Nikon Coolpix L25 Compact Camera Review

Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification



The Nikon Coolpix L25 is an entry level compact camera with a 10.1 megapixel sensor, 3 inch screen, 5x optical zoom lens, electronic vibration reduction and is powered by AA batteries. It is available in black, white, red and silver for less than £50, and is the lower specification version of the Nikon Coolpix L26.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Features

The L25 has a 10.1 megapixel CCD sensor and 5x optical zoom, which is a 35mm equivalent of 28-140mm. To help reduce blur, e-VR (electronic vibration reduction) counteracts camera shake and motion detection compensates for camera and subject movement. To make image taking as easy as possible Easy Auto mode optimises the camera settings automatically for the scene, as well as 18 scene modes which can be selected.

The L25 also has a Smart Portrait System with Smile timer, Blink proof, Skin softening and Red-eye Fix. Videos are recorded at 720p HD. The camera is powered by two AA batteries, meaning replacements can be picked up just about anywhere in the world.

Key Features

• 10.1 megapixel CCD sensor
• 5x optical zoom (35mm equiv: 28-140mm)
• e-VR (vibration reduction)
• 3 inch LCD screen
• Smart Portrait System
• 720p HD video recording
• ISO 80-1600
• 10cm minimum focusing distance
• 18 scene modes
• Available in black, white, red and silver

Nikon Coolpix L25 Handling

The L25 has a plastic body, it's small with one end slightly thicker than the other to accommodate the two AA batteries, and a dotted area on the back which makes it easier to grip the camera. There is a decent sized 3 inch LCD screen, which is bright and easy to view in varying lighting conditions. The buttons are fairly typical for a compact camera, with a dedicated movie record button placed on the rear. The menu system on the L25 is easy to understand and navigate.

The batteries have a CIPA rating of 220 shots, performance will depend on the quality of battery purchased. We tested the cameras performance at focusing, shutter response, shot-to-shot time, continuous shooting etc. and have posted the results below. To test this we took 6 or more shots and calculated the average, so that consistent results were produced.

Shutter Response		0.1 seconds
Wide - Focus / Shutter Response		0.5 seconds
Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response		0.8 seconds
Switch on Time to Taking a Photo		2.9 seconds
Shot to Shot (without flash)		1.5 seconds
Shot to Shot with Flash		3.4 seconds
Continuous		0.8s

Continuous shooting mode records images at full 10.1 megapixel resolution. The L25 is slow at starting up and also is quite slow at focusing at times.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Performance

Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review and product ratings.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Sample Photos

Sample Photos - In portrait mode, skin tones are good, with just the slightest touch of red-eye. Landscape mode takes pictures with good blues and greens, although images were occassionally soft. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 10cm, making it difficult to get really close to your subject, although a decent enough macro image can be taken with some optical zoom.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Lens test images

Lens Performance - The L25 takes images which are well exposed with good colour reproduction. Detail is OK if you shoot with a low ISO setting, the images produced are best for sharing on the web rather than getting large prints as we found the left of the image quite soft. There is purple fringing evident in contrasting areas, and some vignetting visible in shots.

Nikon Coolpix L25 ISO test images

ISO Noise Performance - You cannot manually set the ISO speed on the L25. The lowest ISO speed available is ISO 80 where images are noise free. Noise appears at ISO 200 (examples at lower speeds can be seen in other test shots in the article). These images above show the effect of noise at ISO 200, and 400. Images are quite noisy at ISO 400, but retain some sharpness. At higher ISO settings images become very noisy, which is probably why is was hard to get the L25 to use higher ISO settings.

Nikon Coolpix L25 White-balance test images

White Balance Performance - Auto white-balance (AWB) copes really well, under the incandescent lights, with similar shots produced whether using the AWB or incandescent presets. Under the fluorescent lights, the AWB setting performed well, with a magenta cast appearing when using the fluorescent preset.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Digital filters

Digital Filters - The L25 has a few colour options to add creativity to your pictures. You can also edit images in playback, with D-Lighting and Skin Softening options available.

Video - The video below is shot at 720p HD, optical zoom isn't available during recording.

Value For Money

The Nikon Coolpix L25 is priced at £39, making it one of the cheapest digital cameras available. Other entry-level budget cameras to consider include the Fujifilm FinePix Z90 (5x zoom, £49), Olympus VG-170 (5x zoom, £57), Nikon Coolpix S30 (Waterproof, 3x zoom, £57), Nikon Coolpix L26 (5x zoom, £59), Canon Powershot A810 (5x zoom, £70),  Nikon Coolpix S3300 (6x zoom, £73), and Olympus VR-340 (£75, 10x zoom, 16 megapixels). You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Verdict

If you are on a very strict budget, or are buying a child their first camera, the L25 is ideal. Images produced aren't ideal for large prints, but should look great when shared on Facebook thanks to the cameras good colour reproduction. Overall, you can't expect much for £40, but you do get a decent amount of zoom and a large screen in this compact camera, it also looks good in red.

Nikon Coolpix L25 Pros

One of the cheapest cameras around
Good colour reproduction
Replacement batteries easy to find
3 inch LCD screen
5x optical zoom

Nikon Coolpix L25 Cons

No ability to control ISO speed
10cm minimum focusing distance
Camera is generally slow to use
Lens performance issues

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

Nikon Coolpix L25 Specifications

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