The Nikon Coolpix L610 is a superzoom compact from Nikon's AA-battery-powered L-series, launched in August 2012 to offer a long reach lens at a budget price point without the proprietary battery of Nikon's pricier S and P series compacts.
It carries a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor on the common 1/2.3-inch compact sensor size, behind a Nikkor 14x optical zoom lens spanning a 25-350mm equivalent range at f/3.1-5.8. A 3-inch LCD with 460,000 dots is fitted, along with full HD 1080p video recording and vibration reduction, powered by two AA batteries rather than a rechargeable pack.
Its 14x zoom gives noticeably more reach than typical entry-level compacts of its time while still running on easily replaceable AA cells, a combination aimed at buyers who wanted telephoto flexibility without a proprietary charger to keep track of.
Used L610s remain a cheap way into long-zoom photography, though results at full telephoto are soft in low light given the small sensor. Check that the lens extends and retracts smoothly at all zoom positions, that the battery contacts are free of corrosion, and that the LCD is free of dead pixels.