The Nikon Coolpix L840 digital camera replaces the L830. And if their appearance is not much different, then the characteristics of the new items have improved slightly. This is a pseudo-mirror camera with a rather large optical zoom and an affordable price. What else can Nikon L840 boast? Reviews of professionals and amateurs, detailed characteristics, pros and cons of the model - all this you will find in our review.
Appearance and usability
The compact Nikon Coolpix L840 camera in the manufacturer's line takes an intermediate place between conventional digital and SLR cameras. With the latter, it has an exceptionally external resemblance, and from the former it adopted ease of use.
Even the main buttons of the camera have the same arrangement as on digital cameras, and its large body fits comfortably in your hand. Rubberized pads eliminate slipping, and the shutter button and wheel for zoom conveniently fall under the index finger.
Shooting from different angles will not cause inconvenience, because the 3-inch screen deviates 90 degrees up or 85 degrees down. It has a high resolution - 921 thousand points - and very good viewing angles, which will accurately determine the color quality and exposure of the image.
Bottom of the case there is a socket for mounting a tripod and a common cover that allows access to batteries and a memory card.
Settings
The usual wheel with different shooting scenarios is missing, so to access them you will have to click on the Scene button to the right of the display. You can choose between default modes, auto mode and 18 other scenarios, including Panorama mode.
This button also gives access to 9 electronic filters.
Auto mode is very similar to that in digital cameras. The user can adjust the white balance, ISO value and select a point for focusing using the Menu button.
In the menu you will also find burst mode, adjusting the frame size and its quality.
But exposure compensation (exposure compensation) assigned to the button on the right of the selector to control the settings. Its value can be changed to +/- 2 EV (it returns to its original value after turning off the Nikon L840 camera).
The rest of the selector is used as follows:
- top - flash control;
- left side - timer for delayed shooting;
- bottom - macro focus (in auto mode).
The flash itself must be manually opened using the button, which is located just under the fingers of the left hand. This is quite convenient, as you can be sure that it will not work at the wrong time.
On the left of the lens is a lever for slow zooming. Nearby is a button for setting framing when working with lenses with a large focal length.
Specifications
Nikon L840 can not be called slow. It turns on and takes a picture in 1.4 seconds, quickly focuses in good light. The camera slows down a bit when zooming and when shooting under dark conditions, but overall it works fast. A few numbers:
- shutter speed - from 1/1500 - 1 second, up to 4 seconds for shooting in the dark in the "Fireworks" mode;
- maximum image resolution - 4608 x 3456 (file size about 7 MB);
- matrix sensitivity - 16 million colors;
- ISO range - 125-1600, in auto mode - up to 6400;
- lens - NIKKOR, 12 elements in 9 groups;
- focal length of the lens - 4.0-152 mm;
- zoom - optical 38x, digital - 4x, Dynamic Fine Zoom 76x.
Here's what is included in the basic package of the Nikon L840: instructions, 4 batteries (alkaline), a lens cap, a USB cable, a shoulder strap and the camera itself.
Battery
Power is an extremely important aspect for portable equipment. Nikon Coolpix L840 runs on 4 AA batteries. This feature has its pros and cons. Obviously, batteries are much easier to find in emergency situations than replacing a lost or damaged battery, or recharging it in camp conditions. But their quality and the number of pictures that you can take depend on their price, and over time they will inevitably lose their characteristics. So, expensive nickel-metal hydride batteries will last longer, and with one full charge they give about 740 shots, and cheaper alkaline (which come with the camera) up to 590 shots.
Also, the design of the battery compartment is not thought out a bit, because when it is opened, they can just get enough sleep on the floor.
Wireless connection
This feature was not available in the L830 and has become one of the advantages of the Nikon Coolpix L840. The button that allows you to turn on Wi-Fi is located on the top end, after clicking on it you can easily connect to a smartphone or tablet and use them to control the camera (you will need to install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility application on the mobile device first).
The response speed of the camera to commands is quite high, as well as the distance from which interaction is possible (up to 10 m). For sharing pictures between devices, the NFC communication protocol is also useful.
Photo and video quality
You should not expect that the Nikon L840 gives the same shooting result as a SLR camera. Its matrix is ​​identical to those installed on compact digital cameras, but it cannot be said that it does poorly with its functions.
