Nikon Coolpix S8200 vs Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80: A Hands-On Superzoom Shootout

When it comes to stepping up from your smartphone or just grabbing a versatile all-in-one camera without breaking the bank, compact superzoom cameras often strike a compelling balance. Today I’m diving deep into a comparison between two such contenders from Nikon and Panasonic: the Nikon Coolpix S8200, a stalwart from 2011, and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80, a more recent model announced in 2018. These cameras represent different eras of superzoom technology but overlap in their intent - offering small sensor zoom power with manageable form factors.

Having spent hours in varied real-world shooting environments and scrutinizing specs, controls, and image quality, I’ll break down how these two cameras stack up for different photography disciplines, technical performance, and user needs. Whether you’re a budding enthusiast or a seasoned shooter in need of an ultra-portable zoom cam, I hope my experience helps you sort fact from fiction and marketing hype.

Let’s start by getting acquainted with these two:

Pocket-Sized Zooms: Size, Feel, and Handling

When comparing compact superzooms, size and ergonomics directly impact how often you’ll carry the camera and how comfortably you can operate it under pressure. The Nikon S8200 and Panasonic ZS80 share a similar pocket-friendliness but differ enough to warrant a closer look.

• Nikon S8200 measures approximately 104 x 59 x 33mm and weighs in at a mere 213g - impressively light, even by compact superzoom standards.
• Panasonic ZS80 is a bit chunkier at 112 x 69 x 42mm and weighs 327g, reflecting a more robust build and additional features.

The Nikon’s lighter, more streamlined body feels effortless in hand and jacket pockets. However, the ZS80’s extra bulk offers a sturdier grip, aided by Panasonic’s subtly sculpted contours. For extended handheld shooting, I actually appreciated the ZS80’s increased heft combined with its textured grip. As someone who tends to shoot on the move, the ZS80 feels less likely to slip - critical when you suddenly spot a bird or street scene and want to act fast.

Control-wise, Panasonic excels with a more modern, tactile button layout and a tilt-enabled touchscreen, which the Nikon sadly lacks - its fixed, lower-resolution TFT LCD limiting intuitive menu navigation and quick focusing on the go. Nikon’s smaller screen offers limited resolution and anti-reflective coating, more of a barebones display that served well a decade ago but feels dated now.

Ergonomics and control finesse clearly lean towards the Panasonic ZS80, especially for users who want quicker access to manual settings or prefer touch control in fast-paced scenarios.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras sport 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensors measuring about 6.17 x 4.55mm, pretty standard for this category and size class, yet the Panasonic edges out with a 20MP resolution against Nikon’s 16MP.

Before tuning the pixel count gospel, remember that higher megapixels on small sensors often translate into more noise and smaller photons per pixel - affecting low light performance and dynamic range. But Panasonic supports raw capture - a big plus for enthusiasts wanting to squeeze every bit of quality in post-production - while Nikon offers JPEG-only output, limiting flexibility.

In practice, I found the Panasonic’s sensor characterization superior thanks to its newer Venus processing engine. Colors pop with better accuracy and vibrancy, shadows reveal more nuance, and midtones track more faithfully. Nikon’s S8200 images are serviceable but sometimes prone to slightly muddy shadows and weaker micro-contrast, especially when shooting in mixed lighting.

One glaring difference is ISO performance. Both cap at ISO 3200 natively, but the ZS80 extends to 6400 with a boost, handling higher ISOs with less aggressive noise reduction. The Nikon’s higher ISO images inevitably exhibit more graininess and lose fine detail faster.

To be fair, given their sensor constraints and fixed lenses, neither camera challenges interchangeable-lens APS-C or full-frame compacts, but Panasonic's newer sensor and processing definitely gain a noticeable edge overall.

Landscapes and Portraits: Dynamic Range and Rendering

For landscape photographers seeking rich dynamic range and detailed textures, the difference in sensor tech and lens sharpness becomes critical.

• The Nikon S8200’s 14x zoom covers 25-350mm equivalent focal length, with apertures ranging f/3.3 to f/5.9.
• Panasonic ZS80 offers a 30x zoom, wider at 24-720mm equivalent, from f/3.3 to f/6.4.

As a landscape shooter, I appreciated the Panasonic’s slightly wider angle and the fine detail preserved at base ISOs. Horizon lines remained crisp, and shadow detail in trees or foliage was better retained with Panasonic’s output. The Nikon tended to clip highlights quickly under harsh sunlight, with modest dynamic range limiting print enlargement potentials.

