Nikon's Coolpix frenzy continues with L14, L15, S700, and S510
By Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 30th 2007 12:06PM
posted Aug 30th 2007 12:06PM
Hope you're not tired of Coolpixes yet, cause Nikon's got another bundle of compact cameras for us, including two new models in its L series and two in its S series. As the model numbers suggest, there's not a whole lot of difference between the L14 and L15 (on the top above), with the former packing a 7.1 megapixel CMOS and a 3x zoom lens that covers a practical range from 38-114mm, while the latter ups things to 8.0 megapixels and a 3x zoom covering 35-105mm. The L15 also boasts a slightly larger 2.8-inch LCD, as opposed to a 2.4-inch one on the L14. Moving into higher-end territory, the Coolpix S700 packs an impressive 12.1 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch LCD in a slim aluminum body, while the also-aluminum S510 boasts 8.0 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom, and a pink color option in addition to the standard black and silver. Look for the whole lot of them to be available sometime next month, with the L14 and L15 running $150 and $180, respectively, and the S700 and S510 setting you back $380 and $300 apiece.
Read - Nikon Coolpix L14
Read - Nikon Coolpix L15
Read - Nikon Coolpix S700
Read - Nikon Coolpix S510
Read - Nikon Coolpix L14
Read - Nikon Coolpix L15
Read - Nikon Coolpix S700
Read - Nikon Coolpix S510
what, no viewfinders? is canon gonna become the manufacturer of toy-grade digicams?
??? view finders ??? Who uses view finders in compact digital cameras nowadays? Most new digicompact cameras are without view finders... By-the-way, the S500 is really really fast when I checked it out last weekend. They claim it is the fastest in it's kind. Fast, super compact and very functional... options, options, options.
??? view finders ??? Who uses view finders in compact digital cameras nowadays? Most new digicompact cameras are without view finders...
who? anyone who realizes a camera can be held much more steadily in an elbows-tucked, camera-to-the-eye position than in an arms-extended-in-order-to-view-an-LCD position. it's pretty common knowledge and many sites advise to use the optical viewfinder when sharpness is particularly critical, or in low-light situations where slow shutter speeds will be used. the WSJ's Walt Mossberg has complained about the diminishing number of models with optical view finders for this very reason, though as these models show, he's not had a lot of impact.
the problem is that manufacturers know they can cut costs and perhaps reduce size by eliminating the feature, because too many uninformed buyers don't know why the absence matters.
fwiw: Canon's SD800-IS still has the optical viewfinder AND one of the widest-angle focal length zoom lenses* of any compact/pocket digital camera, making it an excellent choice. My hope is that if/when canon refreshes that wide-angle model it'll retain the optical viewfinder.
terry
*--so why's the wide-angle feature matter? a couple of examples: a) it makes for great scenic shots outdoors; b) indoors, you can capture much more of a full-room view; c) on flash shots, you can capture the same image area--say a group of people--from a closer position, allowing the flash to better illuminate the scene than if you had to back farther away "to get everyone in the picture"; d) there's greater depth-of-field at wider focal lengths, so for closeups, for example, where there's often a very narrow field of focus, more of your subject will be sharp if you shoot at the widest focal length.
one other advantage to optical viewfinders, mentioned by a laptopmag.com review of canon's SD900:
"Canon included an optical viewfinder, which is nice if you prefer to ... save on battery life ... "
Good price points on the L14 and L15. Time for an upgrade from my aging Powershot.