In 2009, Nikon released the Coolpix S1000pj, a compact camera that had one very notable feature: a built-in projector for on-the-spot viewing of photos and videos. It was otherwise a fairly standard point-and-shoot, and since you couldn't beam content other than what was taken with the camera, it definitely fell under "niche product"--especially at $430. It was a solid idea, though, so it's nice to see a second generation on its way in the form of the S1100pj.
This time around the 14-megapixel camera is fuller featured, but most importantly you can connect it to a computer via USB and use it as a standalone projector for displaying anything that's on your computer screen. With the projector being 40 percent brighter and able to display a 47-inch picture from up to 7 feet away, it should be powerful enough to use for business and entertainment.
The lens looks to be the same one on the original: 5x wide-angle 28-140mm-equivalent. The S1100pj records 720p-resolution video and there's a healthy selection of creative editing options to spice up your shots without heading to a computer first. Nikon also used a 460K-dot resolution 3-inch touch-screen display with a new feature allowing you to draw on photos while they're being projected.
The S1100pj will be available in September for $349.95 in black, violet, green, and silver.
Nikon also announced the Coolpix S5100, which appears to be an update to the S570. It's a 12-megapixel ultracompact with a 5x zoom lens and 2.7-inch LCD. The newness here is the addition of 720p HD-quality movie capture and a one-touch button for starting and stopping recordings. It seems lens-shift image stabilization is added, too, and a feature that automatically detects whether the camera is handheld or on a tripod, so that it can select the appropriate settings.
It'll be out in October in black, pink, purple, and blue for $179.99 ($20 cheaper than its predecessor).