Nikon projects a new foot forward in its latest Coolpix S1000pj compact camera.

THERE'S no doubt that most digital cameras these days come with nearly the same set of features with the same megapixel count, zoom range and standard image stabilisation built in.

This is where Nikon’s latest Coolpix model stands out for being the first camera to incorporate a built-in projector.

Aside from being a projector camera, this 12.1-megapixel shooter serves as a convenient compact camera that’s easy-to-use.

The S1000pj is a sturdy-looking camera with a brush metal body that’s accentuated by silver rimmed borders. It is more squarish in shape as compared to most modern compact cameras, but it has a unique style that certainly catches the eye.

The goods

The camera comes equipped with a 5x optical zoom that covers a focal length of 28mm - 140mm, which is a decent range that covers most everyday picture taking situations. And the lens doesn’t actually extend out even when in use, making it very compact even in operation.

The camera’s 2.7in LCD screen is smaller than the conventional 3in screen but it bright enough to be seen under direct sunlight and decent for reviewing shots later.

However, the navigation buttons were small, making it easy to hit the wrong button while shooting.

Disappointingly though, the lack of a mode dial and over-reliance on a single mode button made changing shooting modes slow and clunky.

That being said, the camera really caters to beginners with numerous automatic and scene modes.

Of course, there’s the staple auto mode that users will most likely rely on for shooting.

While it does handle settings such as the ISO level and shutter speeds, it isn’t smart enough to switch between macro mode when taking close-up shots.

ADEQUATE: The S1000pj's 2.7in serves as a decent viewfinder though the navigation buttons are small.

Subject tracking is another notable beginner mode that allows you to fix focus on a moving subject. However, we found the tracking to be quite inaccurate and it easily loses focus of fast moving targets. Needless to say, the mode doesn’t work well if you’re photographing children or pets.

Other modes that beginners may have fun with include the smart portrait mode, which comes with a few facial enhancing features that soften skin tones, automatically capture smiles or prevent any shots taken when someone blinks.

More advanced camera users will find the S1000pj lacking in terms of creative shooting modes such as Aperture and Shutter priority.

Sadly, the only degree of control you have here is changing the ISO levels.

Project this

It is pretty amazing that Nikon managed to cram such a small projector inside this camera, essentially making it a handy pocket projector you can carry around wherever you go.

The projector allows you to share your images or videos by projecting them on the wall for all to see. It is quite simple to operate as it is activated by a small button on top and controlled mainly by a small slider that you can use to adjust the focus of the image.

It is quite impressive considering that the projection unit can project images up to eight to nine feet in height, covering an entire wall if you move far back enough. However, images projected aren’t terribly bright considering the projector has a brightness of only 10 lumens. This means you’re going to need to be in a dark room to be able to see images clearly.

Of course, since it isn’t too bright, large images will appear rather dim. A more reasonable assumption is that you’ll be projecting at a medium length that’s not too far from the wall to get an optimum image clarity and brightness.

Overall, the projection unit comes in handy if you’re on a trip without a notebook and need to show your pictures to your group of friends.

Still, the projection unit is more of a novelty item than an actual function that is of considerable quality.

POCKET DYNAMO: The S1000pj doubles up as a handy little pocket projector that allows you share your photos and videos easily.

Pictures and videos

Coming back to the S1000pj’s camera functions, it has a fast start-up time that allows you to begin taking pictures almost immediately upon hitting the On button.

The autofocus is decently fast with only a fraction of a second lag between pressing the shutter button and the camera snapping the picture. Admittedly, the camera is slower to fix a lock on a subject in low light.

The camera has a decent dynamic range performance, keeping both highlights and shadows visible under the harshest of conditions.

Basically, ISO 100 to 400 revealed to be mostly noiseless but there was a slight hint of noise coming in at ISO 400.

The S1000pj works great in the bright sunlight but doesn’t perform so great under low light conditions, which is the norm for most compact cameras.

In direct relation to this, ISO performance at ISO 800 and above were mostly noisy and pretty unusable for print.

In terms of video capture, the S1000pj only takes standard definition 30fps videos at 640 x 480-resolution. The video quality isn’t really spectacular but it gets the job done.

While recording you can zoom in and out though this is limited to using the camera’s digital zoom. But then again, the camera doesn’t focus automatically so you’ll end up with a blurry video.

Conclusion

Overall, the Nikon CoolPix S1000pj is handy little pocket camera that can do many things but only a few of them well.

The camera’s asking price of RM1,498 is pretty hefty since it doesn’t boast a whole load of camera-specific features. It is more about simplifying things for new users than it is for experienced photographers who may find the lack of creative shooting modes unappealing.

The lack of HD video recording is another sore spot that stands out considering that other cameras in this price range usually possess this feature.

Its built-in projector is the camera’s main attraction, targeted at users who like having a working projector with them at all times.

Granted, it is a nifty feature that makes it extremely easy to share photos and videos but the downside is that the projector itself isn’t very bright.

Basically don’t expect to get a clear and bright picture unless you are in really dark room and standing close to the wall. It is more a novelty than a practical projector considering that it also saps battery life even faster.

But for those who can overlook its shortcomings, the S1000pj is a camera for those who want something that’s both easy to use and share pictures with.

Pros: Decent lens range; auto modes for beginners; built-in projector allows for easy image sharing.

Cons: Lack of creative shooting modes; projector isn’t very bright.