Portrait-wise, both cameras use contrast-detection AF with face detection. The Nikon supports face priority AF and even limited eye detection - rare for its generation - though I found the implementation a bit sluggish; autofocus hunting is a frequent frustration. Meanwhile, Panasonic’s hybrid system with touch AF and continuous tracking noticeably improves eye detection speed and accuracy, producing smoother bokeh transitions despite small sensor and slower lens apertures. The ZS80’s 4K photo mode (more on that later) also aids capturing crisp facial expressions in fast bursts.

Speaking of bokeh, neither camera is a natural creamy bokeh king due to sensor size and lens aperture limits, but Panasonic’s longer reach and more refined algorithms helped achieve more pleasing subject-background separation in tight portraits.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus and Frame Rates in Action

Action photographers know that speed and tracking reliability make or break their shots. So how do these superzooms compare for fast-moving subjects?

• Nikon S8200: 6 fps continuous shooting, contrast-detection AF with face tracking but no phase detection or continuous AF.
• Panasonic ZS80: 10 fps continuous shooting, continuous AF with tracking, along with burst modes courtesy of modern processor.

Testing these cameras on a hopscotch of backyard birds and energetic toddlers, the Panasonic ZS80’s improved burst rate and AF tracking really shine. It locks onto subjects faster and maintains focus more reliably during movement - important when photographing fluttering sparrows or skittish dogs.

The Nikon’s AF can feel like it’s fifteen years behind, often struggling to refocus between frames or losing lock in dimmer conditions. The speed discrepancy was quite tangible in practice, combined with a smaller continuous buffer.

That 30x zoom range on the Panasonic also makes it better suited for wildlife, enabling a more flexible framing approach without lugging extra lenses. The Nikon’s 14x zoom will sometimes leave you wishing for more reach.

Street Photography and Travel: Discretion Meets Versatility

Street and travel photography demand compactness, fast response, and versatility.

Here the Nikon’s smaller dimensions and lighter weight entice - great for tossing into a purse or jacket pocket incognito, where minimal attention is desired.

However, the lack of a viewfinder on the Nikon means composing through the back screen can be tricky in bright environments - something many street shooters dislike. The Nikon also lacks touchscreen focus, making quick point-and-shoot moments slightly more cumbersome.

The Panasonic’s integrated electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2,330k-dot resolution and 0.53x magnification makes outdoor composition crisp and stable, a boon on sunny city streets or bright travel destinations. Its tilting touchscreen enhances shooting versatility - from high angles over crowds to low-level candid shots - while the integrated built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth facilitate easy photo transfers on the fly. Nikon has no wireless here, so you’re limited to physically on-the-go storage.

Battery life is also a factor - ZS80 offers a solid 380 shots per charge versus Nikon’s modest 250, admittedly a minor but meaningful advantage during travel days when charging opportunities are sparse.

Macro and Close-Up: Getting In Close

I’m always curious how fixed-lens superzooms handle macro or close-up photography since that’s a common use.

• Nikon S8200 claims an impressive 1cm minimum focusing distance in macro mode - theoretically fantastic.
• Panasonic ZS80’s minimum macro focus is 3cm, a little further away.

Practical testing showed Nikon’s 1cm macro is physically true but often came with focus hunting and vignette issues. Panasonic’s 3cm offered easier manual focus control and sharper images overall, especially with focus stacking and post-focus functions, a remarkable advantage for precision in close-ups. Nikon sadly lacks these modern computational tools.

Image stabilization (both claim optical IS) is also important for macro since you’re often dealing with shaky hands. Panasonic edges ahead again with a standout stabilization system coupled with faster autofocus - enabling usable hand-held macros without constantly resorting to a tripod.

Night and Astro: Handling Darkness Without Going Dark

Nighttime photography on small sensor compacts is always a challenge.

Both cameras max out at ISO 3200, with Panasonic allowing a boosted ISO 6400 option that’s usable for casual shooting. Noise levels on both cameras limit long exposures to about 8–15 seconds practically; however, the Nikon offers a minimum shutter speed down to 8 seconds whereas Panasonic’s electronic shutter allows rapid shots up to 1/16000 second and long exposures via manual modes.

Panasonic’s ability to shoot post-focus images and perform 4K photo burst mode adds creativity in low light, capturing multiple frames at different focus distances, then choosing the best later - a great gift for tricky astro or night scenarios where autofocus is flaky.

Unfortunately, neither camera offers dedicated astro modes or intervalometer functions built-in, so serious night shooters might find these limiting.

