DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

Nikon Coolpix L3 Digital Camera Introduction

Nikon is pleased to announce the introduction of the COOLPIX L3 entry-level digital compact camera.

The Coolpix L3 combines an array of high-quality components including a 3x Zoom-Nikkor lens and a bright 2.0-inch LCD screen with in-camera image-improvement features, housed in lightweight, compact yet elegantly finished body.

The camera boasts a powerful 3x Zoom-Nikkor lens with a focal range equivalent to that of a 38-116mm (35mm equivalent), providing freedom to zoom in for tight personal portraits, or zoom out to capture expansive outdoor scenes.

The CCD delivers higher performance within tighter dimensions, greatly adding to the cameras’ compact form and portability while offering generous effective megapixel values of 5.1 for the COOLPIX L3, ensuring the refined image clarity that users have come to expect from Nikon.

The Coolpix L3 also feature a bright, easy-to-view 2.0-inch LCD that’s now even easier to operate with new icons and function selections as well as a brand new color scheme.

The specific design aspects of the COOLPIX L3 make it streamlined and comfortable to hold. The curved grip contributes both to the cameras’ ergonomics and shooting stability.

In common with the entire COOLPIX digital camera range, this camera features a number of Nikon inspired capabilities that give the user the power to automatically improve recorded images in-camera. Available in playback mode, for example, the D-Lighting function selects and creates a copy of images with excessive backlight or insufficient flash illumination, adding light and detail wherever needed.

Nikon’s Face-priority AF* function automatically detects and focuses on people’s faces, regardless of where they are in the frame, ensuring superb crisp-focus portraits. The In-Camera Red-Eye Fix function analyses each image, automatically finding and then correcting the accidental red-eye that sometimes occurs in flash photography, for more natural-looking portraits.

A choice of 15 different Scene modes – four with Scene assist – ensures desired results in a wide range of everyday situations. By choosing the Scene mode best suited to the subject at hand, the COOLPIX L3 automatically selects the ideal settings, whether indoor party or outdoor nighttime fireworks display. Scene assist displays useful framing guides in the monitor, helping the user compose shots for optimal results.

The Coolpix L3 is compatible with widely available SD memory cards. The provision of 23MB of internal memory for the Coolpix L3 allows the user to keep shooting when no additional memory is available, as well as easily moving images from one SD card to another.

The Coolpix L3 also offers movie-shooting capability** in three sizes: TV movie size (640) for viewing on TV or computers; convenient Small size (320); and Smaller size (160) for extended recording or Internet usage.

Printing is kept simple with PictBridge capability enabling connection to a compatible printer without the need of a computer and USB connectivity eases data transfer to computers and other peripherals.

Completing the picture is the complimentary PictureProject accessory software, which greatly simplifies the importing, editing and organizing of images, and even offers compatibility with a range of plug-ins which allow functions to be extended on demand.

Note: Specifications, design, product name, standard accessories, and release schedule may differ by country or area.

* Face-recognition capability may be limited in some shooting conditions.

Nikon COOLPIX L3 Feature Highlights

High performance from a small CCD
Utilizing space-efficient design parameters that help facilitate the compact size of the Coolpix L3, the 1/2.5-inch CCD adds the advantage of outstandingly high performance. Boasting effective pixel values of 5.1 million for the Coolpix L3, the CCD enables the capture of crisp-focus images that retain their high quality even when significantly enlarged.

Simple-to-use features improve images in-camera
A range of unique Nikon functions enables the photographer to actually improve images in-camera. Available in playback mode, the D-Lighting function selects and creates a copy of images with excessive backlight or insufficient flash illumination, adding light and detail wherever needed while keeping other areas as they were. The Face-priority AF function automatically detects and then focuses in on people’s faces, regardless of where they are in the frame, ensuring superb crisp-focus portraits. The In-Camera Red-Eye Fix function analyzes each image, automatically finding and then correcting any accidental red-eye, which sometimes occurs in flash photography, to produce more natural-looking portraits.

AA-size battery compatibility
Despite its compact dimensions, the Coolpix L3 is compatible with AA-size batteries, one of the most widely available battery sizes in the world. The power to shoot approximately 200 shots for the Coolpix L3 when using alkaline batteries greatly augments their compact convenience.

Nikon Coolpix L3 Other Features

• Unique combination of all-round quality, ease of operation, and elegant styling makes the Coolpix L3 the compact digital camera of choice for entry-level photographers
  
  
• Compact, portable dimensions for Coolpix L3 of 91 x 60.5 x 26mm (3.6 x 2.4 x 1.0 in.) (W x H x D)
  
  Light weight: approx. 120g (4.2 oz) (without battery and SD memory card);
  BSS (Best Shot Selector) automatically selects the shot with the sharpest focus from a series of consecutive images
  
  
• Blur Warning informs user after shooting if an image is blurred
  
  
• Time zone function enables local time to be set regardless of where you are in the world
  
  
• Single AF and Continuous AF selectable in Movie mode
  
  
• Capture modes: Single, Continuous and Multi-Shot 16
  
  
• Built-in flash: features settings for Auto, Auto with red-eye reduction (In-Camera Red-Eye Fix), Off, Fill Flash and Slow sync.
  
  
• Noise reduction provides more attractive results in low-light conditions
  
  
• Digital zoom of up to 4x
  
  
• Choice of White Balance
  Auto with TTL control, 6-mode manual (Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash and White Bal. Preset)
  
  
• USB connectivity allows quick and easy data transfer to computers and other peripherals