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Nikon L20 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
    • Nikon L20

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    Main Features

    • 10MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
    • ISO 64 - 1600
    • 38-136 mm F3.1-6.7 Zoom Lens
    • 3" Fixed Type Screen
    • continuous shooting
    • - 640 x 480 video
    • 135g. 61 x 97 x 29 mm
      •
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    Nikon L20 Overview

    First introduced in February 2009 , Nikon Coolpix L20 is a 10.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and 38-136 mm F3.1-6.7 lens.

    Nikon L20 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Other Features
    8. Lens
    9. Photography Type Scores
    10. Alternatives
    11. Popular Comparisons
    12. Frequently Asked Questions
    13. Detailed Specifications

    Nikon L20 has an Overall Score of 26/100 and ranked #599 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #1176 out of 1223 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Nikon L20 Physical Specs
    Nikon L20 weighs 135 g (0.30 lb / 4.76 oz) and has external dimensions of 61 x 97 x 29 mm (2.4 x 3.82 x 1.14″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Nikon L20 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 29mm, it has an average thickness for its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Nikon L20
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Nikon L20
    Min
    Average
    Max

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon L20, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Nikon L20 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Nikon L20 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Nikon L20 with its main competitors:

    Nikon L20 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs L20 Thickness vs L20
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Leica V-Lux 4
    Compare     		588g 453g heavier 110mm 81mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Canon 170 IS
    Compare     		141g 6g heavier 23mm 6mm thinner
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Panasonic S5
    Compare     		714g 579g heavier 82mm 53mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Canon SX730 HS
    Compare     		300g 165g heavier 40mm 11mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Nikon L120
    Compare     		431g 296g heavier 78mm 49mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Nikon L26
    Compare     		164g 29g heavier 29mm equal thickness
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Casio EX-FH100
    Compare     		201g 66g heavier 28mm 1mm thinner
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare     		812g 677g heavier 132mm 103mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Nikon L20 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Nikon L20 Sensor and Photography Features

    Nikon L20 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. L20 has a native ISO range of 64 - 1600 but unfortunately, Nikon L20 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider or in the same price range.

    Nikon L20 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon L20 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Nikon L20's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Nikon L20 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Nikon L20 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Nikon L20 Lens

    Nikon L20 features a 38-136 mm F3.1-6.7 3.6× zoom lens. With a focal length of only 38mm on the wide end, the camera doesn't have wide angle capability at all. On the plus side, 136mm reach on tele gives a lot of flexibility and satisfy most of your needs.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    L20
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    L20
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.10 at 38mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f6.70.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    L20
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    L20
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average



    Nikon L20 LCD

    Nikon L20 has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    Nikon L20 back view and LCD

    L20 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider (Compare) or (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Nikon L20 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Nikon L20 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

    Nikon L20 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Leica V-Lux 4
    Compare     		1920 x 1080 540shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Canon 170 IS
    Compare     		1280 x 720 200shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Panasonic S5
    Compare     		3840 x 2160 440shots Yes Yes No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Canon SX730 HS
    Compare     		1920 x 1080 250shots Yes Yes Yes
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Nikon L120
    Compare     		1280 x 720 330shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Nikon L26
    Compare     		1280 x 720 200shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Casio EX-FH100
    Compare     		640 x 480 shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Camera Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare     		3840 x 2160 360shots Yes Yes No

    Nikon L20 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Nikon L20 can shoot continuously at max speed of and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately L20 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Nikon L20 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

    Nikon L20 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon L20 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    135g Light Body
    Report a correction

    Buy Nikon L20 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Image Stabilization
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Full HD Video
    No Touch Screen
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    No Face Detection Focusing
    Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
    Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600
    Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    38 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
    Optical Zoom only 3.6X
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.10
    Slow Lens at Tele: f6.70
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Nikon L20 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Nikon L20 in 5 different photography areas.

    Nikon L20 for Portrait Photography

    Nikon L20 has a score of 10 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theL20.
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon L20 for Portrait Photography

    Nikon L20 for Street Photography

    Nikon L20 has a score of 28 for Street Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Street We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list and consider these alternatives over theL20.
    Live-view
    Small Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Image Stabilization
    38 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon L20 for Street Photography

    Nikon L20 for Sports Photography

    Nikon L20 has a score of 14 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theL20.
    Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
    136 mm Tele Lens
    Environmental Sealings
    Focus Points
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Image Stabilization
    Slow Lens at Tele: f6.70
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon L20 for Sports Photography

    Nikon L20 for Daily Photography

    Nikon L20 has a score of 48 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    135g
    3.6X Optical Zoom
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon L20 for Daily Photography

    Nikon L20 for Landscape Photography

    Nikon L20 has a score of 14 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theL20.
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    38 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon L20 for Landscape Photography
    Nikon L20 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Nikon L20 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon L20 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Nikon L20

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon L20 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Leica V-Lux 4
    Leica V-Lux 4
    Compare
    Canon 170 IS
    Canon 170 IS
    Compare
    Panasonic S5
    Panasonic S5
    Compare
    Canon SX730 HS
    Canon SX730 HS
    Compare
    Nikon L120
    Nikon L120
    Compare
    Nikon L26
    Nikon L26
    Compare
    Casio EX-FH100
    Casio EX-FH100
    Compare
    Leica V-Lux 5
    Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare

    Nikon L20 Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Nikon L20 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Nikon L20's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon L20
    Does the Nikon L20 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Nikon L20 have RAW support?
    Does the Nikon L20 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Nikon L20 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Nikon L20?
    What is the Sensor Size of Nikon L20?
    is the Nikon L20 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Nikon L20 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Nikon L20 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon L20?
    What is the Weight of Nikon L20?
    What are the Dimensions of Nikon L20?
    Nikon Coolpix L20 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Nikon
    Model Nikon Coolpix L20
    Announced 2009-02-03
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 38-136 mm (3.6×)
    Max Aperture F3.1-6.7
    Macro Focus Range 5cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 230k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 8s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/2000s
    Continuous Shooting n/a
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation n/a
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range n/a
    Flash Modes Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow, Off
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CCD
    Sensor Size 1/2.3-inch
    Sensor Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm
    Sensor Area 27.72mm2
    Sensor Resolution 10 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 3648 x 2736
    Max Native ISO 1,600
    Min Native ISO 64
    RAW Support
    Autofocus
    AF Touch
    AF Continuous
    AF Single
    AF Tracking
    AF Selective
    AF Center
    AF Multi Area
    AF Live View
    AF Face Detection
    AF Contrast Detection
    AF Phase Detection
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 640 x 480
    Video Formats Motion JPEG
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity None
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 135g
    Physical Dimensions 61 x 97 x 29mm
    Battery Model 2 x AA
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC card, Internal
    Storage Slots 1


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