pics taken with the S4 at full magnification, but not with a scope. Apparently users are finding that the "Best Shot" mode, where the camera takes several pictures in rapid succession and selects the best, works as well as Image stabilisation.
I did see one comment in Hungarian , that the lens design could be a problem for digiscoping as it would lead to excessive vignetting , but that may be the result of trying to use the 10 times zoom in addition to the scope. I also saw comments, in other forums ,that the lens has 9 glass components in its design resulting in problems with low light shots at high magnification.
I also saw a comment on a USA digital camera site that someone had called Nikon and asked if there was a scope adapter being made for the S4 and the reply was no because the lens design would result in excessive vignetting.
None of those comments came from an actual test with a scope, so I am awaiting your results with great anticipation. I have been so impressed with the many hand-held bird photos, on other web sites, that I am thinking that the S4 may be a neat camera to take along to capture those picture opportunities that always seem to occur when you don't have the scope set up, or are just out for a walk.
bye for now
Andy

 

[yossi]

Bad news...

After a couple of hours with the S4 and some of my scopes and eyepieces, I can sadly conclude that it is definitely unsuitable for digiscoping.
I've tried the Leica APO 62, APO 77 and Swaro ST HD 80.
For the Leicas I've tried the x26/32 wide EP and the Scopetronics Maxview (Leica Version), for the Swaro I've used the x20-60 zoom @ X20 and the X15 wide eyepiece.
I've used the Nikon UBK to attach the camera to the scopes and I've used the self-timer for the exposures. I planned to go up my roof tonight and shoot the moon, but after I've done the experiments in my home, it became tasteless.
I used the Gitzo 1348 tripod and Arca Swiss ball head.
The target was a picture (70x100cm) hanging on my wall of a scenery I've shot in Switzerland 3 years ago.
The camera focused quite fast under non optimal (home) lighting conditions.
In all settings but full tele (380mm) it badly vignettes, as you'll see from the samples. I've tried macro mode as well, it made no difference.
The camera looks like a nice walkaround camera, and even warns you after shooting that you got a blurred picture, offering you to delete it or save it. The zoom range is stunning, but you need a stable hand as there's no image stabilization, especailly at the remote tele end.
At iso 50 the pictures are almost noiseless, at 100 you can see some noise but it is still useable. I didn't try it at higher iso.
There are four shots here - @38mm, 79mm, 196mm and 380mm done with the Swaro and the x15 EP. I don't know where the white spots came from in the long zoom range. I guess it's dust on the eyepiece.
Judge for yourself.
In a couple of weeks I'll get the Canon A620 for testing, hopefully it's better for digiscoping.
I was hoping to get a newer version of the CP4500 or CP990, but it's a different camera altogether.