Nikon Coolpix L22 12.0MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Red-primary)

After reading most of the reviews, those good and bad, I decided to purchase this camera, and actually received it earlier than Amazon had stated. With that said, this is a simple point and shoot camera. I think the bad reviews (however, I'm concerned about the 'flimsy' battery door cover) were based on some folks not knowing how to 'use' the camera. Basic camera operation, press the shutter HALFWAY, it beeps when it's focused, and then continue pressing the button all the way down. Picture was taken immediately, no wait time like some of the reviews implied here, and the results were excellent. Picture was in focus, colors were good, and overall for the price of the camera, it did a darn good job! I took photos outdoors and indoors in various lightning conditions with overall excellent results. I even used the macro mode for very up close shots. I did find that turning the flash mode to the 'off' setting, prevented the picture from being washed out, and with the flash off the results were pretty good using ambient light for macro shots. With more use of the camera, I'll find out how great the battery life is, movie mode and some of the other advanced features. So, even though I've only used it for a day, I'm very satisfied with this camera and would suggest it to friends who are looking for a good camera with a good price.

This is the 4th Nikon Coolpix that I purchased. I owned the Coolpix L6 and liked it very much. The L6 was a great little camera to have in your pocket or purse. It took great photos. The only bad thing - which was big - that I didn't like about that camera was the shutter lag on flash photos. In spite of that, I liked the small size and very nice photos. I purchased two more as gifts. Unfortunately, I dropped mine and wanted to replace it. I purchased the L22 and took it to a wedding. Out of 50 photos, I only have one nice one. I tried it in the garden both on regular and on macro - again did not perform well. Most photos are blurry. Thank goodness for the great return policy at Amazon.com! I will be selecting another camera soon.

See updated comment below. For the money you can't beat this little camera...for the folks who are complaining about blurry photos, this isn't a $1,000 DSLR...there is some shutter lag, as with all inexpensive digital cameras; take that into account and you'll be fine: so far I haven't had any difficulties capturing crisply and clearly the smoke rising from my BBQ grill (it helps if you use the right shooting mode for the right shot, too; for that I used the sports/action mode). The micro mode is great! Another thing that helps prevent blurry photos is to use a tripod! Especially if you're shooting important landscapes or portraits. (Helpful hint: when using a tripd you may want to turn image stabilization off...try a shot both ways and see which you prefer.) As for battery usage...most cameras eat batteries if you're shooting a lot, which is why every photography book/course/instructor/owner's manual tells you: carry extra batteries! Now let's talk video...I am so delighted with the great videos this little camera makes! I had a small digital camera which I paid half again as much for, and my Nikon takes better videos. Again, folks, this isn't a $1,000 DSLR; don't expect it to be, and you won't be disappointed. I highly, highly recommend this camera! It goes with me everywhere I go, and it has not disappointed me yet as I put it through its paces. UPDATE: 10-17-2010: I took this little camera to Biketoberfest, and in the sports/action mode using a panning technique I got crystal clear photos of the bikes as they went by me. I shot several movies and the sound was awesome, and the movies are sharp as a tack! The batteries, which I have had in the camera since I bought it, lasted all day and were still going strong. The micro mode is very impressive...you can get as close as 2" to your subject. The more I use this camera, the more I'm impressed with it and happy I bought it!!

