Nikon L21 Review

Name: Nikon Coolpix L21
Brand: Nikon

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Main Features

8MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 64 - 1600

38-136 mm F3.1-6.7 Zoom Lens

2.5" Fixed Type Screen

continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video

169g. 92 x 67 x 28 mm

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Nikon L21 Overview

First introduced in February 2010 , Nikon Coolpix L21 is a 8.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and 3.6x zoom 38-136 mm F3.1-6.7 lens.

Nikon L21 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Nikon L21 is a member of Nikon's Small Sensor Compact class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Nikon Small Sensor Compact Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Nikon S33 Compare	2015	13.0MP - 1/3.1-inch	4.7 fps	110 x 66 x 27mm	221g
Nikon P340 Compare	2014	12.0MP - 1/1.7-inch	10.0 fps	103 x 58 x 32mm	194g
Nikon S5300 Compare	2014	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	7.0 fps	97 x 58 x 21mm	138g
Nikon S3600 Compare	2014	20.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	1.0 fps	97 x 58 x 20mm	125g
Nikon P7800 Compare	2013	12.0MP - 1/1.7-inch	8.0 fps	119 x 78 x 50mm	399g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Nikon S33 vs P340 vs S5300 vs S3600 vs P7800

Nikon L21 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon L21 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

169g Light Body

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Buy Nikon L21 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: 8.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600

Small LCD Screen ( 2.5")

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

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Nikon L21 Physical Specs

Nikon L21 weighs 169 g (0.37 lb / 5.96 oz) and has external dimensions of 92 x 67 x 28 mm (3.62 x 2.64 x 1.1″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 28mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Nikon L21

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Nikon L21

Min

Average

Max

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon L21, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Nikon L21 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Nikon L21 with its main competitors:

Nikon L21 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs L21	Thickness	vs L21
Kodak Mini Compare	99g	70g lighter	18mm	10mm thinner
Olympus E-600 Compare	515g	346g heavier	60mm	32mm thicker
Panasonic ZS100 Compare	312g	143g heavier	44mm	16mm thicker
Nikon P950 Compare	1005g	836g heavier	150mm	122mm thicker
Nikon L22 Compare	183g	14g heavier	28mm	equal thickness
Olympus TG-3 Compare	247g	78g heavier	31mm	3mm thicker
Nikon 1 V1 Compare	383g	214g heavier	44mm	16mm thicker
Leica M8 Compare	591g	422g heavier	37mm	9mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Nikon L21 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 L21 Sensor and Photography Features

Nikon L21 has a 8.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. L21 has a native ISO range of 64 - 1600 but unfortunately, Nikon L21 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider or in the same price range.

Nikon L21 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 L21 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 L21's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Nikon L21 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Nikon L21 Lens

Nikon L21 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

L21

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L21

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

L21

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L21

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Nikon L21 LCD

Nikon L21 has a Fixed Type 2.50" LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.5", the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

Unfortunately Nikon Coolpix L21 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

L21 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Nikon L21 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Nikon L21 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Nikon L21 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Kodak Mini Compare	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Olympus E-600 Compare	None	500shots	No	No	No
Panasonic ZS100 Compare	3840 x 2160	300shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon P950 Compare	3840 x 2160	290shots	Yes	Yes	No
Nikon L22 Compare	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Olympus TG-3 Compare	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon 1 V1 Compare	1920 x 1080	350shots	No	No	No
Leica M8 Compare	None	550shots	No	No	No

Nikon L21 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Nikon L21 can shoot continuously at max speed of and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately L21 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Nikon L21 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

What type of Photography is Nikon L21 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Nikon L21 in 5 different photography areas.

Nikon L21 for Portrait Photography

Nikon L21 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 theL21.

Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 8.0MP
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 L21 for Portrait Photography

Nikon L21 for Street Photography

Nikon L21 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 theL21.

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 L21 for Street Photography

Nikon L21 for Sports Photography

Nikon L21 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 theL21.

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 L21 for Sports Photography

Nikon L21 for Daily Photography

Nikon L21 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
169g
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 L21 for Daily Photography

Nikon L21 for Landscape Photography

Nikon L21 has a score of 13 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 theL21.

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: 8.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Nikon L21 for Landscape Photography

Nikon L21 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Nikon L21 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon L21 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Nikon L21

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon L21 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Nikon L21 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Nikon L21 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Nikon L21's price range.

Nikon L21 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Nikon L21 has an Overall Score of 26/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Nikon Coolpix L21 is ranked #597 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #1202 out of 1230 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#1202 out of 1230 in All Cameras
#597 out of 629 in Compact Cameras
#245 out of 262 in Small Sensor Compact Cameras.
#700 out of 738 in Small Sensor Sensor Cameras.

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon L21

Does the Nikon L21 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Nikon L21 have RAW support?
Does the Nikon L21 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Nikon L21 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Nikon L21?
What is the Sensor Size of Nikon L21?
is the Nikon L21 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Nikon L21 have Touch Screen?
Does the Nikon L21 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon L21?
What is the Weight of Nikon L21?
What are the Dimensions of Nikon L21?

Nikon Coolpix L21 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Nikon
Model	Nikon Coolpix L21
Announced	2010-02-03
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	2.5"
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
Max Flash Sync	s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in, Slow Syncro
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	8 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	169g
Physical Dimensions	92 x 67 x 28mm
Battery Model	2 x AA
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage Slots	1

Most Popular Small Sensor Compact Cameras

Nikon P7800
12 MP | 1/1.7-inch Sensor| 28-200 mm

Canon G16
12 MP | 1/1.7-inch Sensor| 28-140 mm

Sony W800
20 MP | 1/2.3-inch Sensor| 26-130 mm

Fujifilm X30
12 MP | 2/3-inch Sensor| 28-112 mm

Canon S120
12 MP | 1/1.7-inch Sensor| 24-120 mm

Fujifilm X10
12 MP | 2/3-inch Sensor| 28-112 mm

Leica D-Lux 6
10 MP | 1/1.7-inch Sensor| 24-90 mm

Canon G12
10 MP | 1/1.7-inch Sensor| 28-140 mm

Latest Compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1
20 MP | 1-inch Sensor | 24-70 mm

Fujifilm X100V
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | 35 mm

Sony RX100 VII
20 MP | 1-inch Sensor | 24-200 mm

Canon G5 X MII
20 MP | 1-inch Sensor | 24-120 mm

Canon G7 X MIII
20 MP | 1-inch Sensor | 24-100 mm

Leica Q2
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm

Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm

Nikon A1000
16 MP | 1/2.3-inch Sensor | 24-840 mm