Nikon Debuts 8 Cameras for the Spring

Nikon announced eight new CoolPix cameras for the spring today and, continuing a trend we noted at CES, the lineup is mostly about budget, offering more style and features for the money than we’ve seen in years (and economies) past.

Before we get to budget, though, let’s talk about zoom. The escalation of zoom factors (not to mention gimmicks like smile detection) seems to have replaced the megapixels arms race; what used to pass for a superzoom– 12X– looks puny compared to the 24X models we’ve seen and will continue to see this spring.

The 12.1-megapixel P90 ($399, above right), Nikon’s update to the P80, has a 24X lens, a huge bump from the P80’s 12X zoom factor. It also boasts features the P80 doesn’t have: a 3-inch vari-angle lens, four-way image stabilization, and a pre-record mode that caches up to 45 3-MP frames before you fully press the shutter. Like the P80, it has a pop-up flash. ISO 6400, sports continuous mode, and a fair amount of manual controls.

For a hundred and twenty bucks less, the L100 ($279) offers a simpler design with fewer manual controls, but still has 15X optical zoom, four-way IS, a 3-inch screen, continuous shooting at 13 frames per second, Best Shot Selector, ISO 3200, Motion Detection, and Nikon’s Smart Portrait System.

Now, for the more mainstream customer, let’s talk about how much camera you can get for your money.

An Improved Touchscreen

The S230 ($229, right) is Nikon’s second touchscreen camera (the first was the S60). We’ve already had some hands-on time with it, and found the screen to be more responsive this time around.

The 10-MP camera has a 3-inch screen, electronic IS, Scene Auto Selector, face detection for up to 12 faces, ISO 3200, motion detection, Best Shot Selector, Smile Mode, and Blink Proof, which automatically takes two shots to ensure that the subjects’ eyes are open in at least one.

All-Purpose Shooters

In addition to the S230, Nikon added three other models to its style-oriented S line: the S630 ($279), the S620 ($269), and the S220 ($149). All of them have four-way IS, Scene Auto Selector, and the Smart Portrait System. They’re all available in a wide swath of colors.

The S630 has 12-MP resolution, 7X optical zoom, and Sports Continuous Mode, which allows for continuous shooting at up to 11 frames per second. The S620 has 12.1-MP resolution and a 4X lens; the S220 has 10-MP resolution and 3X optical zoom.

Budget Point-and-Shoots

If $250 isn’t budget enough for you, Nikon has the L19 ($109, right) and L20 ($129). These cameras have chunkier, less sleek (but not unattractive) designs, and run on AA batteries, not rechargeable ones.

They also have fewer buttons, denoting much less  manual control than you’d get on even a more mid-range point-and-shoot.

The L19 has 8-MP resolution and a 2.7-inch screen; the L20 has 10-MP resolution and a 3-inch LCD. In line with its easy image, both include features like Scene Auto Selector, Smart Portrait System, Motion Detection, and Easy Auto Mode.