In addition to a great spec list, the Coolpix P300's price makes it an attractive option compared with similar premium pocket cameras such as the Canon PowerShot S95 (around $400) and the Olympus XZ-1 (around $500)--the Coolpix P300 is priced at just $330, undercutting both those models. It's slated for availability in March.

Nikon's other new is the Coolpix S9100, which somehow packs an optically stabilized 18X-optical-zoom lens (25mm to 450mm) into a frame that's just 1.4 inches deep.

It also offers a 12-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, as well as a few additional tricks in its feature set: a Handheld Night Scene mode that uses exposure bracketing to bring out dark details, a color-isolation feature that lets you highlight a single color in an otherwise black-and-white photo, and 1080p video recording at 30 fps. However, it doesn't have the manual controls of the Coolpix P300.

Due in late February, the Coolpix S9100 is priced at $330.