Intended as a no-brainer camera, the Coolpix L12 is nevertheless the top entry in Nikon’s entry-level roster. It combines a 7.1 MP sensor with 3x zoom and Vibration Reduction – a feature found in many of Nikon’s pro lenses – and an Anti-Shake button which activates VR, ups the ISO, and turns on something Nikon calls Best Shot Selector simultaneously. 15 scene modes make it easier to point and shoot and come away with a good shot in varying conditions, and in-camera editing capabilities include D-Lighting (which can save poorly-lit shots from the delete button), Face Priority AF (which enhances group shots), and in-camera cropping (saves time in post-production). The L12 can use SDHC cards, goes up to ISO 1600, and takes AA batteries. The biggest downside? A 2.5” LCD with somewhat poor resolution – only 115k, or half the detail of the Finepix S700.

The V1003 packs 10 megapixels into a fairly compact body and keeps the price nice. Its zoom is nothing to write home about, only 3x, but it has a 2.5” display, video mode, 32mb of internal memory, a top ISO of 1600, digital image stabilization, 22 scene modes, and a custom settings mode which stores flash, white balance, ISO, and resolution settings – a nice, user-friendly touch that’s rare for a camera at this price point. The V1003 also has something called Perfect Touch, which is supposed to increase contrast and optimize brightness for more detailed pictures. If you plan on going small but printing big, the V1003 might be your cup of tea, just be forewarned that this many megapixels stuffed into a tiny sensor can result in significant noise at all but the lowest ISO settings.