The S520's images sadly do not match its stylish form and make it rather poor value for money.
The 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix S520 is a style-led compact with a 3x optical zoom and Vibration Reduction among its features.
The Coolpix S520 is one of Nikon’s latest ‘Style’ compacts, seeing an 8MP sensor paired with a 3x optical zoom lens. ISO capabilities stretch from 64-2000, with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction and D-lighting helping images out.
At around 22mm thick it’s not the slimmest of compacts, but its brushed aluminium front and sturdy overall construction give it a feeling of solidity.
Image Quality
Image quality is rather disappointing. Centre sharpness is satisfactory but this drops off towards edges and corners. The lens also exhibits signs of barrelling, and noise plagues shadow areas at low sensitivities. Green fringing can also make itself known, with the camera’s only saving grace being in its generally sound metering system.
Score
Score in detail
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Features 85
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Image Quality 70
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Design 90
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Performance 85
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Value 75