Nikon's 2015 budget superzoom bridge — 16MP CMOS, 38x 22.5-855mm VR lens, tilting LCD, Wi-Fi/NFC, AA power.
The Nikon Coolpix L840 was a bridge-style superzoom launched in February 2015 as the update to the L830, sitting at the top of Nikon's budget L-series line. It offered a very long zoom in an SLR-shaped body while keeping the L-series hallmark of AA-battery power and simplified, largely automatic operation.
A 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor sits behind a 38x optical zoom spanning a 22.5-855mm equivalent range, with lens-shift Vibration Reduction and a macro mode focusing to about 1cm. The tilting LCD aids high and low angles, ISO runs 100-6400, and built-in Wi-Fi with NFC allows image transfer to a phone. Storage is SD/SDHC/SDXC, and four AA cells give roughly 590 shots on alkalines or up to 1240 on lithium AAs.
The L840 suits travel and casual wildlife or birding on a budget: the 855mm-equivalent reach is the headline, and AA power means spares are available anywhere. There is no viewfinder and no manual exposure mode, so composition is LCD-only and control-hungry photographers will feel constrained; it rewards those who want reach and simplicity over speed.
AA power removes the usual dead-proprietary-battery risk, making the L840 one of the safer used superzoom buys — but confirm the battery contacts are corrosion-free, as leaking alkalines are the model's common failure. Test the full zoom travel for smooth, centred extension, check VR by shooting at full telephoto, and confirm the tilting screen ribbon works through its range. Uses standard SD cards, still current.