Nikon Introduces New Wi-Fi Digicam

Nikon announced today the new COOLPIX S610c ($279.95), the sixth generation of its Wi-Fi-enabled point-and-shoot digital cameras. Nikon first introduced its Wi-Fi-enabled digicams in 2005. The current incarnation, says Nikon, “continues to streamline the photo-sharing process through wireless technology.”

New to the S610c is free access to Wayport hotspots. Users can also access their own home Wi-Fi networks to e-mail photos or upload them to Nikon’s "my Picturetown" online photo storage and sharing service.

The 10MP camera features a 4x Zoom-NIKKOR wide-angle lens, Optical VR Image Stabilization technology, and several automated modes, which are designed to offer customized settings for specific photographic scenarios. Active Child Mode, for example, automatically tracks the movement of subjects in an attempt to increase the odds that they actually will be in frame and in focus when you click the shutter. Nikon seems to have thought of everything. Choices include Smile Mode, which can be set to automatically take photos when a subject smiles, and Food Mode, "which makes it easy to capture beautiful pictures of cuisine."

For those point-and-shooters who don’t want to have to make a lot of settings choices of their own, the new Scene Auto Selector Mode will automatically select what it thinks is the right scene mode for the image users are trying to shoot. Options include Close-up, Portrait, Landscape, Backlight, Night Portrait, and Night Landscape modes.

Perhaps the greatest perk is that Nikon says , at 0.7 seconds, the COOLPIX S610 possesses the world's fastest start-up time (among compact cameras equipped with 28mm (35mm format equivalent) zoom lens and Optical Vibration Reduction).

The S610c, which comes in three colors (Midnight Black, Deep Red, and Smoke Gray) also comes bundled with the COOLPIX Software Suite for editing, organizing, and sharing images. It’s compatible with SDHC cards, includes an EN-EL12 rechargeable Li-ion battery, and will be available to consumers in September.

• For reviews of other Nikon cameras, read "Nikon CoolPix P2” and "Nikon Coolpix S6." (And stay tuned for our review of the COOLPIX 52c in September.)
• For more on Wi-Fi-enabled digicams, read “Canon PowerShot SD430 Digital Elph Wireless,” “Nikon's 3rd Gen Wi-Fi Camera Debuts,” and “Wi-FiPlanet Gift Guide, Class of 2008.”