Nikon Coolpix L120 Review

Review posted 8/4/2011

Quick Take

Pros

Versatile 21x NIKKOR optical zoom lens Compact and well designed body Three color choice options (Red, Black, Bronze) Good shooting performance Produces sharp images with good color Dedicated video recording button Fully automatic operation with Easy Auto, Auto, and 19 scene modes High-quality 3.0-inch LCD screen Awesome battery life AA Power source can be found almost anywhere Competitive price tag

Cons

No advanced shooting modes Outside exposures are on the bright side ISO 3200 and 6400 produce cell phone quality photos Two zoom controls, may confuse some Zoom doesn't have very precise steps White balance issues indoors Sensitive stereo microphones Shot to shot delay a bit slower than we expected

Bottom Line

The Coolpix L120 is an affordable compact super-zoom that is sure to please the average user. With up to par image quality, fully automatic operation, and it's powerful 21 NIKKOR zoom lens, the L120 has a lot to offer beginner to novice users. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

One of the most versatile models in Nikon's "Lifestyle" series of easy to use digicams, the Coolpix L120 boasts a variety of powerful features, while still keeping things simple. These include a 14-megapixel image sensor mated to a 21x optical zoom lens covering an equivalent zoom range of 25-525mm, a 3.0-inch LCD with 921k dots, and 720p HD video recording to name a few.

In order to keep things affordable, and simple, the Coolpix L120 uses AA batteries for its power source. These can be picked up just about anywhere, so you'll always be ready for action. Keeping in line with past L-series models, the L120 includes various user-friendly exposure options, like Easy Auto, which is an intelligent exposure program that chooses the exposure settings and best scene mode by analyzing the subject(s) being frame. They even included a Pet Portrait mode for capturing glamour shots of Rover or Garfield.

Nikon Coolpix L120 features:

• 14-megapixels
• 21x Nikkor zoom lens covers 25-525mm equivalent zoom range
• Easy Auto mode
• 3.0-inch LCD with 921k dots
• Captures 720p HD video
• Pet Portrait mode
• SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot
• Uses AA batteries (alkaline, one-use lithium, NiMh, etc.)
  

The Coolpix L120 comes in Black, Red or Bronze with a MSRP of $279.95 US. See our buy box below for the most current online pricing.

What's in the box?:

• Coolpix L120 body
• Camera Strap AN-CP22
• Four LR6/L40 (AA-size) alkaline batteries
• UC-E6 USB Cable
• Audio Video Cable EG-CP16
• Nikon ViewNX 2 Software CD
• Lens Cap LC-CP22
  
  

Visitors of Steves can visit the stores below for real-time pricing and availability. You can also find hot, soon to expire online offers on a variety of cameras and accessories at our very own Camera Deals page.