Light weight
Performance features
Built in flash

Plastic

I've used many amateur level Nikon cameras and this one is my favorite. It's performance is on par with the F-100 but the weight savings is tremendous. The auto focus is not quite as fast but I've gotten excellent results at air shows.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N90, Nikon F100

It is easy for amateur photographers to use. A professional can use it in their business.

I generally leave it on automatic focus. I have recently found out to use it manually. I used it to shoot animals at the San Antonio Zoo. I learned how to do manual focus and change my "f" stops.

Similar Products Used:

My previous camera was a Canon AE1 programable.

It's competitive with my D70, except covers a full frame.

Batteries could be expensive. But they last a long time, as do a set of spares for your camera bag. Without flash, they might last for years of shooting.

Do you own a Nikon APC DSLR? Do you own any film-format AF lenses?

If so, you may decide after a day or so with the N80 that you don't need to invest in a D3 or D700. The N80 frame is the one Fuji and Kodak bought from Nikon to build their DSLRs. The metering system and viewfinder is virtually identical to my D70.

I packed it with a 20mm f2.8 AF for a trip to Italy a few weeks ago, and ended up shooting about a dozen rolls, from the Vatican to the Forum, the Colosseum, and wonderful church and scenery. The exposures were PERFECT, every single frame, and razor sharp.

The camera is light, sweet, and quiet. I love it.

Similar Products Used:

All the Canon SLRs, Nikon F, Nikkormats, Nikon FM, Nikon FE.

May feel 'plastic fantasic' but it's a solid camera.
Easy to take anywhere
Worry free SLR photography

Battery Grip, they should have included this with the camera orignally gives it a great added feel and grip, and allows the camera to be run on 4 AA batteries (cheap and readily available, anywhere) as opposed to 2 CR123 Lithium batteries.

When Minolta dumped it's camera department to Sony I was hit with a delema. I had always planned to continue with Minolta products and go for a modern Auto Focus SLR from the Maxxum series, but it all keyed into the future purchase of a dSLR camera.

So when Henry's in Toronto held the launch party for the Sony Alpha I went and gave the Alpha a shot. I didn't like it. That's where the choice had to be made.

Which Auto Focus, Modern Film SLR camera should I get?

The choice soon became clear, Nikon was clearly in the lead. Canons didn't feel right in my hands, too small, same with the Pentax. So I started looked at Nikon's offerings both on the film SLR and dSLR cameras. I liked the Nikon dSLR cameras (and now own a D70s), but I didn't have the money to get one such camera. So I went into Henry's in Oakville and looked at the choices. I settled for this nice number, the F80 (N80 to you Americans) along with a few lens and a Speedlight SB-28 flash. I was not disappointed with the purchase, sturdy enough to take a beating and light enough not to be a burden.

Coming from an all manual background in cameras this system was the perfect step up. Easy to run in all four modes with two command dials, one for shutter speed the other for aperture. The whole interface on the camera is simple and easy to use for both one new to photography and someone who's been around.

even the built in speedlight is excellent for doing quick shots.

However the one thing I do recommend anyone get along with this camera is the associated battery grip, it's the perfect companion to it and gives the camera more of a "pro" feel.

Customer Service

Haven't needed to make use of it.

Covered under both Nikon and Henry's

Similar Products Used:

Various Canon, Minolta, and Pentax SLRs

Quality, ease of use.

Those dang expensive batteries, tho they last quite a long time. I want rechargeables.
I've given it a 3 value rating since it hasn't held it's value. As new cameras that are worth 1/3 after 3 years! Sad.

I'm not even sure if they still sell this camera new. We've had ours for 3 years or so. This was my first autofocus SLR. Construction is fairly solid, and controls are pretty straightforward. It's pretty high tech for me with all the info, and screens in the viewfinder. It's fun to use, and delivers good results.

Customer Service

Haven't needed.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F

none

will not operate

used less than 12 rolls. bought to take to germany.
last year got out, would not turn on.had fixed $100 and put away. got out 4 5 weeks ago, ssame thing will not tur on.
sent to nikon prices repair at a $200+ for a now useless camera. repair at houston said camera GOT WET and ruined board. has been kept in plastic case weit accessories, etc. inj safe with expensive guns. NO MOISTURE. was told moister came from hinges of plastic case which has moisture control in with camera. ever heard of such a thing. batteries are good. hasen't been, very unhappy, wish i still hqad my old minolt,s back. used for over 20 yeqars, NO problems. can't sell with 28.8 lens.
Good fouder for a 45?

Ron ,Houston,Tx. 10-09-06. looked at reviews, nothing like my problem.l

Customer Service

not worth darn

Similar Products Used:

minolta 102, 201

Well built. Ease of use. It is now a great value at the price you can get one. It has what you need and none of those bothersome and pretty useless auto mode options that clutter up a command dial. You do not have to be a tech wizard, its a camera. It looks good and by golly its a Nikon.

Get a battery extender/grip. They are cheap and they change the whole dynamics of the camera, looks and feel. This is really the only weakness I feel worth mentioning. This may not be a issue for smaller hands. i have hust gotten used to using them and perfer it on the camera.

