The L2 and L3 models are twins with a shared instruction manual. For some the more expensive L2 may be a better choice.
At a camera store I made several identical shots with both cameras and the L2 produced consistently sharper images when zoomed in on the fine detail of ordinary shots. (Using readability of distant text to judge sharpness of jpg images saved in the largest file size.)
With simpler menus than higher priced cameras these seem to be a good choice for the less determined photographer in your family. I am going to use mine as a backup for an older pocket digital on a trip and ultimately as a spouse's camera. While she likes 4X6 prints, for which the L3 would be fine, I will keep her files and view them on computer and so chose the extra sharpness.
This is a very likeable little camera that is significantly smaller than my older digital. To keep that size advantage I found a Tamrac slip in case with Velcro closure flap at a photo chain store with many cases to choose from.
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On a trip the L2's daylight photos and videos were very good and the Best Shot Selector a fine feature, however the weak flash was a serious limitation in many situations. Some dark images were improved by a feature Nikon calls "D-lighting". In dark situations my old digital produced far better images. I would subtract one star if Amazon would let me edit the rating.
I waited to review this camera until I'd really put it through the paces on a 10-day trip to Paris, where I used it in pretty much every conceivable scenario: indoor, outdoor, sunny, cloudy, closeup (macro), high zoom, videos in the day and night, etc. I've explored all of its features at this point, including all of the scene modes (panorama included).
This is a good camera. To my thinking, the single best feature is the "D-Lighting" option. This feature is an automatic color/lighting adjustment tool that one accesses when in "play mode" (viewing previously-taken pictures). It's a very smart feature that will compensate for poor lighting situations. I used this on almost every picture I took. The panorama feature is also nice--it's used in conjunction with the bundled software Nikon includes with the camera. Video mode is quite good--with a 2GB card, and tuned to a lower quality (smaller) video mode, you can actually get a couple hours of video on this thing.
I'd recommend this camera for amateur/casual use--it's very intuitive, and will suit those not inclined to gadgetry and technology. Also a VERY good first camera for a teen. It's certainly not the best thing out there, but it's inexpensive and takes excellent pictures at 5.1 MP. Also, the AA battery life is long, and makes it easy to keep the camera powered, even in a foreign country using a different voltage (no recharging necessary, just replace the batteries). Very lightweight, and can be tucked into a pant pocket.
Some shortcomings: the biggest flaw is that the camera has no HOLD function--that is, there's no way to disable the on/off button without removing the batteries. Thus, if you put the camera in your pocket and the power button is unintentionally pressed, the camera will turn on, and the lens will try to open. This may lead to the "lens jamming" other reviewers have complained of. This was an annoyance, though one I easily overcame by removing one battery in situations where I thought it might be an issue. Also, if the lens tries to open but can't, the camera will shut down and display a "lens error" message. This might drain the battery, but, in my experience, won't seriously hurt the camera. Another shortcoming, though one shared by most cameras in this price-range, is that it lacks the aperture to take really good sharp pictures in low-lighting situations, without a tripod. The small lens simply can't gather enough light fast enough to get detailed nighttime city-scapes, for instance. Anything beyond the range of the flash (which is good) will be dark or blurry. The same problem might confront a user in a museum where flash is prohibitied. Unless you have a tripod or a very steady hand, the pictures are likely to turn out blurry. Finally, several users have complained that the memory-writing process is slow--that is, after taking a picture you have to wait several seconds while the camera saves the picture before you can take another one. This is true. My understanding is that some of this has to do with the write-speed of the memory card you purchase, but some of it also has to do with the camera itself. Not recommended for situations in which you'll want to snap off several pictures in quick succession.
On the whole, I think this camera is an excellent value that will suit most needs. I'm glad I got it, but I also know that it won't satisfy more demanding users.
Buy Nikon Coolpix L3 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now
This camera takes decent pictures but it has a lot of problems. I have two small kids and it's hard to get a picture of them unless they are standing completely still. The shutter speed isn't fast enough, reload is too long after the flash goes off, don't even try to take a picture with the flash off it just comes out totally blurred. Like the other reviewers that have had problems with the lens jamming, mine has done that too, I've only had the camera maybe 6 months and it's already broken, not very sturdy for someone on the go with little kids. I'm very dissappointed in this camera.
Read Best Reviews of Nikon Coolpix L3 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here
This is our 3rd digitial camera, and the best we have had yet. Our other cameras are a Sony Mavica CD model and a Kodak v550.
Unlike the Kodak, this camera is well designed so it "fits" like it should in your hands. The various menu buttons and options are very intuitive, and spaced properly across the back of the camera. (In contrast, the Kodak model has many of its tiny control buttons packed across the top of the camera, making them hard to use and to read).
The LCD screen on the back of the camera is very large and is not washed out by sunlight, a problem many other cameras have.
The photos are sharp, well focused and easily manipulated with the software that comes with the camera.
A great camera for the money.
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This camera is definitely worth whatever you are spending on it! The fact that it is so small and cute (yes, I said cute... I'm a girl) is just a bonus. The features are amazing, you'll never use them all... but even if you are a real novice you can't go wrong... I mean, there's a section where they even give you the outline of the person, you just have to line them up... point, and shoot. It's even good for taking pics in the dark... even if it looks dark in the screen before you take it, the powerful flash lights up everything.
The fact that it takes a regular SD card is also excellent, you can get that anywhere unlike some of the other proprietary ones. And you only need two AA batteries.
Cons... well, I guess battery life could be a bit longer when you've got lots of video to take. And somebody out there in Digital Camera world needs to come up with a way to improve lighting for taking video as well... maybe a steady lamp that you can manually switch on or something!
This reviewer is new to DSLR camera technology. This camera came highly recommended by several hobbyists and professionals to whom I spoke and this is a great price for everything that is included in this kit. The product arrived on time in suitable shipment packaging. All components in the kit were as stated in the product description. The Canon products: the Rebel T3i body, 18-55 IS II lens, and 55-250mm IS lens, are the highest quality components in the kit. The shutter remote, lens cleaning kit, 16GB class10 mem card, card reader, mem card storage wallet, spare battery, and LCD screen protectors came in handy for someone who is new to the field. I have not tried the external flash yet but the head can be articulated for bounce flashing to offer the user more overall versatility than the built-in flash on the T3i (a diffuser is not included however). It's a nice accessory to be included in the bundle. Similar Canon Speedlite flashes, albeit with more bells and whistles, are priced in the $450-$500 range. I got additional reflections from the sunlight when using the Vivitar UV filter and didn't see much improvement in color saturation so I haven't made much use of these. A camera lens hood, unfortunately not included, may have helped to reduce the reflections off the additional surfaces from the filter. I didn't have much luck with the 0.45 wide angle macro nor the 2x telephoto Zeikos lenses and found my photos came out better with just the Canon lenses included in this kit. Also, if you are new to the field then I highly recommend purchasing "Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D For Dummies" by Julie Adair King along with this camera. You will get much more out of your camera in a shorter amount of time than by simply reading the manual and learning from trial and error.
