Physical Tour

**

Front
**The front of the L2, L3 and L4 models look similar though the lens on the L4 does not completely retract when the camera is powered down or in sleep mode. The color is slightly different on the L2, which has a darker finish that Nikon calls "gun-metal gray." Both the L3 and L4 have a silver finish. The lens is placed on the center left of the camera – from the user’s perspective – with the flash on the upper right. Next to the flash to the left is a small focusing light. Below the flash on the L2 and L3 is a dot matrix, which is the camera’s microphone for recording sound with video clips. The L4 does not have a microphone for recording sound. On the front left of all three models is a small bulge to fit the two AA batteries or rechargeable NiMH batteries and serve as a convenient handgrip. On the top of the bulge in raised letters is the Nikon logo with writing underneath to denote the model name.

**Back
**The back of all three models is basically the same aside from the difference in color on the L2, which has the darker "gun-metal gray" tone. The zoom rocker is on the top right with the menu button below it on the left. The multi-controller is below that, followed by a playback button and a trash button. On the very bottom is a simple switch (most cameras use a control dial) for changing from playback to scene modes to movie mode. However, most of the left half of the rear is taken up by the 2-inch LCD. Below the LCD is the Nikon logo and a small light to signify when the flash is engaged.

**Left Side
**The left side of the camera has a stainless steel band on all three models that continues to the top of the camera. The band is bolted down with two screws. The only other marking on the band is a symbol next to the plastic gray port flap for USB and Audio/Video out on the L2 and L3 and Video out on the L4.

**Right Side
**The rounded right side of the camera houses the two batteries, has a raised lug for the camera strap and a door for the SD Card.

**Top
**The top of the L2/L3/L4 has a stainless steel band with the shutter button on the right and an on/off switch in the middle with a green power light. On the left on the L2 and L3 is a speaker for audio playback. There’s no speaker on the L4, which does not have audio playback, but there are a series of dots to rest your index finger on.

**Bottom
**The bottom of all three models is pretty plain aside from a sliding door for battery housing. There’s also a tripod mount cut from the polycarbonate.

Components

Note: Review images are of Nikon Coolpix L4

**Viewfinder
**As is the case on many entry level digital camera models, there is no optical viewfinder on the LS/L3/L4, just the LCD screen on the back for framing your shot. I think this is too bad; some beginning digital camera users might prefer a big bright LCD, but those still hesitant of making the switch from analog to digital might feel more comfortable with the familiarity of an optical viewfinder.

**LCD Screen
**The LCD screen on all three models is just two inches which is fairly typical for cameras in this class. What is unusual is that the lower-end model of the three – the L4 – has the highest resolution. According to spec sheets provided by Nikon, the L4 is rated as having 115,000 dots of resolution while the L2 and L3 have only 86,000 dots. After brief experimentation during the PMA show, the resolution of the LCDs didn’t appear to be remarkably different but we will look at this issue further in the full-length review. We’re still not sure why Nikon put so much more resolution in the lower-end L4’s LCD, but we’ll investigate further. All three screens do have brightness adjustment, which is a great feature especially since there’s no optical viewfinder. The adjustment will help the user see the shot even on bright days when there’s lots of glare.

Flash
**

**Though the flash is close to the lens, we’ve seen it in worse positions on other models; red-eye should not be much of an issue on the L2/L3/L4, especially if you use the Auto flash mode with Red-eye Reduction that utilizes Nikon’s exclusive In-Camera Red-Eye Fix technology. The built-in flash on the L2/L3 has a range of approximately 1’ – 9’10"(W) and 1’ – 5’ 9"(T). The L4 has a reported range of approximately 1’ 4" – 9’10"(W), and1’ 4" – 5’7"(T). Flash modes include Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction (In-Camera Red-Eye Fix), Flash cancel and Anytime Flash with Slow sync. We’ll examine how effective all these modes are – especially Red-eye Reduction – in an upcoming full review.

Zoom Lens
**

**The L2/L3 uses a 3x Zoom-Nikkor lens with a range of 38 to 116mm in 35mm format. Aperture on this lens goes from f/3.2 to f/5.3. The lens is comprised of 5 elements in 5 groups. Digital zoom – for those who care to use this feature – goes up an additional 4x. The lens on the L4 is slightly different from the other two models. It’s a 3x Zoom-Nikkor with a range of 38-114mm equivalent in 35mm format. It’s a slightly faster lens than the one in the L2/L3 too, with a range of f/2.8 to f/4.9. It’s composed of 7 elements in 6 groups and also has a digital zoom of 4x.

