Spot meter, grid lines for viewfinder, metering, flash

To small, no shutter release button on battery pack, slow auto focusing, mirror slap to harsh, buttons seem flimsy, built quality.

Not bad compared to previous amateur models from Nikon, it is more user friendly. It has some very nice features going for it, but Nikon still has to iron out some kinks.

Customer Service

good.

Similar Products Used:

N65,N90,ElanIIe,Elan7e

Lightweight
Very solid considering it's weight
Same basic layout as the F5 and F100
Ability to use a real cable release
Very quiet
Built in flash

No MLU
No film leader out function-come on Nikon!
No "s" model in the US
AF motor is slow
2.5 FPS is a bit too slow
Outer AF sensors are not cross type

I was looking for a lightweight body with the same basic user layout as the F5 and F100. I wanted a lightweight AF body with a spot meter to replace the FM2 as an everyday camera- lugging around an F5 gets really old sometimes! . The N80 has filled this role amazingly well. I'm very suprised about some of the complaints about the camera's quality, but it's usually the people with the problems that yell the most. As a pro, I'm extremely critical of any equipment I use and I can't believe how well made the N80 is. Fit and finish is top notch. It's not as sturdy as the F5 or F100, but then it wasn't meant to be. The people who complain seem to want an F100 for the price of an N65.
I LOVE the little flash. Please forgive me on this, it's my first camera with a built in flash!
The fact that that I can go from an F5 to an F100 to an N80 without having to remember how to use each camera is priceless.
I won't rehash alot of the functions that have been covered by earlier postings but the MB-16 is a necessity. It steadies the camera and enables you to use AA batteries.
I will easily rate the N80 5 stars because it does everything it should amazingly well in its price point. Under the same criteria I wouldn't even give the F5 5 stars.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

F5, F100, F4, F3, etc......

Very simple operation (no frills, no "portrait, sport, night, etc." programs, just good old P/S/A/M). Very economical. Very light.

AF a bit sluggish (2.5 fps); while construction is plasticky, there is a metal skeleton inside, and film rails and lens mount are metal.

There seems to be a lot of debate over this little camera. I think that Nikon did not mean this camera to be as capable as the bigger guns. However, with this in mind, the N80 has a helluva lot of the features of the F100 for virtually half the price. If you're a pro, and you use the F5 or F100, the N80 would serve as a great backup body (esp if weight becomes a concern). If you're an advanced amateur, the N80 has a lot of the power of the F100 in a lighter, cheaper body. The incompatibility with non-CPU lenses issue has been raised, though I don't think it's much of an issue -- mid-level consumers probably won't be worried that much about it if they're buying an AF camera. Also, while the built-in flash might be embarassing for some pros, you have to admit its a very convenient feature, esp. if you're in a tight situation and don't have time to fish a speedlight out of your bag.
So in my opinion the N80 is a perfect choice for the market it was targeted for -- the second-tier cameras, right below top-of-the-line pros, like the F5 and F100.
Finally, for ANYONE that buys this camera, DO NOT get the lens that comes in the kit. It's a crappy variable focal-length 3.5-5.6 lens, but that's not the worst part: the mount on the lens is ALL PLASTIC. Don't count on it lasting too long. If you're gonna splurge anywhere, do it on the lens -- you'll be glad you did.

Customer Service

none yet

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F100, Canon FTb

Ergonomics. Functionality.
Capabilities.

None

An excellent value. I'm amused by the ridiculous comments made by some critics. They are so poorly written and contain such unsubstantiated comments, that they reflect poorly on the authors and not on the wonderful N80.

Similar Products Used:

None

Fast, durable, quiet, cost effective.

Too many rumors about it's quality and performance.

