Nikon Silver Coolpix L31 Digital Camera with 16 Megapixels and 5x Optical Zoom

I gave this camera a work-out during a bus tour. I took pictures that were close, that required zoom, and were done in a moving bus. The pictures were sharp: there was high definition. Although it took some time to figure out how to use the camera properly, it was worth it. I recommend it.

It's been a few years since I bought a digital camera. I have had many cameras over the years. The most expensive one was a Canon Powershot IS I had years ago, which was a great camera with many features, but only a digital zoom. There certainly are better cameras out there for more money. I was not interested in paying for most of the high end features I never use. I only use a camera occasionally and could not justify spending a lot. This camera works for me, and I am impressed by many of the features. For these reasons and price, I gave it a 5 star rating. It is mostly automatic although there are some settings that can be tweeked. In fact, there are two auto settings. I like the smart auto feature and I like the manual zoom. The batteries last a good long time (something I was concerned about) and it takes good pictures most of the time, Although a tripod is needed in low-light or for best results taking videos. The camera is very lightweight with a nice view finder. I bought a 16GB SD class 10 (they recommend class 10 especially when taking video) and will eventually upgrade to a 32GB class 10 SD. I've had the camera a couple weeks now. I read the manual, adjusted settings and taken pictures and video and am happy with it. I always handle cameras carefully because they are delicate devices. I have no reason to doubt it will last as long as I need it. I may get rechargeable batteries, but I'm in no hurry since I'm >still< using the alkalines that came with it!