Coolpix L100 10 MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom

After extensive research on advanced point-and-shoots that use AA batteries (something I require), I settled on three: the Nikon L100, the Canon Powershot SX10IS, and the Fujifilm s8100fd. So you know the perspective from which this review is coming, I'm not an experienced photographer but I'm not clueless either. However, this is my first camera more advanced than a basic point-and-shoot. So I'll call myself an informed beginner. This is why I chose the L100: COST: The L100 is significantly less expensive than the SX10IS. The s8100fd's price was comparable to the L100, but I felt that the technology on the L100 was better. Amazon had the best price I could find (besides some sketchy online sellers). TECHNOLOGY: This was a toughy. All three of these cameras have comparable technology (image stabilization, zoom, megapixels, face recognition, scene modes, etc. etc.) and each has one or two unique features that I found very attractive. So this variable was not a deal maker or breaker for me. But when it came down to it, the L100 is the most beginner-friendly of the three cameras. The Auto Modes do literally everything for you: the camera chooses the shutter speed, ISO, aperture, no flash or one of a number of flash modes, AND scene mode, which neither of the other cameras do. So from bright- to low- light situations and from various distances, it will automatically adjust more aspects of the shot than will the other cameras. This, I think, would be especially attractive to the minimally experienced photographer who just wants to click the button wherever they are and come out with great pictures. WEIGHT AND SIZE: I handled a Canon Powershot SX10IS at the store and it was just too heavy for my liking (a common complaint, from what I've read). The L100 is very lightweight. Although the s8100fd is of similar weight, the L100 is slightly smaller in size, which I like. LARGER SCREEN: The 3 inch LCD is bigger than the screens on the other cameras, it's very bright, and it has a coating that reduces glare. After playing around with the camera for a few days, here are some additional observations/impressions: MENU: The menu is very user-friendly and easily navigable. No problems there. Take ten minutes to read through the manual so you are aware of all the menu options. DESIGN AND FEEL: It's not a slippery camera, which seems to be a complaint with some of the comparable cameras I've read reviews about. The buttons seem intuitively placed to me, and the camera feels balanced in my hand. IMAGE STABILIZATION: This works very well. As long as you are in the right mode (read the manual for descriptions of situations you should choose the modes yourself) the camera takes completely focused and clear pictures, even with an unsteady hand. BATTERIES and MEMORY CARD: The battery life on this camera is good: 900 shots with Li-Ion batteries. Some people don't like the SD card to be accessible in the same door as the batteries (like it is with this camera), but I don't find a problem with it. I bought an Ultra II SDHC card for the camera and it processes the pictures very quickly. MOVIE MODE: You can zoom 2x while shooting video, which is nice. OTHER FEATURES I LIKED: The Best Shot Selector is a unique feature that I like. It's just another one of those very beginner-friendly features of this camera that will allow you to take great shots without having to do a lot. The Sports continuous-shooting mode (shooting 13 frames per second) also works well for action shots. TAKING PICTURES: Like I mentioned before, I'm not an experienced photographer. But I found that out of the box in the "Easy-Auto" Mode, this camera takes focused, sharp, professional-looking pictures. As I started to play around with other features, I became even more impressed with the quality of the pictures in a variety of lighting, distance, and movement situations. The High ISO mode captures movement VERY well! I first tested it by waving my arm in the mirror as fast as I could and taking pictures, and the camera captured perfectly focused and crisp pictures of me. This is the first camera I've ever used that actually captures excellent movement shots. Even at maximum zoom, the shots are focused and look great. The flash is extremely bright, although I find I rarely need to use it. The only complaint that I have at this point is that the camera has trouble focusing on objects in dim light, including close objects in Macro Mode. However, from the dozens of reviews I've read on other comparable cameras, this seems to be a common problem. It's also possible that I haven't played around with the camera enough to know how to circumvent the problem, but I still was a little disappointed. OVERALL: This camera is inexpensive for it's class, lightweight, has the latest technology, and is extremely beginner- and user-friendly. It is the perfect camera for someone who wants something more than a basic point-and-shoot but doesn't want to spend the money on an SLR or the energy trying to figure out a more complex camera to get great shots. For those beginner to moderately skilled photographers debating between an advanced point-and-shoot and a SLR (like I initially did), you will be glad you got this over an expensive and bulky SLR. A SLR with a 15x+ telephoto lens will cost 3-4 times as much as this camera, and I'm very pleased with the quality of the photos I'm getting with the L100. The Easy-Auto and Auto modes are excellent and I think most people will be very happy with the shots they will produce while in them, even if they never leave those modes. However, learning all of the features is easy and hasn't taken me that long, and my pictures have looked more and more professional the more I've played around with them. This is a great camera. PS-I got the M-Rock Ozark 505 case for this camera and it fits it perfectly ---------------------------- Here is a video collage of pictures I took with this camera in Namibia - [...]

