Nikon Coolpix S220 in Digital cameras

Among Nikon's raft of new camera releases comes the S220, a model aimed more at the casual snapper than pixel-scrutinising enthusiasts. It comes in various colours - ours was a minty green - and it's one of the smallest compacts you can get at this price.

As with the Coolpix S620, the build feels lighter and more feminine than the Canon competition, but that lack of heft doesn't translate into a camera that will let you down at the crucial moment; you're unlikely to miss a shot with a start-up time of only one second. Nikon claims 0.7 seconds, but we couldn't match that in our tests.

The beauty of this Nikon, aside from size, is its simplicity, with a minimum of controls on the back and simple menus. On the downside, that means very little explicit control over shot settings aside from exposure compensation, with no aperture priority and no spot metering, for instance. But the menu system is logical, and laid out well enough that scene modes are, for once, easy to select. Portrait scene mode includes very effective face-, smile- and blink-detection, a boon for Facebook acolytes looking for a party-snap camera.

There's only electronic (as opposed to optical) image stabilisation, but you do also get a vintage but unique Nikon feature that's often forgotten: BSS (best-shot selector). With BSS switched on, frame your shot and press the shutter. Keep it pressed and the camera grabs a series of frames, then picks the sharpest of the bunch and discards the rest. It isn't quite as easy to use as optical image stabilisation, but is effective for still subjects.

Quality in everyday outdoor shots has no major flaws. Detail is good, colour balance sure-footed and the level of contrast impressive. Chromatic aberrations in corners are noticeable, but not show-stoppingly bad.

It doesn't pick out the level of detail of the Canons or the Panasonic Lumix TZ6, though, so if quality is your major consideration you should look to one of those. But if you want as compact and fuss-free a camera as possible for the lowest price, the S220 is the best choice out there.

Author: David Fearon