The Hardware
Contents
Figure 4 shows the top of the camera which has a round power on/off switch and a larger circular shutter-release button. Around the shutter-release button is the zoom control which can be maneuvered in either direction to control the zoom. This control can be used during the picture setup as well as in the playback mode. While we found this control quite workable, we preferred the slider-type of zoom control used in some other Nikon Coolpix cameras.
Figure 4: The top of the camera.
The S640 is small and thin, but it is easy to handle. On the back of the camera, shown in Figure 5, you will find a nicely placed thumb rest in the upper right corner. To the left of that is the flash indicator light. Below that are the Shooting Mode button and the Playback button. Below that is a circular scroll wheel selector. This is used to make choices and, in the Playback mode, to cycle through the photos. You have quick access to the flash modes at the top of the scroll wheel. The self-timer is on the left. The exposure compensation is on the right. The macro mode is on the bottom. Choices are viewed by using the scroll wheel to scroll through the options. They are applied by pressing the OK button in the middle.
Below the scroll wheel are the MENU button and the Delete button. All of the buttons and dials on the S640 are well-placed and easy to use.
On the back of the camera you can also see the crisp and clear 2.7” LCD screen. The LCD automatically adjusts its brightness depending on the lighting. The brightness can also be set by the user. The anti-glare coating on the S640 gives the screen noticeably less glare than some previous Coolpix cameras.
Figure 5: The back of the camera.
The camera’s necessary ports are on the side of the camera, as shown in Figure 6. With the plastic door open you can see the cable connectors. In the middle of the side is the loop for the wrist strap and at the other end is the connector cover for the optional AC adapter connection.
Figure 6: The side of the camera.
The other side of the camera has holes for the speakers.
Figure 7: The side of the camera.
The bottom of the S640 is shown in Figures 8 and 9. In these figures you can see the battery door which opens to reveal the battery and the SD memory card. The door itself is strong and sturdy. You can also see that the tripod port is placed nicely to the side allowing access to the battery and memory card even when the tripod camera mount is attached. If you use a tripod, this can be a very useful feature.
Figure 8: The bottom of the camera.
Figure 9: The bottom of the camera with battery door open.
