Nikon N80 35mm SLRs
Nikon N80 35mm SLRs
[Sep 25, 2004]
MariaK.
Intermediate
Strength:
Light, Accurate meterings, quiet shutter speed and rewind, on demand grid, small and excellent camera for street shooting or anytime everywhere camera. Unless you need a faster auto focus or shutter speed, 8FPS MD, a metal body so you dont worry about banging it everywhere, faster sync speed, bigger and heavier camera for your strong back, F80 has 99% of what serious amature photographer needs. You can buy this affortable and lighter but still has excellent features and invest on really really good lens and they will still cost less then F100 body and crapy zoom lens. If you still think you need bigger and faster camera then go buy F6 which will come out in november and will cost you least 6times more then F80. Customer Service Good enough Similar Products Used: From FTN3 to F5. |
[Mar 30, 2004]
LongLiveFilm
Expert
Strength:
• Automatic Bracketing • On-Demand Grid Lines (love this feature!) • Battery lasts forever • Aperture settings in 1/3-stop increments rather than full stops • Spot, Center-weight, and Matrix metering • Various AF priority modes • Very precise light-meter readout in finder
Weakness:
• As far as flash exposure, you pretty much have to guess. • Can't use my 19-35mm lens with flash - causes horrible shadow at the bottom of the picture • Can't use non-AF extension tubes • Can't use non-AF lenses • Matrix Metering usually results in picture being overexposed by about 2/3 stop I got this camera for Christmas - it was on my wish list because I wanted an automatic Nikon body to take vacation photos/candids while traveling. This is a great camera body with only a few minor shortcomings. I especially like the automatic bracketing feature, the grid lines in the finder (i leave them on all the time) and the built-in flash. Autofocusing is pretty fast and trouble-free, and you can set it to focus on the center or on any of the four sides. A great camera with lots of bells and whistles. Similar Products Used: Nikon FM10 |
[Mar 08, 2004]
Trlstyle
Expert
Strength:
Custom settings Lens compatibility Backlit LCD screen Many shutterspeed ranging from 1/4000 to 30 seconds and bulb Great built in flash Fast auto-focus Great metering
Weakness:
No PC cord outlet Battery killer, althoguh the MB-16 pack helps YOU NEED TO READ THE MANUAL to fully understand all the features of this camera, otherwise you will have no idea what you are doing You have to look at the manual every time you want to adjust the custom options, they are numbered, they dont use words I got this camera almost a month ago, and i am adding it to my other Nikon, which is a FG-20 mf. I like Nikon and find their cameras dependable. One thing that i was attracted to was my mf lenses would work with this camera, although i didnt think about it, but the light meter dosent work with a mf lens (duh!) One more thing i relly liked about this body was that it shoots 2.5 frames per second, which most people would not be happy about, but comming from a mf camera, thats like shooting a movie. Multiple exposures on the same frame are also very easy to do with this camera, after a quick glance at the manual. The custom settings are awesome, and there are many to choose from. The built in speedlight is also a great flash for a built in camera. although, i an going to get a sb-50 dx soon...mainly because my current flash, as well as the speedlight dont meet the needs of my 19mm wide-angle. over all though, this camera is extremely reasonible priced, and a great camera for the seroious photographer, or on a limited spending limit, for whatever reason (like me, only being 17) It has many of the features of its older brothers, at half the price. I also could not mention above, but i paid $350 for the body, plus Nikon had a $50 mail in rebate...what a great buy!! Customer Service so far, so good. great rebates. Similar Products Used: Have used, not own, F100, F5 (almost pissed my pants) SB-50 DX flash, Cannon Elan 7, |
[Jan 30, 2004]
alxmtn
Intermediate
Strength:
I still like this camera. We, the user, must adapt to this camera.
