Nikon Coolpix L18 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Ruby Red): Customer Reviews & Product Details

I bought my camera a little over a year ago. It was my first digital camera, and I was very happy with it at the time. Recently, though, the lens got stuck, and the LCD screen said 'lens error'. I followed the instructions which said to take out the batteries for a day, and put them back in. That trick worked for a few days, but then it got worse. Now, the lens is totally stuck and I can't do anything with the camera.
I called their customer service area, and was able to get them to tell me it could cost $80 to $120 to repair #could not get a free repair since the 1-year warranty had lapsed#. I then checked with a local authorized dealer who stated it would cost around $100 to repair.
So, needless to say, instead of getting it fixed, I am just going to shop around for a new one. Why pay to fix this, and possibly have it happen again, when I can just buy a new one, for possibly less money. Live and learn, live and learn....

First of all I consider myself as an amateur photographer even though people have paid me for photo shoots. Although I shoot mostly with DSLR's I have had owned many point and shoot cameras. My office decided to buy a few of these cameras because the boss is old school and wanted a camera that used AA batts. This camera is horrible! Don't expect to take action shots with this camera. The delay between when you press the shutter and when it actually takes the picture is about 4-5 sec. Some times you may get lucky and get a picture within 3 sec but that's rarely. The problem is that it takes about 2 sec to just focus and another 2 to take the picture. We use the cameras to take pictures of job sites so I don't take any action shots but because of the delay I've skipped taking some pictures because some times in never even would take the picture. I would just hear the camera trying to focus.

Some times I've tried the camera to take macro pictures of equipment name plates and even with the macro setting on the pictures would be blurry. We have 3 of these cameras and none of them have ever had a focused macro picture. I've found that my cell phone camera takes better macro pictures.

We've had these 3 cameras for 2 years now and the only reason why they still work is because everyone in the office tries to get the other Canon cameras that we have before they have to take these cameras.

Can't give a review at this moment. Receive camera on the 29th Mar., took 21 days to get here in Hawaii. Had to send it to Nikon Service Center on 1st of April to be repaired.

I once brought a Kids camera for my 5 yo. He loved it. It was garbage. It ate batteries. It had a junk 1" screen. It took HORRID picures. AND It cost me $45!! Awful!!!

So I did plan B. I brought this camera refurbished. At the time it was $75 with shipping. I gave it to him. Forewarned him about always using the strap and not touching the lens. I must have told him 100 times. He knows now and is careful.

HE LOVES IT. He doesn't want to print the pictures(never did). He just takes shots and records movies. He takes hundreds of them. Some nice ones! He can edit them on the camera too. He figured this out on his own. A 5 yo. (So what does it mean for those that complain about the controls...)

This is a nice camera with good battery life. Takes nice pics and is cheap. I'd do it again for him.

This is such a great camera for a very low price! I bought it like 2 years ago. The first year was great then the second year was not so good though. It lost its fantastic quality but i think now it is time to get a new one like this one for another year. It has a reasonable amount of film in it.(10 min) an you know it is good for camping trips to keep enough memories :). i really recommend this nikon coolpix camera if you just like to have a camera for trips and stuff.
Tip: NEVER BRING IT IN THE SAND!!! HAD TO FIX IT LIKE 5 TIMES!