Looking for a pocketable camera that gives you long reach without hauling a big bag?

The Nikon COOLPIX S9700 promises just that — a 30x travel zoom, steady Optical VR, a tilting LCD, Wi‑Fi sharing and smooth 1080/60p video in a compact body. I put one through several travel shoots to see how it actually performs in the field.

It’s clearly aimed at travelers and everyday shooters who want simple operation, big zoom reach, and easy sharing — not studio-level flexibility. It does have tradeoffs (no EVF, no 4K, no RAW, and a narrow tele aperture), so I’ll break down handling, AF, stabilization, battery life, and image quality across the zoom. Make sure to read the entire review as you’ll want the full picture — keep reading.

Nikon COOLPIX S9700 Camera

Pocketable yet powerful travel companion offering long-range zoom, steady image stabilization, crisp Full HD video, creative shooting modes, and seamless wireless sharing—designed for adventurers who want professional-looking photos without bulk.

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The Numbers You Need

How It’s Built

In my testing the Nikon COOLPIX S9700 camera felt like a true travel buddy — compact, easy to slip into a bag, and ready to reach for a shot. The tilting LCD is the main way you compose, which is great for quick low or high-angle shots. Keep in mind there’s no viewfinder, so bright sunlight can make framing a little tricky.

I found the controls straightforward and friendly for beginners. Core buttons for zoom, playback, and exposure are where you expect them, and digging into the menus to change ISO or AF is quick enough for most situations. A couple of the buttons are on the small side, but they’re usable once you get familiar with the layout.

The tilting screen is one thing I really liked — I shot from hip level and over crowds without much fuss. Outdoors the screen does wash out in very bright sun, and while the tilt helps, it doesn’t completely solve that problem for eye-level composing.

Connecting over Wi‑Fi was simple and remote shooting worked well for group shots, with only a small delay. The body feels solid for travel with no annoying creaks, and the battery/card door feels secure, though the tripod mount sits close enough that you’ll often have to unmount the camera to swap cards or battery.

In Your Hands

Out of the bag the Nikon COOLPIX S9700 feels ready to go — power-up and the first-frame readiness are quick, and the lens extends smoothly without a drawn-out whir. The zoom motor is precise enough for deliberate framing, though it’s not instant when cranking from wide to full tele; steady, controlled adjustments win over frantic flicking. Shot-to-shot responsiveness is competent for travel and family moments, with occasional pauses if you push sequences hard.

Autofocus in good light is reliable and often nails faces and nearby subjects without drama, thanks to contrast-detect AF and face detection. In dimmer scenes or at the long end of the zoom it becomes more cautious and can hunt, especially on small or fast-moving targets. For wandering kids or distant wildlife you’ll have better luck with patience and pre-focusing than with fast action tracking.

The continuous shooting mode is useful for capturing decisive moments, though it’s not designed for extended bursts — the buffer clears in a practical span but fills if you hold it down. Optical VR does a lot of the heavy lifting handheld: steady at wide angles and noticeably helpful as you reach out, but keep expectations realistic at maximum reach where bracing improves keeper rates. In short excursions it’s dependable, but long tele work benefits from a support or faster shutter speeds.

Battery life covers a full day of mixed shooting in my tests, but heavy LCD review, Wi‑Fi use, and video will shorten that, so I usually bring a spare for longer trips. Video shooting yields smooth Full HD clips with usable stabilization while walking and panning, though autofocus can shift and show subtle hunting during tricky scenes. Rolling-shutter artifacts are present but not intrusive for casual travel movies.

Workflow is straightforward: the built-in Wi‑Fi pairs easily and makes sharing or remote control practical in the field, though transfer consistency varies with signal and environment. Remote shooting is genuinely handy for group shots or low-profile angles, albeit with modest latency that’s easy to work around. Overall the camera excels as a grab‑and‑go travel tool where reach and simplicity matter more than professional-speed AF or long continuous runs.

The Good and Bad

• 30x optical zoom covering 24–720mm equivalent
• Optical VR (Vibration Reduction) for stills and video
• 1080p at 60 fps for smooth motion
• 3.0-inch tilting 921k-dot LCD

• No electronic viewfinder (EVF)
• No 4K video

Ideal Buyer

If you travel light but want big reach, the Nikon COOLPIX S9700 is built for your itineraries. It tucks into daypacks or snug pockets while delivering 24–720mm coverage for landmarks, street scenes and distant details. At roughly 272 grams it becomes an easy daily companion for city breaks, hiking excursions and family outings.

It’s ideal for photographers who prefer point‑and‑shoot simplicity over a deep manual toolbox. Reliable Optical VR, a tilting 3.0‑inch LCD and built‑in Wi‑Fi make steady handheld shots, remote triggering and quick sharing painless. If you’re content with polished JPEGs and 1080/60p clips for social, travel blogs or holiday slideshows the S9700 covers most needs.

Avoid this camera if you live for RAW editing, need 4K resolution or favor eye‑level composing via an EVF. The narrow telephoto aperture (f/6.9 at 720mm) and contrast‑detect AF can limit low‑light action and very long‑range subject tracking. Serious wildlife shooters, indoor sports photographers and heavy post‑processors will quickly bump against those boundaries.

In short, pick the S9700 for travel, everyday zoom flexibility and fuss‑free results when portability and easy sharing matter most. If your priorities are low‑light speed, RAW latitude or modern video specs, seek a newer model with an EVF, RAW capture or 4K video instead.

Better Alternatives?