Weakness:
Me, the user....lol Some additional comments to my first review dated 12-02-03 posted here. IMO, the N80 is a warm weather camera. Batteries drain when used in chilly weather 60 degrees and cooler day or night even without using the flash. Also, if the batteries do konk out, your LCD battery indicator MAY NOT warn you in advance so have a fresh set of batteries ready to use. When the batteries run low, your LCD and inner display will go haywire then the LCD will go blank. Static elec may be the cause(see troubleshooting section of manual) so re-install the batteries to see if this solves the problem. If not, use fresh batteries. When not in use, even for a few days, I say remove the batteries and store properly. Also, store your camera in a case or bag to keep relatively free of clingy peski particles of lint, dust, dirt. If you live in a sun belt state like CA, NV, NM, AZ, FL, be prepared for static elec to drive you nutty. This relates to dust, lint, etc cling and momentary LCD black out. I am finding it easier to use manual focus for sharp exposures. Kinda tricky to focus with one hand, and depress the shutter release with the other hand while watching for the focus dot on the left inner display to light without flashing for focused image. If you do use the manual focus mode, REMEMBER TO FOCUS BEFORE you take the picture. It is easy to forget to focus if you are in the habit of using AF more than manual. Use a tripod whenever possible along with a cable shutter release. Buy a sturdy NON PLASTIC tripod with balanced head. This camera is heavy even with a short focal. With a zoom or long prime, it gets heavier. Customer Service n/a Similar Products Used: n/a |
[Jan 14, 2004]
inthe field
Intermediate
Strength:
Great feature set for the price. Excellent metering system. Excellent flash metering. Fast and wide area autofocus. Nikon AF lenses and accessories
Weakness:
-Too goddam small - not just too grip - this can be fixed by buying an M12 (?) grip, but the layout of the switchgear is cramped. -Relating to above, the AF point selection dial is a great idea, but in practice if you have a largish nose like myself, its almost impossible to get close enough to the viewfinder and use this switch at the same time. -Metering mode switch is stiff and small and almost impossible to operate without taking ones eyes off the finder. 2.5 fps drive is ok, but beaten by similar Canon and Minolta products. -DOES NOT METER WITH MF LENSES, REPEAT DOES NOT METER WITH MF LENSES! Great on paper...less good in practice. Unlike many on this board, I became a Nikon user more by accident than by design. I had previously used Canon, but found I just didnt really like the look of their consumer grade lenses (especially the over-warm color balance and slight softness compared to my Zeiss lensed Contax T3 - now that is a camera, I regret parting with it). Anyway, compared to Canon, Nikon consumer-grade lenses looked sharper to my eye and with better contrast and more neutral color rendition. Most of all my Rebel had a plastic lens mount, and the Elan 7E didnt have a spot meter....so I abandoned Canon. Now, I was in the market for a serious amateur SLR with AF. To be honest, the Minolta Maxxum 7 seemed to be the ideal choice. But, in Japan where I live, theses cost at least 500USD new. I stumbled across a Nikon N80 for about 375USD. It was classed as used, but clearly it wasnt "used", at least not very much, as it showed absolutley no signs of wear anywhere. It was mint plus plus! I guess it must have been a demo model. So, knowing it to have most of the features I wanted, and liking the look of the Nikon lenses, I snapped it up. While recognizing I got a bargain, and in many ways it is ideal for the advanced amateur, I am swiftly regretting my decision. I knew in the back of my nind that this camera wouldnt meter with Nikon AF lenses. But, I didnt realize what a disadvantage that would be. For example, I want to buy a portrait lens at a reasonable price. The Nikon 1.8D would seem ideal, but in fact is slagged for its bad bokeh. I later found out the Ai 105mm F2.5S is much more highly regarded in this respect and a little cheaper. But guess what? Its manual focus only, and my F80 (N80) cant meter with it. So, what do I do? Buy the 1.8D, and smear vaseline on the filter? I really cant afford the DC control lenses that of course would be ideal. Any low-cost suggestions (soft filters?) would be appreciated. Anyway, much worse than that I found was the actual ergonmics of the camera. In a casual testing in the store they seemed fine and dandy. The major controls were intuitive, the aperture and shutter control dials fell easily to hand. The exposure compensation and flash comp buttons also fell to hand and were a doddle to use....However! There are a few things that have been bugging the hell out of me since I started to use this camera. First, the AF select dial is almost impossible to use while getting close to the viewfinder if you have a big nose like mine (!). Maybe the Japanese who tested this camera dont find this to be a problem, but I sure as hell do! Second, the metering mode switch is almost impossible to lock in a setting without taking your eyes off the finder. Other cameras I looked at like the Contax Aria also have this problem, but nowhere near as bad as the N80. Since the main idea of buying this thing was to use it to take candids in the field (I live in Japan where there are stacks of photo oppotunities in day-to-day life), its important for me to be able to do everyting from the viewfinder. On this camera thats almost impossible. Viewfinder coverage is a little too small anyway, and the switchgear is too cramped around the finder. The dipter control lever, for example, while a useful addition is too close to the exposure metering dial, and is a cheap plasticky thing, so that is is literally impossible for me to operate. Also, although genrally the cameras bulid is acceptable for its price level the switchgear seriously sucks! The main dials are nice and well- damped, but the mode dial is plasticky and straight from the ceaper N60(?) (its called U in Japan, so Im not sure of the American nomenclature). The shooting mode lever next to it is tiny and risible in operation, not locking on firmly to any of the modes. So, there we have it! They may seem like minor gripes. But, as anyone with the vaguest interest in photography will attest, ergonomics make or break a camera in the field. In short, this camera is bugging the crap out of me and I want to get rid of it! I strongly recommend you pay heed to my experience, and get a Minolta Maxxum 7 even if you have to pay the extra bucks. Contrary to some belief, minolta make some great lenses, and generally the bokeh is better too! I thought with the N80, Nikon had produced a full-featured AF camera that was actually affordable to the non-pro. In theory they have, but in (my) practice they havent. Your mileage may vary! Thanks for reading. Customer Service Not used Similar Products Used: -Canon Rebel 2000 -Contax NX -Contax T3 |
[Jan 09, 2004]
amstel78
Intermediate
Strength:
Light, excellent set of features, good balance between manual and automatic functions, PRICE, metering system, wide range of available lenses.
