The Nikon Coolpix L1 is an entry-level 6.2 megapixel
camera that features a 5X optical zoom and a large 2.5-inch
LCD monitor. The L1 can be purchased in a silver or black
finish.
The shutter release is
a 2-stage type, positioned closer to the front and directly
on top of the small grip. To its left is the power switch,
recessed into the top of the camera to avoid any accidental
activation. A small LED to its left indicates the camera is
on by glowing green.
The mode selector is embedded astride the back ridge
of the L1, and provides three positions for the capture modes:
As with all other shooting
modes, the Auto setting leaves the camera in charge
of selecting both aperture and shutter speed. However,
white balance, metering pattern, and autofocus mode can
be selected. Nevertheless, it must be noted that whatever
the mode, ISO sensitivity remains under the control of
the camera.
The middle position of the mode selector
serves to access any of the 15 Scene Modes. The
camera remembers the last used Scene mode, and selecting
another requires pressing the MENU button to
select another mode from those listed. (See below).
The first option at the top
left of the Scene selection screen, displayed when the menu
button is pressed, is an access to the Setup menu (see
the Interface and Software section of the review for
more information about the Setup menu). Also, worth noting,
the Scene modes shown on the top row provide framing assistance,
which, in the case of three of the modes, place outlines on
the monitor allowing the user to position the subject inside
the outline. The choice of the framing assistance is selected
using the OK button (see further).
Portrait:uses as wide
an aperture as possible to blur the background,
an effect that is enhanced when the zoom is used.
The framing assistance for the Portrait mode makes
it possible to frame one or two persons horizontally
or vertically (Portrait Left, Portrait Right, Portrait
Close-up, Portrait Couple, Portrait Figure), and
to activate the face recognition AF (Face-Priority
AF).
Landscape: accentuates contours,
colours and contrasts slightly. Focus is set to
infinity. The framing assistance offered makes it
possible to align properly a distant landscape,
photograph architecture, or photograph a group to
the right or the left of the subject (Scenic View,
Architecture, Group Right, Group Left).
Sports captures a series
of images at 0.7 fps when set to the largest image
size and highest image quality, adjusting focus
for each frame. Two Assists are available, Sport
Spectator, which has the same frame rate but
which limits the focus zone from 1.5 m (4.5 ft)
to infinity when the zoom is at the wide angle
end, and from 20 m (60 ft) to infinity when the
zoom is at its maximum telephoto, allowing the
camera to focus faster. Sport Composite,
which captures a burst of 16 images in approximately
2 seconds and saves them into a single 2816 x
2112-pixel image. With this mode the autofocus
is set to Continuous mode.
Night Portrait: is intended
to capture portraits against a backdrop of night
time scenery. The flash mode is automatically set
to Red-eye Reduction, and noise reduction is applied
to the image post-capture. The framing assistance
available is similar to what is offered with the
Portrait mode.
Party Indoor:
is intended to capture photos using artificial light.
The flash is automatically set to Red-eye Reduction
auto, but can be set to any other mode.
Beach/Snow: allows
the camera to automatically compensate the exposure
to offset the brightness of water or snow and capture
a bright image. The flash mode is automatically
set to Auto, but can be changed.
Sunset: the flash
is forced off, and colours associated with sunset
are accentuated.
Dusk Dawn: this
mode captures the warm colours of dusk or dawn and
cancels the flash. Noise reduction (for exposures
up to 2 seconds) is automatically applied and focus
is set to infinity.
Night Landscape:
offers a slow shutter speed of 2 seconds to capture
night scenery. The focus is set to infinity, the
flash is forced off, and noise reduction is applied
to the image.
Close up: allows
the camera to focus on a subject 4cm (1.6 in) distant
when the flower icon on the monitor turns green.
Museum: forces
the flash to off and turns off the focus assist
lamp while activating the Best Shot Selector (BSS).
Fireworks Show:
uses a slow shutter speed, up to 4 seconds, while
forcing off the flash and the AF assist lamp and
locking the focus at infinity.
Copy: captures
images in black and white with a strong contrast
to improve detail in the image. Although the flash
mode is set to Forced off by default, it can be
modified.
Back Light: intended
for use when the subject is against the light, the
flash is Forced On to add light.
Panorama Assist:
serves to capture a series of images that will be
stitched together later on a computer using software
included with the L1. Photographic parameters are
set at the first image, and maintained for the entire
series, and once the first photo is captured, the
camera displays it on the monitor so the next shot
can be aligned to it.
