Nikon D80 Body only 10.2 Megapixel

I've played with D80 for almost half an hour at a local camera shop, and combined with the news release on Nikon, I'll list some improvements and differences of the all new D80 compared with D70/D70s:

-10.2 MP CCD Sensor,Though not a huge step foward, extra 4 mp definitely helps in define finer details. Long exposure noise control still need improvement, not suited for extended long time exposure, but definitely good enough for most night photography. - Improved image processing engine, Nikon claim it is similar to D200/D2x, faster processing speed and extended image processing power. - 3D Color matrix metering II, similar to D200/D2x but only have 420 pixel sensor instead of 1005, still, more than enough. - Awsome 11 area AF, much better AF focusing point positioning for better composition. - Mechanical shutter instead of Mech/Electronic. Max shutter speed only goes to 1/4000, flash sync only goes to 1/200 without front pannel flash unit SB-800 or SB-600. - Shorter viewfinder blackout, a bit better than D70/70s, not as good as D200. - Larger brighter viewfinder with 95% viewing area and 0.94x magnification, better than D70/70s which have a tiny viewfinder. - Support SD memory card and SD-HC(SD High Capacity, enables capacity over 2gb) - Multiple-exposure!! Very creative tool you can ultilize. - A bit smaller body size than D70/70s, good for smaller hands, might not as comfortable for larger hands, but have vertical grip available for grab. - Similar menu interface as D200, menu response speed is slower, means when you press a button there is a lag before the cursor moves to another item. - en-el3e battery, same as D200 with very accurate battery info. - Wireless flash control (Nikon Creative Lighting System, it's awsome! use your on-camera flash to trigger remote SB-800 or SB-600) - Very large and bright 2.5" LCD w/170 degree view angle. - MD-80 vertical grip for extended battery life with 2 batteries. - Programable Function button(very useful). - Shooting mode and AF mode included on top LCD panel. - longer continues shooting buff, though same FPS rate as D70/70s (3fps) - Automatic AF-s/AF-c.

Camera handling is similar to D70/D70s. Overall we see a refined model of D70/D70s. Price tag is very attractive(under $1000)! Buy it and you won't regret. Highly Recommended.

** When you are purchasing on eBay for a brandnew D80 however, make sure you are purchasing a USA model instead of Grey market. Ask seller for verification. Otherwise Nikon USA is not gonna gurantee your warranty related repaires.

Ok, this is a great camera. I'm not going to cover the features of this camera, other reviewers did that well. Let me point out a few things to watch out for.

*****LOUSY LENS KITS**** The Nikon D80 is a fantastic camera, but lots of sellers will try to getcha by bundling a $775 camera body with one or more really mediocre lens. If you're going to spend that kind of money on a camera, don't get seduced by these horrible lens kits.

First, decide if you are planning on using a camera bag everywhere you go or not. This is important. Unless you are planning on taking a camera bag with you everywhere, you do NOT want 4 lenses -- 3 of the 4 will just stay home 95 percent of the time. What you will need in this case is ONE REALLY GREAT LENS.

The most common lenses offered with this camera is an 18-55mm lens bundled with a 70-300mm lens. Now the 18-55mm a really nice wide angle lens down at 18mm. However, you really get very poor (55mm) telephoto capacity with that lens. If you're looking for a great all purpose lens, 18-55mm is not it.

Next, you'll see the 70-300mm lens. That's a great telephoto zoom and gives you lots of pretty nice range. But keep in mind that 70mm is NOT wide angle. That means you'll struggle to shoot close-ups of anything. No wide-angle shots of buildings, landscapes, mountains, or even large groups of people at the dinner table. A great second lens, but not a great single all-purpose lens.

Any lens kit that mixes up 2 or 3 of the above lenses are still leaving you short of ONE GREAT all-purpose lens.

The best value in an all-purpose lens out there is the somewhat rarely offered Nikon 18-135mm zoom. 18mm is plenty wide-angle enough for anyone. And 135mm gives you enough zoom lens to shoot the kids soccer game close-up from across the entire field. With 10MP, you can still crop down for a nice close-up and get great high-quality prints. With this lens, you won't need a camera bag for 90% of you who are buying this camera for non-professional work.

If you have the bucks, then spend upwards of $700 for the 18-200mm, and get the best all-purpose lens you can get for the D40x. You'll pay as much for that lens than the camera body itself.

***BE AWARE*** Many sellers package non-Nikon lenses with this camera. Do yourself a favor and buy a great genuine Nikon Lens.

Next, a lot of sellers advertise four lenses, but really give you two lenses and then two "over" lenses that give you extra wide-angle or telephoto capacity. Avoid these lens correctors that screw into the end of your lens and give you more or less "magnification". These lenses are uniformly lousy.