I bought this camera back when the only real digital alternative from Nikon was the D100. It cost a little bit then. I do not use it much now as I have gone through a D70 to an S3 to a D200. This is a great camera, kinda small, get the battery extender, tends to fix most size issues with any Nikon camera, now its mandatory after using the S3 so much. The camera is well built. Look how many digital camera are/were based on the N80. It is a great value now for what you can pick them up for on Ebay and other places. The one I have still looks new as I was a little more conservitaive with taking pictures back in the day as you had to use FILM instead of a memory device. It was still great to use. I used it alot for motorcross pictures and it performed great. Have shot 12-16 rolls of film at one event and most all pictures were usaeable and of great qualty. I am a digital dude all the way and now that it as gotten to the level it is it is hard to argue the film vs digital so much anymore. I will say that when you get that unigue shot on film it is still great. I still carry it in my camera bag and pull it out every now and then to shoot a few rolls. no menus to navigate ect, just shoot some photographs. If anything digital has been a great teacher in the fact of all the techno mumbo jumbo and the ability af trial and error that you end up knowing what works and what doesn't. I am not ready to ditch the film camera yet and I think it has kinda lost its place in photography. Digital introduced alot of people into photography that would have not bothered with it before. The companies have catered to the masses and i am as guilty as everyone else for buying into it. Digital really took me to the next level. The upsdide it has taken the camera to the next level also, no matter how it got there, it is there. It has created a boom in the indusrty again and the competition gives us better products each year at more affordable prices opening up a great world for everyone. Loot at how many point and shoots are out there, I wish the camera companies had done that back when film was all you had.

The Nikon N80 is a value in todays market. It is easy to use and all the functions are easliy set and executed. It goes beyond a beginner camera without the confusion of equipment more reserved forthe experienced photographer. Film still has its palce and being more of an artist minded person its kinda like having another grade of canvas. The day will come when you create an image with film and people will look at in awe, just becasuse you did it with a film camera. The N80 is the reason i am a Nikon dude all the way, prior to this camera I was a Canon user. I am not going to speak ill of Canon, they have great products that make great images but I switched for a reason and have never looked back. I credit the N80 for really getting me hooked on photography and that is why i always carry it with me. Its like having an old friend that you have not seen for awhile. its kinda cool to see them every now and then.

The camera is worth getting and performs great. It is positioned in the middle but performs top rate. It is a bargain in todays market and I will probably get another one when I find a great deal on it. I love this camera, I have a attachment to it that I will never let go. It reminds me of the essence of photography. Film required a skill, talent and imagination. Most people are not going to purchase this camera if they are already using digital. If you are new to photography buy this camera. If you decide to go digital your lenses will go with you. You will enjoy using this camera and you will get great photgraphs.

The main thing is to get a camera, film or digital, and go create some art or some great memories. Good luck.

Similar Products Used:

Cannon Rebel, Nikon N65 (No). D70, S3 and D200.

Quiet Shutter Fast AF, even in low light For some one coming from a Manual camera it seems to be a lot harder to get somthing wrong which is too easlily done with a manual camera, not that I would get rid of my manual camera due to my own errors, seems that must be the reason that most student are started off with manual camera, and I would still recoment doing that! Seems to do almost every thing I'll ever need, I can over look the MF lens thing by use of a light meter and I can manage with 125th flash sync most of the time living in the UK. If you can see it, chances are the camera will focus on it even with an F4.5 lens and my eyes can barley see it. The focus traking tracks Was very Cheap.

No metering with MF lenses Flash sync to only 125th as second All the AF modes can be confusing at first. Af Assist light will often some on when it needent, which is a credit to just how little light this camera actually needs to focus. No option to have the film rewind with the leader out, can be cured to some extent by carfully opening the back as the film rewind gets to the end. The Exposure compensation can only be set in 1/2 EV steps, this can somwhat be sorted by manually setting the ISO.

This is a great camera with most of the controls in the right place, not the best if you are left eyed, I am not sure how rare being left eyed is, but I think they could have taken in into a account better than they did, also switching from Single servo AF to manual is a bit of a chore. I am still getting to grips with all the AF modes, I think there are about 8 different combinations, but don't quote me on that. I am not sure how useful the selective AF zone thing is, If I need to focus on something it seems easier to just move the camera, for a start the sensor in the middle seems to be a lot more sensitive. I can see how they would come in use when trying to track something moving at speed with when the camera is in an AF mode that allows it to choose what sensor it uses, Ill try and take some close-ups of pigeons taking off using ‘closest subject priority’, but the AF does seem to be lightening fast and work in very dark conditions evern with a relativly slow lens, cant wait to try the AF with a 50mm F/1.8! I think Nikon could have done better than a 125th flash sync, 25Oth is obviously asking a lot at this price but 180th would have been nice. Also there is no Mirror lockup, even when the self timer is used, I cannot imaging why this is the mirror is going to lock-up any way when a shot is taken, so why not when the timer is set. Lastly it wont meter with a manual focus lens, and I am lead to believe that includes Center weighted and spot metering, answers on a postcard please! Would love to get some cheap MF prime lenses for landscape photography, but I have to get either a AF lenses or a light meter I think Nikon where being silly! OK I have finished moaning, essentially there are not major problems, it does have DOF preview and control of basically everything. Apart from that it’s a great camera, I am new to AF and this seems lightening fast, couple that with a zoom lens or fast prime and the quiet shutter its great for street photography. Hope to try it at a wedding a some point, will possible post another review when I have used it for something a bit more demanding. This is a good camera, this is not the camera to get if you own a Digital compact and want to try an SLR with out forking out for a DSLR yet, A manual camera such as an OM10 is what is needed for one thing it’s a LOT cheaper, I picked one up for about £20, which is about $35, but I would guess that can be had for less than that.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta Dynax 40, OM10, OM30

Light weight Durable Fun to use

none

Amazing camera. I had wanted one of these since they came out and finally got a used one off ebay. Excellent quality. Great controlls and very user friendley. Before this camera I had the N65 which is not nearley the camera this is. The ease of use is wonderfull. The manual controls are very user friendly.

Customer Service

Never had to use

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N65

Light, fast focus, handy controls

The batteries when focus with tele.

I bought the camera looking for a faster autofocus the the Nikon F 801-s. The f 80 has all features I need.

Customer Service

not used

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FE 10 Nikon F 801-s