Nikon CoolPix L100
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc. Part number: 26170
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- Editors' review
- User reviews
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- Product series
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- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Nikon Coolpix L100 is a decent entry-level megazoom. Just don't look too closely at the photos and stock up on AA batteries.
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CNET editors' review
Nikon CoolPix L100 price range: $184.99 - $249.95
- Reviewed by: Joshua Goldman
- Reviewed on: 06/02/2009
- Released on: 04/01/2009
The good: Comfortable design; reliable auto features; cheap.
The bad: Uneven, soft photos; almost no control over ISO; cannot use rechargeable batteries.
The bottom line: The Nikon Coolpix L100 is a decent entry-level megazoom. Just don't look too closely at the photos and stock up on AA batteries.
Editors' note: Nikon released a firmware update for the Coolpix L100 that will allow the camera to use rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. The use of these batteries will allow the camera to shoot up to 600 photos on a single charge. The update also adds an NiMH option to the camera's setup menu. This added feature changes the camera's overall rating from 6.4 to 6.6.
A majority of megazoom cameras--at least those styled like digital SLRs--have advanced features such as shutter speed and aperture-priority modes, bracketed shooting, and electronic color filters. They also usually carry price tags upward of $300. Nikon took its budget-friendly megazoom--the Coolpix L100--the other direction by limiting shooting options and setting the price below $280 offering up a purely point-and-shoot experience with a wide-angle 15x zoom lens on front. Unfortunately, it seems the quality of that lens as well as one major handicap keeps the L100 from being a better low-cost megazoom option than it is.
| Key specs | Nikon Coolpix L100 |
| Price (MSRP) | $279.99 |
| Dimensions | 4.3 inches wide by 2.8 inches high by 3 inches deep |
| Weight (with battery and media) | 15.8 ounces |
| Megapixels, image sensor size, type | 10 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD |
| LCD size, resolution | 3-inch LCD, 230K dots |
| Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) | 15x, f3.5-5.4, 28-420mm (35mm equivalent) |
| File format (still/video) | JPEG/AVI |
| Highest resolution size (still/video) | 3,648x2,736 pixels/640x480 at 30fps |
| Image stabilization type | Mechanical and electronic |
| Battery type, rated life | AA alkaline (4), 350 shots |
The L100 is reasonably compact for a wide-angle megazoom camera, though it's clearly far from fitting in any small pockets. The handgrip is big and comfortable and the control layout is straightforward (almost generic). On top is a power button and shutter release surrounded by a zoom ring. On back is a standard four-way directional pad with Shooting mode and Playback buttons above it and Menu and Delete buttons below. The menu system is basic with a tab for mode-specific shooting options and another tab for system settings--both accessed with one press of the Menu button on the same screen.
There is no viewfinder. You'll have to rely on the LCD for framing shots, which was bright enough for use in direct sunlight. If you use a flash at all, the one on the L100 has to be raised manually. The raising part isn't the issue, though. It's that unlike most point-and-shoot cameras, the L100 won't tell you when to use the flash unless it is raised. However, a bigger problem with the camera's design is that it can't be used with rechargeable AA batteries; only alkaline or lithium cells can be used.
| General shooting options | Nikon Coolpix L100 |
| ISO sensitivity (full resolution) | Auto (80 to 800) |
| White balance | Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Manual, Flash |
| Recording modes | Auto, Easy auto, Scene, Sport Continuous/High sensitivity/Smile, Movie |
| Focus | Face priority, Center |
| Metering | Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot |
| Color effects | Standard, Vivid, Black & White, Sepia, Cyanotype |
| Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) | Seven photos |
In case there was any confusion because of its design, the lack of shooting options on the L100 makes it clear that this is nothing more than a simple snapshot camera that happens to have a long lens on front. It's best suited for users who intend to leave everything in automatic. Nothing drives this point home more than the near complete absence of control over ISO sensitivities--it's automatic all the way. The only exception is the High Sensitivity mode, which fixes the ISO to 720 and higher and lowers the resolution to 3 megapixels. If you're in Auto mode, you can adjust white balance and light metering, and there is the capability to shoot using different color effects, but that's about it for adjustments. Easy auto is Nikon's scene recognition mode, which makes settings based on what's being shot. If you don't agree with it, you can always drop into Scene mode and pick the one that's best suited for your subject.