I bought this Nikon a few months ago & love it so far! I'm by no means a professional photographer, but I do take TONS of pictures. This is my 3rd digital camera. First was a Canon that I had some major problems with after less than 2 years, had to send it off to be fixed then it broke again & I finally ended up buying a Sony. I've had the Sony about 2.5 years & have had no problems w/ it. I still like it for every day stuff (it's small & fits in my purse), but I really wanted a camera w/ more zoom & this Nikon is perfect. I went to Hawaii shortly after I bought the camera & it's very easy to use. I learned all the features quickly w/out reading the manual. I took it everywhere, took about 500 pics & they all came out great. My friend who lives there loved it & says it's better than her SLR. I got some wonderful pics of her kids on the beach using the "beach" setting. I also got great sunset pics w/ the "sunset & dusk/dawn" settings. The indoor pictures turn out great as well...the color is very nice. The camera is not heavy, very comfortable to wear around your neck w/ the strap. I wish it would've come w/ a case, couldn't even find one through Nikon. I ended up buying a Sony case from Walmart & it fits perfectly. This is a great camera for someone who wants something a little more professional than a point & shoot, but doesn't want the price or size of a SLR. When my friends see the lens on this thing, they think it's really expensive & cannot believe I got it at Amazon for just over $200. Amazon definitely has the best price since you don't pay shipping or tax. I did a lot of research & couldn't decide what brand is best...I think you never really know what can happen w/ electronics. But I love this Nikon & would definitely recommend it.

Haven't owned a camera in 30 years. My last was a Fugi SLR film camera which I was getting better with before I moved to Florida where it was too hot (for me) to do any darkroom work. So, I quit. Lately, I began getting interested again...the wildlife I encounter all the time sparked my interest, again. Really, it was a bald eagle in a dead tree which let me get close enough to get about 8 shots with my cell phone camera. None of them were viewable. Then I started carrying around an older Kodak p&s, curtesy of my spouse. I actually saw the eagle again and got what I thought were some ok exposures...Wrong. No way to tell whether the bird was an eagle or a vulture. I was unable to get close enough. So I researched a bit, knowing I needed some optical telephoto capability. But I was not going to make a big investment at this stage fo the game. I've always respected Nikon quality and utility and the L100 fell within the range I was willing to spend...just barely. Unfortunately, I got it slightly used...$5 more and could have gotten a new one. But I got confused in my ordering. Anyway, the camera and accessories were fine...the only problem was that there was no operating manual. After about an hour of trying to figure things out, I gave up and downloaded one from Nikon. At 148 pages, it was a bit costly when I printed it out. But without it, I could not have done much with the camera. Its a good camera. The shots keep getting better as I get to know what I'm doing. Getting proficient is still going to take some time, however. It is a rather complex machine, it seems to me. So if one isn't prepared for a somewhat lengthy learning curve or knows digital cameras well, the L100 may be too much bother. The only thing I really hate about it is that it has no viewfinder except for the lcd in the back. Shooting non cooperating wild animals outdoors, in sunny weather can be exasperating...the bright illumination sometimes washing out the lcd image just when I'm ready to hit the shutter button as the sun peeks out from behind a cloud or you have to change your angle. Since I've never used a camera that didn't have a viewfinder...except that one time with my wife's Kodak, I just assumed it would have one. My fault. Its not too big or bulky but certainly not as small and lightweight as most point and shoot models. For me, that's good because I'm less likely to forget I have it or put it down somewhere and forget where I left it...oldtimers disease. Seems to have a quality build and has been reliable, so far. So, I'd give it an overall 4 out of 5. Probably 5 of 5 if it had a viewfinder.

