The VR is the interesting part. Nikon's Vibration Reduction idea is about reducing blur from camera shake, which is especially useful on zoom cameras where longer focal lengths are harder to handhold.

Film compacts do not give instant feedback, so anything that helps steadiness matters. VR can make the camera more forgiving when you zoom in or shoot in less-than-perfect light, although it cannot freeze a moving subject.

It represents the late high-feature compact era, when manufacturers were packing serious technology into point-and-shoot bodies: zoom lenses, autofocus, metering, flash modes and stabilization.

The wide end is easier indoors and in lower light; the telephoto end is where VR becomes most interesting. Use the long end for outdoor portraits, travel details and compressed scenes.

Buy it if you want a Nikon compact with a genuine technical quirk. It is a strong choice for someone who likes zoom flexibility but wants more help keeping shots steady.