I own both of these cameras and they are superb. I bought the 8700 about 5 years ago even though the 8800 was on the market. I was penny pinching at the time. I bought the Nikon Tele-converter TC-E15ED quite a few months later because I like to photograph birds. I bought the Nikon 8800 in February, 2008 and it is everything it was advertised about. Nobody ever said you could make the TC-E15ED work on the Nikon 8800, it was just for the 8700 you had to have the TC-E17ED. I bought a 58mm 2x tele-converter for the 8800 and the photos were just garbage. The adapters for the lens on the 8800 were just right I just had to buy a 58-62mm, then a 62mm-50mm and the TC-E15ED works great if you are in the right focus range.. The 8800 is superior to the 8700 but I carry both in my bag and love the photos they produce.

I recently purchased my new Nikon Coolpix 8800 for $499 Canadian and I am completely pleased with the little "beast".

I owned a Canon S2 IS which was a little gem in itself but could not perform long term exposures necessary for astrophotography. The software for this camera was completely amazing. The camera control features came with the kit.

Nikon has something similar but you have to pay for that additional function....and after reviewing it, the software is not as good as Canon's.

There are some coolpix shareware packages offered for free on the internet!

The quality of the Nikon Coolpix 8800 right from the very first "touch" is clearly superior to the S2 IS. The most obvious differences are the lenses and body (Nikon has a Nikkor Lens and magnesium alloy body...VERY NICE!!!).

The Coolpix does come with an infra red remote control however it is very limited. I think it would have been nice if they had kept the same remote that is used for the 5700.

Sean Davies
Revelstoke, BC

You don't have to be a professional, this camera will do it for you, just set it up for automatic function and click....the results?....a studio pics quality, definition, focus, colours...if you buy this item...you will be happy but shop around...

Bought Nikon Coolpix 8800 with intent of having high quality digital camera. Very disappointed, poor autofocus and cumbersome manual. The slightest movement results in blurred pic regardless of focus methods. Great features but no good if pics are poor. Then the infamous "lens error" occurred and camera cannot be used. Am accustomed however to pulling out my cheaper and better cameras. The wide range of reviews by people using this camera makes me think Nikon's quality control is as poor as my Coolpix 8800 or the few great reviews are bogus.

THis camera started out with abig learning curve. Just when I think I am thru I get CAMERA ERROR!@#$%$^%#$#@!* me I say as I am standing looking in a Volcano. So I now have to turn the camera on and off to down load every shot. I am told I need a new lens block as the electronics are attached to the back of the lens. A cool $650. That seems a bit steep to me with the thought of a 2 year old camera. The video function was handy for rear scenes I witnessed in the rural areas of South Africa. Good to capture a moment but not make a movie this week the SB light comes on and will not allow me to take photos at all. So it's time for a new camera after 2 years. My old Nikons would last 10 years or more before I gave them to my nephew. Now we just throw the stuff away.

Blurry photos, awful shadow when flash is used, slow recovery, eats up the battery, and now I have a "Lens Error" !!! I wonder how much this is going to cost?!?!? I didn't get this camera to spend 5 years 'mastering' it, but I guess I will stick with the non-prosumers cameras & my trusty EOS'. I am well on my way to hating this camera, but ahhh the money spent on it! :(

When I first got this camera, I had high hopes for it. However, I'm completely disgusted with it, and would advise anyone to choose another model. My photos are blurry, and it takes forever for the shot to complete. Low light? Forget it. I am already looking for a better model. On the plus side, for portraits done outside or with great lighting and a tripod, the photos are great. But the slightest motion is picked up. I have been a wedding photographer in the past, but wouldn't dare use this camera to shoot a wedding due to its finicky nature, slow shutter movement
and inconsistentcy with focusing.

As the chief photographer for ChicagoClout.com, I have taken the majority of Chicago Political Personalities Photos with the Nikon 8800. While I have top of the line SLR cameras, this camera will take the majority of pictures without worrying about changing lens. It is slow between pictures, but over all... Great. A must buy prior to spending the big money on SLR cameras.

