With a wide-angle view that equals the perspective of a 35mm-film camera’s 24mm lens, or 18mm with optional converter, the Nikon Coolpix 8400 is perfect for shooting indoors in tight quarters or for grabbing shots outdoors of an exquisite 18th-century monument when you’re backed up against a 21st-century fruit stand. Add the optional 0.75X converter attachment, and you’re in 18mm (35mm equivalent) bliss. Yet, the 3.5X optical zoom also extends out to 85mm–perfect for portraits and some sports. Priced $100 less than its bigger (literally) sibling, the Coolpix 8800, this model incorporates most of the best features, missing only Nikon’s built-in vibration reduction system, which, unfortunately, would be perfect for those shooting wide-angle pictures indoors at slow shutter speeds without a tripod. Other downers are pronounced barrel distortion at the widest zoom settings and a viewfinder that tends to freeze and blank out during use. If you need a wide-angle shooter and want a smaller package than you’ll find in the most petite dSLR, the Coolpix 8400 may fill the bill.