A Tale of Two Nikons: Comparing the Coolpix S630 and S800c for the Discerning Photographer

Choosing a compact camera may seem straightforward at first glance: smaller size, modest zoom, and a decent sensor - tick those boxes and you’re ready to go. But for the photography enthusiast or professional looking for an affordable secondary pocket camera or a travel backup, the details matter profoundly. I've spent well over a decade assessing cameras from Nikon’s expansive lineup, and the Coolpix series has long offered compelling options for casual snappers and hobbyists alike.

Today, I dive deep into a side-by-side comparison of two intriguing compact models from Nikon’s Coolpix family: the Nikon Coolpix S630 released in 2009 and its successor, the Nikon Coolpix S800c introduced in 2013. Over a half-decade of camera evolution separates them, but what practical differences does this gap translate to in real world use? And who would benefit most from each?

Having tested both extensively - running real-world shooting sessions across multiple disciplines - I bring you insights grounded in hands-on experience, technical analysis, and scenarios that professional and advanced amateur photographers encounter regularly. Let’s start by looking at the physicality before diving into sensors and imaging.

Compact and Ready: A Physical Size & Ergonomics Comparison

Handling plays a huge role in how intuitive and enjoyable a camera feels in daily use. The S630 and S800c are both “small sensor compacts,” but their design philosophies reflect their era and targeted use cases.

The Nikon S630 presents a truly pocket-friendly profile at 97x58x26 mm and a featherweight 140 grams. Its slim body and clean lines make it a highly portable device for street or travel photography - comfortable in smaller hands and easy to stash in a jacket pocket or purse. However, the reduced size means its grip is minimal, offering little in the way of secure handling during longer shoots or rapid continuous shooting.

By contrast, the Nikon S800c is slightly larger and heavier at 111x60x27 mm and 184 grams. This extra bulk isn’t a drawback; in fact, it adds a reassuring heft and stability especially when using longer focal lengths or shooting in more dynamic environments such as events or casual wildlife outings. The S800c’s generously sized 3.5-inch touchscreen (more on that later) also demands the increased real estate, and its tactile feedback feels refined given the compact body.

If ergonomics and ultimate portability are your top priorities, the S630’s lightweight form is compelling. But in daily use, the S800c’s balanced heft and larger frame help mitigate shake and provide a more confident grip.

Controls in Your Hands: A Top-View Look at Layout & Accessibility

The user interface is where camera design translates from aesthetics to usability. The clear advantage here is seen in the S800c, which sports a slightly more modern layout aimed at clearer access to critical controls.

The S630 opts for minimalist simplicity: a small shutter button coupled with a zoom toggle, mode dial on the backside, and a basic menu button. However, the lack of advanced exposure modes or shortcut buttons can prove limiting if you want to tweak settings quickly or chase manual exposure.

The S800c integrates a responsive touchscreen which reduces the need for physical buttons - allowing more dynamic menu navigation and shot composition. While it lacks manual exposure controls as well, the S800c introduces more customizability via its Android-based interface, offering smarter access to camera modes and wireless features. The shutter button and zoom rocker feel sturdier, and the arrangement contributes to quicker operation - especially handy for snapping fast-moving subjects or street candids.

For photographers who appreciate tactile buttons and minimal fuss, the S630 holds its own. But those leveraging touchscreen tech and expecting more from a compact will find the S800c’s layout a step ahead in responsiveness and versatility.

Sensor Technology and Real-World Image Quality: Where It All Begins

Underneath the hood is where the evolution between these cameras becomes most evident. Both pack a 1/2.3” sensor, but their sensor architectures and resolutions mark notable distinctions. The S630 houses a 12-megapixel CCD sensor, while the S800c sports a more modern 16-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor.

The CCD sensor in the S630 - typical of late 2000s compacts - delivers pleasing color reproduction with sometimes richer saturation, but lags behind in noise handling and dynamic range. Its maximum ISO of 6400 feels optimistic; practical use above ISO 400 yields noisy images unsuitable for anything more than small prints or web display.

Conversely, the S800c’s BSI-CMOS sensor uses back-illuminated architecture to gather more light efficiently, significantly improving low-light performance and dynamic range. Though its max ISO tops out at 3200, images up to ISO 800 maintain commendable detail and controlled noise. The increased 16MP resolution also means larger print capacity and more cropping flexibility - not to mention enhanced detail for landscape and macro work when pixel-peeping.

The takeaway? The S800c’s sensor enhancement results in a clear qualitative edge for image quality in varied shooting conditions, especially in lower light situations and scenarios demanding more tonal gradation.

Displaying Your Vision: Screen and Interface Capabilities

Viewing and reviewing images is as important as capturing them, especially on-the-go. The S630 comes equipped with a modest 2.7-inch fixed LCD screen at 230k-dot resolution, providing serviceable clarity but compromised color fidelity and brightness, particularly under bright sunlight. The fixed-angle screen restricts creative shooting angles - no tilting or swiveling here.

In comparison, the S800c improves markedly with a 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen at 819k-dot resolution, featuring anti-reflective coating. This screen delivers vivid colors and deep blacks, ensuring your compositions and image reviews are far more reliable for exposure and focus checks. The touchscreen interface enhances menu navigation and focus point selection, bringing compact usability closer to that of mirrorless cameras.

For photographers prioritizing intuitive operation and clear image review without external monitors, the S800c’s display vastly outperforms the older S630 setup.

Straight from the Lens: Sample Images Reveal Practical Differences

Nikon S630 front Nikon S630 screen back Nikon S800c front Nikon S800c screen back

To put the specifications into context, I conducted side-by-side shooting sessions in a variety of lighting conditions and photographic genres.

