Overview
The Nikon Coolpix L20 is an incredibly simple digital camera. It is aimed at anyone looking for a simple point and shoot camera who wants a relatively cheap camera. It has 10 megapixels, a 3.6x optical zoom lens and a large 3inch LCD screen.
Why Buy The Nikon Coolpix L20
Digital cameras do not come any more straightforward than the Coolpix L20. It is also one of the cheaper models from a recognised brand. It takes a decent photo and is good value for money.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
3.6x
3 inches
96.5 x 61 x 29 mm
135g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
AA
SD/SDHC
Where to Buy - Nikon Coolpix L20
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
A small amount of detail is lost where the sun catches the lighter areas of the shot and there is too much brightness for the pixels to cope with. Overall the Coolpix L20 manages to produce a sharp shot that compares well with cameras in this price bracket. The colours and lighting the camera packs into the shot help to give it a vivid look.
As I have seen from other cheaper Nikon digital cameras there is a tendency for darkness to show in the corners of this photo. This is likely to be an issue with this type of shot when the zoom lens is not being used. Sharpness is good at the centre of photo, but it does slide as you move out towards the edges.
The result with the zoom fully extended is much better. The shot is sharper all round and most of it is retained towards the edges.
Overall I am happy with the sharpness of the photos. The only weak spot out of my scenic shots is the distant scene where the zoom is not being used. I find with Nikon digital cameras it is a good idea to use the Landscape scene mode when shooting outdoor scenes. This helps to produce much sharper photos.
Portraits
This is about as much as you can ask for from this type of camera. The shot is in sharp focus, the colours are warm and you should be able to take plenty of pleasing portrait shots.
I like this portrait shot too. The lighting is evenly distributed. Colours are natural and the level of flash light is kept low enough to ensure there is minimum light bouncing back off the face.
There is noise showing up in this picture. It is still an acceptable effort, but you are likely to have to revert to flash whenever the light is less than perfect.
Macro and Colours
The level of detail the Coolpix L20 manages to bring out is very impressive. For a cheaper camera this is a good macro shot. If you do take close up shots of shiny objects you may notice a small amount of purple fringing in places.
The colours are one of the big plus points for the Coolpix L20. They help to add life to the photographs. I also like the way Nikon seems to be able to add a bit of extra brightness to their photos.
Summary
The Coolpix L20 performs very well for a cheaper compact digital camera. Many of the photos I produced with it are above average.
Style
The Coolpix L19 has the larger size and plastic body that you would normally associate with this type of camera. When I say larger size this is when compared to pocket cameras. There is a raised, grip area on the front.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.34 seconds
13.85 seconds
0.55 seconds
26.86 seconds
3.9 seconds
Ease of Use
Excellent. I cannot think of any digital cameras that are easier to use than this one.
Points I Like
Ease of use - colours - picture quality
Where it Could Improve
Darkness can creep into corners when the lens is zoomed out
Verdict
If you are looking for a cheaper digital camera that takes a good picture and is extremely easy to use then you cannot go far wrong with the Nikon Coolpix L20.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Canon Powershot A4000 IS Rating 84/100
You get quite a lot for your money with the Canon Powershot A4000 IS. If you only plan to make small sized prints or share your photos on the Internet you may not see a great deal of difference between the photos taken with this camera and those taken with other models available at around the same price. What you might notice is that the pictures have a touch more clarity. This is likely to become more evident if you make larger prints. To sum up, if you are looking for a handy compact camera, at a reasonable price, that can cope very well with most photo opportunities this camera is hard to beat.
Read Review: Canon Powershot A4000 IS Review
Panasonic DMC S5 Rating 84/100
If you are looking for a cheap pocket sized digital camera it is difficult to find one offering better picture quality than the Panasonic Lumix DMC S5. It is such a small camera and very easy to use. It is almost the ideal snapshot camera if you do not want to spend a great deal of money.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC S5 Review
Panasonic DMC S3 Rating 84/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC S3 is an excellent value for money pocket camera. It is very hard to beat when compared alongside its direct rivals. Picture quality and features have an edge over many of its competitors while the rapid response times are also a big plus point. If you are looking for a cheaper compact digital camera then you can’t go far wrong with the Lumix DMC S3.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC S3 Review
Related Pages
Nikon Coolpix L20 Review Nikon Coolpix L20 Specification Nikon Coolpix L20 Sample Images Nikon Coolpix L20 Features Canon Powershot A480 vs Nikon Coolpix L20 Nikon Digital Cameras
Review Date
April 2009
