Nikon's 2010 touchscreen compact — 12MP CCD, 3in 460k touch LCD, 27-108mm zoom, 720p video
The Coolpix S4000 was a touchscreen compact announced by Nikon in February 2010 and released that March at $199.95. It succeeded the touch-panel Coolpix S230 and sat above the button-operated S3000, sharing that camera's core imaging package while adding a larger touch interface and HD video.
It is built around a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD and a 4x Zoom-Nikkor covering 27-108mm equivalent at f/3.2-5.9. The 3-inch, 460k-dot touch-panel LCD handles nearly all operation, including Nikon's touch shutter and touch-to-track subject tracking. Video records at 720p 30fps, sensitivity spans ISO 80-3200, stabilisation is electronic with motion detection, and storage is about 45MB internal plus SD cards. The EN-EL10 battery gives roughly 190 shots per charge in a 131g body.
It suits casual shooters who prefer tapping a screen to pressing buttons — focus, shooting, playback and even doodling on photos with the supplied stylus all happen by touch. There is no manual exposure control and no optical stabilisation, so it remains a fair-weather snapshot camera, but the bright screen and simple interface make it approachable.
Test the touch panel across its whole surface, since a dead corner cripples the camera. The EN-EL10 battery was shared with several Nikon compacts and third-party cells remain available; the camera charges via the EH-68P USB adapter, so confirm a charger is included. Check the screen for deep scratches — it is the main control surface — and prefer modest-capacity SD cards.