Nikon CoolPix L110

Jayesh Limaye, Aug 18, 2010 1707 hrs IST

An affordable high-zoom digicam with decent image quality

Good color reproduction and image quality, good 720p video recording, superb LCD display, 15x optical zoom, hybrid image stabilization, price

Very few manual options, noise at ISO400 and higher

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Design & Construction

The Nikon CoolPix L110 sports a design similar to many of Nikon's SLR cameras and has the similar ergonomics as well. The body is bulky and feels solid. Built for right-handed people as most digicams, there is a rubber grip to get a firm hold on the camera. In fact, this grip is larger than that of the more expensive Nikon CoolPix P100. This thickness is not unusual since the camera is powered by four AA batteries, which are inside this portion. The camera is not very light, but it is not too heavy either and this is actually useful as it provides some stability when shooting handheld. Neck strap attachments are available on either side. The dimensions of the camera are 108.9 x 74.3 x 78.1mm, while its weight is around 406 grams.

The lens used in this camera is the Nikkor wide angle 5.0-75.0 mm 1:3.5-5.4 which effectively has a focal range of 28 to 420 mm. The lens does not come with an automatic lens cover, but a manual cover is provided to protect the lens when the camera is not in use. There is a flash on top of the lens, which pops out, though it has to be done manually. Just to the left of the lens is the focusing assist lamp, which helps the autofocus mechanism of the camera.

When you take a look at the top of the camera, you can see that just near the flash there is a stereo microphone to record stereoscopic audio. The placement at the top means that audio is recorded well no matter which direction the sound is coming from. However, the drawback is that you cannot have directional audio recording. Also, being placed so close to each other, we are skeptical about how effectively they can really record stereo sound.

The sieve you can see near the centre is the speaker, which is useful when you play back the video recorded by the camera. A nicely recessed power button is placed next to the speaker and has a green LED at the centre, which glows when the camera is switched on. The right portion, which is held by the hand, has a zoom rocker with the trigger button at the centre. The zoom rocker is used to zoom in and out, the subject being shot or filmed.

The back portion is dominated by the large 3-inch LCD display. This display is unique from the cameras we have reviewed thus far, as it has 460k dots, which are more than twice those available in competing models or even more expensive models for that matter. The advantage is visible right away as the images look a lot better due to the higher resolution display. The display is visible even outdoors under direct sunlight. This is, of course, necessary for this camera as it lacks any other viewfinder.

The red button near the top right is the dedicated video recording button. Just beside it is the thumb rest, which is a rather peculiar but useful feature, not found on most other cameras. The button with a green camera icon or the Scene button lets you choose different scene modes to shoot according to your choice. The playback button to its right lets you view the recorded content. A jog-dial is present below these two buttons which lets you toggle flash, macro mode, delayed shutter release or adjust EV value, when clicked in one of the four different directions. The OK button at the centre confirms the setting.

You can also sift through your recorded content using this jog dial. The menu button near the bottom right lets you access the different functions of the camera, such as setting the image/video resolution, image stabilization, white balance, etc. As is self-explanatory, the button with the garbage bin icon is used to delete recorded content from the camera.

We found it odd that the scene selection was available only after going inside the menus of the Scene button, as it is a standard practice to provide a dial to achieve the same in a faster and convenient way. The placement of all the buttons is good and they are placed such that you can easily operate the camera with just your right hand even while holding it in the same hand using your thumb or index finger.

The battery compartment can be accessed at the bottom of the camera and the hinge and door mechanism are quite strong. The memory card slot is also present here. The compartment houses four AA batteries, which incidentally add to the weight and bulk of the camera. A longer lasting Lithium battery would have not only reduced the weight, but also the bulk of this camera. There is also a threaded tripod socket to mount the camera on a tripod for steadier photo shoots. This is made of metal and is therefore made to last. The problem here is that you cannot access the memory card when the camera is mounted on a tripod because the battery compartment lid cannot be opened. But this is not really an issue as you may seldom use a tripod with this point-and-shoot camera.

Video out is available in the form of a mini-HDMI and configured to be watched up to a resolution of 1920x1080.




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Sony Ericsson WP7 Based X7 Phones Leaked

The XPERIA branded smartphones from Sony Ericsson have been getting regular doses of attention; their Android based XPERIA X10 and X10 mini pro got the much-needed 2.1 update couple of weeks back. Then there was that monstrous successor to the X10, X12 (a.k.a Anzu) with a 4.3-inch screen and supposed 1080p HD video recording thatgot leaked to the world a couple of days back.


Now, the Swedish-Japanese collaboration is expanding its XPERIA brand to cater to the new player in the OS game - Windows Phone 7, reports Softpedia. There is a video that supposedly shows two new handsets bearing this same operating system; the X7 and the X7 mini. Other than the apt "7" numbered naming; these two devices are apparently no less when it comes to the insane amount of features crammed in cell phones these days. The X7, much like the X12, will sport a 4.3-inch WVGA (or 800 x 480 pixel) display and a 1.2 GHz processor. The camera at the back is supposedly an 8 megapixel sensor, again similar to the XPERIA X10, that shoots at 720p HD resolution. An HDMI output will let you hook it up to a bigger display and the Dolby Digital Plus Surround support will ensure separate streams of audio to be fed to a home theater if available.

