Nikon Coolpix S9700 with 30x zoom unveiled

Nikon has announced the Coolpix S9700, a portable camera with an impressive 30x optical zoom.
Last year’s Nikon Coolpix S9500 packed in a 22x optical zoom, which we found to be highly effective. Now Nikon has updated that camera in the form of the S9700, and it features even longer 30x zoom with a 25-750mm focal range.
Interestingly, while Nikon has bumped up its new travel camera’s zoom capabilities, it’s actually cut back in other areas. Rather than the Coolpix S9500’s 18.1-megapixel image sensor, it features a 16-megapixel back-illuminated variant.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in image quality. Quite the opposite – with compact cameras such as this, their smaller image sensors often benefit from the extra leg room.
The Nikon Coolpix S9700 also features a 3-inch 921k dot OLED display, 5-axis Hybrid VR image stabilisation, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a dedicated mode dial. It can handle 1080p video at 30fps.
In addition to the Coolpix S9700, Nikon has also unveiled the Coolpix S9600. As the name suggests, it bridges the gap between last year’s model and this year’s. This appears to mean a combination of the S9500’s 22x zoom and the S9700’s 16-megapixel image sensor.
As for availability, both the Coolpix S9700 and the Coolpix S9600 will be in UK shops from February 27 in black, red, and white for around £330 and £250 respectively.
Read More: Best Cameras 2014
Via: Pocket-lint