I have owned my camera for a little around a year and half and over 9,500 pictures. This is not a camera that just anyone can pick up and take perfect pictures with all the time. It takes time and practice to master this camera due to its slow reaction time and write times. The autofocus takes some getting used to.

The outdoor pictures are brilliant and lively. Indoor pictures require good lighting techniques, the built in flash rarely works well for indoor shots.

Once you work with the camera and your techniques you will find a high success rate with images taken. Sports action photos are tough you have to anticipate your shot.........with patience and practice your images will improve, this is a great camera for someone who is willing to spend some time learning it.

I was so excited when I bought this camera - it has so many great features. However, about 50% of the photos I take end up blurry. The auto-focus is terrible! This is especially true in low light. Plus, it takes so long for it to focus that getting good shots of moving targets (like children or animals - my main subjects) is frustrating. I have managed to take some fantastic photos with it despite these problems. I would not recommend this camera to anyone. I think I'll go back to Canon!

in my opinion its slow in operation and not very sharp regard lens. its good for the ameature not proffesional

away for the day to test out my new nikon L1 things going great the sit down have a cuppa when i turned it on this message LENS ERROR came up.What is or what caused this?

Bought 8800 after seeing friend with one. Bought specifically for 1 month trip to AUS and New Zealand. Ovewr 1,500 shots and it worked great for good lighting outdoor scenery shots. Love the VR feature and 10x zoom. Usually use SCENE selections for most pictures. Really like Sunset mode for Arizona sunrise/sunset shoots. Have had some problems with color balance using Indoor/Party Scene setting Vs A mode in low light conditions. Just an amateur and do not understand or utilize many additional features, but have been pleased with basic point and shot capabilities and great printed photos. Like the feel and ruggedness.

The Coolpix 8800, which is now out of production, is the most amazing camera I've even owned. It's like carring a whole bag of lens in a single small package and even though I'm up over 7000 pictures there are still things that I'm finding out about this camera's capability. I bought a 5 year Mack warranty, but it appears that I probably won't need to take advantage of it. The pictures are sharp and even in low light I can can manage to get usable telephoto shots. It's too bad that the leadership at Nikon has decided to get greedy and go back to multiple lens cameras. This is by far their best achievement.

Bought a Nikon Coolpix 8800 as I wanted to try a digital camera. Had a Nikon Fe for several years, no problems. Got camera for Xmas,2004 and started to use it late spring. Had problem inserting picture card, only out x 2 512 MB Lexar card. Center terminal bent inside camera, sent for repair Nov.05, advised no warranty considered caused by faulty card/or extreme pressure inserting card upside down. Card only goes one way. Will not buy a Nikon camera or recommend same due to poor warranty.

The images taken with this camera are more often than not slightly blurry. They never appear to be as sharp as they should be. Also, this camera performs very badly in low light. I had sent my original 8800 back to Nikon twice for repair and still it was not working properly. Finally, after much discussion, they replaced the camera. I still have some of the same problems.

I have been a Nikon user for many years and have many great lenses that would work with either the D70s or the D200 and also have the SB800 Flash. I want to purchase one of these camera but hesitate because of the problems and bad service that I had with the 8800. The 8800 was a costly mistake and I am wondering if I would compound that mistake by buying another Nikon. Ah, decisions - decisions!

I have had several very good Nikon cameras in the past and was excited to be able to obtain on with 8 meg pixels. This camera is so slow in operations. People are actually smeared in pictures because it is so slow. Other Photographers have borrowed it to show me how wrong I am and that I didn't know how to operate it and they end up feeling the same way as I do. They are just happy they didn't buy one.

It seems this camera has a weak spot with the lens error, I have had no such problem so far. I opted for the 8800 over the 6 million pixel D70 as it had a 10x optical lens and vibration reduction and havn't regretted it. I have had some stunning wildlife shots and found the15 built-in preset scene modes excellent, I recently used the firworks setting at a display and got stunning results. It feels good to hold and is well balanced. Although I have 3 gripes witht the 8800, the slow write speed can be frustrating, the flash, If your going to build in a flash make it half decent, this is not much better than no flash, and the software is poor, I use picassa by google instead. But the clarity of the photos in normal light makes up for this, colour is pretty accurate too and the ability to take black and whites is a another reason I picked it over the D70. In my opinion this camera will take excellent photographs for beginner or expert but its slow.

