Nikon N80

My Nikon F80 ( the N80s designation outside the US) was bought eight years ago and has been used regularly since. I have travelled round Europe on holiday where the camera has been subjected to vibration and extremes of temperature, altitude and humidity. It has never let me down, I mostly shoot with slow speed slide film which is very unforgiving with respect to exposure. Any mistakes have been down to my own error rather than the camera. I have used the camera metering in very low light condition with shutter speeds of several minutes with a cable release and had very good results.

When I purchased this camera new about 5 years ago, I had a hard time deciding between it and the F100 which was 3x the cost. I knew the camera shared nearly all the same features of the F100, but was built on a poly-carb body rather than the metal frame of the F100.

I expressed my concern to a camera sales person at Hunt's and he told me, "Buy the N80...if you drop it, buy another, you're still ahead on the cost over the F100."

Excellent advice - I love my N80 and even though I shoot my D80 digital SLR frequently, I often come back to the N80 when shooting film "old school." It really can't be beat if you're looking for a feature-packed modern film SLR. Buy one!

I have had this Nikon N80 35mm SLR Camera for about a week now, and it is a great leap up from the entry level nikons. Some consider this entry level, but this camera really has too many features for someone who is just starting out in photography - unless you are enrolling in a class that will specifically show you how to use a nikon autofocus camera. The n80 isn't rocket science, but when you're learning stops and lighting principles, filters and shutter speeds for the first time, a simpler camera would make all of these topics more apparent. if this is going to be your first camera, i would say to get a used FM and 50mm prime or a second hand f55 (they're cheap, but good intros into the world of nikon autofocus) instead. also, if you are going to be shooting in particularly rainy, sandy, slimy, etc. conditions, then i would suggest you get an equivalent canon instead (EOS), because they are more weather sealed. build quality on the n80 lacks a little if you do more than city shooting.

That aside, i've been long overdue for this camera - being a student, you long for things long before you get them, which means you're well read on it before it arrives - and it fits seamlessly into how i shoot. good room for growth with this camera, and with the 50mm 1.8 nikkor, this is a great camera to tote around. auto focus is lightning fast (this is a relative term if you've also played around with the f100 or f5, which are dead-on and insane fast), and the shutter is smooth and quiet. feels like much more of a precision machine than the lower nikions.

basic point here: i really like this camera, and no camera system is perfect. if you want a top notch auto focus and aren't going to be taking this to kosovo on assignment or to thailand during monsoon season (i.e., you're not someone who will be shooting in extreme conditions, la national geographic photographers), this has everything that a serious enthusiast needs, and at less than half the cost of an f100. it's an f100-lite.

Remember the learning curve for your PC? Thats the feeling you get from this latest Nikon N80. The manual is not for beginners or for anyone who hasn't used this model before. The directions and language was written by the developers for other developers. It may be well made and the lens is good but the controls buttons are made to be used by Munchkins with big wide hands and tiny fingers. The first N80 body I bought failed in a week. Where is Nikon having these babies made lately? Slightly dissapointing so far,, waiting for my 2nd N80 body.

As a sports photo-journo, i find using the multi frames per sec function switch and the 5 focusing points on the Nikon N80 locks on to nearly every fast moving object i photograph giving sharp photos.

in dim or night conditions the dim viewfinder can be a problem seeing whats in the photo area.using it with an sb 22 or sb 26 on programme gives well lit flash photos all the time.

the small size and weight is great after a few hours walking around sports fields with two cameras with different sized zooms around your neck. people with large hands can fit the extra aa battery pack for an extra grip and longer camera battery life.

Nikon has a winner with this little beauty, the N80. It is packed to the brim with features galore. You can use a variety of metering options (3D matrix, centre weighted, & spot), so it has got enough ground for the beginner to expand to intermediate level. You can vary the focal point with a selector at the film back door, and lock it so you don't change the setting accidentally. Many photographers love the depth of field preview with allows you to see how much is in focus in front of and behind your subject. I found the LCD screen illuminator VERY handy for night photography, where one press of a button, you can check your settings. As expected, it has exposure compensation, exposure bracketing, and even flash compensation. The in-built flash comes in very handy without you having to carry around a separate flash unit. The build quality is good for a camera of this price. It isn't flimsy, although it doesn't have the full range of sealing that the Nikon higher priced professional models have (like the F5 or F100), however, this being an advanced amateur / intermediate level camera, the build quality is more than sufficient. It has 2.5 frames per second advance rate, which is sufficient for most users. Not terribly fst, but not snail pace either. Nikon has a vast range of lenses and accessories, and the F80 is well placed for the owner to enter into the Nikon system. Apart from professional camera bodies, there are many SLRs which now have polycarbonate lens mount, but not on this baby! Still has the metal lens mount, which allows it to undergo frequent lens changes without the owner having to worry about wear and tear. One of the most useful features is the on-demand grid lines. Set using the custom dial, this lays a grid over the viewfinder, greatly assisting in composition, especially for architectural shots. There are 18 custom functions which can be set.

This camera is feature packed, and is a testament to Nikon's strength as an SLR builder. The ergonomics are equally impressive, the grip feels great in the hand. In summary, this is an excellent camera, with plenty to keep the keen photographer amused. Having some features passed down from its higher end relatives like the F5 and F100 means that the F80 will not disappoint the owner. As for reliability, well, my F80 has done about 100 rolls of film and is still going strong. Definitely recommended!!!!!!!!

The Nikon N80 35mm SLR camera offers Profesional features for 1/2 the cost.

For professional SLR, this camera is extremely easy to use with the best layout of controls.

I haven't taken a lot of 35SLR pictures lately, but when a trip to Sedona Az. came up and the red rock formation looked like a great place to start again, I had to decide what to do. A good break probably was a friend had gotten into photography a few years ago and told me of the Nikon N80 35mm SLR camera that he had read great reviews about. I bought one and, well, I love it. My father-in-law used it on our trip and could not believe how smooth it worked, and that from a retired engineer that does not impress easily. All in all a nice unit.