Megazooms aren't known for their speedy performance, and while the L100 doesn't buck the trend, it holds its own in all but full-resolution burst shooting. Start-up to first shot is very good 1.9 seconds. Shutter lag is on par with others in its class at 0.7 second in well-lit conditions and a full second in low light. Shot-to-shot speed is an above average 2.1 seconds and turning on the flash only adds 0.2 second to that time. The L100 has two burst modes. One's a high-speed mode capable of up to 13 frames per second for up to 30 frames, but the resolution is only 3 megapixels or less. The other is full-resolution continuous shooting for up to seven photos, which is what CNET Labs uses for testing. That option comes in at a dreadfully slow 0.4fps.
With no precise control over ISO, there was no way of doing our usual standardized tests for judging detail, sharpness, and image noise. These are more for reference, though, when comparing against real-life test shots; those were generally mediocre.
Photos were never sharp regardless of ISO, making subjects look very soft. Colors aren't accurate, but were still pleasing with the exception of reds and oranges, which appear too vibrant and occasionally blown out. There was also an above average amount of chromatic aberration (purple fringing) and some atypical lens flare that cast a haze on the right side of some of our test shots. It's not all bad news, though. Detail was good up to ISO 200 with little to no color noise. Best results were achieved outdoors in bright lighting, which kept the sensitivity below ISO 200. Between ISO 200 and 400 will cost you detail as the noise reduction makes pictures even softer and photos take on a painterly appearance. It's not an entirely unpleasant effect, but something to note if you plan on making prints larger than 8x10 inches. When the camera selected sensitivities above ISO 400 (the sensitivities aren't traditionally stepped, so you end up seeing ISO numbers like 586 and 720), off-color specks start showing up on top of everything else. You can't see them unless you're viewing photos at 100 percent, but they do affect color consistency.
The L100 does have a movie mode limited to 640x480-pixel resolution. The results look good, especially if they're destined for Web use, but be warned: the optical zoom does not work while recording.
The Nikon Coolpix L100 is a low-cost, easy-to-use megazoom that has a dearth of features and average photo quality. Those expecting the performance of a digital SLR simply because it sort of resembles one are going to be sorely disappointed. This is no more than a basic point-and-shoot with a wide-angle lens and a 15x zoom.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Time to first shot | |
Typical shot-to-shot time | |
Shutter lag (dim) | |
Shutter lag (typical) |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Find out more about how we test digital cameras.
User reviews
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The mysterious case of the missing chargeables
by Chiefbighorn on July 14, 2009
Pros: A nice point and shoot camera. Large LCD. Love the Zoom. Looks professional.
Cons: The battery controversy. Can you or can you not use rechargeables.
Summary: A mistake I see some wanta be professional digital photographers make is that they get sucked into buying cameras that are beyond what they really need. First, This camera is ...
Summary: A mistake I see some wanta be professional digital photographers make is that they get sucked into buying cameras that are beyond what they really need. First, This camera is meant to be for beginners like me. Second, this camera is for people who got another professional life and don't have time to get a degree in photography, but like taking good photos. Don't laugh at me, but I think this camera has to many functions.... just joking.
But the biggest issue with this camera is Nikon attempt to discourage the use of rechargeables. My old camera die leaving me in it's will, tons of chargeables. I ignore the manual and the threats by proffesional reviewers and threw some Ni MH rechargeables in the L100. It worked !!! It worked great !!! It doesn't damage or hurt the camera. So why did Nikon .....What were they thinking about? They lost a lot of sales because of the "don't use rechargeable batteries campaign." Somebody should lose their job. The only reason I bought this camera is because I'm hardheaded. I didn't listen to the professional critics and reviewers. And because of that, I saved a lot of money. Now this camera is not going to make the top ten Digital Point and Shoot because of the battery blown of of proporsion controversy, but a little secret. You get a lot of bang for the bucks. Use rechargeables in this camera.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I recently purchased this camera.
by blackfalkon33 on May 2, 2009
Pros: This is a great camera for someone that wants a lot of features and is user friendly and automatic and a great point and shoot digital camera. Right out of the box the camera is easy to use and has a lot of cool features for the price.
