Nikon announces Android-powered Coolpix S800c smart Wi-Fi superzoom

353 comments to trash a camera that doesn't matter (Pextax X5) but only 214 comments on a camera (Nikon S800c) that marks the beginning of a revolution.

History repeats itself. Nobody remembers who made the first Digital SLR (Kodak DCS 100). And few people cared about the first Full Frame DSLR (Canon 5D) when it was first introduced.

It takes a long time to realize how big this is.

I can't wait for them to come out with android toasters too!

If Nikon produces it as an unlocked cell phone in the next product cycle, they will have created the ultimate travel zoom. They won't be able to keep them on the shelves.

Wonderful development and another game changing Nikon innovation.

This has been a long time coming and everyone should get used to it. Just like video functionality - over the next couple of years every camera maker will have "smart" cameras. And, in time even DSLRs will incorporate mobile operating systems.

Merging technologies that will "eventually" improve photographic creativity and capabilities.....exciting times.

Wow - almost no one gets that this is a groundbreaking fusion of decent camera plus computer with all that entails. Connectedness is only the beginning, you've got the possibility to join with all kinds of existing camera control and imaging software, and once this becomes more common there will be a lot of new software. Completely configurable and remote controlled interval shutter, for example, or HDR or Panorama software with a huge range of parameters and options. And instantly upgradeable forever.
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This very much needs to happen and is actually long overdue. What we really need though is a more dslr or mirrorless quality camera with Android. Sony NEX? I'll be first in line.

It'll be a phone next year.

A bit of perspective about 2.3; while it's indeed been initially released a couple of years ago, the various 2.3.x versions (latest was released last September) take still up by far the largest share of various Android platform versions, totaling about 61% of all Android devices in active use:

http://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html

4.0 and 4.1 have respective estimated shares of 15.8% and 0.8%, so it will still take quite some time before 2.3 is genuinely obsolete.

Sure, 4.0 or 4.1 would be nicer to have on this device (and getting an upgrade to either one of these would definitely be a good thing), but 2.3 is not exactly stone age stuff either. It'll still take some time until a significant portion of applications will require 4.0 or a more recent version of Android, as for now that requirement would rule out about 5 out of 6 devices out there.

The iPod Touch doesn't have a phone either, and some people buy it because it doesn't have a phone. This seems rare or non-existent in the Android space, until now. The iPod Touch camera is poor.

It's missing a phone, which Samsung has done in Korea like 4 years ago??? (SCH-W880 and even before that...)

It was only a matter of time. After using smartphones with the ability download different shooting apps, competing image editing apps (Snapseed), then instantly sharing using a multitude of services from personal web sites, facebook, or printing postcards that are delivered before your vacation is over, uploading for actual prints at the closest quickprint when your 100 miles from home... it is really really hard to go back to uploading to your computer. While the quality of phone cameras is good, there is a huge market for a better camera.

Sadly this is stuck with an ancient version of Android (a common problem). Google finally addressed usability and security in 4.0 and 4.1 respectively.

According to the page on google Play, Skype is available for Android v2.1 on up, which means this should be compatible with it.

...which means yes, this CAN be a phone. Maybe only VOIP with wifi and who knows what battery life will be like, but...it can do.

Why do people keep mentioning viruses???

I have been on android since the first droid and i have yet to get a virus....ever...This is with me rooting and ROMing...If you were to get a virus....hard reset? Flash a different rom maybe?

Im pretty sure you would have to install a file that says....THIS IS A VIRUS.

Samsung releases cameras with proprietary software but web connectivity and this board applauds loudly, hailing them as a "forward thinking company".

Nikon releases a camera with an open source OS and web connectivity and all I read is "where's the phone" and "watch out for viruses".

It reminds me a bit of when Nikon 1 was released everybody complained about "that tiny 1 inch sensor?". And Sony releases the RX100 with a 1 inch sensor and it's hailed as the best P&S ever. (I get the size thing, but having used both a J1 and RX100, I'm not sure the RX100 produces better images than a J1).

Finally! Its really nice to see open-source OS to widens its market! I think in the future it will be a big niche - cameras with android. No more weird software restrictions with proprietary firmwares, More freedom to society! %)

forgetting the camera specs.. the ability of Nikon to use the words 'Android' in their POS blurb will make it standout in stores.

Because it WILL be familiar to most consumers (from their personal phone experiences) and a passing notion that Nikon is a 'good brand'. I don't think upgrading to ICS will be a concern to many outside of Android nerd world (I include myself as a 'nearly' nerd, here)

I think Nikon know the market out there and it probably isn't anyone here.(i.e. a photographer who cares about noise/IQ etc as opposed to party animal/social networker)

just a thought...

