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According to Nikon, the “S” in their new S series of cameras represents stylish, slim design with superior performance and lots and lots of zoom. Sounds good to me. But seriously, the S series are Nikon’s tiny cameras that still manage to zoom like crazy and shoot HD video.

The S8000 is the pinnacle of their performance. Boasting a 10x zoom lens, a 3-inch, 921,000-dot, Clear Color Display, and the ability to shoot 720p HD video at 30 frames per second, all in a tiny tiny package. This camera is built to impress. Plus, look at the elegant black coating that covers its slender body. Beautiful. The camera itself is a 14.2-megapixel camera that includes a new feature called the Creative Slider. This feature simplifies adjusting brightness, saturation, and color tone by utilizing the Rotary Multi Selector. Plus, a new feature on the flash, called “Advanced Flash Control”, allows the photographer to make a more natural looking flash shot.

You will be able to pick up the S8000 this month for $300 in your choice of black, red, bronze, and champagne silver.

Sporting a 14.2-megapixel display like the 8000, the S6000 goes for the slim look with an inch-thick frame. The S6000 also has a 7x zoom with the ability to shoot 720p video at 30fps just like the 8000. Not to be completely outdone, it has a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot Clear Color Display LCD. Similar to the 8000, it also has the additional feature of Advanced Flash Control.

The S6000 will set you back $250 next month in either black, red, bronze, or champagne silver.

Going down the line, we get to Nikon’s newest touchscreen camera, the S4000. The S4000 features a 12-megapixel camera with a 3-inch, 460,000-dot, touch-panel Clear Color Display. As it should, the S4000 has many special, touch-screen related features, one being the Touch Shutter. With touch shutter, users can select the main subject of the photo by just tapping it on the screen. Also at the tip of your fingers, is the ability, just like the others, to record 720p HD video.

Having a few less features and some interesting new colors, you can pick one of these up next month for $200 in your choice of plum, silver, pink, red, or black.

Via [Gizmodo]

Here is the full press release:

  “S” REPRESENTS STYLISH, SLIM DESIGN, SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND SUPER ZOOM WITH THE NEW NIKON COOLPIX S-SERIES DIGITAL CAMERAS
  Whether a User Needs HD Video, Super-Long Zoom, or a Functional Fashion Accessory, There Is Something for Everyone with Nikon’s New Style Series of Digital Cameras

  MELVILLE, NY (Feb. 2, 2010) – Today, Nikon Inc. continues the tradition of blending innovation, design and performance in its line of COOLPIX compact cameras with the introduction of four new COOLPIX Style Series cameras. The S-series cameras provide users with innovative and fun features such as long zooms, speedy performance, advanced flash controls, touch-screen technology, and enhanced high resolution LCD screens in sleek, stylish camera bodies. In an impressive slim body, the new COOLPIX S8000 digital camera sports a long 10x optical zoom, 720p HD Video, and a 3.0-inch 921,000-dot LCD screen with bright Clear Color Display. Not to be outdone, the COOLPIX S4000 blends a user-friendly touch-screen interface with an elegant camera design, while the COOLPIX S6000 and COOLPIX S3000 digital cameras deliver the speed, accessibility and ease-of-use that have made the S-series the camera of choice among consumers who value style and performance.

  “Building on the hallmarks of the COOLPIX line, the new S-Series cameras combine the features consumers want, along with high performance and innovative technology into elegant camera designs with colorful results,” said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. “The digital camera has become an accessory to today’s consumer, and with the S-series camera, users can challenge their creativity, and complement their sense of fashion.”
  All new COOLPIX S-series cameras incorporate Nikon’s world-class NIKKOR lenses, delivering accurate detail and brilliant color, as well as Nikon’s EXPEED™ digital image processing concept, which ensures high-quality pictures with stunning color and sharpness. Many of the new S-series models embrace the addition of High Definition (HD) video by adding an ideally located video record button on the back of the camera. Other COOLPIX features include Scene Auto Selector, which automatically recognizes the shooting situation and adjusts camera settings accordingly for great pictures anywhere. To make better portraits easier, the Smart Portrait System incorporates a series of automatic functions including In-Camera Red-Eye Fix ™, Improved Face-Priority AF, Face Priority AE, Smile Mode, Blink Warning and Skin Softening to flatter even the most camera-shy subject.

  New COOLPIX S8000: Deceptively Slim Yet Hides a Surprise
  Hidden inside the COOLPIX S8000’s slender body resides a powerful and versatile 10x Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens that produces incredibly sharp, crisp images up close or far away. To banish the blur at any focal length, the S8000 features a 4-way Image Stabilization System and ISO settings to 3200. Additionally, the S8000 has the ability to record HD movies (720p) at 30 frames per second (fps) with stereo sound, and features an ultra high-resolution 921,000-dot Clear Color Display LCD for sharp, clear viewing of images.

