Nikon Coolpix S33 Review

Main Features

13MP - 1/3.1" CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

30-90 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens

Digital only Image Stabilization

2.7″ Fixed Type Screen

4.7 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

221g. 110 x 66 x 27 mm

Weather Sealed Body

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Nikon S33 Overview

First introduced in February 2015 , Nikon Coolpix S33 is a 13.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm ) sized CMOS sensor.

Nikon S33 has an Overall Score of 39/100 and ranked #325 out of 621 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #828 out of 1145 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Nikon S33 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Nikon S33 Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of Nikon S33's specs and feature, and list out its pros and cons compared to average cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Face Detection Focusing

221g Light Body

Environmental Sealing

Buy Nikon S33 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

Low Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600

Small LCD Screen ( 2.7″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )

Low Battery Life: 220 shots

No Manual Focusing

No Manual Exposure

30 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage

90 mm - Poor Telezoom Coverage

Optical Zoom only 3X

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.30

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90

Nikon S33 Sensor and Photography Features

Nikon S33 has a 13.0MP 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4160 x 3120 pixels with aspect ratios of and 4:3. S33 has a native ISO range of 100 - 1600 but unfortunately, Nikon S33 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Fujifilm FinePix F600 EXR or in the same price range.

Nikon S33 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon S33 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Nikon S33's 1/3.1" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Nikon S33 Physical Specs

Nikon S33 weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) and has external dimensions of 110 x 66 x 27 mm (4.33 x 2.6 x 1.06″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 187g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 27mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Nikon S33

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Nikon S33

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Nikon S33 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon S33, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Nikon S33 with its main competitors:

Nikon S33 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs S33	Thickness	vs S33
Fujifilm XP70	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	179g	42g lighter	26mm	1mm thinner
Fujifilm XP80	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	179g	42g lighter	26mm	1mm thinner
Fujifilm XP90	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	203g	18g lighter	28mm	1mm thicker
Panasonic TS30	16.0MP - 1/2.33	142g	79g lighter	20mm	7mm thinner
Canon D30	12.0MP - 1/2.3"	218g	3g lighter	28mm	1mm thicker
Nikon S32	13.0MP - 1/3"	175g	46g lighter	40mm	13mm thicker
Nikon AW130	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	221g	equal weight	27mm	equal thickness
Panasonic TS5	16.0MP - 1/2.33"	214g	7g lighter	29mm	2mm thicker

Nikon S33 has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Nikon S33 will serve you well.

Nikon S33 Lens

Nikon S33 features a 30-90 mm F3.3-5.9 3× zoom lens. With a focal length of only 30mm on the wide end, it offers very limited wide angle capability . However, 90mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S33

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S33

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.30 at 30mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.90.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S33

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S33

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

S33 is also equipped with Digital only image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.

Nikon S33 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Nikon S33 has a Fixed Type 2.7″ LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.7″, the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

S33 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 (Compare) or Canon PowerShot SD780 IS (Digital IXUS 100 IS) (Compare).
If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

Max Shutter speed
Nikon S33 can shoot continuously at max speed of 4.7 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash
Unfortunately S33 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing
Nikon S33 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

Nikon S33 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Nikon S33, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30p,25p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Nikon S33 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

S33 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Nikon S33 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Samsung PL120 or Samsung SH100 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect S33 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Nikon S33 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 220 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 254 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras

Nikon S33

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm X30 with its 470shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Nikon S33 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Nikon S33 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Fujifilm XP70 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm XP80 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm XP90 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	No
Panasonic TS30 >>Compare to S33	1280 x 720	250shots	No	No	No
Canon D30 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	300shots	No	No	No
Nikon S32 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	220shots	No	No	No
Nikon AW130 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	370shots	Yes	No	No
Panasonic TS5 >>Compare to S33	1920 x 1080	370shots	Yes	No	Yes

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Nikon S33 is $159.95

What type of Photography is Nikon S33 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Nikon S33 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the S33 compares with the average Compact camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Nikon S33 for Portrait Photography

Nikon S33 has a score of 26 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS33.

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
Small 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe

No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Nikon S33 for Portrait Photography

Nikon S33 for Street Photography

Nikon S33 has a score of 55 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Image Stabilization
Small Body
30 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage

No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Nikon S33 for Street Photography

Nikon S33 for Sports Photography

Nikon S33 has a score of 16 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS33.

Environmental Sealings
Image Stabilization
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.7fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

No Manual Exposure Mode
No Manual Focus Mode
No Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
90 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Nikon S33 for Sports Photography

Nikon S33 for Daily Photography

Nikon S33 has a score of 55 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
221g
Environmental Sealings

3X Optical Zoom
Small 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Nikon S33 for Daily Photography

Nikon S33 for Landscape Photography

Nikon S33 has a score of 23 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS33.

Environmental Sealings
30 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Manual Exposure Mode

No Manual Focus Mode
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/3.1" (4.7 x 3.5 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Nikon S33 for Landscape Photography

Nikon S33 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Nikon S33 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of S33 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon S33 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Nikon S33

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon S33 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Fujifilm XP70

Compare

Fujifilm XP80

Compare

Fujifilm XP90

Compare

Panasonic TS30

Compare

Canon D30

Compare

Nikon S32

Compare

Nikon AW130

Compare

Panasonic TS5

Compare

Nikon S33 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Nikon S33 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Nikon S33's price range.

Olympus E-P3

Compare

Olympus E-PL2

Compare

Olympus E-PL1

Compare

Olympus E-P1

Compare

Nikon 1 J3

Compare

Sony NEX-3

Compare

Nikon 1 S1

Compare

Panasonic G1

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon S33

Does the Nikon S33 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Nikon S33 have RAW support?
Does the Nikon S33 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Nikon S33 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Nikon S33?
What is the Sensor Size of Nikon S33?
is the Nikon S33 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Nikon S33 have Touch Screen?
Does the Nikon S33 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon S33?

Nikon Coolpix S33 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Nikon
Model	Nikon Coolpix S33
Announced	2015-02-10
Body Type	Compact
Price	$159.95
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	30-90 mm (3×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-5.9
Macro Focus Range	5cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2.7″
Screen Resolution	230k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	4s
Max Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Continuous Shooting	4.7 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.10 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash Modes	n/a
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	1/3.1"
Sensor Dimensions	4.7 x 3.5 mm
Sensor Area	16.45mm²
Sensor Resolution	13 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4160 x 3120
Max Native ISO	1,600
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1280 x 720 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p), 320 x 240 (30p, 25p)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	221g
Physical Dimensions	110 x 66 x 27mm
Battery Life	220 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	EN-EL19
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (10 sec, smile timer)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1