Nikon Coolpix S230

The likes of the Apple iPhone have made touchscreens something of a must-have feature on any pocket-sized piece of technology. The main benefit is that you can reduce the number of controls, leaving room for a bigger screen, and any buttons shown on-screen are context-sensitive. This compact camera from Nikon is a perfect example – a 10-megapixel model shrunk into a slim and pocketable case.

Features:
This Nikon model has everything you might hope for from a compact camera – a plethora of scene modes for the discerning automatic user and the option to go manual if you’re that way inclined. It has a 3x optical zoom, and you can’t get much better than that in a case this size. It has all the modern image-capture help that we’ve come to expect from cameras like this, including image stabilisation, and smile and blink detection. And there’s that touchscreen, which reduces the number of buttons on the camera to just four.

Performance:
Cameras this size often give disappointing picture quality but this Nikon model takes great-quality snaps that focus well on their subjects, and the pre-set scene options (portrait, landscape, sports and so forth) do a good job of tackling most situations. We discovered a bit of noise creeping into lower-light shots, but the high pixel count means you have to zoom in a long way before you encounter any problems. The video was also impressive and great for video snaps, though the microphone let it down a bit for anything more serious.

Ease of use:
Taking buttons off the camera’s casing and integrating them into the touchscreen is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the plus side, options are contextually displayed and you only see the buttons you need. This is particularly useful in the scene-settings mode where, for example, you don’t need macro options when you’re shooting landscapes. On the downside, all this screen furniture lies on top of the preview, obscuring the image you’re trying to capture. Hit the Disp button and the display clears, but that’s just more time not taking snaps. On balance, however, the on-screen control is intuitive and convenient, and enhances the camera significantly – it’s certainly not just a gimmick.

Value for money:
Under £189 is a great price for a camera of this standard that slips so easily into a pocket. The high resolution helps keep issues such as low-light noise at bay, since you have so far to zoom in before you notice the pixels. You’d have to pay a fair bit more for a bigger-bodied camera before you get to see much of an improvement in the quality of your snaps.