Cons: It does not technically use rechargeable batteries as the product information my suggest but trust me you can use 2AA rechargeable batteries and it works perfect. The flash is manual but that is not a big deal. It does not have a view finder.
Summary: This is a great camera for the average Joe. If you want a family camera that you can take pictures of as well as use the movie mode I would ...
Summary: This is a great camera for the average Joe. If you want a family camera that you can take pictures of as well as use the movie mode I would highly recommend this camera and get yourself a good SDHC card and have a blast. The camera has 10 mega pixels and a wide angle 15x optical zoom and at a $279 price which is it going for it is the highest zoom you will find. The camera looks sleek and is real comfortable to your hand. Another cool feature is the one-button trash button, so if you take a picture you don't like you can delete it quickly. One of the best features of this camera is the one button settings mode. If you are like me and don't like that rotation wheel at the top of a camera with all those little diagrams and letter and your never exactly sure what setting your camera is on then this is the camera for you. You just hit this one settings button and on the screen it shows you your settings mode and you can scroll down to any setting you want no guess work it says it right on the screen it is great. This camera does not have a view finder to look through to take a picture if you like that. I never used that in the past I always us the LCD screen and this has a big 3 inch one so there was no issue there. Let me clear up another myth. The rechargeable batteries that I read about in other reviews. The owners manual will tell you that it does not us rechargeable batteries but this is a little confusing as I researched that before I bought it. The true story here is that you can use rechargeable AA batteries. It takes for of them and as far as keeping a charge goes, I just got back from vacation and I took over 300 pictures and several minutes of movie clips and never charged the batteries once. So just buy some good rechargeable batteries. I bought a back of set just in case and put them in my bag but never needed them. If you use the flash you need to lift it manually but it is simple. It has an excellent video movie mode and I took several minutes of them and it came out great. For the price you can beat this camera if you want something user friendly with a lot of cool features and the pictures came out great, excellent quality. I used it on my family vacation with my wife and son and we got tons of pictures and they looked great. Good luck.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Can definitely do MUCH better
by mintyooos on June 16, 2009
Pros: 15x zoom; Many features; Large LCD screen; Simple to use; Great grip / feel
Cons: Uses 4 non-rechargeable batteries; ISO not adjustable; Pictures are often soft and / or grainy; Macro not reliable
Summary: I recently bought this camera, expecting it to be amazing (darn you Ashton Kutcher). The store wasn't able to let its buyers try out the product first, so I ...
Summary: I recently bought this camera, expecting it to be amazing (darn you Ashton Kutcher). The store wasn't able to let its buyers try out the product first, so I got it with the assurance that I could return it... and I think I will.
At first glance, the Nikon CoolPix L100 looks pretty sophisticated, with its large lens and "barrel." Admittedly, the chunky barrel aids in grip, making this camera comfortable and easy to hold. The drawback is that, because of the lens and its inability to retract, it is hard to fit into a camera bag. Instead, a strap IS provided so that you can hang the camera around your neck, but in my opinion, I wouldn't want to walk around with a vulnerable camera (mostly because I'm not the most graceful human in the world).
Getting back on topic: now, with this sophisticated point and shoot camera, you would expect this to at the very least have an adjustable ISO, right? WRONG. The ISO "adjusts" itself, but it often does it in vain, causing pictures that shouldn't be grainy to be grainy. This was probably the biggest blow for me, but I tried to jump back up and look at the other features of the camera.
There are a lot of features, including portrait and landscape, but they are all almost totally "preset." Meaning, if you set the camera to portrait but also want a flash with that setting, it doesn't flash. This is nice for people who don't want to mess with their camera, but I like to get more creative with my photos. I found this practically impossible with the Nikon CoolPix L100.
Even the Macro, a feature I like to use often because of my many close-ups of nature, is unreliable. Sometimes it will focus correctly, but most times it won't.
It uses non-rechargeable batteries right now, but I heard this summer (Summer '09), it will change, so I won't go on about this.
The zoom is good, but because of the mediocre picture quality, it isn't too much of a positive. After all, what's the point of the zoom if the picture is not nice and bright, is very grainy, and is unfocused?
