Nikon Coolpix S550 10 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom (Graphite Black): Customer Reviews & Product Details

I bought this camera because I wanted to buy a smaller, portable camera for trips. The color and of course the brand are what helped me to make my final decision. My only complaints are sometimes the lighting is poor, and sometimes the image stabilization is ineffective. Overall, the size is very small, not bulky, and slips into my pocket. The video is GREAT! I am satisfied with 95% of the overall picture performance.

I do not write many reviews but I feel the need to write one for this camera because it has been so helpful to me and I'm not happy about how many people have been dogging it. (Note: if you don't have time to read this, skip to my summation at the bottom)

First off, let me say that while I am a bit of a technophile, I am in no way an expert on cameras. My five-star rating is not to say that this is the best product out there, but rather my level of satisfaction as an amateur photographer.

I purchased this camera for regular picture-taking, nothing more. Go to a party or social event, got camera, no hassle. I had been using a 35 mm up until about 3 or 4 years ago and I realized how much money I was wasting on film. I also bought it to replace the digital camera that I had lost at Christmas 2007 (Nikon Coolpix L14). Plus, I was still waiting for the price of digital cameras to come down (bought this for $200), since I never buy new technology. I always wait for the most of the bugs to be worked out before I buy any electronic device.

Let me say that if you are looking for a high-quality photo (10 MP gives incredible detail) in a compact, easy-to-use camera, look no further. I had read a wide variety of complaints, very few of which were valid or relevant. Let me say this much, if you are looking for a high shutter speed, this is not the product for you. It takes about three seconds from the time you push the button to the actual snap. But if you can be patient, the image quality is well worth it. I was pleased with the 7.1 MP on my L14 but I was thoroughly satisfied with the quality of 10 MP. The auto flash is pretty good at picking the setting. If you are not sure whether or not there is enough light, err on the side of using the flash, its always your best bet. I have had the camera for over a year and it is still going strong.

I had read another complaint about not being able to charge the battery inside the camera. The BEST thing that they could have done is charge the battery externally. This camera is considerably smaller than my last Coolpix which had a built-in charger. Your best bet is to purchase another battery, doesn't have to be from Nikon (I bought one from a third-party), since you never know when it is going to run out. It lasts a while but you don't get much warning. I simply keep a back-up and throw the depleted one on the charger, which is so much smarter than having to plug in the camera. The battery charges pretty quickly. Anyone who complains about this is a moron who doesn't know how to accessorize properly.

I've only been displeased with a handful of pictures and most of those were taken on short notice. Point-and-shoots are not designed for quick picture taking, that's what traditional cameras are for. This is for casual picture taking only, not for serious photographers. It has a very large LCD screen and what's even better is that you can view a picture and zoom in pretty close. The detail is astounding.

Transferring files to my laptop is very easy. Some have implied that the software sucks but that's just not true. I don't know what other softwares look like but this one does the job well. It helps to have a USB 2.0 port. I purchased a laptop (in Sept. 2008) with USB 2.0 and noticed how much faster transfer was then my desktop (from March 2002). Once I transfer the photos, I create folders for different occasions and themes and sort them that way, which is pretty easy, unless you're a moron.

One more thing I love about this camera is the quality of the video. I have shot some pretty impressive video with this thing. I didn't expect that and that was an added surprise. Another accessory you should have is at least two SD cards of at least 2 GB in size. On the highest quality setting with 2 GB, you can take 408 pictures or shoot 29 minutes and 51 seconds of video. You should also get a tripod if you're going to shoot a lot of video, and buy a camera case for a couple of bucks.

In summation, this is a good camera with a high picture quality, if you are using it casually, accessorize it properly (extra battery, two SD cards >2 GB, and a carrying case), and use the flash appropriately. I have had no technical or physical difficulties with the camera, and still enjoy using it.

I got this camera for my birthday in November last year. Since then, it has been perfect for my every need. But, for whatever reason, the price has been doubled since I got mine. In 2008, it cost only $168.00. A couple months later, I heard from my brother that it was taken off the market temporarily. Obviously, it's back (or maybe just in stock until they sell them all, which would explain the price) but now it costs a fortune. You might as well go get a pro camera now. However, I would recommend this camera if you are just looking for a camera that will take basic, quick pictures or if you are loaded or willing to pay the hefty price.

Pros:
-Great Quality
-Good Basic Pictures and Portraits
-Cool Effects
-UNBELIEVABLE ZOOM!!
-Quick start-up


Cons:
-terribly slow shutter speed (meaning NO movement for 5 seconds while taking the picture or it will most likely blur.
-'eh' macro (I wouldn't neccesarily say it was bad, but you can't get very close to anything and make it look professional without holding some kind of a lens up to the lens. I hope that wasn't too confusing)
-Indivisual battery charge (meaning that you can't take pictures while it's charging. That's probably normal but I found it kinda lame. You have to take the battery out to charge it)

I usually have high expectations for a camera, though, because I want to be a photographer. For this price the way it is, I would say it's not worth it. I'm going to buy a canon rebel xs that would be 10 times the camera this one is for not even twice as much.

But this camera is a GREAT point and shoot.

If you're looking for a pocket (or purse) sized camera for simple pictures, this is a very nice camera. It's easy to use, has a large screen display and fits compactly in your pocket. I've taken it to my daughter's soccer games and although it takes great closeups, I much prefer our old Kodak for zooming on the kids as they're out on the field for action shots. I do wish it had a wheel to scroll between menu options, rather than clicking on the menu button and searching for the right setting. I found it for under one hundred dollars and for that price I'm happy. If I was paying three times that price, I would most likely have exchanged this camera for something with a stronger zoom.

This camera is not user friendly. You have to turn it on, to select the features cause it's touch screen and it's slow too. I missed a very precious moment in my life, my baby's heart beat in my belly. I couldn't find the audio recorder fast enough cause the menu has many icons. I returned this camera and got a cannon. The cannon is so much better. The buttons are right there and you don't even have to turn the camera on if you want video, you just select video. The quality of photos are the same. When it comes to split second precious moments, you want something that you can just grab and use.