So far, the camera has operated flawlessly. I did have a compatibility problem with a Hitachi 4GB microdrive but solved the problem by updating the camera firmware to V1.7. This is a very simple process. Start by going to Nikon.com and follow the directions to download the firmware update, transfer it to a flashcard, and update the camera firmware from the card. Enjoy!

I developed the "Lens Error" bug half way through my travel in India and only called Nikon today (11/21/05) The tech guy walked me through solving the problem by inserting memory "with camera on", and then reformatting the memory; Nikon says the pq1 memory I bought is not an approved memory (Lexar and Sandisk are). But the retailer where I bought the camera replies that the “reality” is that Nikon doesn’t get a kickback from pq1 but the memory is excellent. Time will tell!

Great photos ,amazing details very high quality digital camera.

I'm realy love my 8800 .

Great camera with a few low light focus problems perhaps. I take a lot of panoramas and print some up to 10,5 feet long by 1 foot high, They are absolutely stunning and featured in bars etc., in the area.
While racing at about 70 mph (by eyewitness accounts) on my snowmobile to an accident scene with my 8800 on my back in it's case, I caught a runner on a jump and had to bail to save the sled, After bouncing and flying and rolling for quite a distance, I recovered my composure and checked out my camera only to find it just fine and ready to perform flawlessly which it has done for the last 6 months and hundreds of photos since. Other sledders including my son who were on either side of me could not believe that I and the camera came away unscathed.
So far it has been a true and reliable money maker, Now I need the 17 inch wide version of my Epson printer so I can print to 20 feet and more which is closer to the true capability of this 8 mp camera. I absolutely love the panorama mode,
Awesome camera. Sorry to hear about some others problems. I hope Nikon sees the wisdom of making things right for them as this is a keeper.

My Coolpix 8800 took fabulous photos for 9 months until the camera refused to work - it only displayed a "lens error" message. It has been sent back to Nikon for repair under the 1 year warranty.

For the money it's more than I expected.

I've taken over 2500 pictures with my 8800 and it has never once given me any sort of error or any problems. The picture quality is remarkable.

I got rid of my Nikkon FM10 SLR not because of its performance,but as it is an Filim camera and went for this Famous 8800, I almost shoot 2000 Pictures in Diffrent condition,every thing goes fine except it shuttelag, when i try to take some pictures in Night time for parties it sucks,i get a picture almost when the scene is missed, i switched off all kind of auto functions but still, same situvation. apart from this its a good camera, but i like to get rid of this and go for Digital SLR.

After 6 months, I get "Lens Error" and camera shuts down. Also during last month, I got a hot pixel in upper right quad. Also, camera gets VERY hot. Some excellent pics taken. Poor manual focus, and slow in low-light (followed recommended setting at ISO 50). Shooting in HiJPEG, and some great pics. Focusing can be a pain, especially for quick shots. Nice editing software, but Nikon hasn't resolved installing upgrades on my Mac.

If only I had found this site before purchasing this camera for my business I would have saved a couple hundred dollars and lost revenue by buying another reliable brand. My 8800 manifested the lens error flu after just a few days but miraculously had a faith healing on my way to church , but then less than two months after purchase it relapsed and had to be sent to Nikon general hospital for indefinite intenstive care. The local Nikon dealer eventually and reluctantly replaced it with a like model and I am now an ardent church goer!

I am not an expert photographer and have found the camera a hand full to get my head round although with perseverance I have produced some great pictures. I do often find the camera slow and frequently get blurred images, which I had put down to user error but reading some of these reports I begin to wonder. Alarmingly though yesterday after only 4 months of amateur use I to have now received the "Lens Error" message and the camera has ceased working!