This is a decent (and ONLY decent) camera for beginners. It doesn't require messing around with, but that's partly because it just doesn't ALLOW it.
I would NOT recommend this camera to someone looking to be more creative in their photography. The curious camera mind would definitely not be satisfied with the limited control this camera offers. It is not recommended for high-quality pictures either - of course, it is just a point and shoot, but even then there are better quality point and shoot cameras.
The Nikon CoolPix L100 is the literal meaning of "Point and Shoot."
Unfortunately, that isn't a compliment.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great camera for the price. Excellent for Beginners.
by Isla12 on August 14, 2009
Pros: Good zoom capability. For people that aren't tech savvy, makes taking great pictures alot easier.
Cons: A little short on the amount of time that is allotted for movies. Could be a little longer.
Summary: All in all..this is an excellent camera for beginners. For us NON-PROFESSIONALS that just like to have a great camera for family bbq photos and the occasional scrapbooking photos. ...
Summary: All in all..this is an excellent camera for beginners. For us NON-PROFESSIONALS that just like to have a great camera for family bbq photos and the occasional scrapbooking photos. This camera is geared towards those of us who really don't wanna fuss with all the technicalities of what setting is good for what scene. If you wanna be impressive and look like you know what you're doing by making all kinds of adjustments.. then look at the more expensive ones rather than trying to get something for nothing. This camera is user friendly and that's the main thing.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Zoom in without the DSLR expense
by Knightcrawler on August 14, 2009
Pros: 15x zoom, nice handgrip, rechargable batteries with firmware 1.1,
Cons: With a 15x zoom I'm not surprised you sometimes get fuzzy pictures.
Summary: Now with the firmware update this camera is greatly improved. For those with 1.0 firmware you can download the firmware 1.1 from Nikon's website.
Summary: Now with the firmware update this camera is greatly improved. For those with 1.0 firmware you can download the firmware 1.1 from Nikon's website.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The Worst camera that I have ever had!!
by DJ71858 on July 13, 2009
Pros: Beautiful looking camera, with some great features.
Cons: Picture quality is very, very fuzzy.
Summary: I bought it, took it home, took some pictures and returned it all in the same day. I then bought another brand at over half the cost and it out ...
Summary: I bought it, took it home, took some pictures and returned it all in the same day. I then bought another brand at over half the cost and it out preformed the Nikon over 100 percent. All I can say is don't buy it.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good quality, very simple, nice wide lense amazing zoom
by xxxbilliexxx on April 16, 2009
Pros: Good crisp photos when you learn how to use it. Wide lens is great, optical zoom is also a nice thing to have. The recharable NimH 2800 AA batteries last ages. Its a good solid, nice looking camera and feels fantastic in the hand.
Cons: Maybe the LCD could scratch easy.. Nevertheless it is a great LCD with good size & clarity.
Summary: I like this camera because it does everything I want and more with great simplicity. It not only feels good in the hand but also looks good. Maybe if I ...
Summary: I like this camera because it does everything I want and more with great simplicity. It not only feels good in the hand but also looks good. Maybe if I was a pro I would expect more, however for now I am very pleased as auto is my favorite setting with the option of slight simple manual adjustments to perfect clear website photos. For older people like me in small real estate business its a lifesaver to say the absolute least. I am very pleased with my $460 spend on this camera.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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If you like to buy batteries buy this camera
by jofepole on April 13, 2009
Pros: Nice features (if you like everything automatic), feels good in your hands,
Cons: Focus for macro photography is unreliable...it misses a lot, not designed to use rechargeable batteries, can't manually adjust ISO.
Summary: I was impressed by this camera in the store but I should have done a more complete check on the camera. When I got home I realized I could not ...
Summary: I was impressed by this camera in the store but I should have done a more complete check on the camera. When I got home I realized I could not manually adjust the ISO which is someting you can do on lower priced compact cameras, and a feature I use often. I'm not sure why they left this useful feature out on the L100.
I tried to take some macro pictures of my moms newly bloomed orchid but the auto focus kept missing. The camera would focus in and out passing the sharp image and stopping at a blured image. I was centering the shot in the middle of the flower at about 3 cm away.
