Nikon Coolpix S01 compact digital camera

 

In my last post I wrote about the importance of affordable and user friendly camcorders that anyone can get to film precious memories or start them on their professional filmmaking career. Now it is time to talk about photographic cameras that fall under the same category, which is why I will be talking about the compact digital camera, the Nikon Coolpix S01.

          

As mentioned in both the Philips VKR6847 Explorer Camcorder post and the Panasonic/National NV-M5 Camcorder post, the invention of smaller and cheaper camera equipment set forth a new way of documenting human history. The same could be said about compact digital cameras. Mirrorless and easy point-and-shoot mechanics, the compact camera has the advantages of being: “easy to use, contain liquid crystal display (LCD) screens and image management software which allows the user to select and edit images, cheaper price. The quality of image from a compact camera with higher resolution can be considered of “good” quality digital image,” (MediaLab 2024).

As Veldman (2024) points out, camera companies made a quick profit off of selling compact digital cameras and that once they hit the market nearly every household had one ready to be used of every family gathering and writes: “You most likely remember lining up at family gatherings for the obligatory group photos, grinning while blinded by the camera flash.”

It was also, as mentioned above, that it was an easy, fun and cheaper way to introduce the art of photography to a new generation, allowing them to play around, experiment and learn the fundamentals before moving to industry standard (aka more expensive) cameras.

But as Veldman (2024) further writes, this camera isn’t something to underestimate, after all, “…it’s not the camera that makes the shot; it’s the photographer that makes the shot…” and that (as Chase Jarvis said) “the best camera is the one you have with you.”

Not only that, but as mentioned in the Panasonic/National NV-M5 Camcorder post, if you want to give something an old or nostalgic feel, then it is better to use something that is old. So, instead of using filters that cheapen the aesthetic, just use a real compact digital camera.

After all, how else can you capture the feel and look of the mid to late 2000s Indie Sleaze look and feel without the “the high-contrast Polaroids and flash-lit photography that prevailed at the time.” (Dinsdale 2022)

Now let’s start with the history of the Nikon company history. Nikon was founded in 1917 and was first called Nippon Kogaku K.K. or Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd. (AboutPhotogarphy 2023), which was a merger of three optical firms (Nippon Kogaku Klub) and was a response to the need and national urgency for advance optical instruments, which was lead by the then president and nephew’s founder of Mitsubishi Koyata Iwasaki (Nikon 2024).

The Nikon company started out manufacturing ridgefinders and microscopes, but it was later that a need for optical instruments became evident that Nikon led to the “combining the optical instruments division of the Tokyo Keiki company and the mirror division of Iwaki Glass with Fujii Lens Manufacturing. This merger gave rise to Nippon Kogaku K.K. and, subsequently, the Nikon of today.” (Nikon 2024)

By 1933 Nippon Kogaku K.K. manufactured the NIKKOR lens, made for aerial photography and map making. They came in two lenses, the 70cm F5 and the 18cm F4.5, which set Nikon on a path to create high-performance lenses. (Nikon 2024)

In 1946 the name Nikon came into being when the call for domestically made cameras was in high demand “the company came up with the tentative name "Nikorette" to express compactness while building on the "Nikko" abbreviation of its Nippon Kogaku name at the time. However, due to opinions that this was a weak-sounding name for a product destined to be a major future player, the company used the Nikko base and added an N to the end which creates a more masculine impression in the Japanese language, and thus the official Nikon name was born.” (Nikon 2024)

By 1948, Nikon released its first camera the Nikon Model I, by 1957 it was the Nikon SP (a ridgefinder camera). Then in 1959, they released the Nikon F, a SLR camera, that had an interchangeable lens feature. This set them on a path of being associated with quality photographic cameras because in the coming years they made big leaps in the advancements of lenses and underwater cameras, that by 1971 they caught the eye of NASA and commissioned space approved cameras for the 17 missions and the Apollo 15 launch, which was known as the Nikon Photomic FTN camera. They carried on building, improving and even made many “firsts” in the camera industry until the Nikon name was so popular that in 1988, the Nippon Kogaku K.K. or Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd., changed the company name to the Nikon Coperation and in 2003, got its iconic yellow logo that “symbolized the concept of ‘fusing the future possibilities with reliability’.” (Admin 2017)

Now this was a bit more in-depth then I thought I would go, but I will close off the history lesson by relating it back to the object of this post and that is by stating that Nikon released their Coolpix cameras in 1997. (Admin 2017)