The Coolpix L22 is a 12 MP camera for people who like to take good quality pictures and edit them in the camera and on a computer but are not interested in making complicated camera adjustments. It comes with a USB cable that allows transfer directly from camera to computer, a hand strap, two temporary batteries, computer photo manager software, a quick start booklet, and a CD with detailed operating information. The 3 inch monitor allows an image to be visible even in bright light and in the dark. I took it to the beach on a clear sunny day, and even with the sun shining directly on the monitor, I could see the image clearly. In the dark the display is brightly lit. There is a selection of several languages for display messages on the monitor. Date and time including time zones can be set. Pictures can be played back so the photo shoot of the day can be observed and edited. There is a one finger zoom control (best for right handed people) on the top right of the camera. All you have to do is focus and shoot after selecting a zoom size. It has an automatic face recognition feature that puts the face in focus when you point. The camera also allows you to make "movies." The Coolpix has five shooting modes: Easy Auto Mode, Scene Mode, Smart Portrait, Movie, and Auto Mode (more flexible options). It has a built in flash, self timer, macro setting for close ups, and exposure compensation that brightens or darkens the photo depending on ambient light conditions. You can keep the Coolpix on Easy Auto Mode and use it in most situations. But you can click on many specialty settings in a handy menu by selecting Scene Mode. Examples of these specialty settings include: Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night portrait, Party/indoor, Beach/snow (the one I used at the beach), Sunset, Dusk/dawn, Night landscape, Close-up, Food, Museum, Fireworks show, Copy (black and white), Backlight (for an object in front of a bright background), and Panorama assist. The Coolpix L122 package is designed for quick learning of the camera's function. The Quick Start will get you going, but the detailed information and examples on the CD Manual will make you an expert on the camera in an hour. Once you know all about it, you realize it is the perfect camera for travel. My wife is a tour guide and is usually very busy on trips. She likes to take a lot of pictures and does not have time to make complex camera adjustments. She will be going as a passenger on a trip to China in Spring, and she will be able to use the point and shoot and special settings on the strictly controlled tour. This is an outstanding camera that was shipped on time and arrived in perfect condition. It was offered at a very affordable price. I give it my highest recommendation.

I purchased this camera through Amazon and was thrilled to get such prompt delivery on this beautiful little red digital camera. I had ordered the camera thinking it would be simple to operate and would take better pictures than my previous digital camera. Although the zoom was stronger and more megapixels, taking pictures from a distance is still very disappointing. When trying to enlarge the pictures to print, they become fuzzy and a waste to process. On Veterans Day, I had taken quite a number of parade pictures and proceeded to download to my computer. I had some older pictures on the memory card which had already been successfully downloaded to my computer. I was able to view all the new pictures I had taken on the camera, but when I plugged in the USB cable, no pictures would download except for the older pictures, about 15, which were still on the camera. I called technical support about the issue, and he told me to take the memory card to a local store to process. I did this, but the pictures were no longer on the memory card as the rep assured me they would be. Somehow, the camera must have deleted all the important pictures I had taken. This was very distressing to lose all my pictures. Also, the battery cover is extremely difficult to close. What I had hoped for in a simple to use camera is a total disappointment with this Nikon. Included with the camera was a minimal instruction manual. A more complete instruction manual was in the form of an instruction CD that could be downloaded to the computer for reference. This is totally unacceptable. I questioned the tech support about this and he said it is part of the going green initiative not to send a printed version. This camera is a total puzzle to me as I have never had a digital camera that deleted pictures without my intentionally deleting them. I am very distressed with this beautiful little camera, and hope that Amazon will allow a return on it.

I’ve been using this Nikon Coolpix L22 for casual photography and it’s been okay for what it is: a simple point-and-shoot camera that does the basics without any bells and whistles. The large 3-inch LCD screen is easy to use for framing shots and reviewing photos, and the 12 MP sensor with 3.6x optical zoom captures decent everyday pictures in good light. That said, there are some noticeable drawbacks that keep me from rating it higher. The image quality is just average, especially in low-light situations — photos can look soft or grainy compared with what I’m used to from modern phone cameras. There’s also no real manual control, so you’re relying entirely on automatic modes, which is fine for snapshots but limiting if you want more creative control. Battery life is another mixed point: this camera runs on AA batteries, which is convenient in a pinch, but I’ve gone through sets faster than I expected, especially during prolonged shooting sessions. Pros: • Easy to use and very straightforward for beginners • Big, bright LCD screen makes reviewing shots easy • Good for quick everyday photos Cons: • Image quality mediocre in low light or fine detail • No manual settings or advanced features • AA battery usage can drain quickly Good choice for someone who wants a no-fuss camera for simple snapshots, but not ideal if you’re after sharper photos or more control over your shots.