Video: Beyond Stills

If video is your jam, there’s a clear winner.

• Nikon S8200 shoots Full HD at 30 fps in MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG, with no 4K capability, and no microphone or headphone ports.
• Panasonic ZS80 supports 4K video (3840 x 2160) at 30p, Full HD up to 60p, with robust electronic image stabilization - though still no external audio connectivity.

Panasonic’s 4K photo mode offers a clever hybrid use of video tech, letting you extract full-resolution stills from 4K footage at 30fps - something Nikon enthusiasts can only dream of.

The ZS80’s touchscreen controls and exposure modes (manual, aperture priority, shutter priority) open up deeper creative control during filming. Nikon’s limited manual exposure or slow continuous AF hurts video flexibility.

For casual to intermediate videography, Panasonic’s clear edge makes it far more future-proof, especially with the growing importance of 4K in social sharing and broadcast.

Professional and Workflow Considerations

While neither camera competes with professional-grade DSLRs or mirrorless systems in ruggedness or raw image quality, Panasonic offers raw shooting support, focus bracketing, focus stacking, and a host of post-focus options critical for serious workflow integration.

Both lack weather sealing, external flash ports, or significant build ruggedness, so professional adventure or fieldwork photographers will look elsewhere.

However, for content creators needing a lightweight complement camera with flexible zoom, raw editing ability, and remote connectivity (Bluetooth), the ZS80 holds significant appeal.

Nikon’s S8200, meanwhile, stands as a straightforward, reliable point-and-shoot choice, but with limitations that may frustrate demanding users in today’s multimedia landscape.

Storage, Battery, and Connectivity: The Details Matter

Both support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, with Panasonic adding UHS-I compatibility, boosting write speeds - for example, helpful during 4K video recording.

Battery-wise, Panasonic ZS80’s 380 shots vs Nikon’s 250 represent noticeable endurance improvements for out-and-about shooting days.

Connectivity is a stark contrast: Panasonic includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for instant sharing or remote control via apps. The Nikon offers none, limiting transfer simplicity.

Both offer HDMI and USB 2.0 ports for external display or file transfer, but only Panasonic’s modern features align with today’s connected workflows.

Summing Up the Numbers: Raw Scores & Usage Analysis

Numbers never tell the full story, but here’s a snapshot of performance ratings and genre suitability based on extended evaluation and hands-on field testing.

Panasonic’s ZS80 scores consistently higher across autofocus, image quality, low light, and feature-rich usability, justifying the higher price point.

The Nikon S8200 performs well for casual travel and daylight snapshots but lags behind in responsiveness and creative flexibility.

Sample Images: Seeing is Believing

To bring these comparisons to life, here are some unprocessed samples shot side-by-side under similar conditions.

Nikon S8200 front Nikon S8200 screen back Panasonic ZS80 front Panasonic ZS80 screen back

Note how Panasonic images appear sharper with richer tones and smoother gradients, particularly in shadow and skin tones.

Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Nikon Coolpix S8200 if:

• Budget is your primary factor (costing roughly $330 new).
• You want a lightweight, simple point-and-shoot with decent zoom to snap vacation and family photos without fuss.
• Manual exposure or raw files aren’t critical for you.
• You prefer minimal controls and straightforward operation.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 if:

• You value advanced features like raw shooting, 4K video/photos, and enhanced autofocus performance.
• You want a versatile zoom range (up to 720mm equiv) that handles wildlife, travel, landscapes, and more.
• You need a camera that supports modern connectivity and workflow demands.
• You’re okay with a slightly bigger body and higher price (~$450) for more creative control and future-proofing.

Final Thoughts: The Personal Pick

If I had to carry only one for a trip blending urban exploration, casual wildlife, and some family portraits, the Panasonic ZS80 would be my pick. Its combination of image quality, autofocus speed, zoom versatility, and video capabilities make it a jack-of-many-trades in the compact superzoom world.

The Nikon S8200 evokes nostalgia and does deliver where simplicity and pocketability reign, but its technological omissions and slower performance don’t always keep pace with today’s needs.

Hopefully, this deep dive not only shines a light on the strengths and weaknesses of these two cameras but also helps you decide where your photography priorities truly lie - and which tool fits your creative journey best.

Happy shooting!

Appendix: Key Spec Contrast Table

If you’d like to discuss further nuances or need advice on lenses and accessories, just drop me a line - these cameras make engaging companions for photographers at varying skill levels, and I’m happy to help tailor recommendations!