The last option appearing in the Scene selection screen,
,
is to select the image size and quality (see the
Characteristics section of the review).
The third position of the Mode Selector
is for the Movie Mode, which allows capturing
movies with mono sound in any one of three formats:
TV Movie 640: captures a 640 x 480 pixel
frame size at 15 fps.
Small Size 320:
captures a 320 x 240 pixel frame size at 30 fps.
Smaller Size 160 :
captures a 160 x 120 pixel frame size at 30 fps.
The length of the movie is determined by the capacity
and free space in the memory. Auto focus can be set
to single or continuous, and while the zoom position
and white balance are locked at the first frame, exposure
is dynamically adjusted.
The back of the Coolpix L1 is primarily
devoted to the 2.5-inch — measured diagonally
— (62 mm) LCD monitor , composed of 115,000 pixels,
therefore the remaining external controls are clustered on
the right side of the screen.
At the top is the zoom control,
which, as is often the case, doubles as a way to see thumbnails
in groups of 4 or 9 when pressed to the W []
side; and a tool to zoom into an image and inspect its details,
up to 8X, when pressed to the T []
side.
In addition, the telephoto side provides yet another function,
indicated by a secondary icon .
When a menu, or the Scene selection screen is displayed, or
the frame Assist options are on screen, pressing the T
side of the zoom button provides a short text explanation
of the option or mode's use.
Directly below the zoom control is the MENU button,
which as its name indicates, displays the menu that
corresponds to the mode currently selected.
Next down is the Multi Selector ,which
is composed of 4-distinct buttons arranged in a circle around
the OK button, which commonly serves to confirm a selection.
The OK button also supports 2 additional functions,
labelled with icons at the top right of the Multi Selector:
When the L1 is connected to
a computer equipped with the software included with the
camera, the button starts the automatic transfer of images.
When the L1 is in Playback
mode, the button applies the D-Lighting process
to brighten the darker areas in an image.
While the 4 buttons of the Multi
Selector are used to navigate the various menus and option screens
of the camera, each also supports a specific function when the
camera is set to a capture mode:
The top button displays
the options for the Flash's mode: Auto, Auto with
Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off, Forced On (Fill-in) and
Forced On with Red-eye Reduction.
The right button calls
up the Exposure Compensation: over a range of ±2
EV in 0.3 EV increments when the camera is set to the
Auto mode, or some of the scene modes.
The down button displays
the option to start the Macro mode. The L1 is able
to focus on a subject that is 4cm (1.6 in) from the front
element of the lens when the zoom is at the wide angle
end, and the icon indicating the Macro mode changes to
green.
The left button displays
the Self-timer option screen, which offers a 10
second delay before the shutter is released. Worth noting,
if more that one shot is to be captured using the self-timer,
it must be re-selected for every shot.
Underneath the Multi Selector are two more buttons which
complete the external controls of the Coolpix L1.
The one on the left, labelled
,
starts the Playback mode. And, if it is pressed and
held for more than 4 seconds when the camera is off, it will
turn on the L1, entering the Playback mode without deploying
the lens, while pressing it again will switch to the capture
mode.
The button on the right
serves to delete an image, be it while the camera is in Playback
mode, or when the image is displayed on the screen immediately
post capture.
The Coolpix L1 is a simple camera
that has few controls over the way the image is captured.
It has few external controls making it easy to master them,
and these react quickly when used.
Similarly, the large monitor is generally perfect for framing
shots; however, the lack of an optical viewfinder is regretted
when the monitor is under direct sunlight.
Compare Prices for Nikon CoolPix L1 Digital Camera Battery Charger (B-9700)
Introduction
,
is to select the image size and quality (see the
Characteristics section of the review).
:
captures a 320 x 240 pixel frame size at 30 fps.
]
side; and a tool to zoom into an image and inspect its details,
up to 8X, when pressed to the T [
]
side.
.
When a menu, or the Scene selection screen is displayed, or
the frame Assist options are on screen, pressing the T
side of the zoom button provides a short text explanation
of the option or mode's use.
,
starts the Playback mode. And, if it is pressed and
held for more than 4 seconds when the camera is off, it will
turn on the L1, entering the Playback mode without deploying
the lens, while pressing it again will switch to the capture
mode.
serves to delete an image, be it while the camera is in Playback
mode, or when the image is displayed on the screen immediately
post capture.
