135compact.com APS ultra compact camera Nikon Nuvis S
The
Nikon Nuvis S is a very small camera for APS film*(see below). So it is
no 35mm
camera, the APS main format is 30.2x16.7mm, a bit bigger than half
format. APS has been released in 1996 and was discontinued in 2011.
* The APS (advanced photo system)
film is 24 mm wide and has three image formats: H for "High
Definition" (30.2 × 16.7 mm), C for "Classic" (25.1 × 16.7 mm) and P
for "Panoramic" (30.2 × 9.5 mm). The "C" and "P" formats are made by
cropping the full image which is always taken on the film. So the
formats are just a code recorded on the film. The "ix" in the camera
name stands for "information exchange", date and camera settings could be written on a magnetic area on the film. MRC stands for "mid roll change". The APS system was a very advanced photo system indeed, but digital cameras made it obsolete.
This is a very small camera for its impressing 3x zomm. On top of this
it has a very robust stainless steel case. Its main features are:
22.5-66mm Zoom F5.2-F7.5 lens, 6 element, autofocus with focus lock, min. focus 0,45m Electronic shutter, 2-1/400 Size 95x65x32, Weight 250 gr. with battery and film 50-1600
ISO, automatic coding, self-timer, automatic film advance
and spooling, time/date/settings recording possibility
Camera closed
Camera closed, back side..
Camera front open.
Sliding the camera open switches the camera on. The
lens only moves out a little. To close the camera, push the cover a bit, the lens moves back and the housing can be slid back.
Very easy and fluid handling.
Lens moved out to tele position. Big shutter release on top. Format switch. Camera back. Viewer and diopter adjust. Wide/tele slider. LCD
screen, shows flash auto, film absence and no date printing. Next to
the LCD: red eye/timer setting and flash settings, in between mid roll
rewind. Below: date or title imprinting. From below. Tripod screw. Battery compartment.
Battery compartment open.
Takes a CR2 battery. If you want to take the battery out and still
close the camera, push the housing a little bit so that the lens
retracts. You can still open the compartment. A part of the bottom is the lid of the film compartment. The switch to open is around the fixation of the strap.
This
camera is very easy to use, silde it open and it's ready.
Autofocus is responsive and works well. Putting a film is easy as well,
you drop the film into the compartment and that's it. It has some
manual settings if needed. An annoying feature is auto
flash at start, which is the case with most ultra compacts.
It's
a very good point and shoot camera
with a good zomm range, from wide angle to tele, good picture quality,
superb high quality
finish in a very small and pocketable body. The camera is much sturdier
than other APS models, but it weighs a bit more. It feels extremely
solid.
