CdSe nanopowders both undoped and doped with transition metal (Cu, Co, Ni) or rare earth metal (Er) impurities were obtained by method of solvothermal synthesis. The size of nanopowders of cubic and hexagonal modifications was varied between 4.4 and 13.0 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the nanopowders were investigated in the wavelength range between 500 and 750 nm at room temperature under excitation with laser radiation of 473 nm. It is found that PL spectra consist of wide bands of complex structure, which correspond to the regions of band-to-band, exciton and impurity emissions. As concentration of doping impurity in CdSe:Co nanocrystals increases, PL intensity first decreases and then again increases.