Very nice features for an expensive camera. The ability to use virtually all my other lens is a plus. The Nikon name isw highly respected. The weight and size is very nice, especially at the end of the day.

The automatic pop-up flash is nice for beginners, but a pain for pro's who like a bit more control. The lack of a spot meter and the ability to use non-shoe mopunted flashes are negatives for the serious shooter.

I have owned Nikon SLR cameras for more years than I care to recall, ranging from fully manual to fully automatic. I purchased the N65 because my son likes to borrow my cameras and does not have a great deal of experience. Besides, I was really curious about this recent addition to the Nikon line. I would suggest that those who are accostomed to heavier cameras, such as my trusty F-5, be very careful. I grabbed it in a hurry expecting the heft of my other cameras and smacked myself in the nose. It is a very nice beginner's camera that can help a person new to 35mm photography get excellent results by using the camera in its vartious automatic modes. Still it can help the novice grow as he/she explores the other modes that allow for more creative control. Its light weight and small size make it more likely to be taken along rather than being left on a shelf. It is not at all intimidating and I would recommend it for beginners and advanced amateurs. Pros will find it nice to have around as a "grab and shooter". I would not hesitate to take bthis little joy with me when I am not on a pro assignment. Nice job by Nikon

Customer Service

no experience

Similar Products Used:

F-5, N-90, F-4 high eye point, F-3, N-70, FA, N-80, N-60

Features; value; point and shoot in good variety of program modes.

Complicated to use in manual mode. AF is slow and tends to search quite a bit in low lighting situations.

Great value in terms of features for the dollars. On the other hand, the features are not always easy to use; particularly the manual operation which is complicated by having only one wheel.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FG; Nikon N55

Inexpensive, intuitive, and all the features you NEED. Also has all of the shooting modes you may want.

Lacks some advanced features (a spot meter would be nice, as well as a faster flash-sync speed).

The N65 (or F65, which I have) is your basic beginners SLR camera. That being said, it has all of the features one would need to seriously develop their photographic skills. Once you become more advanced, you may discover a need for a few added features (but not a whole lot more). The camera body is plastic, but durable (and that''s what keeps the manufacturing costs down). It fits well in the hands and is intuitive to use. Overall, I''m very satisfied with it for my first SLR camera, and I''ll be able to ride it until a digital SLR comes my way in 5-10 years.

Customer Service

not needed yet

cheap, light, user-friendly

no backlit LCD (I use a small keyholder LED in substitute) no spot metering (nevermind, this function isn''t needed and can be substituted easily) Can''t set ISO (again, nevermind, easily replaced by exposure compensation up to +/- 2 stops in half steps)

I''ve been using this camera for more than a year and my skill is growing with it. It''s light yet equipped with a metal lens mount (in contrary to the N55 that goes plastic). It takes excellent pictures that can''t be distinguished from those by F5 provided it''s in the hand of a trained photographer. The lack of spot metering doesn''t pose much threat as we can always use a zoom lens to emulate the effect. In fact, spot metering can be distracting given the excellent matrix metering system of Nikon. Mind you, the legendary FM2 doesn''t have spot meter either (center-weighted only, no matrix). The factor is 95% human. The DOF preview, multiple exposure, bracketting also come very handy. The cool remote control for shutter triggering is even better than the mechanical one in N80 as it can extend up to 5m and the battery never runs out (um.... it states 5 years, should have a longer life than the body :p). I prefer a mirror lock-up function but then I''ll need to go for an F5 (F100/N100 doesn''t have it either). The flash sync is a slow 1/90, not adequate for sports, but more than enough for daily use such as fill flash. More importantly, F65 is compatible with the latest AF-S and VR lenses that the N55 fails to achieve. In fact, Nikon spokesman said that F65 is among the advanced bodies while N55 is targeted for casual users esp women. A GN12 (meter, ISO 100) is fine for fill-flash, its 28mm coverage is good also for macro. All in all, go get one, it won''t disappoint you, put the money you save into great lenses (don''t buy 3rd-party ones, nikon body should only mate with nikkors :->).

