NICS (Near Infrared Camera Spectrometer) is the TNG infrared (0.9-2.5 µm) multimode instrument which is based on a HgCdTe Hawaii 1024x1024 array. Its observing capabilities include imaging (4.2' x 4.2' f.o.v.), high-throughput low resolution spectroscopy (RS=50-500), medium resolution spectoscopy (max-R=2500), imaging polarimetry, spectropolarimetry and, when coupled to the adaptive optics module, nearly diffraction limited imaging.