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Nikon S6900

 
Nikon Coolpix S6900 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-300mm (F3.3-6.3) lens
  • 181g - 99 x 58 x 28mm
  • Revealed February 2015
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
93
Imaging
41
Features
43
Overall
41

Nikon S6900 overview

Nikon S6900 is Nikon's Ultracompact camera originally released on February of 2015. The camera uses a 16MP, CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The S6900 places at #11 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & all-around #649 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. Remember to use our Advanced camera search to see camera ratings based on your custom factors.

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Here is a chart of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Nikon S6900 family

The Nikon S6900 has a history of related cameras. Underneath, you can check out all previous and more recent models along with key features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Nikon-Coolpix-S6900 front thumbnailNikon S690025-300mm
F3.3-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2015
Nikon-Coolpix-S7000 front thumbnailNikon S7000
S6900 vs S7000
25-500mm
F3.4-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2015
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Nikon-Coolpix-S2900 front thumbnailNikon S2900
S6900 vs S2900
26-130mm
F3.2-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2015
Nikon-Coolpix-S3700 front thumbnailNikon S3700
S6900 vs S3700
25-200mm
F3.7-6.6
20MP1/2.3"2015
Nikon-Coolpix-S6400 front thumbnailNikon S6400
S6900 vs S6400
25-300mm
F3.1-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2012
Nikon-Coolpix-S1200pj front thumbnailNikon S1200pj
S6900 vs S1200pj
28-140mm
F3.9-5.8
14MP1/2.3"2011
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Nikon-Coolpix-S4100 front thumbnailNikon S4100
S6900 vs S4100
26-130mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2011
Nikon-Coolpix-S3100 front thumbnailNikon S3100
S6900 vs S3100
26-130mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2011
Nikon-Coolpix-S80 front thumbnailNikon S80
S6900 vs S80
35-175mm
F3.6-4.8
14MP1/2.3"2010
Nikon-Coolpix-S1100pj front thumbnailNikon S1100pj
S6900 vs S1100pj
28-140mm
F3.9-5.8
14MP1/2.3"2010
Nikon-Coolpix-S4000 front thumbnailNikon S4000
S6900 vs S4000
27-108mm
F3.2-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
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Nikon-Coolpix-S3000 front thumbnailNikon S3000
S6900 vs S3000
27-108mm
F3.2-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Nikon-Coolpix-S70 front thumbnailNikon S70
S6900 vs S70
28-140mm
F3.9-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Nikon-Coolpix-S220 front thumbnailNikon S220
S6900 vs S220
35-105mm
F3.1-5.9
10MP1/2.3"2009
Nikon-Coolpix-S230 front thumbnailNikon S230
S6900 vs S230
35-105mm
F3.1-5.9
10MP1/2.3"2009

Nikon S6900 Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of good and bad points of the Nikon S6900 based on features that are normally viewed as important in a camera.

built in image stabilization (Optical)
built in lens has zoom (25-300mm 12.0 x zoom)
decently wide (25mm)
does have HDMI support
features face detection focusing
features tracking autofocus
fully articulated screen
has built in flash
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
long reach (300mm)
NFC connectivity
resolution is good (16MP)
screen is selfie friendly
screen size is good (3")
cannot use external flash
heavier than others in class (181 grams)
lack of external mic jack
lack of headphone jack
lack of phase detect AF
lack of RAW support
lack of Time Lapse mode
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
max zoom aperture not good (f6.3)
no aperture priority mode
no manual control
no manual focus
no shutter priority
pixelated screen (460 k dot)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
terrible battery (180 shots)
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Nikon S6900 Sensor information

The measurement of the sensor on the Nikon S6900 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3. The camera features Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter might lead to cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16MP and supports a native ISO range of 125 to 6400. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not supported so the user has less margin for error.

The image below shows the S6900's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The S6900 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is outlined in green.

Nikon Coolpix S6900 sensor size TikTok Developing Photo App to Challenge Instagram's Dominance

To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Nikon S6900 dimensions

Nikon S6900 is 0.40 lbs (181 gr or 6.38 oz) & the overall size of the camera is 99mm x 58mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1"). The weight of normal Ultracompact camera is 121 gr and the Nikon S6900 is weightier than other competitors.

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Listed below is a photo of the Nikon S6900 besides a soda to help you to get a sense of its size.

Nikon Coolpix S6900 dimensions scale

The top view below will show you the button layout on the S6900.

Nikon Coolpix S6900 topview buttons dials

Nikon S6900 Lens information

The S6900 includes an inbuilt lens with a focal range of 25-300mm making it a 12.0 x zoom which won't be ideal but it might be convenient in some circumstances.

At it's widest 25mm, it features an aperture of f3.3 making it quite sluggish and not the best for low light circumstances and you will struggle to get a shallow depth of field. You will likely also have to raise your ISO setting which causes noisy photographs. For the long end, 300mm is great zoom and comes at f6.3 which is quite slow and you would have to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Nikon S6900 Connectivity

The S6900 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that consist of NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You can easily transfer photos and oftentimes adjust camera settings with no need to connect straight with the camera.

