Compact Size

With its brushed aluminium body that’s just over 18mm thick, the S200 is hardly noticeable in your pocket, yet Nikon has managed to shoehorn in a 7MP sensor, 3x optical zoom (38-114mm equivalent) and a maximum ISO of 1000 into the S200.

Features

Image capture is offered through an Auto mode and 15 scene modes, with framing taking place on a crisp and responsive 2.5in anti-reflection coated LCD. The user interface differs from the usual convention by keeping Auto shooting separate from the varied – and often unused – scene modes, resulting in a very clean and effective menu system. The S200 also contains several advanced movie modes, such as timelapse shooting and a stop-motion movie option, further boosting the specification offered for the price. There’s a prompt, accurate AF system and minimal shot-to-shot delay. A ‘Best Shot Selector’ mode takes up to 10 sequential shots, at a rate of one a second, then selects the sharpest.

Image Quality

Images produced by the S200 are noticeably sharp, although in some instances (such as areas of high contrast) over-sharpening manifests itself in the form of an almost cut-out effect. Noise is well controlled right up to the maximum ISO 1000, with evidence of desaturation and luminosity noise only creeping in at the high end. Fringing only occurs in extreme lighting and areas of high contrast, and is generally well handled.