But the compact digital camera goes as far back as 1988, with the introduction of the FUJIX DS-1P (Stapley 2022) and “…could store 10 images on a 2MB SRAM card and in the near future it was intended to use a compression method of 1:8 so that up to 40 images could be stored. The original press release states that images could be played back by means of an exclusive player and there was talk of a video printer. Also the camera was able to store voice or sound simultaneously and the camera was referred to as a ‘Future Electronic Still Camera’.” (Digitalkamera Museum 2024)

FUJIX DS-1P. Image Source: https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/fujix-ds-1p-3

Digital compact cameras, as mentioned above, was part of the Indie Sleaze aesthetic, which used the flash application of the compact digital cameras to take messy and high contrasting photos.

It was also a part of the 2010s mirrorless revolution. Where “…compact system cameras, as they were also known – often seemed to be marketed with an air of apology for not being DSLRs.” (Stapley 2022)

Now for a simpler explanation of the history of the Coolpix brand, because I fear I might overdo it, here is an excerpt from Nikon (2010):

“The history of the COOLPIX series began in 1997 with the COOLPIX 100. The camera was slim enough to fit in a jacket pocket and was equipped with an innovative new PC card function that allowed the camera body itself to be connected directly to a computer for data transfer. Nikon has continued to lead the digital camera industry since then by developing and releasing models with revolutionary new features. The COOLPIX 900, released in 1998, offered a swivel design that allowed the lens portion to be rotated up to 270°. In 2005, Nikon released the COOLPIX 5900/7600/7900 with the revolutionary Face-priority AF (autofocus) function that automatically recognized faces with autofocusing and the COOLPIX P1, the world's first camera equipped with a wireless LAN communication function for transferring images over a wireless network. The COOLPIX S500, released in 2007, had the world's most compact body and also offered the fastest power-up and release time lag (at the time), and the COOLPIX S1000pj, released in 2009, was the world's first camera to be equipped with a compact projector. With a total of 100 COOLPIX models released, Nikon continues its tradition of innovation in 2010 with the release of the COOLPIX S1100pj, the second COOLPIX camera to be equipped with a built-in projector, and the COOLPIX S5100 with a number of functions that enable the capture of beautiful night time shots. The COOLPIX brand continues to offer increases in basic camera performance as well as new and advanced digital technologies for new value and user benefits.”

Now for the thing we are all here for, the Nikon Coolpix S01 compact digital camera. This is one of the smallest digital cameras I have seen and have the dimensions of 3.1 in. (77 mm) x 2.1 in. (51.2 mm) x 0.7 in. (17.2 mm) (Nikon), making it almost as small (maybe even smaller) than a business card. But make no mistake, as the old saying goes, all good things come in small packages.

                         

The Nikon Coolpix S01 has a max internal storage of 7.4GB, take photos, videos with sound and also has the ability to playback said video. According to Nikon it can shoot in 30fps and in both HD (128x720p) and SD (640x480) for up to 29min for one single shoot (page 12 of the reference manual).

The camera has features that are automatic, such as auto focus, that activates when a face is detected or puts focus in the middle of the frame when the zoom is activated or if there is no face. But not all is lost because the user does have some control. As stated on page 14 of the manual: “Although the focus area may still be displayed or the infocus indicator light green, the camera may fail to focus if the subject is very dark, fast-moving, mixes areas of sharply contrasting brightness (e.g., is half in the shade) or near and distant objects (e.g., is behind the bars of a cage), is dominated by regular geometric patterns (e.g., venetian blinds or a row of windows in a skyscraper), or contrasts poorly with the background (e.g., is the same color as the background). Should this occur, try pressing the shutter-release button halfway a second time or recomposing the photograph.”

The AF comes in two options, that is made for the movie (film) feature. First, which is the default setting, is AF-S or Single AF, “Choose if the distance to the subject will not change very much during recording. Focus locks when recording starts” and AF-F or Full Time AF, “Choose if the distance to the subject is likely to change during recording. Focus is adjusted during recording.” 

Another automatic feature is the built-in flash. The flash, when set to auto, will only go off if a lack of clarity is detected, but the flash can be turned on for every shot or turned off completely.

The camera monitor is touch screen control and has an anti-refection coating, with the dimensions of 2.5 inches and a sensor size of 1/2.9 inches (Nikon). The camera is easy to use with clear instructions and is as simple to navigate as any camera app on a smart phone.