Cool. What's next? Canon PowerShots with Windows and/or Mac OS?! CanonBerry?! Cheers! :)

I don't understand the negativity. This is the first of it's kind man! Android nerds will buy this just to try their hand at more serious image and video software. Forget stills, this thing is a 250mm 1080p camcorder on a mini-tablet!

A decent chunk of the android market share is a bunch of folks who like tinkering. This is their ideal camera and camcorder. They don't care if it's a 1/2.33" sensor or a 1" sensor, it's priced right to be an extension of the android house. It's really not THAT much more money than any other 10x compact released these days. Certainly none of those are going to have this large a touch screen either.

I think this is an important camera for nikon, one that will sell, and one that will foster better integration of compact cameras and phones/tablets. I add tablets there because their market share is not going away. People keep saying they want this to be a phone but tablets with real cameras is a big revenue opportunity as well WITHOUT data plans.

Yup, i can picture it now, installing google talk or groove ip or something, and holding this camera up to the side of my head talking to someone ... on... my... camera...

Dear DP Review,

In your article you say that the camera has full stereo sound but in the specs list it says it has mono sound. Which one is it?

Thanks

Who will be the first-unlucky person to download malware to their camera? (grin)

So it's curtains for the Polaroid SC1630! If you snooze you lose!

Oh neato. I can get the easy convenience of a point-and-shoot with the privacy-intrusion of having Android on it! Double bonus!

So close. I might get this just to write my own camera apps. But it really should have a phone to become to carry-everywhere device.

Attention, Samsung: we want a Galaxy s3/Ex-1 hybrid. It should be embarrassing that a pure camera company like Nikon beats the worlds largest smartphone maker in this game.

This is probably more about optimizing their embedded-to-UI tool chain and maybe a touch of cross promotion rather than an avalanche of features for the consumer. You might think it means they can update or offer fixes and new features more quickly, but the truth is that it's not hard to offer a firmware update as it is.

I often wondered why doesn't every single camera have upload-to-facebook/flickr feature right now. Going android means the time to market to implement such a must-have feature, with a large portion of the development and API stuff done, is quick.

I wouldn't be surprised if in 2 or 3 years all of Nikon's camera use Android. It's just cheaper and faster to do things that way. I think you need to look at this news as Nikon changing their embedded OS to one of the two standards for portable computing devices, nothing more.

I can't believe how many people aren't looking into the future with this. This means a future with better HDR, focus stacking, photo courses built into the camera, alpha channels, remote printing from the camera. And many more things I can't think of right now. And opportunity for people other than the camera companies and yes Instagram and the like.

I hope this is just the beginning, I can't wait to see what some young people in Universities do with this.

It was only a matter of time before someone would try this. I have to say that it is not a bad idea or concept. To me, the appealing aspect of this camera are the apps I would be able to use to do post-proccessing work right on my camera. And also, to be able to upload the pictures via wi-fi to social networks. Emails, and games would not be important to me. I think it's a cool idea that more companies will employ in the future.

Do not see details of the CPU and RAM in the PR
And more importantly, battery life.
If it lasts 16hrs like my current phone, and taking a few pictures would bring it down to 12hrs...then forget abt it.

I bet i'll get a weird stare if I talk on this phone...

Interesting, I was thinking not that long ago the manufacturers should come out with something like this to compete with smartphones. It's not what a serious photographer would use, but has the capability to download and use all the apps people love these days, in the irony they use digital processing to make their photos look as bad as a Holga with expired film. Go figure. The specs and Android version are probably to keep the price low enough people will buy it. It would help tremendously if it had cellular service--which would also have involved contracts with phone carriers and who knows what else, although the subsidized price would have allowed a higher end model to be released. I have no plans to buy one of these, but am curious how the general public will react to it.

I wish it was running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) or Jelly Bean (4.1) rather than 2.X. Other than that I like the concept. Battery life might be pretty average though.

This camera doesnt appeal to me at all. But, im not sure why there is so much hate.

I'm not sure why folks are discussing this as if it is a camera + phone. There is NO phone radio, only WiFi. And WiFi outside of your home will be almost impossible to use unless you find a hotspot. And using Android 2.3 was stupid. Android is a POS limited OS that is a PITA to use. Every Android device I've ever used suffered from severe battery drain due to the OS. If you think your current camera's menu system sucks, wait until you have to navigate the totally non-intuitive menus of Android! This camera will be such a disappointment that I predict it will be replaced faster than the average cellular phone. I hope Nikon and the stores that sell it have a generous return policy!

If you want to be able to send crappy pictures of your dog licking himself to your friends on Facebook, just use your cellular phone camera. Pictures destined for Facebook are in no need of a decent camera to create, and certainly not a 16MP camera.