Performance, Image Quality and Verdict

Nikon COOLPIX S6150 review – Performance, image quality and verdict

Touch screen compacts are not necessarily to everyone’s taste,
although the S6150’s implementation performs well. When shooting, a pair
of menus are easily accessed from both the bottom and left side of the
screen, offering access of simple shooting adjustments through the
former and more advance controls, such as image quality and flash
through the latter.

The S6150 is pleasurable to use – the
aforementioned slick touch screen performance no doubt aids this, but
elements such as focus speed are also pleasingly prompt. However despite
this speed, the focus can sometime struggle with accuracy, as is also
the case with the model’s white balance.

The advanced
specification of the Nikon S6150 produces images to a decent standard.
Sharpness is generally pleasing, even though the model features a 7x
optical zoom, whilst high ISO noise is also well controlled up to ISO
800. Also, considering the relatively large focal range, the Nikon S6150 control chromatic aberation well throughout the focal range. There are occasions when white can err on the slightly warm side,
although this is generally not to the detriment of image quality on the
whole.

Considering the low price tag of the Nikon S6150, it certainly is an eye catching compact. The specification hints at a model which should cost a lot more, while the compact delivers good result on the whole despite a few misgivings over white balance. The only real letdowns are a slightly bulky body and some issues with focus accuracy but, on the whole, the S6150 is a quality compact camera.