Nikon Coolpix S6100

The Nikon Coolpix S6100 is Nikon's answer to the top-rated Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 (*Est. $155) -- but with a couple of notable flaws. Both cameras have long optical zooms for a budget camera (7x for the Nikon, 8x for the Panasonic), with 28 mm wide-angle settings to help you capture group shots and landscapes. Both can shoot 720p HD video, and both are about the same tiny size (although the Nikon weighs about an ounce more). Unlike the Panasonic, the Nikon lets you use its optical zoom while shooting video, and it has a 3-inch touch-screen LCD instead of the Panasonic's smaller 2.7-inch LCD and button controls.

But the unresponsive touch screen frustrates owners at Amazon.com and experts at Steves-Digicams.com: "Be prepared to be very patient," the experts advise. Testers there also complain about poor battery life and noisy images from the 16-megapixel sensor at all light levels. "Even at ISO 80, there is enough noise to soften the sharp edges within the image. While it won't make a difference in prints 8x10 and under, you will see it in larger prints ... From ISO 400 on, the noise steadily increases and quickly becomes unacceptable." Editors at DigitalCamera-HQ.com recommend the Nikon, but they do note that it "felt a touch more sluggish all around" than the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25.

Steves-Digicams.com publishes the only complete test we found of the Nikon Coolpix S6100. Camera experts at DigitalCamera-HQ.com and About.com recommend the S6100 without writing full reviews, although DigitalCamera-HQ.com does mention some testing. Amazon.com posts more than 60 owner reviews for the S6100, both positive and negative.