Nikon L840 Comparison Review

The Nikon Coolpix L840 is a fixed lens compact camera that was officially introduced in February 2015 and is equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.9 megapixel.

Is the Nikon L840 a good camera? The L840 has a Camera Elo of 1740. This rating puts the L840 below average of all superzoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (small sensor cameras), the L840 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Nikon L840 vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon L840 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Leica X Typ 113	133 mm	73 mm	78 mm	486 g	350	n	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	US$ 319	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	US$ 349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon L840 was launched in the US market at a price of $299. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Check L840 offers at
ebay.com

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Nikon L840 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon L840 among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
2.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
3.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
4.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
5.		Leica X Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1491	78
6.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
7.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
8.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
9.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
10.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
11.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The L840 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the L840 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon L840 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
5.		Leica X Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Nikon Coolpix L840 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

One convenient feature of the L840 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Coolpix L840 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Leica X Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the L840 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The L840 has a zoom lens built in (4.0-152mm f/3.0-6.5), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 22.5 to 855mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.

Further information on the features and operation of the L840 can be found in the free online Nikon L840 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the L840 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Leica X Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 319	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	US$ 349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check L840 offers at
ebay.com

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

You are here:  Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Nikon L840 Review