I am no digital camera expert and have owned only two digital cameras in my entire life, , but I do try to do my research on anything that I purchase and after reading more reviews than I care to think about I decided to buy the Nikon Coolpix L22 12.0MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Red-primary) as a Christmas gift for my wife. I will keep the other digital camera a 6 MP Sony Cybershot that has served us well as a back-up. The Nikon Coolpix L22 12.0MP Digital Camera is very simple to use, but if you want to make any changes to settings then you will have to go into the settings menu rather than using a dial setting like on many cameras, but I have found that in most cases I use the same settings time and again. But with practice you can get used to the new way of doing things. The camera arrived on time just before Christmas so I gave it to my wife a little early so she could start getting used to it before the family got together for the holiday. When we got over to my son's house my wife quickly pulled out her new camera from her purse to take a picture of the grand baby and she fumbled it and it flew out of her hands and onto the hard tile floor, pieces flying every where. I couldn't help myself and said something to the affect "Oh well that didn't last long". As we started gathering up the what I thought initially were pieces of the camera I realized that it was the two AA batteries that had flown across the floor when the battery compartment opened on impact. I put the batteries back in the camera and tentatively hit the power button and to my delight it came on and went on to take the sharpest pictures I have ever seen. There was not so much as a scratch on the camera. I certainly wouldn't recommend trying such a brutal test, but I would say that it is an indication of the quality and reliability of the camera. It made me think of the old Timex commercials - "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!". A serious or professional photographer would not want this camera because it does not give them the quick control they want and need over the shots. If you are a serious or professional photographer than you probably are not reading this review and if you are there is no point in tearing it apart because it doesn't stand up to cameras costing many times more than this one. After reading some of the negative reviews I feel that the writers are in a different category of camera user than most of us. I paid $80 at Christmas time 2010 and now I see the price has dropped down to less than $76. At that price I am not going to complain unless the camera doesn't take a fairly decent picture. This camera takes such clear shots that it can be a little unnerving. I personally will not take a close-up shot of myself with this camera because you can see every little skin blemish and wrinkle. These days I prefer blurry photos of myself. ;-) The only reason I gave it less than a perfect 5x5 rating is because I have not used the video much and that I haven't used the camera enough to make that kind of judgement and I have not had any contact with Amazon's Customer Service department and with all the things that I buy from Amazon I suppose that should tell you something. I will follow-up with another review if there is something worth reporting on. If you want a camera that will take very crisp, sharp, great pictures and is small enough to carry in your shirt pocket or handbag and is an absolute screaming bargain on price then I think that you'll be very happy with this camera.

Let me start off by saying that my last camera was a 3.5 MP and it was good for what I used it for but I let it bounce off the floor one to many times and it has died. That is when I started to look around for other easy to use good quality cameras. I looked at a lot of my friends cameras and started to read all the reviews. One of my friends had the Nikon L20 and he loved it. I tried it out too and loved it but I then found out that the L22 was replacing the L20. I asked around and found a friend that had the Nikon L22 and he let me use it for a weekend. What a very nice camera. It did everything I wanted it to do and then some. All the pictures and videos looked awesome to me and I did not have one problem with it at all. All the pics were sharp and focused. What more could you want? East to get batteries! Yup this camera uses AA batteries and I had a boat load of them. Everything in my house seems to use AA batteries so a long time ago I switched everything in my house to rechargeable NiMH AA batteries. They last forever in this camera. Say if you were at a wedding or something and your batteries run out. Just go to your local corner store and get a few easy to find AA batteries or just bring a few extra from home. Life is easy for me. I hate the proprietary batteries that come with most cameras. The other good thing about this camera is it uses standard SD and SDHC memory cards. I got a 8GB SDHC card for $19.00 bucks. It gave me something like 2,200 available pics to take at 12MP. Needless to say I purchased this camera in sliver from Amazon.com and I take it everywhere with me. Remember it is a $100.00 dollar camera and not a $500.00 dollar camera. It doesn't have all the high end features like touch screen but it has everything I want and it takes really nice pics. I don't think you'll go wrong with the Nikon L22. Get it. Trust me :-)