I am an amateur when it comes to photography, but my last Canon started producing fuzzy shots and the images were unable to print in a 4x6 without looking awful. I am fairly hard pressed to spend the amount of money I did on a camera, so I wanted to make sure I was getting what I would pay for. I researched for a couple of weeks finding out what went into a good camera and how to make the best of a camera I would end up purchasing. I went into stores, talked with sales clerks, friends, family, co-workers and just about anyone I came across who liked taking pictures. I read countless reviews, both pros and cons. I looked hard at the cons of each camera. Finally it boiled down to the L100. I read some reviews of the camera not taking very good pictures or coming out fuzzy. I have not had any trouble with this camera. I did find that buying a decent memory card made a difference in how quickly the camera can store the picture. Some complaints were made about it being a AA battery charged camera - my opinion - I'm glad I'm not worried that I didn't charge my camera the night before, or worry about it then. I just pack some extra batteries and I'm on my way. I have taken my camera on nature walks and drug my dog along with me. This camera produced such amazing, vivid pictures that even my family was impressed. Believe me I was skeptical, but I have found this camera to be a great, amateur camera for those who love taking good pictures. It has been a wonderful learning tool. READ THE MANUAL - I'm a visual learner, but I have found this manual to be extensive and very helpful. So for the price, fast shipping by Amazon, quality pictures I have taken - do I regret anything? Absolutely not. I am so happy with my choice, and so impressed with this piece of technology. As far as the couple four stars I gave it - only in good conscience could I say that I did not absolutely love it because really, it is no SLR. Still, it is awesome.

I can't recommend purchasing the Nikon CoolPix L100, - not even to my worst enemy. Especially not a good camera for any one time moments. You will be taking a dice roll with every shot, not a photograph. Too bad, it's a nice looking camera, nice lens, just junk internal works and cheap firmware apparently. Having owned and used the old reliable Nikon FG 35mm SLR (non-digital) for many years, and also a Nikon "One Touch" Zoom 90 (Digital "point and shoot"); I was really disappointed with the dismal image quality of the CoolPix L100. Nikon really has drastically lowered the quality of their products, if this is any example. I couldn't produce many decent photos indoors or out, most were not even close. Almost every single photo was either blurred, extremely grainy, or washed out, etc...and, Yes, that's both with or without the flash. Mostly, the photos were just plain out of focus. I read the manual, tried various and multiple different settings, then buckled down and methodically tried almost every setting in a massive effort to get one single halfway decent "near" closeup facial shot, but all for naught. So, I went to the store, got some film and took shots with my Zoom 90 just to get a few focused quality shots. Needless to say, I am sending the CoolPix L100 back immediately. Thanks goes to Amazon for their return policy. The sad part is, - I paid nearly $25.00, which is unrecoverable, to have this junker delivered the next day. Apparently, there's a lot of junk cameras out there nowadays, no matter whose name is on it, so buyers beware. After a lot of research, I'm now going for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera (Black),...wish me luck!

I have not used this camera extensively yet, however I have a few remarks. I am a non-professional recreational photographer primarily shooting outdoors. Nature scenes and landscapes. This camera was attractive because of its relatively light-weight and the 15X zoom for wildlife photography. I have not used it yet for these purposes, so I intend to report back later on my experiences. What I can tell is this camera is very straight-forward to use. The Easy-Shot mode will have most point and shoot photographers (like me) up and running quickly. Easy to handle, has a nice feel. The display is well designed, I haven't use it outside in daylight yet so not sure how well it handles glare. Lot's of features for a reasonable price. Works like a point-and-shoot digital with a little of the feel of a SLR. This camera works with NiMH rechargeable batteries if you desire. One tip- after first installation of the NiMH batteries you change the battery selection (to NiMH), your battery meter will appear to be low. Just turn off the camera and back on again, the low battery indication should disappear (if the batteries are fully charged).

We've had this camera for a month now. Absolutely no problems with it. We do have Trascend memory card in it--works great. No focusing problem either. I have researched a lot of Cannon Powershots ELPHS and such but decided to go with this one. It is very easy to use. Very user friendly menu. Takes great pictures with an amazing zoom. Colors are wonderful. I was very worried that I would have a problem without a viewfinder. Well, the 3'' LCD is truly great--I was taking pictures at the beach, in the middle of the day, and still was able to see the screen. I was also concerned about having to raise the flash manually, since I am not a pro at all. I realized that being able to do that is actually a great advantage for every day pictures. It makes a huge difference when taking pictures inside. I had problems with flash going off automatically with my Sony Cybershots, and now I see the difference. Make sure to get a big enough camera bag.

I read most of the reviews on this camera before I bought it. Seemed there were some early learning experiances but overall was easy to use and took great pictures. Well, I have taken 140 shots so far and half of them do not come out clear. If you are inside, the picture quality is fair at best. You have to change the mega pixel down to around 4 to get clear inside shots. If you are going to use the zoom, change the mega pixel down to around 3. The stabilization does not work all that great either. I am going to spend another couple of weeks with this thing and if it continues to take all kinds of adjustments to get decent picture I am sending it back. This thing is alittle more like a SLR when it comes to taking pictures, ain't no point and shoot.