Review 2 of 19
Price Paid:
$1200.00
from B&H Summary: The D80 from Nikon is a small marvel of computer science married to well engineered optics. Relatively easy to use, it has programmed modes for the uses that prefer that the camera adjust itself to suit their shooting needs, apart from the usual manual and semi-auto modes. The automatic focus, when used with both classic and modern Nikon lenses, works well and works quickly. it does help if the user practices using the half pressed shutter button to get the cam to pre focus.
I prefer to shoot with manual exposure and manual focus, but thats just me.
Apparently the camera does a multitude of things internally before it finishes shooting, including looking up focus and exposure tables and other things, and I am of very little patience, so I keep it in manual and bypass the six computers in it. I trained on a seagull 120 film TLR For years and can set the assorted dials by intuition, but for some people it might be a reasonable way to start.
the images from the D80 are very crisp. The color tones change according to the glass you use on it, Nikon glass is a bit warmer and softer than my Zeiss lens. the Zeiss has a touch more blue in it and saturates less, gives a clearer photo than the stock nikon.
Nikon will not support third party lenses. shame.
The D80 is a sturdy camera, designed for a clean intuitive usage.
Coming from the medium format world, the viewfinder for ALL DSLRS are abortions, every one - all are too small and they should be optically tiltable built on the camera on at least a two inch optical viewfinder [ no video plz!], that for the D80 no exception. I have yet to figure out how to clean that viewfinder, it traps everything in there.
Featurewise, its a deep deep machine. depending on your usage for the camera, its loaded.
it has outstanding command of both wired and wireless systems of flash, and with my sb600 and a circular diffuseer on that, it takes insanely gorgeous photos.
it comes really close to the 120film photos from my Kiev 88e medium format camera.
that's what it needs, a nice viewfinder like this or a Hassyblad has! that would be so nice.
other than that, its a wonderful camera and I would replace it with the same model if I lost it into a volcano or something like that.
it does have a steep learning curve to really do a great job, but I was able to use it ten minutes after opening the box. then I read the 300 page manual. and bought the training video sold on it. and read a book or two about how to use all those features.
its like the english language, just because the dictionary has 20 million words doesn't mean we use all of them each day, some people live off a vocabulary of ten. sure I can do things with just ten features on the D80, but learning the rest is fun and there's a LOT you can learn to do with this nice concoction of technology.
Strengths: 1. solid body construction
2. can accept vintage and new lenses
3. can accept third party lenses; i.e., zeiss, tokina, etc.
4. easy to hold
5. good low light photography
6. great remote flash operation
7. well balanced Weaknesses: 1. viewfinder too small
2. not waterproof nor splashproof
3. needs automatic internal dust removal and cleaning.
Customer Service: great web site, has a traveling school that tours the country.
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