The Unprofessional View

Today I would like to give my unprofessional view on the camera that will be giving us our words in pictures, the Coolpix Nikon L12. I am not a professional by no means but I love taking pictures and this little gem has the best anti-shake button around. Why is it that when you push the shutter button the little booger just wants to jump around in your hand or why does my hands tends to shake trying to get that perfect shot, which by the way, you do not notice until the picture has been taken and a moment was missed. Well, no more missed shots for me. :o)

Here’s the lowdown (I hope that Mike Pasini from Imaging Resource does not mind me reproducing his article):

The Nikon Coolpix L12 features a seven megapixel CCD linked to a Nikkor-branded 3x optical zoom lens. The L12's lens is just a little wider than most, at 35 to 105mm equivalent. The Coolpix L12 couples this with the company's lens-shift VR (Vibration Reduction) technology, which can be very useful when shooting in poor lighting. A new Anti-Shake button, which simultaneously activates VR, High ISO, and Best Shot Selector, assures that "pictures will be steady, sharp, and stunning," according to Nikon.

My comment: Yes this is true; Nikon did not lie on this one because my pictures come out stunning.

The L12 body is, to our eyes, understated, stylish, and relatively compact. The Nikon Coolpix L12 offers a 2.5-inch display with 115,000 pixel resolution, but like many other small cameras these days, includes no optical viewfinder.

My comment: Gasp, he is correct there is a flaw, because it does not have a viewfinder it is hard to take that perfect shot when you are directly in the sun on a bright sunny day, but, I have not missed a shot yet.

Nikon is also known for a few special features that are included in the Nikon L12, including D-Lighting (which enhances darker images to improve shadow detail), Red-Eye Fix (which automatically finds red-eye in your images, and eliminates it), and finally Face-Priority AF. This last feature will initially keep you, and your friends dancing around in front of the L12 to watch it put a "focus box" around your faces, but once you get used to the mode, you'll find it very reassuring to know that your loved one's faces will indeed be in focus, before you take the shot.

Other Nikon Coolpix L12 features include a wide 50 to 1600 sensitivity range, 21MB of built-in memory, a Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard slot which is also compatible with newer SDHC cards, as well as USB, and NTSC/PAL video connectivity. The Coolpix L12 draws power from two standard AA batteries, with alkaline disposables in the product bundle. The Coolpix L12 ships in the USA from March 2007, priced at U.S.$200.

So, there it is. What do you think? Here’s what the camera looks like and then I will share some of my favorite pictures I have taken from it. Oh, gotta add, this was my Mother’s Day present in 2007. Gosh, I love my family. :o)

Now without further delay:

Yes, I really did take all of these pictures. Well, except the one of the Nikon camera itself. :o) Here's a little disclaimer: If you get the Coolpix and decided its not the camera for you, don't blame me, okay? For one, I am not a professional and two, what works for one may not work for another but I love my little gem.

Hope you enjoyed my unprofessional review and until next time, Rena.