Camera Review: Nikon Coolpix S9300

Nikon S9300 (Photo courtesy of Snapsort.com)

        When I bought this camera, it was a huge step up for me. I was just discovering that I actually really liked photography, and I figured I should replace my last camera that had died a rather tragic if epic death (Note: Cameras are not made for sandboarding, dune buggying, or anything involving sand and wind. 1 Peru, 0 Stone). So, I went with a trusted brand with a BIG zoom. The Nikon Coolpix S9300 fit those requirements with an 18x optical zoom and a shiny "nikon" badging.
       As I traveled, I got more and more into taking pictures and it became a really nice focus (pun intended) to a lot of my days. Trying to capture a very different way of life through photography to share with friends and family back home made me feel like I would be able to explain myself and my experiences better to them. So, I put a lot of thought into my camera since my pictures mean a lot to me. Overall, this camera was pretty great for travel. Starting with no camera knowledge beyond the most basic of point and shoot photography, this system was great for me. Here are some of the things I liked about it, and here are some of the drawbacks.

Pros:  

Small enough to fit in your pocket (if you're a guy). Most ladies I know can't fit their ID in their pockets so... yeah, not really the camera's fault there. But when you're taking pictures, sometimes its just not safe to be displaying more than $1000 of camera equipment boldly around your neck.

The 18x zoom. It was great for getting some of my best shots, and when traveling, its often hard to take pictures of locals in a low key fashion. Like most reasonable people, they will either ask you to stop, ask to be compensated, or pose for their photo. This can ruin a really great candid photo.

No Zoom.

At 18x Zoom

The simplicity was nice for a person just discovering a love for photography. For the vast majority of the time it was plenty for what I needed, and only after several months of making photography a priority did I feel like I was limited in some aspects.

Cheap. At about $150 it was not a huge deal if it was stolen or destroyed by angry Amazonian thunder gods.

Cons: 

 Sensor size. I didn't think twice about the sensor in this sucker till I started traveling with a friend who had a new iPad. That iPad took better photos in some respects because it had a backlit sensor that was engineered better. So... theres that.

 Manufacturing flaw. There was a fairly fatal flaw in the camera itself, where the automatic lens cover that closed over the lens to protect it, actually was slowly scratching it. By the end of my time if I didn't very carefully catch the light, then I would have a white blob hovering in the middle of an otherwise fantastic shot.

Look at the ghostly apparition in the center! Oh, wait, thats just poor manufacturing.

 Poor lowlight shots. This ties back to the sensor comment. The camera just did not have a good sensor for anything after sunset. After a while I learned to manipulate it to the point where I wrested a few good shots out of it, but most were garbage.

Very blurry, not well lit lowlight photos.

   

         I did upgrade my camera, mainly because of the large abrasion in the lens that ruined a lot of good shots. It was however, very hard to decide which camera system to upgrade to. I really wanted to get a more advanced system that would allow me to grow in my skills and be taken more seriously, but I didn't want to sacrifice my really handy superzoom/supercompact duo of awesomeness.

Sony DSC-hx50v  (Photo courtesy of Snapsort.com)

The Results of All This:

       I eventually decided against a DSLR system at the moment, since I wouldn't have the time to sit down and learn how to use it before my next trip, and instead went with a Sony compact superzoom. The Sony DSC-hx50v sports a 30x optical zoom, a backlit sensor, and 20mp (which is actually kind of a drawback). My line of reasoning followed that eventually I would need to upgrade to a DSLR if I continue to travel and grow more serious about photography. When that time comes, this camera is one that would still fill a useful niche even with a DSLR at hand. The best camera is the one you have on you, and some of my favorite shots came at times when I never would have dreamed that I would need my camera. Since I could slip in in my pocket, it just happened to be there when I needed it. Plus, a 30x zoom is something that would require lots of hefty lenses with a DSLR system. So, when I eventually do upgrade, I will still have a great day to day pocket camera to fill the gaps!

Here is a very good, professional comparison of my old and new cameras:
http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon-S9300-vs-Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V

     If you are traveling anywhere, I highly recommend bringing a good camera with you to capture everything that means something to you. For me, a pocket sized camera with a big zoom and room to crop were, and still are, big selling points. That might not necessarily right for you.

Check out your possible cameras with these nifty sites I used to do my research:

http://snapsort.com/compare

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/

http://www.photographyblog.com/