Compare Prices : Nikon CoolPix L20

Verdict: With a large 3-inch screen and a 3.6x optical zoom this would have been an able competitor to models ranked higher in our charts, if only its overall performance was a notch or two higher. Its dedicated button for cycling through Auto, Movie mode and ...

Review summary: Nikon's Coolpix L20 is a great representative of a growing category of cameras: very affordable, easy-to-use point-and-shoots with surprisingly stellar image quality and a bit of fashion sense.

Pros: Very good image quality ; easy to use ; 3-inch LCD

Cons: A bit bulky ; no manual ISO controls

Verdict: Although the 10-megapixel Coolpix L20's image stabilization system is software based, it did a great job of capturing clear, unblurred images—even when I shook it around vigorously while taking a photo or zoomed in to the maximum capacity of the 3.6x ...

Review summary: This 10 megapixel camera has a 38-136mm (film equivalent) lens. It is not image stabilised. The large (75mm) LCD screen is of poor resolution. There are very few user controls, Nikon promises "shooting without worrying about any settings." Amongst the ...

Pros: When all the conditions are right the pictures are surprisingly good. Exposure and focus are generally reliable. We like rechargeable AA batteries in compacts, but they are not supplied so must be added to the advertised purchase price of the camera.

Cons: The LCD is the worst we have ever seen on any camera. Consider this it is the same size as the LCD on the Nikon D300, but it has only one quarter the number of pixels. The result is that, while it is large, the images on it are blurry with no ...

Verdict: Nikon is one of the proudest names in the camera business, with a range of DSLRs second to none. So we are perplexed. The Coolpix L20 is not a camera to enhance their reputation. It feels insubstantial and cheap. It is lacking in features, such as ...

Review summary: Nikon's Coolpix L20 represents one of the best options we've seen in a growing category of cameras: very affordable, easy-to-use point-and-shoots with surprisingly stellar image quality and a bit of fashion sense.

Verdict: All in all, the Nikon Coolpix L20 is a very affordable camera that performed very well in our image tests. For value, ease of use, and eye-catching looks, it's one of the best bargain point-and-shoots we've seen so far in 2009. Don't expect the manual ...