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May 21, 2009
[REVIEW—NIKON COOLPIX L20]
Price: $280
Nikon? Hmmmm?
The low-down: This 10 megapixel camera has a 38–136mm (film equivalent) lens. It is not image stabilised. The large (75mm) LCD screen is of poor resolution. There are very few user controls, Nikon promises “shooting without worrying about any settings.” Amongst the mode settings is one for Food! The camera operates on AA batteries, so factor in the price of a pair of Ni-MH batteries and charger. There is a small internal memory and it uses SD cards for storage.
Like: When all the conditions are right the pictures are surprisingly good. Exposure and focus are generally reliable. We like rechargeable AA batteries in compacts, but they are not supplied so must be added to the advertised purchase price of the camera.
Dislike: The LCD is the worst we have ever seen on any camera. Consider this: it is the same size as the LCD on the Nikon D300, but it has only one quarter the number of pixels. The result is that, while it is large, the images on it are blurry with no definition or contrast. It is impossible to tell by reference to a review on the LCD if you have taken a decent picture. You won't know until you get back to the computer what you have on the memory card. And the screen is useless as a viewfinder in sunlight.
Verdict: Nikon is one of the proudest names in the camera business, with a range of DSLRs second to none. So we are perplexed. The Coolpix L20 is not a camera to enhance their reputation. It feels insubstantial and cheap. It is lacking in features, such as image stabilisation, that other makers fit into their cheaper cameras. And the wretched LCD makes it almost unusable. For a few dollars more buy the lovely little Canon Ixus 80is.
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Posted by terry at May 21, 2009 11:32 AM