I started out with a Coolpix 950, then went to a Coolpix 990 and then purchased a D-100. I have been happy with all of those cameras. Thus I thought the Coolpix 8800 would be outstanding—after all they have had several years to make all kinds of improvements in this "point/shoot". What a total disappointment it has been thus far. I cannot think but that it is malfunctioning, however, I cannot get the camera store I purchased it from to agree with me. The flash sync has a mind of its own in "Program" with both internal and external flash. I never know what it is going to be—-it goes from 1/30 to 1/60 to 1/125—-it appears to be metering. I have returned it to factory settings numerous times, but it will not always sync at 1/60. As others have mentioned, focusing is so, so bad in low light. The photo opportunity is gone before you can focus. The manual focus is a joke. I think the only use it will have for me is bright sunny days and shooting landscape. I have embarrassed myself more than once with this camera in the past month. I would never attempt to do a photo job with it! I have read a lot of "excellent" ratings and I am jealous that I don't have their camera. What I read in the "excellent" ratings is what I expected from Nikon. I am planning a once in a lifetime trip to Scotland and purchased this camera specifically for the trip so I would not have to carry a heavy bag of camera equipment. At this point it is absolutely useless for me to consider taking it on the trip. I also purchased the SB 600 flash unit and now find that the AF Illuminator does not work while on the 8800—which adds even further problems to getting it to focus in low light when using flash. If after reading this you still want a NIKON 8800 I would be happy to give you a bargain price on mine.

I was at first a little skeptical about paying $$$ for this camera but it was worth the price. Went on an Alaskan cruise and took over 1000 pictures(took laptop to offload files). Came back and printed some of them on an HP8450. best pictures ever. Pictures were crystal clear and NOT fuzzy due to the VR feature. Switching between automatic, scene, and other modes was easy and created quite a few interesting photo opportunities. Took a class on digital photography and spent some time practicing before the trip. It was well worth it and I would highly recommend this camera. Quite easy to use.

I want every potential camera purchaser to know not to buy a Nikon Coolpix 8800. This is my second camera to end up with the same fate - lens error that renders the camera useless. There is no way to fix it. Ugh.

I've taken over 1500 pictures in approximately one month on this camera and I can honestly say this is one great package. You'd be hard pressed to find another camera that offers what this camera does for anywhere near the same price. 8MP resolution, 35-350mm optical zoom with Nikkor ED lens, Vibration Reduction, awesome picture quality with no chromatic abberations or purple fringing, movie mode with 640x480/30fps.

The only complaint I can really think of is the shot to shot lag, but that's partly offset by the ability to shoot 2.3 fps for 5 shots at once, plus the ability to exposure or WB bracket. I've reviewed every camera on the market close to these specifications and you won't find anything better anywhere without going the DSLR route for at least twice the price for VR lenses.

I was hesitant to purchase an 8800 because of some terrible reviews. However, I trusted Nikon's reputation and decided to purchase anyway. I am not disappointed at all in the quality, features, accesories and options of the camera. There are only two small problems that I noticed so far. Manual focus option is very limited. In low light situations while the lens is significantly zoomed it has a terrible time focusing accurately. From what I have heard, this is not unusual for an autofocus system coupled with such a long lens. Otherwise, no complaints. This is a fantastic camera.

When the camera is working we really like it. The photos and features are of very good quality. However this is our second 8800 in only 6 months. This 8800, as with the first 8800 reads lens error and the camera is rendered useless. I'm returning it for service for the second time in only 6 months! In total we've only taken about 200 pics, on both 8800's. If this happens again i'm moving to a different camera.

I bought this camera for the specific purpose of photographing my children's band performances. From the middle of the audience, I can photograph my child without the aide of a tripod or flash. That rocks. In other situations, I don't see much need for this high end camera. I took it on vacation and never took any pictures because it is heavy and I was afraid of breaking it. I do think it could be a little faster also, but it takes the best pictures I have ever taken. I tried the Canon Rebel and like the Nikon 8800 better. The Nikon 8800 is a must have for any technoid who wants to take great photos without really trying. The zoom is incredible.

I've always used Canons. It seems photographers get stuck on a brand and to break the trend I went out on a limb and got the Coolpix 8800. When it arrived and I first turned it on I noticed a dead pixel right in the middle of the LCD. Also, the white balance is WAY off in automatic mode. The manual controls are moody which makes focusing difficult, as auto focus is typically way off. All in all, I am not very happy and think I should return to my Canon roots to ask forgiveness.

