The Nikon Coolpix S9300 is point-and-shoot camera with a powerful 18x optical zoom lens, a 16-megapixel resolution, built-in GPS and full HD 1080p video recording. It's very easy to use but we found that the image quality could have been better and image stabilization wasn't the best either.

18x optical zoom; Easy to use; Full 1080p video recording

Poor image stabilization; Sub-par battery life; Only average image and video quality

The Nikon Coolpix S9300 isn't a whole lot different than its predecessor. Aside from a new sensor and GPS, it's basically the same camera, with a very similar list of pros and cons. The body hasn't changed much, and that's generally a good thing.

Good value for the money; 18X; 25 - 450 mm optical zoom lens in a compact; generally well-built body; Optical image stabilization; Sharp 3-inch LCD display with 921k pixels; Fast autofocus in good light; GPS receiver with compass and large landmark database; Scene Auto Selector picks a shooting mode...

Noisy and soft photos have noticeable detail loss; even at base ISO of 125; Strong highlight clipping at times; No manual controls; save for white balance; Low light focusing not great; Below average battery life; Flash is slow to recharge; Not great for night shots; due to 1 sec shutter speed limit...

The Nikon Coolpix S9300 ($349.95 direct) manages to pack a sharp 18x zoom lens into its compact body, but the 16-megapixel camera is slow to start and image quality suffers greatly at even modest ISO settings.

Sharp lens; 6fps burst shooting; GPS; Good control layout

Muddy images at medium ISO settings; Slow to start

The travel-zoom category has seen increasingly tough competition in the last two years. What was once the province of kind-of-compact 10x zoom cameras is increasingly featuring ridiculous zoom ranges, and the 18x optical zoom S9300 may just be king of them all.

18x optical zoom in a body that fits in your pocket; High-speed video capture is an interesting extra; Rubber coated body is easy to hold and keep stable

Etched labels for controls are difficult to read on certain models

Keen to establish a foothold in the travel zoom market, Nikon has launched the Coolpix S9300, which replaces the year-old Nikon Coolpix S9100 and competes with the new Panasonic TZ30 (and its predecessor the TZ20) and the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS.

All said and done the 'auto everything' 16 megapixel, 18x Coolpix S9300 comes across as a lot of camera for an affordable price if a big zoom with a broad 25-450mm focal range yet pocket sized dimensions are your chief concern.

Broad focal range yet compact; Built-in GPS; High-class construction

Zoom can be noisy; No Wi-Fi facility; Scroll wheel is a tad slippy

The Nikon Coolpix S9300 gives you a lot of zoom power in a camera that is small enough to slip into a good sized pocket. It has plenty of features if you are looking for that little bit extra in a digital camera.

Good Points: Picture quality; features; value for money; GPS; Full HD movies; iFrame movies; Image Stabilisation for video and stills; Stereo sound; High resolution (921,000 pixel) LCD screen; 7 frames per second; 360 degree panoramas; 3D shooting mode; Slow motion and fast motion shooting available

Bad Points: No manual exposure controls; slows down when taking multiple pictures with flash; No manual exposure controls

Back in 2006, Panasonic introduced the digital travel zoom compact camera with its Lumix DMC-TZ1 . Ever since, travel zooms have acquired increasingly longer zooms and ever smaller bodies.

I've already compared the S9300 to the Fujifilm FinePix F770EXR on account of their similar headline specs where sensor and lens are concerned. The Fujifilm is around 10 per cent more expensive than the S9300, and were you paying for just the finish and a slightly longer zoom, you might find that...

Sharp; colourful images; Movie quality; Long zoom; High resolution; Built-in GPS

Few manual controls; Some wind noise on movies; even with noise reduction

Like its predecessor, the Coolpix S9300 is designed for anyone who wants a long-zoom camera that's exceptionally easy to operate. When you remove the S9100's top-notch image quality and the decent battery life from the equation, however, the Coolpix S9300 becomes a far less commendable camera.