 The camera comes with many different scene modes as seen on the image below from page 12 of the manual.

Scene Modes, Page 12 Reference Manual

And on page 42 the manual lists the many filters that can be applied.

Camera Filter Options, Page 14 Reference Manual

The ISO of the camera is between 80 -1600 and appears to also be automatic (Stoker 2012), and seems to be set by the camera depending on the motion detection, which bumps up the ISO sensitivity the more motion there is. It also changes depending on the zoom setting as well.

It also has a time and date setting, I know, not that interesting, but this camera has a time zone setting, where you pick the country you are shooting in, giving a more accurate time and date, even after many years of inactivation.

The camera has a NIKKOR 3x Optical Zoom lens with a focal length of 4.1-12.3mm and f/stop of 1:3.3-5.9. The lens has an electronic lens that opens when the camera is switched on. The lens is also a retractable lens, that expands out when switched on and retracts when switched off. Giving it a stylish look and feel as well as makes it easier to carry on the user’s pocket, but this is also a down side because this means it is a fixed lens and can’t be interchangeable.

                                         

 The image quality of the camera can be described as Stoker (2012) puts it:

“All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 10-megapixel High JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 2.5Mb. As a snapshot camera pure and simple, we're not expecting the Nikon Coolpix S01's image quality to astound in any way, shape or form. But, to be critical for a moment, at maximum wideangle setting we are noticing some loss of focus towards the extreme corners of the frame, whilst pixel fringing is visible in high contrast portions of images. Neither is a surprise. What is however, is that there is a fair level of detail captured too if conditions are right - and some quite pleasant results are possible, as hopefully our sample images here demonstrate. Colours are also realistically natural without being washed out or faded. Because the flash is so weeny, it works fairly well for indoor shots and portraits in that it's not powerful enough to bleach your subject.”

                 

The zoom has two modes, Optical Zoom and Digital Zoom. The difference between the two is that Optical Zoom is used to magnify an image by 4x and still keep the image quite clear, but there is a point where the Optical Zoom stops and Digital Zoom takes effect. This is to magnify an image further, but the digital processing of the image passing the Optical threshold the image will be grainy. The zoom is controlled by a ring around the shutter button, that is pushed towards the W to zoom out and the T to zoom in. This zooming in and out function works by causing the lens/zoom barrel to move towards or away from the body.

Zoom In/Out diagram, Page 14 Reference Manual 

Now let’s talk about the camera body. First is the retractable lens, mentioned above. Second is the built-in flash. Third is the Self-timer lamp/ AF-assist illuminator and fourth is the speaker, which is just a small pin hole next to the lens.

                   

On the top is the Shutter button, with the zoom mechanism around it. Next to it is the playback/photo display button, which is one of two ways to view images and videos, the second is to go into the main menu on the touch screen and select the gallery labelled as “Play”.

What is interesting about the Nikon Coolpix S01 is the different ways photos can be seen. One is to press the Playback button and manually scroll through the images and use the zoom function to inspect the image (and even retouch the image) or turn on the Slideshow function to view them in order of when they were taken. 

But video can’t be edited, just watched, with play/pause, fast forward/rewind etc. with sound playing from the small mono built-in speaker. 

Then on the other side of the Shutter button is the power button. This camera has an internal built in battery that has to be recharged with a USB charger cable, much like a phone. This cable is plugged in at the bottom, where connector cover protects the USB and audio/video connector. This is also where the user plugs in the charger cable to transfer images to a computer. This is also where you can find the Reset button to revert the camera to factory default.

But these are not the only things that the camera can do. There are controls to set the White Balance, exposure, self-timer and much more. To read about everything this camera has to offer, please read the manual here:

https://cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/pdf/manuals/coolpix/S01RM_EN.pdf

The fun thing about this camera is that it comes in different colours. This particular model is chrome or as it is called “The Mirrored Version”. Other colours include white, red, pink and silver (Stoker 2012).

Nikon Coolpix S01 Colour Options. Image(s) Source: https://www.nikonusa.com/p/coolpix-s01/26347/overview 

The camera comes with three accessories: an AC adapter, USB cable charger and a strap.

The year of this camera’s release seems to be 2012.  Evidence comes from Stoker’s (2012) review that was posted in December of 2012 and states “Just in the (Saint) nick of time to catch the lucrative Christmas (of 2012) gifting market, the Nikon S01 arrives to a fanfare heralding it as the smallest Coolpix to date.”