The X7 mini is not to be confused with the cutesy X10 Mini; this one would have a bigger iPhone-sized 3.5 inch display with the same WVGA resolution like the above. As of today, there's no arguement that the Nokia N8 is the best camera-phone and it is interesting to see other manufacturers trying to follow in its footsteps which ultimately might put point-and-shoot cameras in the state where alarm clocks or even MP3 players are today. The X7 mini, despite the moniker, will actually have a higher-resolution 10.1 megapixel camera as compared to the one above and that too with a Xenon flash. Another important camera related aspect that's often nothing more than a gimmick in most camera-phones is addressed here. We're referring to digital zoom, and the X7 mini instead has 3x optical (that's right!) zoom according to the video. Let's just hope this feature doesn't add too much to the thickness of the phone.

Both these phones are expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2011. There's no concrete proof that exists about these phones other than this purported YouTube video that you can have a look at yourself.

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X7X7 miniX12Sony EricssonXperiaWindows Phone 7WP7

naturally occurring

How to Be a Morning Person

Steps

1. 1
   
   Reflect about the purpose of getting up earlier. If you'rementally motivated to get up earlier, it can help to make a big dent in your sleeping-in excuses. Think about the reasons why you'd like to get up earlier in the mornings. Common good reasons include:

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   • Having quiet time to yourself before anybody else in the house is up. In this time, you can read, write, exercise, contemplate, meditate, make the evening's dinner, or do a little tidying even.
   • For many people, early morning is an important time to reflect upon or practice elements of their faith.
   • To catch the sunrise. As wonderful as the sunset, the sunrise heralds the new day and brings promise of a fresh start. That's often worth the effort!
   • Getting to work, school, or college earlier so that you can come home earlier and do other things you want to do.
   • Looking after other people or animals can benefit from getting up earlier, especially if they need feeding, bathing, exercising, etc.
   • It's a great time to deal with routine matters while you're alert and ready to get going; things such as checking emails, paying bills, and administrative filing can be done first thing in the morning to get them out of the way.
   • For some people, it's about restoring the morning person you used to be until you allowed late night TV, internet chatting, and other wakeful activities to keep you up late.
   • Leo Babauta suggests that early risers can benefit from early commutes while the traffic is still light; even better if you're cycling.^[1]
2. 2
   
   Go to bed earlier. To rise earlier, you'll need to sleep earlier and that can be hard if you're used to using the later hours of the night for activities such as reading, watching TV, or writing. Consider going to bed earlier in increments. Start with 15 minutes earlier, with the expectation of getting up 15 minutes earlier, then gradually increase this to half an hour and then to an hour. If you do this gradually, it will give both your body and your mind time to adjust to the earlier sleeping and waking times. It will also allow you to find your happy medium between too early and too late.
   • Avoid watching TV just before bedtime, use the internet, or eat.^[2] These activities can excite you and keep you awake rather than inducing a sleepy state. In particular, don't watch news items or scary movies, or pay your bills late at night, as these will over-stimulate you.^[3]
   • Dim your lights one hour before bed to facilitate the release of melatonin and make you sleepy. Avoid bright lights, caffeine, and alcohol, as these will all wake you up more.
   • Eventually go to bed by 10 o'clock at the latest; sleep experts believe this is the optimal time.^[4] And as you're easing into the new routine, always aim to fall asleep before midnight, treating midnight as your boundary of "no-crossing".
   • Allow yourself to read in bed. Reading is a quiet activity and it will often induce sleep in the supine position. Especially if it's a dreary textbook or work paper.
   • If you live with a night owl who hasn't the slightest interest in changing his or her sleeping schedule, ask for a bit of slack and no noise when they finally do go to bed.
3. 3
   

   Bigger is better; as is moving it away from your bed!
   Set your alarm clock. Although it is important to learn to wake up earlier as a matter of will, your alarm clock is the main source of helping establish your new routine when changing over your sleeping patterns.
   • Set the alarm clock for a time like 6:00 in the morning (or whenever you want to get up).
   • Keep the alarm clock far enough away that you have to get out of bed to shut it off. The effort of having to rise from bed to shut it off will be enough to start waking you up properly.^[5]
   • If possible, make your alarm clock play loud music to wake you up, instead of the traditional beep.
4. 4
   
   Help wake yourself up. It will be especially difficult when you first try to transition from night owl sleeping patterns to morning person sleeping rhythms, so there are some ways to trick your body into greater alertness. For example, turning on bright lights on first thing in the morning resets your circadian rhythm and essentially makes you more alert.^[6] Going out into morning sun would also do the trick provided the sun is up already; natural light will wake you up just as efficiently.^[7] The following suggestions won't reset your circadian rhythm but they might help to get you used to a morning routine:
   • 

