Now that camera phones are capable of taking a half-decent picture that will print at 6 x 4in, a dedicated digital compact camera with a resolution upwards of four or five mega pixels - suitable for an 8 x 10 in print. A case in point is Nikon's entry level CoolPix L16, which marries 7.1-megapixel output to a 3x optical zoom plus features more commonly found on cameras higher up the range, such as Anti-shake, commonly known as image stabilisation.

The CoolPix L16 shares same features as the FujiFilms Z10fd, like a 3x zoom, a 2.8in LCD screen. However, the Z10fd is the compact of the both. Anti-shake feature ensures that you get a blur-free pictures most of the time. There are two mode buttons located at the top of the camera divided into Still image, Video, Scene and Playback mode.



The camera powers up in a leisurely three to four seconds; the zoom extending to its maximum wide-angle setting and the screen warming up (there's no optical viewfinder with which to alternatively compose shots). Visibility is pretty good however, with no image ghosting and little noise when viewing the screen in low light indoors. Although colours are naturalistic, images lacked a little vibrancy on screen.

That aside, the L16 is easy to use, meaning it's better suited as a stocking filler rather than for a camera club. A gripe with this camera has is that there is no manual ISO control. The L16 is a good buy over the Canon Powershot A470 and the FinePix Z10fd for the value it offers.