Nikon Coolpix S640 review

The S640 is the latest evolution of the S600 line that’s now a few years old. When we reviewed the S620, we criticised it for feeling a little insubstantial. This model feels just a little heftier, which we like, and a little more compact too, with near-identical overall dimensions to the Canon Ixus 120 IS.

The flimsy-feeling selector wheel at the back remains, however; it’s irritating when you pick up a camera costing more than £200 and the first control you touch appears to be from one half the price.

Both Canon and Nikon have introduced subject tracking; on the Nikon you switch this on, half-press the shutter with the subject in the centre of the frame. A set of crosshairs then follows the subject around if they move or, more usefully, if you recompose the shot. It’s a good feature here, but not as well implemented as on the Canon Ixus 200.

And in use, the S640 was a little sluggish: we often needed to push the zoom control twice before it would do anything, for instance.

Our main criticism of all the models in the S600 series remains, though: they just don’t feel as expensive as the price tag might suggest, and the S640 is no exception. It’s a competent compact camera, but for desirability the Ixus models take the cake.

Author: David Fearon