Nikon launches Coolpix S8100 with back-lit CMOS sensor

To help capture moments that are gone in an instant, the Coolpix S8100 not only features high-speed shooting at five full resolution frames at up to 10 frames-per-second (fps), but a pre-shooting cache that records up to two shots before the shutter-release is fully pressed. For extremely fast action shots, the S8100’s Sports Continuous mode records up to approximately 120 fps. With Subject Tracking, the S8100 automatically tracks a designated subject by activating autofocus (AF), enabling the user to capture the best moment confidently. The S8100 also adopts Nikon’s exclusive Expeed C2™ image processing engine, which is customized to each Coolpix model to further drive enhanced performance, outstanding image quality and HD video.

Staying true to the legacy of the Style Series, the S8100 empowers users with serious performance and image quality, while remaining stylish and compact. Equipped with a 10x Optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens (30-300mm, 35mm equivalent), the Coolpix S8100 allows the user to get close to the action, even when recording a movie in Full HD (1080p). For that family film producer, the S8100 features one-touch recording, optical zoom and stereo sound recording while filming for an enhanced user experience. Additionally, users can perfect their movies in-camera with a new editing function or snap still images while recording.

The Coolpix S8100 features a 12.1-megapixel backside illumination CMOS sensor, which enables exceptional image quality even when shooting in low-light settings. This CMOS sensor lends itself to enhanced shooting functions in dark situations, including the advanced Night Portrait mode, which reproduces night scenes and indoor portraits as the user sees them while reducing image blur. The Night Portrait mode combines consecutive shots of the background while the subject is taken using the flash, allowing challenging night scenes to be easily captured during handheld shooting and eliminating any subject movement. To further help deliver crisp, sharp photos, the S8100 features a 4-Way Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization System with ISO settings up to 3200.

Other functions benefiting from the lower noise and exceptional image quality of the new CMOS image sensor include an advanced Backlight shooting function with an in-camera high dynamic range (HDR) function, which merges images of the same scene to achieve a single image with a broad range of tonal detail for a frame-worthy shot. Additionally, the S8100’s advanced Night Landscape mode combines a series of five consecutive shots taken at a fast shutter speed into a single image with reduced noise for when taking handheld shots. From romantic candlelit dinners to capturing the bright lights of New York City at night, the Coolpix S8100 ensures that no low-light moment will be left in the dark.

The Coolpix S8100 will be available late September 2010 for $299.95 MSRP in a choice of attractive colors including black, red and gold. This model will not be available in Europe.