• Portraits: The S800c’s increased resolution and better sensor response yield more natural skin tones and improved bokeh quality at longer focal lengths - though neither camera features large apertures to produce heavily blurred backgrounds. Eye detection autofocus on the S800c ensures sharper focus on faces, a feature absent on the S630 which occasionally produces soft focus in close-in shots.

• Landscapes: The higher megapixel count and better dynamic range from the S800c mean more shadow detail and less highlight clipping. The S630 tended to crush blacks and lose sky gradient detail in scenes with wide tonal ranges.

• Low light/night: The S800c’s ISO advantage is immediately apparent, with much less grain and better detail retention. The S630 is best confined to well-lit scenes to avoid muddy results.

• Video: The S630 records only basic VGA AVI clips (640x480), while the S800c supports Full HD 1080p at 30fps with MPEG-4/H.264 compression, providing far more shareable video quality.

While both cameras have fixed, non-interchangeable lenses, the S800c's wider 25-250mm equivalent zoom range with slightly faster apertures at the wide end gives it an edge in framing flexibility and light gathering.

The Heart of Performance: Autofocus Systems and Shooting Dynamics

Autofocus performance can make or break a candid shot. Here, the S800c again pulls away from its predecessor.

The S630 employs contrast-detection autofocus with no face detection or continuous tracking. While adequate for stationary subjects, this system struggles with fast-moving action or low-contrast scenes, resulting in frequent hunting or missed focus.

By comparison, the S800c features improved contrast-detection plus face detection and AF tracking across 9 focus points. This allows more reliable focus lock on subjects in motion and accurate face tracking, crucial for sports, wildlife, or even street shooting.

The S630 claims an impressive burst shooting speed of 11fps, but in practice, buffer limitations and slower write times often made sustained shooting tricky. The S800c offers a solid 8fps burst speed with more consistent autofocus between frames, making it better suited for capturing fleeting moments, albeit nowhere near professional sports speeds.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing & Durability

Neither camera sports weather sealing, dust proofing, or rugged construction suitable for harsh environments - common for compacts in their respective years. The plastic bodies feel durable enough for casual use but should be treated with care during outdoor adventures.

The S800c’s weight increase and slightly bulkier dimensions do add to its perceived solidity - which some users will prefer for prolonged handheld shooting or touristic travel.

Battery Life and Storage Convenience

Battery data is sparse but obvious trends emerge. The S630's EN-L12 battery delivers moderate life with an estimated few hundred shots per charge, typical for compact cameras of the time.

The S800c uses the same model battery but features more power-demanding components like the larger OLED screen and built-in GPS. Nikon rates it for around 140 shots per charge, which is tight but manageable with spare batteries or reasonable power management. USB 3.0 support offers faster image transfer, a small but welcome upgrade over the S630’s USB 2.0.

Both accept SD/SDHC cards and provide a single slot - ample for casual shooting but limiting if you want redundant storage.

Connectivity and Smart Features

Perhaps the biggest leap forward is the S800c’s incorporation of built-in wireless connectivity and GPS, unheard of in the S630 era. This leverages Android OS for smart features like image sharing, geotagging, and access to apps, turning the compact into a rudimentary smart camera. This is a compelling feature for the social media-savvy traveler or casual shooter wanting seamless sharing immediacy.

The S630 forgoes all wireless options, relying on USB transfers and physical connectivity, which feels dated in today’s always-connected world.

Pricing and Overall Value: Which Camera Makes Sense Today?

Given their age, neither is marketed new today, but they linger in secondary markets where availability can fluctuate.

The S630 is a bargain for casual shooters seeking a pocketable, simple camera with good zoom reach for basic snapshots, especially if price is the dominant concern.

The S800c commands a premium for including advanced sensor tech, better optics, Full HD video, touchscreen interface, and wireless capabilities - features that push it towards more serious enthusiast use, although it still lacks the manual control and RAW support pros might seek.

Performance Recap: Summarizing Strengths and Weaknesses

How These Cameras Perform Across Photography Genres

• Portraits: S800c’s face detection & better IQ trump the S630’s modest capability.
• Landscapes: Higher res and dynamic range make S800c superior.
• Wildlife: Limited reach in both; S800c’s AF tracking helps.
• Sports: Neither ideal, but S800c autofocus is better.
• Street: S630’s small size edges out for discreet shooting.
• Macro: Similar; S800c allows closer focusing distances.
• Night/Astro: S800c far better ISO performance.
• Video: S800c only viable candidate with HD.
• Travel: S630 smaller form; S800c smarter.
• Professional Use: Neither meets advanced needs; S800c better secondary camera.

Final Verdict: Which Nikon Coolpix Suits You?

After countless sessions testing, comparing, and contextualizing these two cameras, my conclusions are clear:

• If you value pocketability, simplicity, and have a tight budget, the Nikon Coolpix S630 remains a competent basic compact capable of quick snaps in good lighting. Ideal for casual users who prioritize zoom reach over cutting-edge features.

• If you seek a smarter, more feature-rich compact camera with superior image quality, improved autofocus, Full HD video, and connected capabilities, the Nikon Coolpix S800c earns recommendation, particularly for travelers and enthusiasts who want more creative flexibility in a small package but do not need interchangeable lenses.

Both have their charms and limitations; none compete with mirrorless or DSLRs in image quality or control but within their niche, the S800c definitely represents a more evolved, versatile tool. The S630, while dated, still serves well for those requiring mass portability without complexity.

I hope this hands-on comparison gives you a grounded understanding to pick the Nikon Coolpix compact that truly caters to your photographic lifestyle and aspirations.

Happy shooting!