The deal breaker and the reason I am returning the camera is because the camera is not designed to take rechargeable batteries. What a foolish thing to leave out. In my house standard rechargeable NiMH are the norm and it's nice not to have to plug in yet another different type of charger for yet another electronic device. We also like the convinience of not having to worry to take the camera charger with us in case we are running low.
The deciding factor for us was that the camera took AA's but when we found out that it was not designed for rechargeable AA's we realized we had made the wrong choice. We care about the amount of trash we make and having to use standard AA's for this camera just seems out of touch.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love the camera even with some of its quirks
by ericslick on December 4, 2009
Pros: First of all, the camera was 250 bucks. That is a major selling point for me. Takes great pics even though it takes some work to get down.
Cons: Not much customizable options for the camera. You gotta figure things out to get what you want outta the camera. The battery life is also a downer.
Summary: Well I bought this camera so that I could snap shots of stuff that I was writing articles for, mostly live concerts. Well the camera does perform but it does ...
Summary: Well I bought this camera so that I could snap shots of stuff that I was writing articles for, mostly live concerts. Well the camera does perform but it does have some quirks that are irritating at times.
I will usually leave the camera on auto mode, not easy auto mode, to take most of my pictures. They turn out well. The large screen on the camera is a nice plus. Popping the flash up when it is needed is not as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be.
One of my biggest concerns though is the battery situation. I have gone through a tone of batteries but if you go to Wal-Mart or some other big box store you can buy a ton of triple A's for cheap. But on the other hand I am never stuck having a camera that needs its batteries recharged either.
Overall it is a great camera for its price. I would recommend it for anyone who is looking for something then a little big than just a regular digital camera. -
ok for the zoom I guess?
by Zboyy on December 3, 2009
Pros: Ok pics, not so good video little faster than usual point and shoot
Cons: Cannot choose ISO amount its all auto mode kids. No viewfinder and Sluggish. Last Resort Camera
Summary: U heard it
Summary: U heard it
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
- Part number: 26170
- Description: The Coolpix L100 puts the power of a 15x telephoto zoom into a compact easy to use design. A wide variety of images can be captured with the Coolpix L100 from wide angle scenes (28mm) to telephoto (420mm). Ideal for family sports or travel photography the Coolpix L100 can shoot up to 30 consecutive pictures at 13 frames per second. The scene auto selector the Coolpix L100 automatically selects the appropriate scene mode for best results.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 4.3 in
- Depth 3.1 in
- Height 2.8 in
- Weight 12.5 oz
Main Features
- Resolution 10 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 10,700,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,000,000 pixels
- Light Sensitivity ISO auto (80-3200)
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Programs Copy, Food, Museum, Sunset, Close-up, Dawn/dusk, Fireworks, Landscape, Back light, Beach/snow, Sports mode, Party/indoor, Portrait mode, Night portrait, Night landscape, Panorama assist
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Face Detection Yes
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Integrated Memory 44 MB
- Floppy Drive None
- Digital Storage Media None
- Image Storage JPEG 3648 x 2736, JPEG 2592 x 1944, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1024 x 768, JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 3584 x 2016, JPEG 1920 x 1080
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 5 mm - 75 mm - F/3.5-5.4
- Focal Length 5 mm - 75 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 28 - 420 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Min Focus Range 19.7 in
- Macro Focus Range 1cm
- Lens Aperture F/3.5-5.4
- Optical Zoom 15 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Additional Features Face detection, In-camera red-eye fix, Blink Detection technology, Smile Detection technology, Motion Detection Technology
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 3 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Lens cap, Carrying strap
- Cables Included A/V cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device None
Battery
- Supported Battery AA
- Supported Battery 4 x AA Alkaline battery ( Included ), 4 x AA Lithium battery ( Optional )
Product series
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Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 10 megapixels, 3.6 x, 3 in LCD display
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Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Full body, 10 megapixels, 15 x, 3 in LCD display
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Nikon CoolPix L19 (bright silver)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: Compact, 8 megapixels, 3.6 x, 2.7 in LCD display
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Nikon Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nikon Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.nikonusa.com/
- Address:
1300 Walt Whitman Rd.
Melville, NY 11747 - Phone: 516/547-4200
- Fax: 631-547-4025
