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Nikon Coolpix S9300 review: Nikon Coolpix S9300

Nikon Coolpix S9300

Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
8 min read

The Nikon Coolpix S9300 is a modest update to 2011's S9100. It's basically the same camera, but with increased resolution -- 16 megapixels up from 12 -- and built-in GPS for geotagging your photos. The latter comes in handy for travel or if you just like to see where you've shot, while the former is mostly for marketing.

7.6

Nikon Coolpix S9300

The Good

The <b>Nikon Coolpix S9300</b> has fast shooting performance, a wide, long lens in a pocketable body, and several fun and useful shooting modes that help you get the best shot without much effort.

The Bad

Competing models from Canon and Panasonic have longer lenses and more shooting options for the same suggested retail price and the S9300's photos aren't the sharpest when viewed at larger sizes.

The Bottom Line

The compact Nikon Coolpix S9300 is a good choice for anyone after a pure point-and-shoot experience and a long zoom lens. But, depending on needs, you might want to wait for a price drop.

There are a couple other minor changes, but unless you really want GPS, there's no reason to upgrade or be upset that you didn't wait. For first-time buyers, though, the S9300 is a very good camera geared for snapshooters with fast performance for a compact megazoom. However, its near-$350 suggested retail price is the same as the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20, which both have longer lenses, more features, equally fast shooting performance, and generally better photo and video quality. It's still a good camera, but less attractive at its full price in comparison.

7.6

Nikon Coolpix S9300

Score Breakdown

Design 8Features 7Performance 8Image quality 7