Nikon Coolpix S2900

The Coolpix S2900 arrived in early 2015 as Nikon’s most entry-level Style series compact — 20.1 megapixels, 5× optical zoom starting at 26mm, built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, and a CCD sensor in a body just 19.8mm deep. It came in five color options, of which the purple lineart was the most distinctive: an ornamental floral pattern printed across the body that made it look less like a camera and more like a deliberate accessory choice.

NO FILTER: SHOT ON S2900

THE LOOKS

The purple lineart finish features a tattoo-like ornamental pattern across the glossy body — delicate line art on a deep purple ground that catches attention without being loud about it. The body is 95 × 59 × 20mm with smooth rounded edges, a flush lens when retracted, and the 2.7-inch LCD filling the rear. At 119g it disappears into a bag. Also available in silver, red, black, and plain purple.

THE SPECS

20.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD, ISO 80–3200. Nikkor 5× optical zoom, 26–130mm equivalent, f/3.2–6.5. No optical IS. EXPEED C2. 2.7-inch LCD (230k dots). Scene Auto Selector. Smart Portrait (Smile Shutter, Blink Warning). 8 Special Effects with live preview. 720p/30fps video. Built-in Wi-Fi + NFC. SD/SDHC/SDXC. 95 × 59 × 20mm, 119g.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS

• Ornamental lineart printed across the body: the purple floral pattern is factory-applied, not a skin — the most visually distinctive S2900 color option by a wide margin.
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC at entry-level price: wireless transfer to smartphones was not standard at this tier in 2015 — Nikon included both as standard on the S2900.
• 20.1-megapixel CCD in a 19.8mm body: the pixel count is notable, but the CCD sensor type is the more interesting spec — increasingly rare at this price point by 2015.

THE VERDICT

The S2900 in purple lineart is a camera that earns its place by committing fully to a proposition: make something affordable, slim, and genuinely worth pulling out of your pocket. The 26mm wide-angle, CCD sensor, and Wi-Fi cover the functional brief — the lineart finish covers everything else. A fun, unpretentious compact from the tail end of the dedicated digicam era.