Nikon Coolpix L4

I purchased this camera as a backup to my Rebel XT and to use for macro photography. This camera is very compact which is good for packing to the beach Ritz camera also sold a snapper cover for it to make it weatherproof. It has an interesting way for metering portraits as it superimposes an outline of the person on the screen and you line it up. It has lots of shooting modes, one Ifind is interesting is fireworks which gives you about a 3 sec shutter time. I was also surprised to find that it lets you know when you have taken a blurred photo and gives you the option of trashing it. The flash seems strong for such a dimunitive camera. At full macro I can get a quarter into the view screen and it had about a 5mm dof without using the flash under regular daylight. It doesn't have a viewfinder but at least what you see is what you get when framing up photos. AF is fairly quick. The flash seems to want to come on even in fairly well lit conditions. With alkaline batteries the life was pretty low, also partly because of the flash I think I only got about 60 photos before it gave up, I think NIMH will do better.

Compact size
Thought it doesn't have manual modes the shooting modes allow for some creativity.
Strong flash for a small camera especially when compared to Kodak Easyshares.
Good size LCD.

Camera seems to want to use the flash in any lighting short of broad daylight.
No audio in the video mode :(

Olympus D-510 Zoom

none needed

Save your money. The large display is the weak link on this camera. If you use it you will break it. Mine lasted nearly a week and was not abused.

I have a Nikon 3100 that is nearly 4 years old, has over 10,000 shots, has been wet, cold, hot, dropped, kicked and generally abused and still works great. I wish I could say the same for the L4.

Size.

Large display is easily broken.

Nikon 3100
Canon

Still waiting.

Great camera for the price. Small easy to keep with me at all times. Simple to use. Great pictures in my opinion. Would definitely recommend to my friends.

Very simple to use for beginners. It takes great pictures. I have taken a close up picture of my tulips in bloom, using the marco mode, Oh, what vivid color and definition. Very happy with this camera. Its small and I can keep it in my purse at all times. My other cameras have been to big to keep with me and then when I need a camera, its at home! Batteries seem to last pretty good .

It does not have a view finder, only the LCD. That works ok for me.

Cannon Sure Shot A75 and Olympus digital.

Did not need any customer service so far. I have had this camera for about 3 months.