Nikon L21, L22: updates to budget range

Nikon Coolpix L22 MARCHANDS €     Amazon.fr  1411.40  Compare prices

Nikon's L range contains its lowest-priced digtial cameras.  It's no surprise, then, that the L21 and L22 are dominated by plastic--but they do promise to be very affordable.

The L22 is fairly standard offering for this segment: it has a 12 Megapixel sensor and a 3.6x zoom.  You don't get a wide-angle lens for this price, so it starts at 37 mm, and there's no stabilisation, either.  That's even more annoying as the lens doesn't open further than f/3.1 in wide-angle mode and f/6.7 for telephoto. 

To stand out from the crowd, it has a 3'' screen, but most of its competitors have 2.7'' displays.  It sill only has a resolution of 230 000 pixels and uses TN technology, meaning it'll have dreadful vertical viewing angles.

The L21 is a lightweight version of the L22, which already seems challenging.  Nikon isn't messing about though, and has used the same lens, a 2.5'' screen and an 8 Megapixel sensor (they still exist) in a slightly smaller frame.

One thing is worth pointing out though: at 1/2.5'', the L21's sensor is smaller than the L22's, which is 1/2.3''.  That means that its widest field of view comes from a focal length of just 41 mm, a figure we haven't seen for a long time!

Both models will be available in February, but the L21 is unlikely to be available from traditional outlets, and found instead in supermarkets.

> Product Survey: Compact Digital Cameras

> Buyer's Guides: Our Pick of The Best Products