First Take: Nikon Coolpix L110

Nikon's Coolpix L100 and L20 were very popular models last year and actually continue to be well trafficked on CNET. That has a lot to do with their price tags and far less to do with their quality. I didn't review the L20, but the L100 was a fairly weak camera. (But it had a 15x zoom for less than $250!) Nikon is now announcing their updates: the Coolpix L110 and L22.

For the same MSRP as the L100 ($279.95), Nikon increased the camera resolution to 12 megapixels and the 3-inch LCD resolution from 230K dots to 460K, added a 720p movie mode and a built-in stereo microphone, added use of the optical zoom and autofocus while shooting video, and includes four AA lithium batteries for 840 shots or 7 hours of video. So all in all, a better package, and it'll come in a choice of black or red.

CNET is currently testing the budget-friendly Nikon Coolpix L110 megazoom and will have a full review completed shortly.