Why You Can Trust CNET Nikon slims down its budget-friendly Coolpix camera selection
If you're looking to spend less than $150 on a camera, Nikon has just two to offer US buyers, the ultracompact Coolpix L32 and S3700.
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The low end of the camera market has suffered the most from smartphone adoption, with the result being fewer to pick from and even fewer worth buying. For 2015, Nikon has scaled back to just two models in the US -- the S3700 and L32, with two additional variants being available in other regions, the S2900 and L31.
Shop for Nikon Coolpix L32 (Red)
See all pricesThe S3700 features a 20-megapixel CCD sensor, 8x f3.7-6.6 25-200mm lens, 2.7-inch 230K-dot LCD and built-in Wi-Fi with NFC. The S2900 drops the Wi-Fi with NFC and has a 5x f3.2-6.5 26-130mm lens.
The S-series cameras are all about being slim and stylish and are purely for point-and-shoot use. They provide a decent assortment of filters and effects that you can shoot with or apply after you've taken a picture. The post effects include retouching options for things like teeth whitening, softening skin or covering dark circles under eyes.
The 20-megapixel L32 is similar to the S2900, but instead of a rechargeable battery pack, it's powered by two AA-size batteries. It has a 20-megapixel CCD sensor, a 5x f3.2-6.5 26-130mm lens and a 3-inch 230K-dot LCD. It, too, is fully automatic, but has a selection of filters and effects including the previously mentioned beauty retouching. The L31 has similar shooting features -- just fewer of them -- and has a 2.7-inch screen and 16-megapixel CCD image sensor.
The Nikon Coolpix S3700 and L32 will be available in February for $140 and $120, respectively. Prices for the UK are £100 for the S3700 and £80 for the L32. Australian pricing was not available, but the US pricing converts to about AU$180 for the S3700 and AU$150 for the L32.