Nikon Coolpix S3000 12.0MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

I was initially hesitant to buy this camera since there were ZERO reviews to be found, either here at Amazon, or elsewhere on the internet. But, since I've owned two previous Nikon Coolpix cameras (an old 4 MP camera, and a really old 2 MP camera) and both were great, I wasn't too worried. And I was right to buy it: it is working great and taking great photos, after several days of playing around with it.First of all, it is very user-friendly. The menus and controls are completely intuitive, and make sense even if you have not cracked open the manual. ("cracked open" being a bit of a misnomer, since the manual is electronic only; the paper manual that comes with it is just a "quick start guide")Second of all, it is a gorgeous piece of machinery; cute and cuddly and shiny and impressive. I'm afraid my girlfriend is going to try to steal it, it is so cute. I may have to buy her one to preemptively stop that from happening.But, most of all, it takes great pictures. I walked all over town the first day, putting it through its paces, and scrutinized the photos on my computer when I got back home. If I was going to have to return it, I wanted to do so quickly, but I don't need to. The photos are great.It is a point-and-shoot, which means that you don't have direct control over shutter speed, aperture, etc. But, you do have a dozen or so "scene modes" including Beach, Museum, Sunset, Panorama, Action, etc. These are very handy. I haven't tried them all yet, but they seem to be well designed.The second day, I put the camera through its paces inside the house. No problems; it takes great indoor shots, providing excellent exposures both with natural light and with the flash. The wide-angle 4.9 mm lens (equivalent angle of view to a 27 mm lens in a 35mm format camera) was especially nice: you can stand in a corner of a room, and get the entire room into the photo! Nothing left out. That is pretty unusual in an inexpensive fixed-lens camera.My third day test was to take the camera to the beach on a bright, contrasty day. It performed admirably, maintaining both shadow and highlight details, and rendering the deep blues of the sky and water, as well as the bright sand, equally well. This one's a keeper, folks!Another nice plus: there is a "16x9" mode available in the "shooting mode" options. This doesn't quite use all 4000x3000 pixels; it only uses 3968x2232 of them. But the images are perfect "HD" format, and completely fill up a typical wide-screen monitor without any stretching. Somehow, they look all the more impressive on a computer screen than the typical 4x3 ratio.Final tidbit: I bought the camera from Amazon, which was $10 cheaper than the local big-box store, had no sales tax, AND allowed me a 30 day return period with no restocking fee (which would have been 14 days AND a restocking fee at the local store; they need to get a clue).Anyway, as an overall impression, five stars easily for the Nikon Coolpix S3000........JC

Overall this is a sleek little camera that is very portable. If you have good lighting this camera can take some awesome pictures but when conditions are less than perfect its a crap shoot to see if you will get a useable pic. There are several modes that help with this after you learn how to use them and with experience using this camera you can improve your odds but some pics just will NOT come out no matter how hard you try and how many modes you select. The worst problem overall is picture blur, a lot of blur. My sister in law had a Nikon Coolpix that so impressed me that I got this one...big mistake. I have read several places including Consumer Reports and all reviews point to one basic fact; there is a wide variance of good versus bad in the family of Coolpix cameras from Nikon. Goes with out saying pay attention to the reviews for each specific model of Coolpix as some are great and others not so much.

So my favorite little point and shoot camera is stolen and I'm about to go on Vacation. I like to carry a point and shoot camera as well as my DSLR because that's how I roll. I needed something in a relatively low price range since it was a spur of the moment purchase, and I came across the Nikon Coolpix S3000. It has great features and an even better price. The reviews seemed to be mixed, so I decided to go for it. Here's what I think:I really really like this little camera. This is saying a lot since I primarily shoot Canons (Gasp!) I really enjoy the no fuss automatic features of the camera (hence the term "point-and-shoot" (duh), but I also like how easy it is to switch modes in case I was on the beach 10 minutes ago and then I want to take a picture in a cave in the pitch dark now. I've read peoples' complaints. One I agree with is the zoom trigger on the shutter being a little wiggly. It is. But I think that as long as you treat the camera with love and care and not wiggle it as if you're trying to get out a loose tooth, then no big deal. It certainly doesn't feel like it's going to come off. To the people who complain about it taking blurry pictures, well, learn how to use the camera. Take a minute and read the manual. I happen to be a photographer and I know how cameras work. The technology of the camera these days is amazing, however, they are not miracle workers. If you shake like a crack head while taking a picture it will be blurry. The automatic settings aren't programmed to handle you chasing your child while they are running and jumping and such. This camera does give some options and modes to help this. Same to the people who think the colors came out all wacky. There is white balancing to correct it, or for the auto focus, that is programmable, too. The first place I played with this camera was a trip to Mexico (in the sun) and I never had a problem with a glare on the LCD screen. I also put a screen protector on it so it wouldn't get scuffed as easily.The only complaint I had was it seemed to lag a little when saving photos, but I also have it set to save large sized files. So, it's probably my own fault. But honestly, I like this little camera. Great flexibility, great battery life, and super cute! I'm still a canon girl, so don't tell anybody, but I love my little Nikon!