Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
The Nikon S1000pj is a neatly designed pocket compact that manages to pack a 12.1Mp CCD sensor and 5x optical zoom lens inside its body. This lens offers a focus range of 28-140mm in 35mm terms and sits flush to the body, so there’s never a chance of it snagging or getting caught when you slip it in your pocket.
The front of the S1000pj looks quite different to the standard compact design; first, it’s not as streamlined as many other compacts on the market and the dimensions are almost identical to a cigarette packet. This is no bad thing, though, as it gives a very reassuring feel in the hand and feels like it can withstand a fair bit of heavy use. The lens is positioned in the top right corner, well out of the way of wandering fingers and in the centre there’s an in-built flash and below this, the inherent projector. The only minor point to pick up on at the front is that the lens has its own protection, but the projector window doesn’t, so could be susceptible to scratches from keys.
The back of the S1000pj is very clearly laid out; four buttons around the outside of the D-Pad control scene modes, play, delete and the main shooting menu. From the D-Pad you can control flash, self-timer, exposure compensation (2 stops), and macro mode, which focused within 10cm of our subject. The shooting and playback menus are similarly laid out to other Nikon compacts like the S60, so all-round navigation was extremely straightforward.
Most of the controls you need for operating the projector are found on the camera’s top-plate. Switching the camera from shooting mode to projector mode took a little under three seconds, and to focus the projector, there’s a smooth sliding focus control alongside the on/off button.
The S1000pj comes supplied with a small projector stand, and once setup offers a good range from 26cm through to 2m. Projecting in a dark room onto a white wall, it managed to display our images and videos clearly, with good definition. You’re given the choice of flicking through your shots manually using the D-Pad, or setting it to Slideshow Mode inside the projector menu. There’s even a remote control that can be used to control the projector from afar, and this worked exceptionally well from a 5m range. The only slight downside is that the projector uses up a lot of battery power, and within 50 minutes of using the projector we needed to recharge the battery.
Switching over to camera mode, the Nikon S1000pj offers an ISO range of 80-6400. The resolution drops to just 3Mp at ISO 3200 and 6400, so you’ll only want to rely on these if the lighting conditions deteriorate. Testing the camera’s ISO showed that if you want to produce the best results, don’t push beyond ISO 800. At the lower sensitivity end the results from the S1000pj were clear, sharp and full of contrast.
The Nikon S1000pj is an impressive compact that boasts an excellent build quality. The in-built projector is a welcome addition, and it will come into its own when you’re visiting friends and family, and want to show off pics at a much larger size. As a compact it does everything that’s expected of it and best of all, it doesn’t take long to get to grips with. If you’re on the lookout for a sturdy compact with excellent features and can afford the £389 asking price, you won’t be disappointed with the Nikon S1000pj. One of the hardest choices you’ll have is deciding whether to buy it in Silver or Black – we’d settle for the latter!
Photoanswers Rating: 5*
Technical Specification:
Resolution: 12.1 million pixels
Image Size: 4000 x 3000 pixels
Sensor type: 1/2.3-in CCDLens: 5x Optical Zoom Nikkor
Focus range: 28-140mm (f/3.9-5.8)ISO range: 80-6400 (3200 & 6400 3Mp)
Image Stabilisation: Combination lens-shift and electronic VR
Memory card: Internal memory (approx. 36 MB), SD/SDHC memory cards*
Monitor: 2.7-in., approx. 230k-dot, TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating
Battery Life: Approx. 220 shots with EN-EL12 battery
Weight: 155g
Dimensions: 99.5 x 62.5 x 23 mm
To find out more about the S1000pj click here to visit Nikon's website.