We’ve already dug into what makes the Nikon COOLPIX S9700 useful: the long 30x zoom in a travel-friendly body, easy controls, tilting screen, and steady optical VR. We also covered where it falls short — no EVF, no 4K, no RAW, and a slow aperture way out at the long end. That gives us a clear place to look for other cameras that fix one or more of those gaps.

Below are a few real-world alternatives I’ve used myself. I’ll say how each one shoots differently than the S9700, what it does better and worse in real shooting, and what kind of buyer will like it most. I’ll keep it practical — what you’ll notice on trips, in bright sun, at long zoom, and when you want to share or vlog.

Alternative 1:

Canon Point and Shoot Camera

Effortless point-and-shoot simplicity in a pocketable body, delivering vibrant colors, sharp automatic exposures, reliable autofocus, intuitive controls, and quick sharing options—perfect for everyday snapshots and family memories on the go.

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I’ve shot a lot with Canon’s compact superzooms and what stands out is the 4K video and the snappy JPEG color. Compared to the S9700, this Canon gives you sharper video and cleaner frame grabs for social posts — useful when you want to crop or pull a still from footage. In bright daylight the colors pop and autofocus locks quickly on faces, which makes it a great grab-and-go family camera.

What it doesn’t solve is low-light performance — like the S9700 it’s still a small-sensor compact, so telephoto shots in dim light get noisy and soft. It also usually lacks an EVF, so composing in very bright sun is still a pain compared with cameras that have a viewfinder. Ergonomically it’s similar in pocketability, but some of the button layouts feel a bit tighter than the S9700 when you’re trying to change settings on the fly.

If you want simple travel photos and better video quality than the S9700, this Canon is for you — casual travelers, families, and people who share a lot of clips online. If you need eye‑level composing in bright light or want cleaner long-tele results at night, you’ll still want to look elsewhere or bring a spare light.

Alternative 2:

Sony DSC-HX99 Camera

Ultra-compact travel zoom with remarkable reach, tilting LCD for creative angles, fast autofocus, 4K-capable video, and advanced image processing—built to capture stunning detail from landscapes to close-ups without weighing you down.

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The Sony HX99 I’ve used is tiny but very capable. Compared with the S9700 the biggest practical win is the built‑in pop‑up EVF — it changes how you shoot in bright sun and makes long-tele framing far easier. The HX99 feels quicker in autofocus and gives you 4K video, so it’s a better choice if you want cleaner moving images and faster subject tracking on the street or on a hike.

Where it loses to the S9700 is comfort and battery life. The Sony’s small body and tiny controls can be fiddly during long shooting days, and you’ll notice the grip isn’t as secure when you’re reaching for long tele shots. Also, while the EVF is useful, it’s a pop-up part that’s easy to forget to flip up or can feel less sturdy than a built-in finder on larger cameras.

This camera is perfect for travelers and street shooters who want the reach of a superzoom but need an EVF and 4K in a pocketable package. If you prefer a handier grip for long sessions or want longer battery life without carrying spares, the S9700’s more comfortable shape might still win out.

Alternative 3:

Sony DSC-HX99 Camera

Versatile travel-ready shooter combining a compact footprint with powerful zoom, electronic viewfinder, image stabilization, creative filters, and dependable low-light performance—ideal for vloggers and explorers seeking quality results in a small package.

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Used as a vlogger’s travel camera, the HX99 shines in ways the S9700 doesn’t. The EVF plus a tilting screen makes it easier to compose both walk‑and‑talk clips and scenic shots, and the stabilization and autofocus give you steadier handheld video while moving. I found the creative modes handy for quick social clips without editing on a laptop.

It’s not perfect: the small sensor still limits low‑light clean detail compared with larger-sensor cameras, so night scenes at long zooms look grainy if you push ISO. The tiny buttons and compact body can also make manual control slower than the S9700’s more relaxed button layout when you want to change exposure or focus quickly.

Choose this Sony if you’re a vlogger or explorer who values a tiny camera that still delivers good video and a usable EVF. If you prioritize raw image flexibility, large-sensor low‑light performance, or long comfy handling for lots of telephoto shooting, the S9700 or a larger camera will be a better match.

What People Ask Most

Conclusion

The Nikon COOLPIX S9700 Camera gets the essentials right for travel-minded shooters: a genuinely long zoom in a pocketable, well-balanced body, reliable stabilization that saves many handheld frames, a useful tilting LCD for odd angles, smooth Full HD motion and convenient wireless sharing. Its battery life and everyday ergonomics make it an easy grab-and-go companion that favors practical results over feature lists. In the field it simply delivers usable, shareable images with very little fuss.

That said, it compromises where enthusiasts expect modern flexibility — no EVF, no 4K video and no RAW capture, plus a slower long-end aperture that limits low-light action. For best results, keep stabilization engaged, cap ISO conservatively to preserve detail, and lean on a steady stance or tripod at the tele end. Use pre-focus and short bursts for distant subjects, and rely on the camera’s Wi‑Fi for fast sharing rather than heavy post-production.

If you’re a traveler or casual shooter who prizes reach, simplicity and dependable JPEGs, the S9700 is an excellent, value-minded choice. If you need eye‑level composing, RAW editing or modern video features, consider rivals that offer EVFs, 4K or RAW. In short: a capable travel superzoom for simple, shareable results — choose newer rivals only if your workflow demands their extra tools.

Nikon COOLPIX S9700 Camera

Pocketable yet powerful travel companion offering long-range zoom, steady image stabilization, crisp Full HD video, creative shooting modes, and seamless wireless sharing—designed for adventurers who want professional-looking photos without bulk.

Check Price