Many apps also enable a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera provides a HDMI port, it could be attached to an external monitor. A good number of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.

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Nikon S6900 Video information

The maximum video quality on the Nikon S6900 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p quality offers a decent balance between quality versus file size but FULL HD is not going to give you any room to crop. The body doesn't feature a microphone or headphone socket so you have got zero control over the sound. It is perhaps best to look at an alternative camera should you want better sound for your video clips.

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Nikon S6900 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing in the Nikon S6900 so you have to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.

Nikon S6900 Display and Viewfinder

The Nikon S6900 houses a 3" fully articulated screen with a resolution of 460k dots.

It possesses a selfie friendly display for self portraits and even group photos if necessary. Please be aware that the screen has no touch support.

Nikon Coolpix S6900 screen and viewfinder OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus

The ViewFinder details for Nikon S6900 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are really useful during bright outdoor conditions which will make the camera display washed out and hard to see.

Nikon S6900 Shutter information

Nikon S6900 continuous shooting speed is 9.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Nikon S6900 Flash and Hot shoe information

Nikon S6900 features just built in flash with missing external flash ability.

Nikon S6900 Autofocusing information

Nikon S6900 features only Contrast Based Auto Focus & doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and exact than Contrast Based focusing. The camera boasts Face detect making it handy for taking photos of people.

It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for objects that move. Nikon S6900 lacks manual focusing. Manual focusing option can be good during low light occasions or you want to have more exact control on focusing.

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Nikon S6900 Battery life

The battery (EN-EL19) in the Nikon S6900 is built to last for 180 shutters according to the CIPA specifications making it lower than it's competition. The general Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 features the highest possible (320) battery life within this range of cameras.

Here is a collection of Ultracompact cameras which have the highest battery life:

Nikon S6900 for varying forms of photography

The following illustration shows a overview of the Nikon S6900 for varying forms of photography. To see more, visit the specific paragraph below.

Nikon S6900 Portrait photography factors

The Nikon S6900 receives a points tally of 36 which is low, meaning that it is simply not good for portrait images. Taking portraits favors heavily to sensor size, RAW support and flexibility to utilize off-camera lighting.

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decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
provides face detect autofocus
manual focus not available
no manual exposure
cannot use external flash
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW format

Nikon S6900 Street photography details

With a nice points total of 62, the Nikon S6900 is a fine fit for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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screen articulates
has image stabilization (Optical)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
more heavy than average in class (181 grams)

Nikon S6900 as a Sports photography camera

A low sports photography points total of 41 means the Nikon S6900 is simply not good for shooting sports. A camera must have fantastic tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (16MP)
offers tracking focus
no shutter priority mode
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
not so great battery life (180 per charge)
does not have phase detect auto focus

Nikon S6900 Travel photography factors

Size is super crucial when choosing a travel camera. All round, the Nikon S6900 gets a nice 67 as a travelling camera which is a good option to take on your holidays.

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good MP (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
screen is selfie friendly
relatively wide (25mm)
great reach (300mm)
no Timelapse function
terrible battery life (180 per charge)
more heavy than competition (181g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)

Landscape photography with Nikon S6900

For anyone planning to pick a digital camera for landscape photos, the most critical factor is going to be image quality. The Nikon S6900 with it's low grade of 42 for a landscape camera is simply not good amongst its competition.

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really wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (16MP)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
manual mode not possible
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
terrible battery (180 shots)
missing Timelapse recording

Nikon S6900 Vlogging highlights

A camera for vlogging ought to posses a articulating screen, mic input and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things in to account, the Nikon S6900 is a respectable fit for vlogging as it delivers a above average score of 70.

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fairly wide (25mm)
selfie friendly display
has image stabilization (Optical)
offers face detection autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
does not have external microphone support
more heavy than competition in class (181g)

Nikon S6900 Alternatives

If you want alternatives to the S6900, below is a selection of the highest ranked cameras that fall within the family of Ultracompact.

The line graph down below gives you a summary of the S6900 compared to it's highest rated competitors shown earlier.

Following are several cameras you may look into as alternatives. To read a complete comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Nikon
Model type
Nikon Coolpix S6900
Class
Ultracompact
Revealed
2015-02-10
Body design
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3
Full resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW format
Max native ISO
6400
Min native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
25-300mm (12.0x)
Max aperture
f/3.3-6.3
Macro focusing distance
2cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fully Articulated
Display diagonal
3"
Display resolution
460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
4s
Maximum shutter speed
1/4000s
Continuous shooting speed
9.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
2.80 m (at Auto ISO)
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
181 grams (0.40 pounds)
Dimensions
99 x 58 x 28mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1")
Other
Battery life
180 photos
Battery format
Battery Pack
Battery ID
EN-EL19
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
One
Retail pricing
$190