Nikon Coolpix S4 Ultra Zoom Digital Camera Announced

The Nikon Coolpix S4 is an ultra-zoom digital camera that fits into a shirt pocket.  The 6 megapixel camera sports a 10x optical zoom lens and 2.5 inch LCD.  In order to handle the 10x optics in a compact camera, the lens and LCD swivel independently of each other.  The Coolpix S4 will be available in September at an MSRP of $399.

MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon announced today the addition of the latest Coolpix "S" series camera to their impressive fall line-up of compact cameras. The new Coolpix S4 features an incredible 10x optical zoom, six megapixels of resolution, a 2.5" LCD and an innovative, compact design allowing the camera to fit into a shirt pocket. The powerful optical zoom combined with the innovative body design of the camera gives digital photographers unprecedented freedom and creativity with the ability to take pictures from a wide range of angles such as from the hip, self portraits and even from overhead.

"The S4 is a stylish camera that combines the power of a 10x optical zoom, distinctive body design and Nikon's exclusive in-camera technology," said Bill Giordano, General Manager of Marketing for Nikon, Inc. "This model is an excellent choice for digital photographers who want creative freedom while on- the-go."

To capture everything from extreme close-ups to detailed architecture or even expansive landscapes, the 10x Zoom Nikkor lens delivers 38-380mm (35mm equivalent) performance all in slim, compact package measuring a mere 4.4 x 2.7 x 1.4-inches and weighting just over seven ounces* -- small enough to easily fit in a shirt pocket. The 10x optical zoom give users the freedom and power to shoot from the sidelines or compose great portraits in one compact package.

The S4 features a new interpretation of the popular and innovative swivel body design, first unveiled in the award-winning Coolpix 900 series cameras. The body design allows the lens and the 2.5-inch LCD to move independently so users can view their shot from any angle. For comfortable shooting, the S4 features a newly designed hand grip as well as conveniently placed buttons and controls.

In addition to a stylish package and impressive zoom, the S4 comes packed with innovative and advanced features for beginning through advanced photographers. Using exclusive technology, Nikon has narrowed the picture- taking process down to three simple steps -- turn on the camera, frame the shot and snap the picture. To ensure a sharp portrait with the press of a button Face Priority AF ensures that faces remain in focus when shooting portraits by automatically sensing the presence of a human face within the frame and setting accurate focus accordingly. Nikon's renowned In-Camera Red- Eye Fix(TM) technology detects and corrects red eyes in most typical situations without the need to press buttons or select and highlight the eyes in playback. Without the hassle of additional software, photographers will experience less red-eye photos yielding print-ready portraits.

To help ensure a balanced exposure and sharpness, Nikon's exclusive D- Lighting function automatically compensates for insufficient flash or excessive back lighting in order to obtain balanced exposure throughout the frame. Blur Warning, another feature unique to Nikon alerts the user when a shot is compromised by camera or hand shake, allowing another shot to be taken before leaving the scene.

The S4 features 16 Scene Modes with four of them offering Scene Assist to simplify shooting in common situations. To capture moving memories the S4 features four Movie Modes at up to 15 fps with three of the modes offering sound recording. And, the Time-Lapse movie function can capture action taking place over extended periods of time.

Additionally, the S4 includes helpful functions such as: Best Shot Selector (BSS), Macro mode, 4x Digital Zoom, Single AF and Continuous AF and choice of White Balance.

For further convenience the S4 includes 13.5 MB of internal memory and operates on two AA-size alkaline or rechargeable batteries.

The S4 will be available at retail nationwide in September 2005 with an MSRP of $399.95. For more information on the S4 and other Coolpix cameras, please visit http://www.nikondigital.com/.

  *Without Battery or memory card