Nikon Coolpix S800c review

Smart camera features Android operating system

Nikon Coolpix S800c
The Nikon Coolpix S800c runs Android apps such as Instagram

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Because this is still a relatively new segment of the market, it's interesting that Nikon was the first company to bring a smart camera to the mass market, a few days ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Camera.

It would have been easy to assume that one of the general electronics giants such as Sony or Samsung would have entered this market sooner.

Unfortunately, although it is undoubtedly a very interesting prospect, the Nikon S800c is a bit of a disappointment.

We liked

Being able to download popular apps, such as Instagram, adds another dimension to what is otherwise a bog-standard compact camera.

We disliked

The battery life is very poor, so bear that in mind if you want to use this as a holiday or travel camera.

Final verdict

What we have here is a reasonable compact camera, with the added benefits of Android. Sure, that's great for some, but we're not sure the image quality is strong enough to justify the £379.99/AU$448/US$349.95 full asking price for this camera.

If Nikon chose to combine one if its high-end compact cameras - with full manual control, raw shooting and other premium elements - with the Android operating system, then it would have made a much more enticing prospect.

But, since this is the first of a new line for Nikon, perhaps it's something that will be rolled out across other lines in future.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.