Nikon Coolpix S3500

The Coolpix S3500 arrived in February 2013 as the direct successor to the S3300 — same slim budget brief, but with 20.1 megapixels, a 7× zoom, and an ED glass element in the Nikkor lens for sharper corners and reduced color fringing. Eight color options at launch, of which the blue with lineart is the most personal: bright teal printed with a delicate floral pattern that makes it look like a deliberate choice rather than a default.

THE LOOKS

The blue lineart S3500 is a saturated, almost electric teal — the decorative floral scrollwork printed across the front panel sits subtly against the metallic finish, visible up close but not loud from a distance. The body is 97 × 58 × 21mm with a brushed metal front, the 2.7-inch LCD filling most of the rear with minimal controls squeezed to one side. At 129g it disappears into a bag. Also available in silver, black, red, orange, purple, and pink with lineart.

THE SPECS

The 20.1-megapixel CCD is notably high resolution for a sensor type being phased out in 2013 — and the output shows the characteristic warmth that CMOS cameras at this price couldn’t replicate. The 7× zoom starts at 26mm with Nikkor ED glass and lens-shift VR, covering more range and producing sharper corners than unbranded lenses at the price. Smart Portrait fires automatically on a detected smile, warns about blinks, and softens skin without touching a setting. Scene Auto Selector reads 20 scene types. 720p HD at 30fps. 97 × 58 × 21mm, 129g.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS

• Blue lineart body with factory-printed floral scrollwork: the ornamental pattern is applied to the teal metallic finish at production — not a skin or cover, part of the camera.
• ED glass in the 7× Nikkor zoom: Extra-low Dispersion glass in an under-£130 budget compact was an unusual spec, reducing color fringing across the zoom range.
• Lens-shift VR in a 21mm-thin body: optical stabilization rather than digital compensation, in a camera thinner than most 5× zoom contemporaries.

THE VERDICT

The S3500 punches above its price on the specs that matter: a 26mm wide-angle start, ED glass keeping corners sharp across the zoom range, and a 7× reach that left most budget rivals behind in 2013. The CCD sensor delivers warm, characterful output that CMOS cameras at this price couldn’t replicate. Blue with lineart is the version worth seeking out — the teal is vivid, the floral pattern makes it personal, and neither feature costs a penny extra.