Design / Layout

Note: Review images are of Nikon Coolpix L4

**Model Design / Appearance
**Cameras this low in price have no reason to be stylish, but surprisingly these models aren’t too bad to look at. Though they have polycarbonate bodies, there are some nice metal touches like the band that goes along the top and down the left side of the camera. Of the three, I like the gun-metal gray L2 the best, mostly because silver cameras are a dime a dozen. Though they’re not super slim, the new L-series cameras are pretty tiny and the small bulge for the batteries on the right side of the camera serves as a decent handgrip. Everything is pretty simple on these models, but the cameras’ curves and flowing lines feel good in your hands, offering an attractive, fully functional look.

**Size / Portability
**These L-series models take two AA batteries, making them portable as well as convenient. The dimensions of the L2/L3 are approximately 3.6 x 2.4 x 1.0 inches (w x h x d). The L4 is about the same size at 3.4 x 2.4 x 1.4 (w x h x d) though the fact that the L4’s lens doesn’t retract when it’s powered down adds some bulk to it. The L2/L3 weighs approximately 4.2 ounces without the battery or SD card and the L4 weighs approximately 4.1 ounces without the battery or memory card.

**Handling Ability
**All three models feel pretty solid in the hand even though they are made of polycarbonate. Balance is good on these models and it’s easy to "one-hand" them for shooting pictures on the fly. Though they’re small, design is such that it doesn’t feel like you’re going to drop them.

**Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
**Buttons are a little jammed on the back of these models, but there’s not a lot manufacturers can do about that with cameras this small. I like that they’re using a mode switch rather than a dial; it makes it easier to change modes but does take away some control. All the buttons are a bit undersized for my fingers, but again this is fairly unavoidable with small cameras. I actually prefer a slightly larger, heavier camera that has bigger buttons to these tiny models, but this is a matter of preference. Some users may prefer smaller sized models that are more portable. The shutter button, however, is nicely sized and easy to use. The zoom rocker on the back though is really small and somewhat difficult to control because of it.

**Menus
**We’ve really enjoyed what Nikon has done with their Graphic User Interface (GUI) on their Coolpix cameras this year. Iconography on the L2/L3/L4 is very clear and easy to read. For users who don’t like icons, the menus can also be viewed as a list. To get help with your shots, simply scroll to the Help Button feature on the screen and it will explain the function in the main menu. It would have been nice to have an actual Help "button" on the back of the camera for even quicker access, but this is a minor quibble. The GUI is nice to look at too, with black and gray selections highlighted in yellow as you scroll through.

**Ease of Use
**As should be standard (but sometimes isn’t) for an entry level model, these cameras are very easy to use. My main gripe is the small size of the buttons on the camera – particularly the zoom rocker – which are hard to use unless you have small fingers. Otherwise though, the menu system and new GUI is smooth, logical and intuitive. Though it doesn’t give you much manual control, which is typical for these types of models, in full auto mode it’s a breeze. Changing from special scene modes to playback to shooting can be figured out quickly too, which should cut down on the frustration factor.

Modes

**Auto Mode
**The preset auto mode and its variants are pretty much all you get in an entry level camera like this. Use the mode switch to switch it to the icon of the green camera and the camera takes over, adjusting for everything from ISO to shutter speed to white balance. Other than picking scene modes such as Landscape, Beach/Snow or Fireworks, there’s not much choice on these cameras, which is probably fine for most of the user base. But by contrast, Canon’s A-series models offer much more manual override.

**Movie Mode
**Select the black icon of the movie camera on the Mode Selector Switch on the back of this camera and you’re ready to shoot movies. Pretty simple stuff. The L2/L3 can capture movies with sound in "TV movie" mode at 640 x 480 at 30 fps and 15 fps. They can also capture movies in "small size" at 320 x 240 at 30 fps and 15 fps. The L4, which has no microphone, can capture "TV" movies without sound at 640 x 480 at 15 fps. Small size movies on the L4 can be captured without sound at 320 x 240 at 15 fps and Small size at 160 x 120 at 15 fps. Without sound and with slow frame rates, the movie capabilities on the L4 are pretty useless. We understand it was a cost cutting measure, but why bother including a movie feature at all?

