Nikon Coolpix L5

The L series of cameras from Nikon are known for their high specs at affordable prices, which kind of defines the L5—a 7.2 megapixel camera at an excellent price of Rs. 11,500. Lets find out more about it.

Build
To begin with, the L5 comes in a relatively slim body with a distinct bulge in the front that holds down a lens, that pops right out on when turned on. The back of the camera, as always has all the options for the scene modes, settings and the zoom/tele switch. The top of the camera has the power and the shutter release along with two other buttons, namely face detection and vibration reduction (VR).

The 2.5" screen sports a 115,000 pixel resolution, which works well for most purposes. It give a pretty clear idea of what the final image is going to look like, without downgrading much in the preview.

The camera takes two AA batteries, but you don't have to worry about that being an added expenditure since Nikon bundles two NiMH batteries with a charger with this camera. Nice! Maybe other camera manufacturers should take a lesson from these guys, about giving the customer some real value for their money.

Overall, the L5 doesn't look outstanding, but it does look pretty good for a budget camera.

Features
The L5 has the Nikkor 5x zoom lens and boasts a 7.2 megapixel camera resolution, which is very impressive considering its category. Anything with 4x optical zoom and above should have a good image stabilizer, and sure enough, this one does.

It's got all the scene modes you'd need—13 in all. Besides the standard array of landscape, portrait and night modes, the L5 also features panorama assist. Every scene mode further expands to a guide mode, where you can use the helpful outlines to place your subject accordingly to make a good shot. Very helpful for newbies.