This date is also confirmed by other reviewers, like Grinning Cheek to Cheek’s (2012) review, where it is a paid promotion for the camera’s release before Christmas and the comments going as far back as December of 2012.

Now for the brief explanation on how the compact digital camera works, with a brief explanation from an excerpt from Faith’s (2023) article, because like everything above I fear I might overcomplicate things. So without a further ado, here is Faith (2023) to give it to you straight:

“A compact digital camera works by capturing light through a lens and converting it into digital signals that can be stored on a memory card. The lens focuses the light onto a sensor, which is made up of millions of tiny light-sensitive pixels. These pixels convert the light into electrical signals, which are then processed by the camera's image processor to create a digital image.

One of the key components of a compact digital camera is the LCD screen. This screen allows the user to preview the image before taking the shot, and also provides a way to review the images that have already been taken. The LCD screen is made up of thousands of tiny pixels that display the image in real-time. The latest point of view is that many compact digital cameras now feature touchscreens, which allow for more intuitive control and navigation.

Another important aspect of a compact digital camera is the image processor. This processor is responsible for processing the digital signals from the sensor and creating a final image that can be stored on the memory card. The latest point of view is that many cameras now feature advanced image processing algorithms that can enhance the image quality and reduce noise in low-light conditions.

In conclusion, a compact digital camera works by capturing light through a lens and converting it into digital signals that can be stored on a memory card. The LCD screen allows for previewing and reviewing images, while the image processor is responsible for creating the final image. With the latest advancements in technology, compact digital cameras are becoming more powerful and feature-rich, making them a popular choice for both amateur and professional photographers.”

I know I say this a lot, but I really believed this was going to be a short one, but if there is anything this post proves is that bigger isn’t always better and that this camera is small, but mighty.

Thank you for making it to the end and as always, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did researching it.

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 List of sources:

Admin. 2017. Nikon’s 100 years of imaging excellence (brief history of Nikon). https://nikonrumors.com/2017/09/21/nikons-100-years-of-imaging-excellence-brief-history-of-nikon.aspx/

Digitalkamera Museum. 2024. Fujix DS-1P (1988). https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/fujix-ds-1p-3

Dinsdale, E. 2022. Indie sleaze dispatches: nostalgic photos of mid-00s London. https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/55369/1/indie-sleaze-rebecca-zephyr-thomas-london-00s-shoreditch

Faith, K. 2023. How Does A Compact Digital Camera Work? https://www.kentfaith.co.uk/blog/article_how-does-a-compact-digital-camera-work_3524#:~:text=digital%20camera%20work%3F-,A%20compact%20digital%20camera%20works%20by%20capturing%20light%20through%20a,of%20tiny%20light%2Dsensitive%20pixels.

GRINNING CHEEK TO CHEEK. 2012. NIKON COOLPIX S01 REVIEW. https://www.grinningcheektocheek.com/nikon-coolpix-s01-review

MediaLab. 2024. Cameras and Digital Devices: Advantages and Disadvantages. https://www.labce.com/spg3038919_cameras_and_digital_devices_advantages_and_disadva.aspx#:~:text=Advantages%3A%20Relatively%20easy%20to%20use,%E2%80%9Cgood%E2%80%9D%20quality%20digital%20image.

Nippon Kogaku Klub. A Little Bit of History. http://www.nipponkogakuklub.com/NKK/Nikon_History.html

Nikon. 2010. Worldwide launch of the Nikon COOLPIX "Capture more. Feel more." brand site on September 30. https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2010/0930_coolpix_more_01.html#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20the%20COOLPIX,a%20computer%20for%20data%20transfer.

Nikon. 2024. Coolpix S01. https://www.nikonusa.com/p/coolpix-s01/26347/overview

Nikon. 2024. History. https://www.nikon.com/company/corporate/history/#:~:text=The%20origin%20of%20Nikon%2C%20as%20Nippon%20Kogaku%20K.K.%20was%20established&text=(Japan%20Optical%20Industries%20Co.%2C,such%20as%20rangefinders%20and%20microscopes.

Stapley, J. 2022. The History and Evolution of Digital Camera Photography. https://www.wexphotovideo.com/blog/news-articles/social-commentary/the-history-and-evolution-of-digital-camera-photography/

Stoker, G. 2012. Nikon Coolpix S01 Review. https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_coolpix_s01_review

Veldman, D. 2024. 5 Reasons to Own a Compact Camera. https://photzy.com/five-reasons-to-own-a-compact-camera/