**Drive / Burst Mode
**The L2/L3 has a meager continuous mode that takes successive shots at approximately 1.7 frames per second and a Multi-shot 16 mode. The L4 has only a Multi-shot 16 mode. All three cameras offer a self-timer option, but it can only be set to 10 seconds.

**Playback Mode
**Unlike its sister models – the slim and stylish S4/S5 – there’s no Pictmotion mode on these L-series models, which allows images to be played back with music and various editing techniques to create a dynamic visual experience. These models though only offer basic slide shows and an In-Camera Cropping option for trimming your images. You can also brighten dark areas using Nikon’s D-Lighting. Using In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, another feature included in Nikon’s now standard "Exclusive Feature System," the menu system will automatically fix red eye.
**Custom Image Presets
**As expected in an entry level camera, there are tons of preset modes that are easily accessible by switching the Mode Selector Switch to the Scene setting. The L2/L3 features 16 preset modes and the L4 has 15. There are four modes with Scene Assist – Portrait, Landscape, Sports and Night Portrait. Scene Assist helps the user compose better shots with the help of framing guides displayed on the monitor.

There are also 11 advanced scene modes on the cameras – Party/Indoor, Panorama assist, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Back Light, Panorama Assist and, on the L2 and L3, Voice Recording. The cameras also come with BSS (Best Shot selector), Color Options, Blur Warning and Date Imprint.

Control Options

**Manual Control Options
**Aside from some basic adjustments for ISO, flash and exposure, these models have next to no manual control options. This is typical for entry level models meant to attract beginning users.

**Focus
***Auto Focus
*Auto focus is above average for these models considering their entry level class, with the camera locking in relatively quickly for good basic snapshooting. Where all Nikon compact digital cameras set themselves apart though is with their Face Priority AF system which, when engaged, displays a yellow smiley face that locks into a yellow box when it detects a face. It cannot, however, detect faces in profile since it is programmed to detect the presence of two eyes. The auto focus is impressive on these cameras in Macro mode which can focus as close as 1.6 inches from a subject. Blur warning on these models tells the user if the image they are about to shoot might be blurred because of bad lighting or slow shutter speeds.

*Manual Focus
*There are no adjustments for manual focus on these entry level models.

**Metering
**Adjusting metering did not appear to be an option on these cameras, which is not unheard of on models aimed at novices. The L2/L3/L4 probably use Nikon’s typical 256-segment multi-pattern metering as a default.

**Exposure
**These models offer standard exposure compensation control, from –2 to +2 EV in 1/3 intervals.

**White Balance
**Despite an almost total lack of manual control on these models, there is some basic control of white balance via presets. In default mode, the camera has auto white balance with TTL control. The presets consist of Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash and White Balance Preset.

**ISO
**These entry-level offerings contain a fairly standard 50-400 ISO range. While conventionally this has been a typical for point-and-shoots, many manufacturers are beginning to include ISO 800 or 1600 settings for increased low light shooting capabilities as well as an additional layer of protection against blur or camera shake.

**Aperture
**On the L2/L3, aperture ranges from f/3.2 to f/5.3. The L4 actually appears to have the fastest lens of the three, with an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/4.9.

**Shutter Speed
**Shutter speed, as expected, in not manually controllable on these models. It ranges from 8 seconds to 1/2000th of second in auto mode.

Image Parameters

**Picture Quality / Size Options
**Image quality settings are specific to each model. The L2 has a High 6M setting (2816 x 2112), a Normal 6M setting (2816 x 2112 ), another Normal 3M setting (2048 x 1536), a PC setting (1024 x 786) and a TV setting (640 x 480). The L3 has High 5M (2592 x 1944), Normal 5M (2592 x 1944), Normal 3M (2048 x 1536) PC (1024 x 786) and TV (640 x 480). The L4 has High 4M (2272 x 1704), Normal 4M (2272 x 1704), 2M Normal (2048 x 1536), PC (1024 x 786) and TV (640 x 480).

**Pictures Effect Mode
**Hopefully other manufacturers will follow Nikon’s lead of getting rid of cheesy picture effects modes like adding birthday hats or cartoon flowers to your images in-camera. Aside from some basic color modes – Standard, Vivid Color, Black & White, Sepia and Cool – there are no picture effects on these models, thank goodness. I suppose it’s a matter of taste.

Connectivity / Extras

Note: Review images are of Nikon Coolpix L4

**Connectivity
***Software
*

The basic software these models ship with is Nikon’s PictureProject, which assists in transferring images from camera to computer, organizes photos and offers different designs. There are also several slide show options in PictureProject for display on a TV or computer.

