Nikon adds four consumer Coolpix cameras

Nikon on Friday unveiled several new consumer-level cameras, including the touch-aware Coolpix S60, feature-packed S560, the intuitive S610, and wireless S610c, all coming in September. The Coolpix S60 offers users a touchscreen LCD, with simplified access to all the cameras functions and capabilities. The camera has a 5x optical zoom NIKKOR lens, with a 10-Megapixel sensor, capable of using ISO 3200 sensitivity. It also features Nikon's EXPEED and Optical VR technologies, and the Scene Auto Selector mode. Nikon is selling the S60 for $350.

The S560 comes with several of Nikon's improvement technologies, coupled with a 10x zoom lens and 10-Megapixel sensor. In addition to EXPEED and Optical VR, the S560 offers a new Smile Mode, which takes the picture when the camera detects the subject smiling. A new Portrait Mode also examines if the subject blinks prior to taking the picture, informing the user so that another can be taken, if necessary. A Food Mode reduces glare on closups of food. The above features are just several of 15 included shooting modes for users. The S560 is selling for $250.

The Coolpix S610 offers a more modest 4x zoom, wide angle lens, still on a 10-Megapixel sensor, but features a durable but aesthetically pleasing body, and intuitive controls. In addition to Active Child focusing mode, the S610 includes six scene modes: Close-up Portrait, Landscape, Backlight, Night Portrait, and Night Landscape. The S610 also has Optical VR image stabilization, and a 0.7 second startup time. Nikon is selling the S610 for $280.

Lastly, Nikon introduced the wireless Coolpix S610c, a variation on the standard S610, but featuring WiFi connectivity hardware. The built-in WiFi allows users to perform one-touch emails to users, and access to Nikon's my Picturetown service, enhancing image sharability. Nikon is including free access to Wayport's WiFi service until 2011, and is selling the S610c for $330.

Filed under: gadgets
Other story tags: Nikon, cameras, touchscreen, Coolpix