Customer Service

not yet needed for the body

Similar Products Used:

F80 (N80)

-good value -"bullet-proof" build quality: excellent materials -packed with features -quick autofocus -ergonomics -good light meter -delivers sharp images -5-year manufacturer''s warranty -Nikon extensive line of quality lenses

-price (but a great value....if that makes any sense) -can''t manually manipulate ISO (not a big thing)

The very light-weight and compact N65 is an excellent camera with many features that will cater towards both the beginner and the advanced. For the beginner the N65 offers a fully automatic mode that allows for quick snap shots, or photographing without much to worry about in terms of metering and focusing. Also offered are semi-manual modes that beginners might be interested in exploring before taking the step up to fully manual. When set to manual, the N65 is a joy to operate with its correct ergonomics; the buttons and dials are placed intelligently, a trait Nikon is known for. Also notable is the build-quality of this camera. It is assembled with very choice materials that make the feel of the camera very substantial. Everything from the feel of the buttons and dials to the quality plastics and patented red rubber grip make the camera look and feel more expensive. No SLR in its class comes close to the N65 in terms of build. At the end what counts the most is the quality of the pictures. And sure enough, the N65 is a outstanding, delivering clear, crisp, well metered photographs. To comment on the flash that some people are bitter about on the N65: the built in flash is only appropriate for fill-in, not for a source of lighting. The built-in flash works very well for what it is intended. People who use it as a source of light will be disappinted because the intention of a built-in flash is to fill in some of the harsh shadows created when in a bright environmen, i.e. bright sunny day. When shooting in low- light situations, use a separate flash unit that you can either attach directly to the camera''s hot-shoe or attach it to a bracket. The camera might retail for a little more than its competitors, but the extra cost is well worth it. With the N65 expect to get its legendary reputation that they have achieved by building quality, rugged (built-to-last)cameras that take phenomenol photos. By purchasing the N65, you are also treating yourself to its line of excellent lenses.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N80 Nikon N60 Canon Rebel 2000

- Light, compact and carry along. - AF accuracy and speed in most light conditions. - The menu and options in flash-synchronisation. - Operating ease and logic in construction and buttons/wheels etc.. - Depth-of-field check and AF-assistance. - Compatible with a lot of lenses. (Nikon AF mount).

- Construction is not as durable and solid as the more expensive Nikon camera''s. - AF accuracy in little light-conditions and dark objects. The AF assistance light can be annoying.

I like the camera. It is light and relatively small. This makes travelling easier and your luggage smaller. In normal lightconditions the AF seems pretty fast and accurate. With dark objects and little light the AF starts to stutter and sometimes loses grip (and thus focus) of the objects. The built in AF-assistance light works, but can be really annoying, especially for the objects being photographed. Even though the camera is light it seems to be pretty robust. Also, the AF-mount is made of rvs, not plastic. This makes it more durable and keeps camera-value at a good level. Unfortunately the lightweight construction has problems with heavy lenses, but there''s a simple solution. Carry the lens instead of the body!!! Another misfortunate side-effect of the weight and size is the grip on the camera, which results in shaky pictures with relatively long shutter-times or longer lenses. Two options: Support the camera/lens or buy the MB-17 vertical grip/battery pack. Worth the money, believe me. Along with the F65 Body I bought the Nikkor 28-105 D IF Macro and I love it. No, I''ve not yet experienced anything negative with it. It''s a very good lens for the money.

Customer Service

Two year guarantee... I''ve not needed any service in the 6 months after purchasing the camera

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It''s my first camera, but not the first one I''ve ever used. Besides compactcamera''s I have experience with a Canon T50, a Minolta 505si, and a Yashica MAT-124 which uses CN120 films.

high quality photos we all expect from Nikon in a reasonable package. Easy for a beginner to pick up and take first rate photos.

auto focus tends to hunt a bit in dim light...especially when the battery is low.

I''ve got this body and a Nikon 28-105 D lens. I''ve got to say I love the set up. While more bulky than a point and shoot, the images are remarkably more clear. It is easy to use, reasonably small and takes great photos. I''m very satisfied with the camera. In normal light conditions, the AF is fast and normal metering seems perfect. It is east to stop up or down for front/back light as well. I love the lens as well. The extra zoom range (beyond 80) is nice to have. I have always been a Canon fan but now... The EOS Reble 2000 just felt like a toy. I couldn''t bring myself to drop the $. I''m glak I went Nikon.

