Nikon expands hot Coolpix line

Nikon bursts onto the camera scene yet again with a huge bang, adding seven new COOLPIX models to its already impressive list of offerings. Likely to be a hugely popular add-on is the Exclusive Feature System, a suite of features that allow the user to quite easily “fix” underexposed, overexposed, out-of-focus, red-eye, and even blurry photos before they ever get downloaded or printed.

Specifically, the In-Camera Red-Eye Fix removes red eye from your picture-taking vocabulary; even if what you do would normally result in such an image, the camera helps you avoid that eventuality.

Have a problem with blurred images? Maybe you shoot too fast and don’t get your hands set. Not to worry, with the Blur Warning. If you do shoot something that would turn out blurry, the cameras will let you know, so you have an opportunity to take another shot (if it’s possible, of course).

The D-Lighting feature is perhaps the most amazing new offering, creating a copy of images that need lighting “help” and adding light and detail to those images for you; even if you shot a photo with incorrect lighting, it doesn’t matter because this handy feature does the heavy lifting for you.

The seven new models are spread across three lines:

• Going up the price ladder, the L2, L3, and L4 feature 4.0 (L3 and L4) or 5.1 (L2) megapixels and a 3x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens and sell for from US$149.95 to $249.95.
  
• The middle-of-the-line models are the S5 and S6, which duplicates the L Series options and adds a slideshow-making function, which can produce shows on an LCD that allows up to a 170-degree angle, and built-in WiFi capability. The S5 will sells for US$349.95, and the S6 will go for US$449.95.
  
• At the high end of the scale are the P3 and P4, which feature a vibration reduction functionality in addition to the other suite of photographer-friendly features and a continuous shooting protocol of up to 1.8 frames a second. The P3 will sell for US$449.95, and the P4 can be had for US$399.95.