Also, the "bonus" items in these kits, like the tripods and camera cases are cheap, cheap, cheap. Lowepro makes good camera bags. If the camera bag is not a name brand bag, it is the bottom-of-the-line junk. Better to buy these components separately. Same goes with the tripod.

On the whole, I recommend buying the camera body and 18-135mm lens and THAT'S IT. Buy your memory cards, straps, cases, tripods, filters and other accessories separately and as you need them. 99 percent of people won't carry around all that stuff anyhow.

Last, there's a great product out there called "Camera Armor" that I recommend. It is a custom made rubber housing that fits like a glove over the camera's body. It does a nice job of keeping your camera from getting banged up or badly scratched.

***PLEASE VOTE for my review if you found it helpful***

Strengths: Incredible feature set for the price: 10.2MP, instant start-up, fast 0.8ms shutter response and more!

Weaknesses: Grip might be too small for some, Nikon Capture is extra.

Comments: The D80 is a very capable camera. It can go from a super P&S camera for photographers just testing out the SLR world all the way to some pro use. I would imagine D50 (and maybe some D70/D70s) owners would be tempted to upgrade. I can also see folks who were thinking of getting a D200 would instead buy a D80 and I wouldn't blame them. I was thinking of going from a D50 to a D200 but landed on a D80 instead, and quite happy with the decision. All in all, a very nice effort by Nikon.

I was the proud owner of the d-70 when Nikon released this diamond. I was not in the market, but the new model did me in the minute I read about it. There is not one thing I didn't like about it. The ease, the many onboard tools, and the photos are just wonderful. Nikon technology is unbelieveable.

The drive is from the 200, the rear monitor allows me to view my shot, not just to admire my work, but to let me know if any adjustments to my camera would be needed on the following shot. I do sports photography.... not for a living mind you, it's just my hobby. I wanted to see if all my adjustments were correct. I was totally amazed on the ability to zoom in on my shots. I could actually see if the decals on the cars were sharpe and clear..... well, they are, and behind the system is one smiling photographer.

You will smile also. I have only had the D-80 for less then two months, and I'm still finding things I can do with it, I may have read about it before, but now when I do it, I just smile to myself. This the fourth digital camera I have purchased in six years, each purchase was a step up. As I got more comfortable I felt I was ready for bigger and better. The Nikon D-80 is bigger and so much better. I have other brands of film cameras, and still use them, but I have not found a better lense then a NIKON lense. Clarity, weight, and cost factor. I do not think of myself as the best in anything, but my Nikon D-80 sure does take photos that others want, my eye is getting better.

My purchase was made here on Ebay, and the dealer I have dealt with prior, I saved money, and I had a trusted seller to go to. Am I satisified? 100 percent.

Bought this camera as soon as it came out. Had tried my nephew's D50 and fell in love. This one is 10.2 mp and it is AWESOME. Still have a lot of learning to do, but it is almost impossible to take a bad picture. Lots of moving shots, and all are clear. Love it.

Just to give you a little of my photography background.
I've been shooting with SLR's for over 11 years now and
have been shooting on the professional level for about
5 years now. The D100 being my first digital slr. Then
I bought the D70 as a back up camera. Then the D200
being my latest and favorite of the three.

I've had the opportunity to fiddle around with and shoot
with the D80 recently. My assistant purchased it, and he
absolutely loves it. To keep it simple and short, the D80
has everything you could ever need and want from the
D200 in a plastic body. If you don't care about having
a "pro" feel like the D200 has, then the D80 is perfect.

I am loyal to Nikon camera products, but it is sad to say.
Canon has been ruling in the digital slr world. In my eyes,
Nikon has finally overcomed this hurdle with the release
of the D200 and further rubbing it in Canon's face with the
release of the D80.

D80 = great value, great quality. period.

This is a great digital SLR. I have had older film SLR's (including Canon) in the past and a 9 MP digital point and shoot. I decided to upgrade and chose the Nikon D-80 over the comparable Canon. I did not have digital lenses to worry about compatibility, nor a major investment in digital media. I was free to choose whichever appealed most and the Nikon did it for me. What a great choice I made,too. These cameras came on sale in my area just as I was preparing to go on a fishing trip to Alaska. I came home with some amazing shots, thanks to som e very cooperative wildlife and of course the Nikon D-80. The camera came as a kit with an 18-70mm lens and I added a 55-200mm lens. Current kits in this area come with an 18-135mm lens. There are lots of lens options. For those out there planning to buy their first DSLR you need to be careful about what lenses you buy. There are several suppliers of lenses that fit these Nikons and the quality varies on a lens by lens basis. For example, I went in to buy a 10-20mm lens for wide angle shots and checked out Sigma brand lenses, in order to save money. Several had bad focus on one side. Wait until you really get a feel for the camera before rushing off to add lenses. Buy Nikon if you can afford it. Others are fine but you need to know what you are getting into.

