As simple to use as the camera
itself, the interface of the Coolpix L2 places only basic
information on the periphery of the monitor at any one time.
White lettering is used, as are icons which are readily understandable
for the most part. Unlike many other digital cameras, the
Coolpix L2 is not equipped with an external button to control
how much information is displayed on the screen. An option,
however, is available in the Setup menu to decide how much
information should be shown on the screen, either in the capture
modes, or in playback.
The Setup menu is accessed as the first option in
all menus: Auto mode, Scene mode, Movie mode, and Playback
mode. The Setup provides basic configuration options for the
camera:
Menus: decides whether the options of the menus
are displayed as icons or text. If Icons is selected, menus
fit on a single screen, while when Text is selected, menu
options appear over as many screens as required.
Welcome Screen determines what the camera's monitor
displays at start-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
L2. 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.
Hide Info: shows only the capture mode
in use.
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:
only the Date,
or the Date and Time,
or Date Counter which shows the number of days
between the shooting date and a pre-selected date.
Sound Settings: controls the sounds produced by
the L2 when buttons are pressed; the volume of the shutter
sound, and the volume of 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 after which the monitor turns off to save power: 30
seconds (default), 1, 5 or 30 minutes; and whether the camera
can enter 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, Dutch, 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 L2, NTSC or PAL.
Auto Transfer: to select whether or not all
images are automatically marked for transfer to a computer
running Picture Project when the camera is connected.
Reset All: returns all settings to their default
values.
Battery Type allows selecting the type of battery
in use: Alkaline, Coolpix (Ni-MH), or Lithium, so as to
improve the precision of the battery charge indicator.
Firmware Version: displays the version number of
the firmware currently installed on the camera (version
1.2 for the model reviewed here).
A printed manual is included with the Coolpix L2, as well
as a thin "Quick Start Guide". The Quick Start Guide
is designed to provide fast instructions on how to use the
camera, and covers such topics as attaching the strap, inserting
the batteries, selecting a language and setting the camera's
internal clock. The Quick Start Guide then guides the user
to taking photos, and installing Picture Project, the
software Nikon provides with the camera (see below)
and viewing pictures on a computer.
The user manual on the other hand provides much more detailed
information about the camera, including detailed instructions
on each of its modes (Auto, Scene, Movies and Playback) and
each of the menu settings. Taken together, the two instructions
manuals work well to familiarize the user with the L2, and
then explain its functions in greater detail.
Software
In Canada, Nikon retails the Coolpix L2 with 2 CDs that share
a single jacket: Picture Project 1.6 (for Microsoft
Windows and Macintosh) on one disc, and the manual for the
software in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format and in a variety of
languages on the other.
Nikon's Picture Project contains:
PTP Drivers for Coolpix cameras,
Drivers for the Nikon D1,
Arcsoft's Panorama Maker 3.5,
QuickTime 6,
Picture Project 1.6,
and Microsoft DirectX 9.
Picture Project is an image browser/organizer that
can also be used to create printed albums and edit photos,
as selected by clicking on one of the tabs at the top right
of the program's window.
To view images the user must first import
them into the program, either one at a time, or by selecting
folders and sub-folders. To make the process easier, an Import
Assistant is available to guide the user through the importation
of images or movies. Imported images are presented in a window
pane on the right side of the program's main window, with
the shooting data or other selected information, while on
the left, the program presents folders or collections that
have been imported into its database.
Picture Project's Edit
window allows corrections to 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, straighten photos, 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 offers tools to create
slide shows, to prepare photos so they can be sent as e-mail
attachments, or when upgraded, to burn image compilations
onto CDs and DVDs.
Picture Project also serves to launch Panorama Maker 3.5,
which is designed to assemble series of images captured using
the Panorama mode, and create large panoramic images using
the overlapping sections of each image to stitch them together
seamlessly.
Apple's QuickTime 6 is also included to view the movies
captured with the Coolpix L2.
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Interface & Software
