Nikon Coolpix S6100 vs S6200
The Coolpix S6100 and S6200 are two compact cameras from Nikon that offer an astounding 16 megapixels of resolution. Although they both have that in common, there are still a number of differences between the S6100 and the S6200. The first difference can be seen in their zoom capabilities. This is where the S6200 excels over the S6100 because it achieves up to 10X optical zoom compared to just 7X with the S6100. This is partially mitigated when you factor in digital zoom because the S6200 can only manage up to 2X digital zoom compared to the 4X in the S6100 and other Nikon cameras.
Optical zoom is still the best option if you want to close-in on a subject while still retaining image quality. Digital zoom is only used when there is no other option. This is also the case with most other cameras; when the use of digital zoom is permitted, the camera would first exhaust optical zoom capabilities before employing digital zoom. In the case of the S6100 and S6200, how far they can zoom-in may not be that different but you will notice more degradation on the S6100 if you zoom-in too much.
The other major difference between the S6100 and the S6200 is in their screens. The screen of the S6200 is a bit smaller at 2.7 inches compared to the 3 inch screen of the S6100. The S6200 relies on a set of buttons on the right side of the screen for navigation while the S6100 has a touchscreen interface that lets you interact with the items on-screen. Touch-screen is probably easier for most people as you avoid repetitive presses typical when scrolling through menus.
Choosing between the S6100 and S6200 is rather straightforward as they both have identical capabilities. You just need to decide on whether extended optical zoom or a touch screen interface is more suited for you. Not everyone needs expansive zoom capabilities on a point and shoot camera, and easy navigation would probably be more of an asset in a camera that is typically passed around at parties or special occasions.
Summary:
- The S6200 has better zoom capabilities than the S6100
- The S6100 has less digital zoom capability than the S6100
- The S6200 has a smaller screen than the S6100
- The S6100 has a touchscreen interface while the S6200 doesn’t