Nikon's COOLPIX range has generally lived up to its chic, stylish image while at the same time delivering high quality images, and the current collection (of which the S8000 is the top of the range) continues in the same tradition, yet still with a few design niggles that could be easily rectified next time around.

The one undeniable fact is that the COOLPIX S8000 is beautiful on the eye with its luscious curves and brushed metallic finish, especially on the champagne silver model. It feels surprisingly light in the hand at just 183g with battery and SD card fully loaded, and Nikon is proudly trumpeting the fact that this is momentarily the world's slimmest 10x zoom camera with wide-angle capability, measuring 103 x 57 x 27.3mm.

Like others in this latest COOLPIX family, external controls are kept relatively to a minimum, with the top revealing a pop-up flash, stereo speakers, a (slightly too far) indented power button and a large shutter release with encircling zoom lever. The back is dominated by the 3-inch anti-reflective high resolution TFT LCD monitor which has a whopping 921,000 pixels (twice the number of its little sister, the S4000).

To the right of the LCD is a welcome thumb rest, individual buttons for video, camera, playback, menu and delete, as well as a D-pad with a zippy control ring. While the S8000 makes up for the S4000's omission of an HDMI port on the side, it unfortunately retains the unfathomable placing of the AV port in the middle of the base where it's of no use to man nor beast, relegating the tripod mount to the left edge.

Not only has Nikon gone for the 10x optical zoom on this 30-300mm equivalent lens but it has also thrown in a further 2x digital zoom and 14.2-megapixel resolution, so you'll have tons of detail available should you wish for poster-sized photos. We were particularly pleased with the speed with which the S8000 snapped to attention - barely more than a second and we were ready to shoot - as well as being able to start recording 720p HD video instantly with its own dedicated button.

There's no real excuse for taking blurred photos as the S8000 contains four anti-shake systems: lens-shift Vibration Reduction, high ISO settings (up to 3200), Advanced Motion detection and Nikon's proprietary BSS (Best Shot Selector), which takes 10 rapid shots and then selects the sharpest of the batch. In addition there's a useful Sports Continuous mode that lets you fire off up to 45 consecutive shots at 3fps.

For people who prefer to leave most settings to the machine, you can choose between an Auto setting that will still allow a modicum of control over white balance and exposure, and Scene Auto which will jump to one of a range of presets. Another new handy feature is the Creative Slider which enables you to adjust brightness, saturation and colour of the completed images in-camera without having to transfer to a PC. As well as the 16 scene modes there's also a separate Smart Portrait section that will soften skin tones, avoid blinking and trigger the shutter when people smile.

Although the S8000 does sometimes take its time writing the images you've taken, the results - especially with all the built in enhancements - are sharp and colours authentic and vivid, with better than average definition in the higher ISO levels.

Verdict
A quick scan of the Web reveals prices as low as £180 for Nikon's stylish 10x ultra-zoom compact, and despite a few design questions the overall handling, performance and image quality should make this a highly popular member of the COOLPIX family.

Company: Nikon

Contact: 0330 123 0932

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