Nikon Coolpix L1 Digital Camera Announced

The new Nikon Coolpix L1 brings a 6.2 megapixel resolution to entry level users.  The L1 includes a 5x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD, as well as Nikon's technologies (Face Priority AF, D-Lighting, In-Camera Red Eye fix).  A redesigned user interface features more in-camera help and the ability to choose functions by text or icons.  All this in a camera with an MSRP of $349 (available in September).

MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Joining Nikon's award winning Coolpix line of compact digital cameras is the new Coolpix L1. Compact and lightweight, the six-megapixel L1 offers 5x optical zoom performance, an incredibly bright 2.5-inch LCD, and a host of advanced in-camera features for crisp, clear photos with the press of a button.

"The Coolpix L1 is an ideal camera for the first-time through step up user," says Bill Giordano, General Manager of Marketing for Nikon, Inc. "Not only does this camera take fantastic pictures, but it actually helps users compose shots, fix red-eye, compensate for undesirable lighting conditions, and much more."

For creative freedom to compose shots, the 5x optical, 38-190mm Zoom Nikkor lens (35mm equivalent) lets users zoom in for tight portraits or zoom out to capture wide-open scenery. A newly designed 1/2.5-inch CCD delivers high 6-megapixel performance within smaller dimensions -- contributing to the highly portable and compact dimensions of the camera.

True to the entire Coolpix line for 2005, the L1 gives users the power to improve and fix recorded images in-camera with ease using Nikon's exclusive suite of technology. To compensate for insufficient flash or excessive backlighting with the touch of a button, the D-Lighting function will add detail and brighten the image where necessary. The Face-Priority AF function is able to automatically detect the location of a human face within the frame, providing sharp focus on it to produce sharp, clear portraits wherever the subject is positioned in the frame. The In-Camera Red-Eye Fix(TM) technology automatically detects and corrects red eyes in an image while Blur Warning will alert the user that a shot has been compromised allowing for it to be retaken before leaving the scene.

The newly-designed GUI (Graphic User Interface) enables users to select functions either by name or icon. And, the Help button can be pressed to display simple explanations for functions in the main menu.

With a choice of 15 Scene Modes, the L1 gives users the ability to achieve crisp, clear images in a variety of situations such as Beach/Snow, Fireworks, Museum, Party/Indoor and more. Four of the Scene Modes offer Scene Assist to help compose shots for optimal results. To capture moving memories, Movie Mode will record at up to 30 fps with sound.

The Coolpix L1 features a curved grip for comfortable, stable shooting and is highly portable -- measuring just 3.5 x 2.4 x 1.9 inches and weighing just over six ounces* -- making it the ideal travel companion for consumers on the go. The L1 also includes a large, bright 2.5-inch LCD for easy viewing in a variety of lighting conditions.

Additionally, the L1 includes handy features such as Best Shot Selector (BSS), 4x digital zoom, Single and Continuous AF, Choice of White Balance and Noise reduction to ensure better color reproduction in darker lighting conditions. Consumers can record images to an SD Card or onto the 10 MB of internal memory. For added convenience, the L1 uses two AA-size batteries and comes included with PictureProject Software.

The L1 will be available in September 2005 with an MSRP of $349.95. For more information about the L1 and other Coolpix cameras, please visit http://www.nikondigital.com/.