Nikon announces budget compact cameras Coolpix A100 and A10

Nikon introduces two compact cameras that are at the absolute lower end of the market in terms of specifications. The Coolpix A10 and A100 use 1/2.3″ ccd sensors and are powered by AA batteries.

The Coolpix A100 and A10 get a lens with five times optical zoom. The range runs from 26 to 130mm in 35mm equivalent. The maximum aperture is f/3.2 to f/5.6, respectively in the wide-angle and extreme zoom positions. Nikon claims that electronic image stabilization provides stable shots when shooting both photos and videos.

The main difference between the cameras is the number of megapixels. It is striking that Nikon uses CCD sensors in the cameras; a 20.1-megapixel chip in the A100 and a 16.4-megapixel variant in the A10. Virtually all digital cameras today use cmos sensors, which generally perform better. The light sensitivity of iso 80 to 1600 of the Coolpix cameras is therefore limited. The Coolpix A100 and A10 will be for sale from January 28, for suggested retail prices of 129 and 99 euros respectively.

Nikon is one of the few major camera manufacturers still marketing compact cameras that target the lower end of the market. Most manufacturers have left the budget compact category behind, as the demand for such cameras has fallen sharply with the rise of the smartphone.