Nikon debuts four compacts, one ultrazoom camera
posted Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 4:55 PM EDT
Continuing the announcements at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show that's just kicked off in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nikon has unveiled five new Coolpix camera models: the ultrazoom Nikon L830, and four compacts, the Nikon S6800, Nikon S5300, Nikon S3600, and Nikon L30. All will ship in February 2014.
Starting from the top, the Nikon L830 (US$300) is a followup to the Coolpix L820. It shares the same 16-megapixel, backside-illuminated CMOS image sensor as its predecessor, but now offers just a little more telephoto reach.
The Nikon L830's lens starts at the same very generous 22.5mm-equivalent wide angle as that in the earlier camera, but tops out at a 765mm-equivalent telephoto. And just in case that's not enough, Nikon is promoting a new Dynamic Fine Zoom function that sounds similar to Sony's Clear Image Zoom -- in essence, a more intelligent digital zoom. Read more in our Nikon L830 preview.
If that's beyond your financial or spatial budgets, the Nikon S6800 ($220) may prove more attractive. Closely-related to last year's S6500, the S6800 retains a 16-megapixel image sensor and 12x zoom lens in a pocket-friendly body. And this model sports Wi-Fi, too, making it easier to get photos onto your smart device. Find the full story in our Nikon S6800 preview.
Next, we have the Nikon S5300 ($180), successor to the S5200. Although it retains the same 16-megapixel sensor as last year's camera, it increases the zoom reach to 8x. And like the previous model, it has Wi-Fi for easy sharing. Read more in the Nikon S5300 preview.
The Nikon S3600 ($140) is clearly aimed at the budget-conscious. It'll slip in a pocket, give you an 8x optical zoom that covers everything from a generous 25mm-equivalent wide angle to a reasonably far-reaching 200mm telephoto, and offer up 20 megapixels of resolution, though. Get the full story on this model in our Nikon S3600 preview.
Finally, the Nikon L30 ($120) is the most affordable of the group. Despite the budget pricetag, it too fits in a high-res 20-megapixel image sensor, ready to attract those who look for the big number on the box. And there's a 5x zoom lens, too, so you can frame more with the lens, and less with your feet. Read more in our Nikon L30 preview.