When looking for a new camera, we wanted something small, easy to use, and that took good pictures.

Compact; solid; easy to use; great pictures

Proprietary battery; flimsy battery/memory card door

When it's come to stylish, metal-bodied compacts, Nikon has never quite delivered cameras that match Canon's IXUS line in the ‘sexy' stakes. But will this change with the introduction of the Coolpix S500?

Great design; anti-reflection LCD; Vibration Reduction

Bland zoom range; noise above ISO 400

Not only does it provide a solid metallic feel and reassuringly firm grip, but the chic contours and classic camera appeal of the most compact digital camera among competing models also makes Nikon Coolpix S500 a desirable pocket point-and-shoot compact camera for travellers.

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The tiny Nikon Coolpix S500 compact camera includes the latest face-detection and image-stabilisation features for consistently top-quality photos.

Coming into the market clearly positioned as an alternative to Canon's range of ultra compact IXUS cameras, Nikon's COOLPIX S500 is a slim 7.1 megapixel unit which offers a few nifty features such as Optical Image Stabilisation.

Small design; Low chromatic aberration; Speedy burst mode

Very slow focus; Some blurry pictures captured in low light

The camera takes absolutly fantastic pictures. Unfortunately it is very fragile. We had the camera fall about 1' and hit the floor. After whicht it was no longer functional (reports "Lens Error"). The Nikon repair shop wants $150 to repair it. A bit steep for a $175 camera.

The tiny Nikon Coolpix S500 compact camera includes the latest face-detection and image-stabilisation features for consistently top-quality photos.

The Nikon Coolpix S500 delivers top-notch image quality. At $300, it may seem a little pricey for a compact camera with a relatively standard...

Optical image stabilization,

Pricey; No optical

The Nikon Coolpix S500 features a 7.1 megapixel CCD image sensor and a Nikkor-branded 3x optical zoom lens. The Coolpix S500 couples this with the company's true optical VR (Vibration Reduction) technology as well.