Image Quality, Value & Verdict

Nikon Coolpix S8200 review – Image Quality

Thanks to the camera’s back-lit sensor images are of a fair-to-good quality throughout the Auto ISO 100-800 range, though the camera can shoot up to ISO 3200 at full resolution. Colour noise is held off even in the black and shadow areas of shots, and although detail isn’t always super-sharp the amount of image grain in shots doesn’t disrupt overall detail.

The choice to put a 16MP sensor into the camera may give it a few million pixels more than is necessary, but the S8200’s images hold up well against the likes of the Panasonic Lumix TZ20 – in fact the Nikon’s a little bit better by comparison.

Nikon Coolpix S8200 review – Value

The S8200 carries a £279 price tag, which sits fairly against its nearby competitors such as the £249 Panasonic Lumix TZ20 and £289 Sony Cyber-shot HX9. However the Nikon’s lack of full manual controls and less significant zoom could be cause to look at its competitors as an alternative.

Nikon Coolpix S8200 review – Verdict

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.