Good camera but didn't work with Microdrive, there seem to be different models of Hitachi Microdrive, did not work with 3K6-4 (4 GB) did work with Sandisk 2 GB Ultra II but same speed, half the size and fifty dollars more. NO service from Nikon, only slow e-mail and canned response to only use approved cards, largest card on approved list is 512 MB somewhat small for 8 MP camera, no phone help, not tested with larger cards, beware!!!

When this camera is functioning properly, it is great for daytime landscape shots.
Haven't used it too much in low light except at an indoor party and was disappointed with the grainy photos.

In the the right light, it's outstanding.
the downside is , I had to return it for another 8800 when I first bought it, then 7 months later the new one died. Sent back to Nikon and received it 1 month later.

I just bought my Coolpix 8800 a few weeks ago, although I must say that I've spent more time with her than with my beloved girlfriend! I shot quite a few pics during my short holidays in Thessalonica (GR) and tried to focus on night- and tele-shots. It's really fantastic how well this camera adapts to any light or distance situation, of course after you've learned how to handle the variety of actions that she allows you to do.
Overall its the finest camera I 've ever held before my eye!

As a retired newspaper photographer, it was a leap for me to go digital. My first digital was a Olympus C-50 Zoom. Loved it! But I wanted bigger and better and the Coolpix 8800 is extraordinary but complicated. I have no regrets plunking down the bucks Nikon and I am very satisfied.

Once you play with the camera enough so that you understand what it does and how to do it--the camera is great. The best camera I've ever had. We had the 8700 but upgraded to the 8800 because of the visual stabilization. It works extremely well. I have been able to take pictures from the nose bleed sections without flashes etc and see the speakers facial expressions clearly and quickly. It is a great camera and I would recommend it! Thanks so much for this site. It was a great help in finding the right camera for ME!

So far it's been a great camera. Easy to understand and use. I've read where some complain about the noisy lens action. The only time this can irritate someone, I guess, is if you zoom while filming a video, thus the lens noise would get recorded. The mic is very sensitive.

The mistake I made was purchasing a 53.5-52 step down ring along with 52mm filters. I wasn't prewarned about the undesirable effect this has if one does not zoom in a notch or two, you end up with a picture that looks as if you shot it in a tunnel. You actually see the filter outline in the picture. So now I'm gonna go the 53.5-58 step up ring with 58mm filters and rid myself of the filter/tunnel effect. No more zooming to eliminate it or cropping.

May the force be with you.

After I had sold my Coolpix 8700 after two months, of which six weeks in repair, I wanted to give Nikon a second chance. The Coolpix 8800 already lost a pixel after two days...For a camera of this price range this is unacceptable...

I am using nikon digital cameras for over last two years the earlier one being the 4300. The 8800 is truly an amazing hassle free high end digital camera for those who want to be professional without spending time. The 8800 also covers up a lot of mistakes done by photographer. Its user friendly operations and help you decide faster with full accuracy. the 8800 has only one problem saving the image and getting ready for the next one at times it can cost you lot.

I loved my Nikon 880 (until it locked) and expected the Nikon 8800 would be the same or better quality w/ better resolution and higher speed. I take a lot of animal portraits, usually indoors, and am very sad to discover the CoolPix 8800 doesn't even begin to compare w/ the CoolPix 880. Now, I miss more shots than I get, and indoor shots the 880 would have pulled off no trouble are blurry as hell. Very frustrating!! I had hoped the vibration reduction would reduce blur. Instead, the slow focus factor in low light means I am now in the market for [another] new camera. Hint: it won't be a Nikon :P

They can't seem to get my Coolpix 8800 fixed, lens error message and it locks up everytime. This isn't the first Nikon Coolpix I had problems with my 5000 had problems too.
Shame on me for giving Nikon a second chance.

