Nikon Coolpix S4 - Anyone here got one ?

[Mark Grant]

Has anyone here tried a Nikon Coolpix S4 ?

Need to buy a new compact/handbag size camera for my wife, I sold her Canon Ixus on ebay :thumb: - now getting nagged at for a new one !

(Its my new rule that I dont buy any new toys until I have sold some old stuff first, to help clear the backlog of Cameras, flashes, lenses, PC parts etc,etc,etc, in the spare bedroom)


S4 looks good, I have a Coolpix 995 and like the swivel lens.
10X Zoom on the S4 might be useful.

Any opinions on the S4?


Thanks,

Mark.

[Steep]

I swore I'd never buy another camera with a swiveling lens. My Nikon 900s failed when the tape wiring bundle started to break in the swivel joint. Nikon wanted £160 plus parts to fix it :(

[Mark Grant]

Had a look at Nikon S4 and Canon S80 in Jessops.

Decided on the S4.

Never had a problem with a Nikon 950 or 995, so I am happy with the swivel lens, and so useful for low angle and candid shots.

Jessops dont price match anymore though, sticking at full retail for the Nikon S4 at £330 and Canon S80 at £499 :icon_eek:

I would have bought the S4 if they had got near Amazons £259, but no way they would budge.

So I ordered from Amazon today.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BGOS60/qid=1132007941/sr=8-4/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i4_xgl/202-5919775-7003038


Jessops are great for 20D and 5D prices, but compacts are often full retail.
Maybe the average punter that walks in for a compact does not check prices?

When it arrives and I get some time I will post some comments, good or bad :)


Mark.

[Mark Grant]

Forgot to say that the S80 £499 at Jessops is £362.70 at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000B5O08C/qid=1132008330/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/202-5919775-7003038

Bit of a difference, £136 or 37.5% more at Jessops.

(I always try to buy from the high street if within 10% or so of online, My 10D and 'L' glass is all UK shop bought)

Mark.

[Steve]

Thats just silly, when did they change their policy with regards to price matching. I can see this now affecting a lot of ther "quick" sales. It took me less than 5 minutes to spend over £2000 with them because I knew exactly what I wanted and all I required them to do was price match and have stock. I am more than happy to give the high street my money but not if it costs me significantly more than I can buy exactly the same elsewhere.

[Steep]

I think price matching is up the the individual shop manager, at least I'm sure I remember reading someone saying that somewhere sometime erm.

[Steve]

I am not so sure about it being down to the individual manager as they always have to ring head office for authorisation. If you ask for a price match at one Jessops and they refuse and then manage to get it at a different branch I would assume that if the head office was to find out then the first branch manager may be in trouble for the potential loss of a sale.

Sometimes I think they just can't be bothered doing the legwork and try to fob you off? The branch that I used in Manchester was always good and even tried to match/get close to silly prices I had found elsewhere. If they came close they would get my buisness and they knew it.

[Mark Grant]

I emailed Jessops to let them now about this :) (and a link to this thread)

Just so anyone who visits the thread knows, The S4 was viewed at Jessops York, S80 at Jessops Beverley.

I asked Beverley branch to price match Amazon (£259) and order S4 in from warehouse ( they had stock in warehouse according to stock computer)

So all they where doing was box shifting, but still no movement on price.

I will probably buy a 20D from Jessops very soon, as long as price stays competitive !


Mark.

[Arkady]

Use several versions of the Coolpix (we get issued them as 'Patrol Cameras') and invariably they eat batteries like there's no tomorrow.

[Mark Grant]

It arrived :)

Quick delivery, 48 hours from online order to delivery, and thats with the free Amazon super saver delivery,


Mark.

[noah]

let us know what you think of it after you've had a play. i'm interested in getting a mini camera too.

[Mark Grant]

Jessops head office phoned me during the week and confirmed they dont do any price matching from 1st November :(

I did mention that some of the Compact digicam prices are way more expensive than online, the guy on the phone said he would pass my comments onto the marketing department.......

So Jessops are great if you want a 20D or 5D or maybe a Nikon DSLR, but not for Compacts.


Mark.

[Steve]

Thanks for letting us know :thumb:

It doesn't help but at least someone took the trouble to phone from head office, many companies would just ignore the letter.

[Mark Grant]

Yes, I am happy with Jessops Customer service, at least they took the trouble to read my email and phoned me :)

I will be buying a 20D or 5D from Jessops when I sell my 10D, nothing better than buying from a shop thats just 10 minutes drive away !

Mark.

[matty]

thats a shame that they dont do that anymore, i was looking to buy a Tamron 28-75mm but jessops wanted £100 more than the place i ordered it from in the end, and didnt have any in stock either!

[Mark Grant]

let us know what you think of it after you've had a play. i'm interested in getting a mini camera too.

I like it :)

To start with I was not too sure, looked a bit too much sensor noise.

Found something in the box called a 'user manual' I think you call them, looked through it and worked out how to get the best from the S4, good things those manuals :)

The lens is just about silent zooming, images certainly good enough for a point and shoot.

The long zoom range is great, I will post some samples later !

It's a bit 'flash happy' , flashes at any opportunity, easy to switch flash off though, and the flash it great even when zoomed all the way in on something thats not too far away.

A great holiday camera !


My Coolpix 995 is going on ebay tonight ! :D

Mark.

[Steve]

I am glad you are happy with it and look forward to seeing the samples later :)

[StevieB]

i bought the IXUS 750 instead

[Mark Grant]

A few snap shots here at pbase http://www.pbase.com/markgrant/nikon_coolpix_s4

Start with the first image, the wide angle village pond shot, and use the 'next' button to see them in order :)

Full size straight from the camera images are there if you click on 'original'
Those still on dial up modems best not click :D

Just trying the zoom range really, more to follow :)

Mark.