Here is another compact ultra-zoom designed to appeal consumers by packing a 10X stabilized optical zoom lens into a compact body. While the Nikon Coolpix S10 manages to do so, it does it with very poor ergonomics which make using it rather frustrating. The only other serious issue is that focusing is slow, particularly so at the telephoto end of its range.

Aside of the slow focusing and poor ergonomics, the S10 turns in a typical performance. Image noise starts to be destructive at 400, like most small cameras. Also like most compact 10X optical zoom lenses, the lens in the S10 shows some compromise in the form of increased distortion an high chromatic aberrations.

The closest competitor to the Nikon Coolpix S10 is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 which also features a 10X optical zoom lens and no manual controls. Panasonic has since upgraded the TZ1 into the TZ3 which features a wide-angle (28-280mm) lens which is more suitable for architecture and indoor photography. Another non-wide-angle 10X optical zoom is found in the vastly more capable Canon Powershot SX100 IS which we just fully reviewed.