When it comes to compact cameras, there's a Nikon model to suit all tastes. The range begins with the point and shoot L series (Life), advances to the stylish S series (Style) and ends at the higher-spec P series (Performance) that's designed for more demanding users. It also contains rugged cameras in its AW series (All Weather).

Nikon Coolpix S6300

Price: £120/AU$200/US$115, 16MP, 1080p video

The Nikon Coolpix S6300 is a good option for casual users looking for a versatile camera that can be slipped into a pocket. Images are bright and colourful, and the 10x optical zoom is very flexible for shooting far away subjects.

Pushing aside a few minor niggles, mainly to do with options such as the panorama mode, the Nikon Coolpix S6300 is a solid performing compact camera that will please consumers. Images are generally well exposed, have natural colours straight from the camera and there's little sign of noise.

Read our Nikon Coolpix S6300 review

Nikon Coolpix S6400

Price: £160/AU$280/US$250, 16MP CMOS sensor, Full HD video

The Nikon Coolpix S6400 appears to have just about everything you want from a digital compact camera of its class. With a 12x optical zoom, 3-inch 460,000-dot touchscreen, 16 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, Full HD video recording, a host of direct controls, 20 scene modes, small, lightweight body and a modest price tag, what more could you ask for?

The Nikon S6400 does a number of things pretty well and offers a lot of flexibility, from its wide range of creative filters to its responsive touchscreen, accurate AF system on down to the all-important thing: great image quality.

Read our Nikon Coolpix S6400 review

Nikon Coolpix AW100

Price: £200/AU$300/US$250, 16MP, 1080p video

Nikon's first 'All-Weather' compact camera boasts a decent range of automated features that make it simple to pick up and start shooting with right away.

Full HD movies, built-in GPS and a digital compass, plus useful 'Action Control', are all features that ensure the Nikon AW100 can hold its own among its contemporaries. Overall, it's an attractive prospect that strikes a good balance between rugged features and everyday performance.

Read our Nikon Coolpix AW100 review

Nikon Coolpix P7100

Price: £350/AU$450/US$450, 10.1MP, 720p video

Nikon's P7100 is a close match for the Canon G12 in terms of specification, having the same size sensor with 10.1-million effective pixels and a f/2.8-5.6 7.1x zoom lens with a focal length equivalence of 35-200mm and Vibration Reduction (VR). The 3-inch 921,000 dot screen however, is a tilting unit rather than being fully articulated.

The solid-feeling body is liberally covered with buttons and dials, that give the user plenty of direct control over the most important shooting parameters. Image quality is generally good, especially from raw files, but colours can be a little on the vivid-side.

Read our Nikon P7100 review

Nikon Coolpix P7700

Price: £390/AU$580/US$400, 12MP, 1080p video

Using the Nikon P7700, it's easy to see that this a marked improvement over previous P series cameras, especially in terms of aesthetics and design. Now a camera that is much more pocketable, it still retains all the mode dials and manual controls that appeal to the more advanced photographer, plus an articulating screen and a hotshoe for adding accessories.

With a raft of premium compact cameras now flooding the market in a bid to appeal to those looking for something a little more sophisticated from a compact, Nikon has produced a camera that is very likeable in many respects.

Read our Nikon P7700 review

Nikon Coolpix P510

Price: £400/AU$500/US$400, 16MP, 1080p video

Trumping its wimpy-by-comparison 36x optical zoom predecessor the Nikon P500 with its new improved 42x zoom, the Nikon P510 is an amateur paparazzi's dream, courtesy of an ultra-wide 24-1000mm equivalent focal length. The build is 'DSLR lite', the zoom supported by lens-shift rather than sensor-shift image stabilisation, while a 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor lies at its core. Performance is enhanced by an Expeed C2 image processor.

Slightly more exciting is a 3-inch 921k dot tilting LCD screen, which can be angled up or down but not swung out parallel to the body. Naturally Full HD video shooting is also included, and a GPS antenna sits over the lens barrel and pop-up flash. For sports fans, continuous burst shooting of up to 7fps is offered, which is better than most entry-level DSLRs at its price.

Read about the Nikon Coolpix P510