I wish this camera wasn't made in Thailand. It's because it is that it has a bad reputation of defects and cheapness. Well let me tell you the truth about this camera. The Nikon N80 is a well built high quality camera with some of the professional AF, Metering and Flash features of the F100. It has all the basics: Manual, Shutter and Aperture Priority. And a new type of Program mode that is probably now standard on automatic SLR's called Flexable Program, it allows you to change shutter speed or aperture setting if you don't like what the camera chose for exposure. The N80 is lighter than but just as durable as the N70 and the mirror slap is quieter than the well dampend mirror in the FM2n, the first time I used this camera I was surprized by the lack of noise. The N80's 18 custom functions make this camera very flexible. Built in Auto Exposure Bracketng and Multiple Exposure are things that even the N90s was missing without a having to buy a separate camera back, not so with the N80. And finally, the one thing that everyone felt the N70 was missing, Depth of Field Preview, which now seems to be standard on all Nikon SLR's. When the MB-16 battery pack is attached, you have many more options for powering your camera. Nikon has listend to the "Serious Amatures" (man, I hate that label) and consumers and provided the "Pro" features everyone wants but doesn't want to pay for. If buy this camera, you won't look back.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N70, FM2n, N60

Viewfinder is bright plus has gridlines, spot meter is a nice feature not found in most cameras in this class, metering most of the time is accurate.

Built quality is not very solid, battery hungry, not compatible with older lenses.

This camera was going to be my backup body when I didn't want to carry my larger and heavier F100, unfortunately it has gone to the camera doctor one to many times, twice because the focusing selector knob fell off and once because the mirror stayed locked. I have only owned this camera for four months, so needles to say I have a beef with my N80's dependability, because of this I cant give it a high rating.
Thank heavens for my F100!

Customer Service

not very fast.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F100 and Fm2n

Has an AF and autoexposure

worse than FM2

I am 16 yeras old girl. Couple of years my Dad gave his old FM2N camera, few lenses and let me to mess with his books and darkroom. I really like to shoot pictures and develop them myself, but I always wanted to try one of those new wonderful AF Nikons and begged my Dad to buy me one. I did get N80 and 24-120 lens after the Thanksgiving and spent few weeks by shooting stupid pictures, cuz I just loved to play with the camera. Now I only that I use that great 24-120 lens on my old Nikon, cuz its a lot more fun to play with basic controls on FM2N and see how they affect the image, than turn electronic dials . Also, I am frustrated how small and light N80 is. Not cool I like FM2N more.

Customer Service

don't know

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2

spot meter
viewfinder
depth of field function

2.5 frames per second
mirror slap
focusing speed
built quality
battery pack has no shutter button
no mirror lock

Gave this camera few test rolls, I came to the conclusion that it's a good camera with some limitations that really bothered me, for example when shooting outdoors in bright light it tended to overexpose, I also wished that it would have the option of mirror lock. Mirror slap and focusing performance where also to average for my liking plus the optional battery pack was missing a shutter release button. The N80 did perform well when shooting stationary subjects, the viewfinder was pretty bright and functions were
easily readable, I also found the depth of field option usefull.
In the end though, I did not purchase the N80 because it did not meet my expectations.

Customer Service

Has been good so far.

Similar Products Used:

N70, N90,

Solid metering and AF performance, compact and light weight, very easy handling.

No mirror lockup.

Just like to rebutt people like Chuck Weston, and offer a counter weight to his attempts at sabotaging the N80's rating. There is no possible justification for giving a camera like N80 1 star. He is probably a paranoid Canon freak who is trying hard to feel good about his Canon by trashing the N80's rating. It's absolutely reprehensible to destroy the credibility of a public site like this just to satisfy his petty inner demons.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Elan 7, N70

Spot meter, metering system.

To light and small, sluggish mirror, auto focus speed, no mirror lock, optional battery pack, built quality.

Did not deliver the performance I was expecting. The N80 was to slow for me and the built quality did not meet the Nikon standard I'm used to.

Customer Service

Good

Similar Products Used:

Most nikon, Minolta and Canon cameras.