  The 14.2-megapixel COOLPIX S8000 digital camera also includes a new feature called the Creative Slider, which simplifies adjusting brightness, saturation and color tone in-camera by utilizing the Rotary Multi Selector. Another new feature, Advanced Flash Control, allows users to create more natural-looking flash shots by utilizing higher ISO settings and faster shutter speeds in low light as well as apply Multi-area Auto Backlight Compensation for even exposures. Additionally, the COOLPIX S8000 packs an improved Sport Continuous Mode, high-speed continuous shooting at up to approximately 4 fps for 45 frames (3 MP), plus a fast start-up time and a quick shutter-release time. To further ensure no moment is missed, the S8000 has the ability to acquire the subject and lock focus using Subject Tracking.
  The COOLPIX S8000 will be available in February 2010 for $299.95* MSRP in a choice of colors including black, red, bronze and champagne silver.

  The New COOLPIX S6000: High Performance Is Always In Style
  The new COOLPIX S6000 digital camera blends performance into an elegant camera design to create the ideal accessory for wherever life leads. Though the S6000 measures only one-inch thick, it comes with a versatile 7x Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens to zoom in on the action or fill the frame with your subject. The COOLPIX S6000 also has the ability to record HD movie clips (720p) at 30 fps to preserve memories in high quality video, which are easily played back later on an HDTV from the camera via HDMI connection.
  The COOLPIX S6000 includes features like 14.2-megapixel resolution and a bright 2.7-inch 230,000-dot Clear Color Display LCD. Similar to the COOLPIX S8000, the COOLPIX S6000 boasts advanced features and controls like Sport Continuous Mode and Advanced Flash Control. The S6000 also sports a fast start-up time of approximately 0.75 seconds and a short shutter-release time of approximately 0.3 seconds to help ensure memories are recorded as soon as they happen.
  To further help users snap stunning photos easily, the COOLPIX S6000 features ISO 3200; 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikon’s Smart Portrait System all packed into an ultra-stylish design.
  The COOLPIX S6000 will be available in March 2010 for $249.95* MSRP in a choice of bold colors, including champagne silver, black, red, and bronze.

  The New COOLPIX S4000: Touch-Screen Technology, Nikon Performance
  Integrating elegant design and intuitive operation, the new COOLPIX S4000 digital camera comes equipped with a touch-screen interface that places the camera’s controls at the users’ fingertips. The COOLPIX S4000 incorporates a new 3.0-inch 460,000-dot touch-panel Clear Color Display LCD, which makes it easy to compose, review, edit and share pictures.
  To fully utilize the touch-screen interface, the COOLPIX S4000 comes with several advanced shooting features. With Touch Shutter, users can select their subject by a single touch on the screen to adjust focus and exposure, and to automatically release the shutter. When selected, Subject Tracking can automatically follow and focus on a subject selected by touching the screen, such as a fast moving child or a pet throughout the frame.
  At the touch of a finger, users can record HD movies (720p) to create and share. The S4000 also includes user-friendly modes like Scene Auto Selector, which automatically recognizes the scene in your picture and adjusts camera setting to take the best photo possible for the given conditions.
  The 12-megapixel COOLPIX S4000 features a 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR lens, ISO sensitivity to 3200; 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikon’s Smart Portrait System and a compact stylish design.
  The COOLPIX S4000 digital camera will be available in March 2010 for $199.95 MSRP in a choice of vibrant colors, including plum, champagne silver, pink, red and black.

  New COOLPIX S3000: Make a Statement in Color
  Sleek design, attractive colors and innovative technology truly set the new Nikon COOLPIX S3000 digital camera apart from the competition. The COOLPIX S3000 comfortably places advanced shooting controls in the hand for great fun and optimal results. User-friendly advanced features and ease-of-use, along with the camera’s compact size make it a pleasure to carry around anywhere from the family reunion to a night on the town.
  With the stylish looks and the vivid color choices of the S3000, the camera is the perfect tool to express one’s personal style. The COOLPIX S3000 also includes a bright 2.7-inch 230,000-dot LCD screen designed to make it easy to compose, review and share pictures.
  The 12-megapixel COOLPIX S3000 features a 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR lens; ISO 3200; 4-way VR Image stabilization System; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikon’s Smart Portrait System and a colorful and compact design.
  The COOLPIX S3000 will be available in March 2010 for $149.95 MSRP and in a choice of vibrant colors, including plum, champagne silver, black, orange, green and blue.