Pictures taken in good daylight are of high quality and optimal exposure when viewed in typical sizes. However, with a strong increase, the modest capabilities of the sensor make themselves felt: there is a strong granularity and blur at the edges of the objects.
This feature is even clearer when shooting distant subjects or when using the zoom. The camera tries to increase the sensitivity of the matrix in order to compensate for body shake and thereby only increase the degree of blur.
Shooting in low light also provokes a fair amount of noise, despite the presence of noise reduction technology. A noticeable graininess is already apparent at ISO 800, and increasing its maximum value to 6400 is more of a marketing ploy than an advantage, because the images become too saturated, grainy and fuzzy.
But the vibration suppression system is not just a beautiful line in the description. For such a focal length of the lens, it is simply necessary and dramatically improves the quality of the photo.
The camera copes well with macro photography (the minimum distance to the subject is 1 cm) and shooting at night. For the latter, there are two additional settings - manual mode and a tripod.
There are fewer opportunities for shooting video, but still the result is pretty good. The camera can shoot it in quality up to Full HD (1920 Ă— 1080 pixels) with stereo sound recording. Optical zoom, as well as optical image stabilization, are also available while using the Video mode.
The menu has an interesting Short Movie Show option, which automatically combines short video clips into a 30 second video clip, with the ability to set background music and simple special effects.
Integrated photoshop
Smart Portrait is a feature that you can open with the Scene button. “Smart portrait” allows you to automatically even out skin tone and mask obvious imperfections, to soften contrast and color saturation. The intensity of each parameter can be reduced / increased and, with a reasonable approach, they give a pretty good effect. But it’s better not to abuse these settings, otherwise the result of the shooting will be unnatural.
If you want to apply such improvements to an already shot frame, you will need to select it in the gallery and press the Menu button. Then scroll to the Glamor Retouch function, where there are even more options: reducing the chin or increasing the size of the eyes, eliminating oily sheen on the skin, red eyes and bags under the eyes, you can even “tint” lips, cheeks and eyelashes.
If your model looked directly at the camera, and the face fills almost the entire space of the picture, the program automatically distinguishes facial features and makes quite useful changes. In any case, using this feature you can easily have fun.
Cash Issues
How much does the Nikon L840 camera cost the buyer? The price for it ranges from 13-13.5 thousand rubles. This is a popular and relatively new model, so it is easy to find both on the Internet and in ordinary stores. Accordingly, there is the opportunity to look for a better price or discount on accessories. At a minimum, you will need a memory card (about 1.5 thousand rubles for a 32 GB SD card) and a battery charger (from 400 rubles or about 1.5 thousand rubles for a set of 4 batteries and the device itself )
What do customers say about the Nikon Coolpix L840 compact camera?
Reviews are mostly positive about this model. It is extremely easy to use and even with auto-tuning gives a good result.
However, many users have noted that poor lighting is a challenge that the Nikon L840 does not always cope with. Reviews say that the situation is a little saved by the flash, but it is not always convenient to use it and it greatly affects the final result.
Opinions were divided about the use of batteries: someone finds it very convenient, while someone prefers the battery that comes with the kit. So here it is better to focus on your own preferences and goals for which you are buying a camera. If you are sure that you will always find an outlet nearby, then it may be more profitable for you to buy a model with a battery in the kit, and if you travel a lot, then a pack of batteries in your backpack will guarantee the performance of your camera.
The opinion of professionals
More sophisticated photographic experts find other, not so noticeable at first glance, flaws.
First, the dimensions. The camera has characteristics that are pretty close to ordinary digital cameras, for which a 68x zoom is also possible, but in the case of the Nikon L840 you will carry a rather big camera with a weight of just over 0.5 kg, which is not very convenient.
Secondly, price and competition. On the market, you can easily find models with the same characteristics, but cheaper or with about the same cost, but with a large zoom and touchscreen.
To summarize
Nikon L840 is a very worthy universal camera that combines ease of use and high quality images (if you do not increase them too much and do not find fault with the little things). It focuses quickly, provides good color reproduction and exposure. Pleasant additions in the form of a rotary screen, 38x zoom and Wi-Fi only improve the experience of its use.
But, given the cost, size and similar indicators of models from competitors, we can conclude: it noticeably loses its attractiveness. Therefore, to make a clear verdict - to buy or to refrain from buying - is difficult. You can’t say anything bad about the Nikon L840, but it’s not enough good on closer inspection.