Nikon Coolpix S8000 review

The Nikon Coolpix S8000 is a compact camera that manages to do something others don't - pack a 10x zoom into a compact chassis.

At just 3cm thick, the S8000 is the thinnest 10x zoom compact camera on the planet.

The problem with long zooms in compact cameras is obvious - squeezing all that glass into a slim, pocketable body is extremely difficult, which is why most non-DSLRs with a 10x zoom or longer tend to be DSLR-style "bridge" cameras.

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Bridge cameras, while ideal for those looking to improve their photography without splashing out on a DSLR, are bulky, heavy and generally more expensive than their compact brethren.

Not the S8000. It comes packing a massive lens into a body less than 30mm thick. It's a true telephoto lens, as well. Converted to 35mm, it measures from wide-angle, at 30mm, to a length many sports photographers would be happy with, at 300mm.

There's plenty else that appeals too.

In its fastest mode, the S8000 has a claimed top speed of 3fps; significantly quicker than most compact cameras and a reasonable speed for basic wildlife or sports photography.

Alternatively, it's a powerful 720p video camera, recording 24fps footage for up to half an hour.

Consider the 3-inch, 920,000-pixel screen, all-metal construction and very high resolution (14.2 megapixels) and the S8000, on paper, could be one of the very best compact cameras money can buy.