The interface of the Coolpix
L1 is very clear and legible because of the large 2.5-inch
monitor. Information is presented very legibly, near the edges
of the monitor so that it does not interfere too much with
the image coming from the lens. While there is no indication
of either the shutter speed or the aperture the camera selects
when the shutter is pressed halfway, a possible camera shake
icon is displayed if the shutter speed drops to a point where
the photographer's inadvertent movements might cause a blurred
image. Moreover, should the image be blurred, the camera displays
a warning before saving the image, asking the user whether
the image is to be kept or not.
Menus are likewise clear and legible by being presented on
a uniform colour background that helps make the text stand
out, even under strong light. And, once familiar with their
contents, an option contained in the Setup menu makes it possible
to change the text display of the menu to a icon-based display
that allows the entire menu to fit on a single screen. Whatever
the menu or the presentation selected (icon or text), the
Setup menu access is the first item, making it quick to access
the following settings:
Welcome Screen allows configuring what the camera
displays when it starts up: a photo captured with the camera,
an animation of the Coolpix logo, or nothing.
Date: serves to set the time and date on the Coolpix
L1. A sub-option makes it possible to set a local time zone
and a destination time zone that can be used while travelling
with the camera.
Monitor Settings has two sub-options:
Photo Info controls how and what information
is displayed on the monitor when the camera is in use:
Show info: shows a few camera settings.
Auto Info: camera setting information is
displayed for 5 seconds.
Hide Info: shows only the capture mode
in use.
Framing Grid: adds a composition grid to
the monitor, and displays camera settings for 5
seconds.
Brightness: allows adjusting the monitor brightness
over 5 levels.
Date Imprint: decides whether or not the date and
time are imprinted on the image when it is captured; or
only the Date; or Time Stamp which shows the number of days
between the shooting date and a selected date.
Sound Settings: controls the sounds produced by
the L1 when buttons or the shutter release are pressed,
and the start-up sound.
Blur Warning: selects whether or not the camera
offers the option of not recording an image that is blurred.
Auto Off makes it possible to set the time
delay until the monitor turns off when the camera is inactive,
30 seconds (default), 1, 5 or 30 minutes; and whether the
camera can enters Sleep Mode (Off or On).
Format: to format the internal memory, or an optional
SD memory card.
Language selects the interface language: English
French, German, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, Japanese,
Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, or Korean.
Interface offers three sub-options:
USB: PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) to connect
to a PictBridge printer or Mass Storage to connect to
a computer.
Video Mode: to select the video signal produced
by the L1, NTSC or PAL.
Auto Transfer: to select whether or not images
are automatically transferred to a computer running
Nikon's software when the camera is connected.
Reset All: returns all settings to the original
values.
Battery Type: allows selecting the type of battery
in use (Alkaline, Coolpix [Ni-MH], or Lithium) to improve
the precision of the battery charge display.
Menus: as explained above, serves to choose whether
menus are displayed as icons or text.
Firmware Version: displays the version number of
the firmware currently installed on the camera (version
1.2 for the model reviewed here).
The Coolpix L1 is supplied with a small manual that covers
all the operations and functions of the camera, but without
delving into details. The manual is clearly written and easy
to follow, and also covers how to connect the camera to a
computer, or a DPOF/Pictbridge printer.
Software
In North America, Nikon retails the Coolpix L1 with 2 CDs:
Picture Project 1.5 (for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh)
and the manual for the software in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format
and in a variety of languages.
The full install of Nikon Picture Project contains:
PTP Drivers for Coolpix cameras,
Drivers for the Nikon D1,
Arcsoft's Panorama Maker 3.5,
QuickTime 6,
Picture Project 1.5
and Microsoft DirectX 9.
Picture Project presents images
as a contact sheet, or as thumbnails with the currently selected
image shown larger below, while the right window pane displays
the shooting data for the image.
The left side window pane makes it possible to import images
from a hard disk or another source such as a card reader into
the program's database of images, and the top toolbar provides
a number of functions including one to edit images.
Correction can be made to
brightness, colour, sharpness and the result of the modifications
is seen directly on the image. In addition, images can be
converted to black and white or sepia and saved as new images.
The program also offers tools to automatically correct the
red-eye effect, or change the orientation of the image, or
apply the D-Lighting process which brings out details
in both under- or over-exposed image areas.
Picture Project also allows creating slide
shows, preparing photos so they can be sent as e-mail attachments,
or burning image compilations onto CDs and DVDs.
Panorama Maker 3.5 is designed to assemble series
of images captured using the Panorama mode, and create large
panoramic images using the overlapping sections of the image
to stitch them together seamlessly.
And last, Apple's QuickTime 6 is intended to view
the movies recorded with the camera.
Compare Prices for Nikon Coolpix L1 5x Optical Zoom
Interface & Software