Overall I am very impressed with the camera, a little disappointed in it's low light performance and find the macro facility a little frustrating.
The 10X zoom is amazing and the VR really works it is not a gimmick. Even the digital zoom is pretty good considering the distance it covers.
A shame that Nikon doesn't include a memory card considering the price of the camera.
Build quality and feel is excellent.

I have used the camera to take family reunion pictures with 32 people, Bald Eagles flying, deer in low light, vehicles, homes and even a blue print. New to taking photo's the CoolPix 8800 has impressed everyone that gets to see the results.

I have been using the 8800 for several months now and, outdoors, it's fantastic. Indoors, though, in low light it's very frustrating. The focus takes forever to lock on and forget manual focus - it's useless. Too bad Nikon couldn't do better on such a high end camera. Give it a first class focusing system and it would be the best out there.

Slow focus in low light, slow writing to cf in all modes.very poor for the $$$$.

As someone who started shooting weddings and news events in the early 60s using Liecas, Crown Graphics and Rolleis, and has gone on to own extensive Nikon and Canon SLR systems and 3 previous digital cameras, I can honestly say that the Nikon 8800 is the best camera of any kind I've ever used and that it has resolution that astounds me. This is truly a "do everything" camera that can probably take on any pro photo assignment except for architectural shots. Besides the resolution, the best single feature is the lens stabilizer. On a cruise vacation this summer I was continually frustrated about the difference in what I could see between my 12x stabilized Canon binoculars and my 3x 5 megapixel Olympus camera. I promised myself that when I returned to LA I'd look for a camera that could virtually replace the binoculars for long range viewing (and shooting) and yet still had the ability to produce superb 8x10s and 11x14s. The Nikon 8800 fills those particulars strikingly well. It's also much easier to use than the Coolpix Nikon I used to own that I sold off fore being just too complex for fast "grab" shooting, and even the Olympus C-50 I was using on the vacation. The 8800 is truly an extraordinary instrument!!!

I've just bought this splendid camera here in Hong Kong. I'm not an expert, but I have the best I can. So I was looking for Canon Pro 1 when I saw this beauty. I compared both models and doubtless Nikon is far better and much expensive also. I left my Canon A 80 in Brazil, where I'm from and I'll never look back at it again. This a just released camera. Here in Hong Kong it was released September 30! I spent some US$940.00. I also purchased an extra battery and 2 1GB 80 CF cards from Lexar which are also splendid. The camera feels like an SLR cam. There is a continuous shooting feature that I tried and took some 70 pictures in a row all of a sudden!

There is a bit of a learning curve , if easy is what you want....buy a 2 meg point and shoot. I shot a picture in raw format...enlarged it to check out pixelation....before it broke up I could make out seabirds 5 miles across open water.I take shots of Grizzley bears...close ups of a 1000 pound monster bear are not for faint of heart,with this camera....any shot i take can be a close up.

The newly released Coolpix 8800 is quite impressive in its appearance and its specs. In my opinion it delivers as well. I must say I have been a fan of the other top end coolpix as well, but this time Nikon has added to an already impressive camera. First of all to hold it you can feel that it is sturdy and well built, should be able to handle a lot of use. It just feels as sturdy as a little tank. First of all the 10x ED Nikor lens rocks. While the former zoom range of 8x is impressive 10x is just that much better, and combined with the new VR (vibration reduction) you can hand hold the camera and still get a rocksteady view at 10x if the lighting is good. Gone are the cumbersome buttons on the left side of the lens barrel, like the 5700, and 8700, now that side only sports the VR switch and the focus mode button. Also new to this version is the mode dial. Now many functions that either required pressing one button and rotating the command dial or going into a menu, are now on the easy to see and use mode dial. Also impressive is the new D-lighting feature. In playback mode you can made a copy of the image that either suffers from back lighting or shadow. The new d-lighting will fix under exposed areas and not effect the properly exposed areas. Along with all the expected modes P, A, S, M, the 15 scene modes also make getting certain shots right by taking some of the difficulty out of configuring a bunch of settings. All in all a great camera, the prints are impressive from my Canon I 960, and with 8 mp sensor you can print rather large prints if you have the printer to do so. In summary give the new Nikon 8800 a test spin, I think you too will be impressed