Nikon COOLPIX S8200 Pro Reviews

I'm slightly less enthusiastic about the Nikon Coolpix S8200 than I was about its predecessor, the S8100. It's still a nice camera for its price, features, and performance compared with other compact megazooms with BSI CMOS sensors. But because of little things like the pop-up flash and more important things like the slow autofocus with the lens extended, it's not as easy a recommendation.

The S8200 is a solid all round compact that’s an ideal match for the point-and-shoot photographer. Its 14x zoom range is ample for most scenarios and, despite no manual controls like some of its competitors, plenty of scene and effects modes provide an altogether different angle. Both image and movie quality are good, and the only qualm we had to mark the S8200 down on was the occasional focal issue at the telephoto end of the zoom. Otherwise this small sized compact is a winner thanks to its significant zoom. It shows Nikon’s Coolpix range is headed in the right direction.

The Coolpix S8200 is a successful compact with a rangey zoom, though the lack of manual controls and Raw shooting make it a proposition for the more point-and-shoot minded shooter. We're fond of the Vibration Reduction optical image stabilisation system and the back-lit sensor makes for good images quality. Add a 1080p HD movie mode and there's a whole lot to like about the S8200 - and yet there are more advanced models out there, such as the Lumix TZ20 and Cyber-shot HX9, that add extra features for little difference in asking price.

In summary the Nikon Coolpix S8200 improves a couple of major features and adds a few new functions to further improve on a camera that we already liked a lot. Unfortunately it still has some key deficiencies, most notably the so-so image quality especially at the higher ISO speeds, the frustrating need to access the main menu for commonly used options like ISO speed, and the lack of any manual controls for more advanced users. Just like its predecessor, this makes the S8200 better suited to more casual users looking for a versatile all-rounder, rather than possibly being a pocket backup for a DSLR or compact system camera user. The Nikon Coolpix S8200 is Highly Recommended for point-and-shoot use in good light, which will more than satisfy most of the camera's target audience.

The Coolpix S8200 is a premium Nikon compact camera with a premium price but offers a substantial set of features with excellent handling and image quality to match. Nikon have made the camera small and easy to grip while offering a large 14x optical zoom lens. There are some minor negatives such as occasional purple fringing and the amount of noise at the higher end of the ISO range. It would be great to see the addition of manual controls but with full HD video recording and other features mentioned already the Nikon Coolpix S8200 is easy to highly recommend.

It's woefully overpriced as we go to press, but even if the price falls to nearer £200, the S8200 still won't be able to compete with the superior quality of the Nikon S9100.

There's plenty to like about this camera - the only thing that's really missing is any advanced manual functionality, which would increase its appeal as a long-term investment for an aspiring photographer who's keen to develop their skills. If however all you want is a robust, stylish, highly flexible camera that's simple to operate and produces beautiful images, then the Nikon Coolpix S8200 could be the one for you.