Weakness:
Dark pentaprism, 1/125 flash-sync, no mirror lock-up, plastic construction. About a month ago, my 20+ year old Pentax ME Super finally gave up the ghost. So with that in mind, I wanted to replace it with an equally capable camera, that could meet my requirments. The biggest thing for me was weight. I travel alot, and the last thing I need is a 2 pound camera, plus 20 pounds worth of lenses hanging around. The N80 filled the requirment beautifully, although it did sacrifice a bit in build quality. I could have purchased the F100, but that's still plastic - and at almost double the cost. Then there was also the F5 to consider, but it's weight and archane metering system deterred my decision. Not to mention cost, as far as I'm concerned the body shouldn't have to cost you more than 500 bucks. After all, it's just a light proof box you stick film in. The lenses, and most importantly the guy holding the camera determine the quality of the photograph... NOT the body. There are a few things which did bother me though, and that is no mirror lock-up, a very slow sync speed of 1/125, and its dark pentaprism. For some reason my friends F4 with my 50 1.4 always seemed twice as bright than my N80 with the same lens at the same settings. Oh well. Customer Service None yet Similar Products Used: Pentax ME Super |
[Dec 11, 2003]
bluetoy93
Intermediate
Strength:
All of it.
Weakness:
I haven't experience any yet. This camera is the first camera I have ever purchased, except for a point and shoot I bought when I was 18. Getting the camera I was totally lost on how to use it and even more lost when I read the manual. However, I knew I could set it on P and still take pictures. And what great pictures it has given me. There is a book that you can buy for thirteen dollars from Amazon produced by Magic Lantern that is specifically made for the Nikon N80. It helps a great deal. Heck, I was on top of Mt. Adams and a gust of wind blew my tripod over with camera attached, the lens flew off and broke, but I put another lens on and it still took a great picture even after the fall. It hit hard enough that it dented the film canister in the camera. If you are a beginner who has never used an SLR before this is the camera for you. Yes, it look scary, but after you take a few rolls of film with it, you will not stop there you will keep on taking pictures and this camera will carry you for a lifetime. Until something else is invented this camera is it. Customer Service I haven't had to call them about anything. But, I got the rebate back very quickly. Similar Products Used: I can't stand the Canon Rebel G, it just doesn't feel like a camera when you hold it. Plus you don't have as much control in manual mode. |
[Dec 09, 2003]
Rob
Intermediate
Strength:
photo quality for price
Weakness:
could be a bit heavier for better camera shoot balance. Good product for the money. Nice balance of manual/auto features and sturdy feel. Similar Products Used: Nikon F100, Minolta F100, Nikon EM |
[Dec 02, 2003]
alxmtn
Intermediate
Strength:
Sturdy yet compact build, well written user manual, ease of functions and modes, excellent film loading and rewind, does not drain batteries. Custom setting for grid screen in viewfinder helps with composition! If you use a slow lens, you can use a very high speed film and get good images thanks to the 1/4000th max shutter. Accessory friendly!
Weakness:
Shutter release too loose which causes exposure reading bounce between LCD and inner display when hand held or with tripod. Use a cable release if using a tripod. Static cling may drive you nuts so have a handy squeeze blower in your pocket. Lens mounting not a seamless process. This is an excellent camera which needs to be used frequently in order for you to learn ALL the functions. Any speed film will compliment the N80. Reading the manual is a must. Pre shooting preparation is a must due to all the choices re modes, exposure, etc. Choice of Nikkor lenses is limited and somewhat expensive. Good camera for an intermediate, advanced amateur or old fashioned professional not phased by digital cams. I bought the body then added a Nikkor wide angle and tele zoom. Customer Service Nikon did honor my rebate with this purchase after getting the run around from mraccessory.com. |
[Dec 01, 2003]
Daniel Taylor
Intermediate
Strength:
*lightweight & ergonomic w/ batt pack *on demand grid display *takes the newer 'd' series lenses
Weakness:
*white light sensor...blinds the crap out of everyone who has the great who happens to be in front of it. *is like rebel g w/o batt pack I bought this camera new simply because I could not afford an F100 system. I do plan on purchasing one someday in the near future. Meanwhile, I shall use this as my main camera body. Customer Service never had to use the customer service Similar Products Used: well the only cameras i've owned in the past were these: pentax k1000 minolta x700 canon elan 2e and now this one. |