Nikon's 2012 cheapest L-series compact — 10.1MP CCD, 28-140mm equiv 5x zoom, 3" LCD, AA power.
The Nikon Coolpix L25 was the cheapest model in Nikon's 2012 compact line-up, announced on 1 February 2012 alongside the L26 and the L810 superzoom. As an L-series camera it followed the family recipe of AA batteries, full automation and a low price, and it sold in silver, black, red and white.
It uses a 10.1-megapixel 1/2.9-inch CCD with a 5x Nikkor zoom starting at a usefully wide 28mm equivalent and reaching 140mm. The 3-inch TFT LCD has around 230,000 dots — large for the price class — and video records at 720p HD. Operation centres on Easy Auto mode with scene selection, storage is on SD cards, and power comes from AA alkaline or lithium cells, so spares can be bought anywhere.
The L25 is aimed at complete beginners and as a hand-me-down or child's first camera: there is nothing to configure and the big screen makes framing easy. The small 10MP sensor and lack of optical stabilisation set the limits — it is a daylight camera, and telephoto or indoor shots need care — but the wide 28mm end is handy for group shots and interiors.
Used examples are almost disposable in price and often barely used. AA power and SD storage mean nothing is obsolete; just verify the lens extends cleanly, the flash fires, and the battery-door latch is intact since the light plastic shell is the weakest point. Given how cheap these are, favour boxed or tested listings over any gamble.