Customer Service

Very good! Asked acouple of operating questions and recieved prompt and thorough response

Similar Products Used:

Canon Eos Rebel 2000 Canon AE1 Program

size...fits your hands the best smooth auto-focus decent construction light-weight nice looking very responsive great pictures! (bottom line)

batteries are expensive dynamic auto focus points can be unpredictable

I bought this camera in the kit form, i.e. with the nikon 28-80 lens. While shooting some test shots with this lens I found it to be quite sharp, but I have never liked zoom lenses, so I traded it in for a good ole 50mm 1.8. Am much more satisfied with that combo...along with a larger flash unit, since I will probably only use the built in unit on rare occasions. Anyway, the camera itself is very well made, (for an entry level SLR) and sexy looking to boot! It really has all the features you would ever want in an AF SLR, and then some! For instance, I would rarely use the DOF feature, or manual exposure. But nice to have, just the same! The focusing and shutter action seem as smooth as silk to me, and I tried out some Minoltas which seemed a bit clunkier and louder. The Pentaxes were also smooth, but seemed to lack some of the features the Nikon had. Plus, the N65 seemed to just sort of fit my hand better. The auto-focu has the dynamic modes which I still struggle with at times, not knowing which sensor is going to focus all the time, but I think this will come with more practice. Besides, you can pick your focus point with relative ease. It does focus fast and smooth, at any rate. The focus assist light is bright and not needed most of the time. Luckily it has a cancel feature. Though I mostly use the bigger flash unit, I have surprisingly found the built-in unit to be very adequate! It just uses a lot of battery power, and the little suckers are expensive! Over-all a great little camera, and I am more than satisfied with it!

Customer Service

have not needed

Similar Products Used:

ZX-7 Minolta XTSI Canon Rebel 2000

Quiet mirror/shutter action with little vibration -- better results hand-held than my Nikon F4. Intuitive interface -- enough options, but not so many as to baffle me. Which obviously doesn''t take much... Nice petite size for travelling, or add the MB-17 battery back (4 AA batteries) that enhances handling. It''s another $45, but the battery savings add up fast.

The AF got confused a few times at 105mm with my Nikkor 28-105mm f3.3-45. That may be a fault of the lens, because I''ve seen similar comments from an F100 user.

I downrated the N65 in my review just prior to this one, and I need to correct that. The owner''s manual indicated popup flash vignetting with a substantial list of Nikkor zooms. I don''t think a manual received AFTER buying a camera is the place for this information, so I was understandably peeved. No hint of this problem on Nikons website... I''ve since run several rolls of test film, and have been pleasantly surprised. Results have been much better than specified by the Nikon manual: 24-50mm f3.3-4.5: flash vignetting only at 24-26mm 35-70 f2.8: no flash vignetting 28-105mm f3.3-4.5: no flash vignetting Longer lenses may result in more of a flash vignette, but since they have a narrower angle of view, the vignette typically doesn''t show up in the film frame. I''m going to test all my other lenses, but the zooms listed above are those I expect to use most with the N65. I advise other N65 owners to run their own tests, just to avoid unpleasant surprises. Don''t expect to use a lens shades with the popup flash. That shouldn''t be a serious restriction, since the popup flash is too weak to use for fill flash in full daylight, where a lens shade is typically needed. I''m overrating the N65 to a 5 here to offset my incorrect underrating previously. Sorry for the confusion...

Good pictures when it is working.

Breaks down easily. Not dependable.

The N65 takes great pictures when it is working. We were going on a vacation of a lifetime and I purchased the N65 just a week before leaving. I had heard good things about the N65 here at this site. I had done so much research on different SLR cameras. The cruise ship left the dock and that is when the N65 stopped working. Talk about spoiling a vacation. I couldn''t believe this happened. The lesson I learned is always carry a back up. After only using the camera for a week it had stopped working. The autofocus went on N65. It is now in at the service center for repair.

Customer Service

Will soon find out.