     Make the bed
     Make your bed. It's a lot less desirable to crawl back into it when you've gone to the trouble of making it up!
   • Stop rationalizing and start doing. Force yourself to leave the room – go to the bathroom, drink a glass of water, open the curtains, just do something that will overcome your inner chat about returning to bed.^[8]
   • Splash your face with water as soon as you get out of bed.
   • 

     Stretch your back.
     Stretch. Stretching can help awaken you gently, as well as improving your flexibility.
   • Put on upbeat music and dance to it a little.
   • Have a cup of tea or coffee to awaken your senses. Some people swear by slightly warmed water with freshly squeezed lemon juice as a refreshing tonic.
   • 

     Morning workout
     Exercise. Exercise will help to wake you up, and exercise undertaken first thing in the morning is more effective at charging up your metabolism than exercise undertaken at any other time of the day.
5. 5
   
   Have a good breakfast. Don't be tempted to skip breakfast; it's your energy source kick-starter for the rest of the day and the early bird has even longer to wait until lunchtime.
   • If you experience problems with not wanting to eat breakfast in the morning, read How to feel like eating breakfast first thing in the morning for more information on overcoming this.
6. 6
   
   Keep the new morning rhythm going once it's established. It's important to get up at the same time every day once you're established in your new routine, including weekends. Don't sleep in on days when you don't have to be somewhere; doing so throws out your sleep rhythm badly and it's hard to catch up. Leave sleeping in for when you're unwell. Instead, get up and use the time to read, enjoy a longer breakfast, chat with others, or exercise.
   • Take notice of how much more you have accomplished when you get home from work and/or school. You'll relax more, sleep better at night, and be more refreshed for when you get up early again.
7. 7
   
   Persevere and be realistic. It can take time to transition from a night owl to a morning person. Moreover, being a morning person or a night owl has a genetic basis that may not be easy to override.^{[9] [10]}As such, it may not be possible to switch yourself over entirely to becoming a morning person unless you're a morning person reforming from a lapse into a night owl lifestyle. However, if even an hour or so earlier is giving you just a little more space than before you tried this transition, it can be worth the effort and the new routine in your life.
   • Even night owls are prone to wake up earlier during the warmer months when the morning light streams through earlier. Try to go with your body's natural flow and it's more likely that you'll wake up earlier than usual anyway during spring and summer months.
   • Stick with the process; it's not going to be easy for the first few mornings. The more your body becomes used to the light cues and the regular bedtimes, the more you'll find it easier to transition.
   • Have rewards in place for early rising, such as a delicious breakfast at the local cafe, a brand new paperback to read, an early appointment massage, etc. Reward yourself with something that encourages you to keep getting up early each day.
   • Remind yourself that today is a new day. Forget about what happened yesterday, it's in the past. Today is a fresh day, enjoy it!

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editVideo

editTips

• 

  A nice bright lamp
  Use bright, full-spectrum lighting in your bedroom; turn the light on as soon as you get up.

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• Avoid bright lights during the evening hours; these will confuse your body. Dim lights several hours before sleep.
• Give yourself something to accomplish each day (even on the weekends). Whether it be running 10 miles before breakfast or getting a few loads of laundry through before you go to work, just do something.
• Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages or energy drinks after 4 pm.
• Avoid listening to fast-paced or stimulating music 2-3 hours before intended bedtime.
• 

  A cute alarm clock
  Novelty alarm clocks which move around on wheels or fly around the room, making it harder to shut them off, are a good choice for the ultra-sleepy. They're more expensive but they're worth it if you compulsively hit the snooze-button.
• Some televisions allow you to use them as an alarm clock. Make use of this feature to turn on the TV (with the volume set at high level) when you want to wake up. Do not keep the remote near you to switch it off. On the other hand, having a TV in your bedroom is arguably a distraction that can keep you awake at night, so the preference would be not to have it in your bedroom at all.
• Use an inexpensive electronic light timer to switch on a radio or bright/broad-spectrum lamp at the bedside.
• Each sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes. Set your alarm clock to go off after a multiple of an hour and a half, and it will be easier to wake up.
• A pet can be a delightful source of early waking (depending on how you choose to perceive this) – give in to your hungry dog or cat and you'll have a reliable early morning alarm for the rest of its life!

editWarnings

• Avoid putting your alarm clock by your bed if all you will is shut it off and go back to sleep again. Shift it to somewhere that requires you to get out of bed to turn it off.
• Sleep researchers believe that many people shift from being temporary night owls in their teens to early 20s (due to hormonal surges) to being morning persons in their 30s onward. However, some people remain night owls for life (being born that way), and if you're a dyed-in-the-wool night owl, it's likely you'll find it hard ever changing over to being a permanent morning person!^[11]