*Jacks, Ports, Plugs
*There’s pretty basic connectivity on the L2/L3/L4 with a USB port for transferring images to a computer or for hooking into a PictBridge compatible printer for direct printing. Also, depending on the camera, it can function as an A/V port or a Video out port (in the case of the L4).

*Direct Printing
*As stated above, these cameras can print directly onto any PictBridge compatible printer via their USB ports.

*Battery
*Battery life on the L2 is, according to CIPA standards, reported at 180 shots with alkaline, 600 shots with lithium or 320 shots with EN-MH1. The L3’s battery life is rated at 200 shots with alkaline, 630 shots with lithium or 330 shots with EN-MH1. The L4’s battery life is rated at 250 shots with alkaline, 600 shots with lithium or 450 shots with EN-MH1. We did not have much time with the cameras, so we could not get an idea of whether these claims were accurate. We’ll have a better idea of battery performance in the full review.

*Memory
*The L2 and L3 have 32 MB of internal memory and the L4 has 16 MB of internal memory. Neither amount will get you very far but is a nice backup for when you don’t have an SD card.

Overall Impressions

**Value
**With average sized sensors (6 MP in the L2, 5.1MP in the L3 and 4 MP in the L4), a solid feature set including Nikon’s exclusive D-Lighting, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix and Face Priority AF, all packed into reasonably attractive camera bodies that are small and portable, the new Coolpix L2, L3 and L4 offer great value for the money. Our only concerns are why Nikon chose to put more resolution in the LCD of the lower-end model (L4) than the L2 and L3, and why bother putting a movie feature in the L4 if there’s no sound? There could be a logic to all this, which we’ll examine further in the full review, but otherwise these cameras seem to be pretty good deals. Since they take two AA batteries, they’re obviously designed to take on Canon’s popular A-series cameras. Where the A-Series models shine over these cameras though is in their manual control options, which Nikon’s L-series is sorely lacking. It’s a minor quibble on an entry level series, but worth noting.

**Who It’s For
***Point-and-Shooters –* They are not exactly the smallest cameras on the market, but these L-series are pretty slim considering they had to make room for two batteries. They’re great for the point-and-shoot crowd but missing some manual control for those users who want to kick it up a notch creatively.

*Budget Consumers – *While these models aren’t the cheapest on the market, they’re pretty reasonable considering what you get. If you’re on a budget but you want cameras with quality, you probably can’t go wrong with these new L-series cameras.

Gadget Freaks – There’s really not anything too gadgety on these models to attract users who like a lot of bells and whistles on their cameras.

Manual Control Freaks – There’s practically no manual control on these entry level cameras. Those on a budget who want manual control should try Canon’s A-series offerings.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – Designed to compete with Canon’s hugely popular A-series cameras, the Nikon Coolpix L2, L3 and L4 all have a 3x Zoom-Nikkor lens, 2-inch LCDs of varying resolutions and take easy to replenish AA batteries. They are all available this month for $249.95, $199.95 and $149.95, respectively. Pros and serious hobbyists will have little interest in these basic digital cameras unless they plan on giving them as gifts to their photographically ignorant friends.

Conclusion

**Conclusion
**Consumers on a budget would do well to take a look at these new Coolpix L-series cameras from Nikon. With decent sensors, good features and pretty snazzy designs for entry level models, the L2, L3 and L4 appear to be a great value for the money. Despite being entry level models, they still include unique Nikon features. For just $149.95 – in the case of the L4 – users can enjoy all the benefits of Nikon’s "Exclusive Feature System" which includes helpful functions like D-Lighting for underexposed images, In-Camera Red-Eye Fix for remedying red-eye in portraits, Face Priority AF for locking in focus on faces and Best Shot Selector for taking a series of photos and picking the one with the sharpest focus.

On the downside, these models don’t offer anything near the manual control you get with Canon’s entry level A-series cameras. Nikon’s also made some other strange choices on these cameras. We’re not sure why they decided to give all three 2-inch LCDs but picked the lowest-priced one – the L4 – for significantly more resolution in its screen, nor why this camera received the fastest lens. Also, while we can understand cutting corners on budget models, taking away the sound and offering slow 15 frame per second rates on the L4’s movie function renders that feature virtually useless.

In the overall scheme of things though, these are minor points. These new L-series models are welcome additions to the Nikon line so far, and we look forward to testing them further.