A polarizing filter was very useful when I was in Alaska since there were many shots taken on or near water. You can get different effects with the filter that cannot be achieved by post processing. However, the D-80 has significant in-camera processing capabillity which is very useful for amateurs like me. For example, the D-lighting feature helps to correct dark shots. The camera has extensive menus so, in order to make the most of it, one needs to be patient and try to learn about the camera features and how to make adjustments.

I have added two additional flash units, SB-800 and SB-600. The on-camera flash unit can be configured to act as a master for the remote units. The resulting pictures are a huge improvement over point and shoot digitals, just as though the shots were taken in a studio. Your family portraits will become Wowsers. The camera has automatic settings for portraits, landscapes, night shots, sports etc. so YOU REALLY DO NOT NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL TO GET GREAT RESULTS FROM THE CAMERA.

I have added the MB-D80 battery base which does a couple of things. It adds a compartment for a second battery and it provides a vertical grip for portrait oriented shots. It looks professional but it adds alot of weight, so think twice before buying that optional part.

I have two remote controls. One is wired, which works fine. I also have the wireless remote control which is neat and inexpensive but it has problems. It is very small and I already lost the first one I bought. It operates using infrared technology which is based on line of sight. Therefore the wireless unit must be in front of the camera to get reliable operation. This is fine if you are shooting pictures of yourself but useless if your intention is to stand behind the camera and use the remote so you don't shake the camera. They are cheap enough options so don't hesitate to buy both.

Because I am learning,I am shooting in RAW plus large JPEG. This takes quite a bit of memory per picture. I find that a 1GB SD card is a bit too small when I am taking lots of shots so buy one or more 2GB SD cards. Note that the SD cards come in different recording speeds.

I like the camera, but I figures since it was a Gray market Camera, it was a genuine Nikon but I found out it was from Hong Kong after it arrived. I called Nikon USA and was told that they wont even service it. I bought it because the price was right. Because of this purchase I will never buy high dollar items from ebay again because of the deceptive selling techniques many sellers use to sell their items. Please check this company out here. http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/181/RipOff0181745.htm

I did extensive research when I decided to purchase a DSLR as an upgrade to my extended zoom point and shoot camera (Kodak P850). I owned Pentax film SLR's in the past so I was considering the K10D. I also was intrigued by the Sony A100 and the new Nikon D40X. The Sony and Pentax both had in-body shake reduction systems which is a great advantage as it works regardless of the lens you may use. The only REAL way to tell which camera is for you is to handle them.

I strongly suggest going to a local camera store to hold these cameras in your hands and see how they feel. You can purchase it on e-bay as I did and save a bundle, but DO NOT buy a camera you have not actually handled. I was surprised to find that the Sony, while well priced and feature laden, did not feel right when I held it as the shutter release was not where my finger expected it to be. The D40X was a little too small for my hands. The Pentax K10D was simply unavailable to try! The D80 felt just right. Even though you must purchase VR lenses to get the shake reduction feature, the quality of the Nikon and the vast array of features it offers made my decision easier. The on-line reviews confirmed my choice and I appreciate having a camera and a system I can grow into. A DSLR mainly consists of a quality sensor, ergonomically correct functions and a system of LENSES! Nikon has been world renowned for the quality of their lenses for the past 50 years. I feel that 10 mp is more than I will ever need and I am extremely satisfied with the images this camera creates.

That being said, the software that comes with the D80, Picture Project 1.7, is crap. Go out and buy Photoshop Elements (under $100) for your imaging needs.

The Nikon D80 performs above my expectations.
Lightning fast shutter.
Very responsive.
Images are very clear.
Colors are phenomenal.
Easy to use for the beginner, yet advanced enough for the professional.
Autofocus feature works better than any other camera. Objects moving towards the camera are very sharp images even with the multi shooting.
SB800 flash really enhances the performance.
I use this camera for professional photography.

Camera seems ok..but a bit complicated to use. Before buying product did not realize the manufacturer required it to be cleaned each year at a cost of over $100.00. Seems quite high to maintain a camera. Too, I was not told in advance that a 39.00 insurance charge would be added in addition to a $39.00 shipping charge. Seems a bit high to ship a camera. Otherwise I think the camera is great.

The company I bought this excellent camera from, I can't really complain. They delivered as advertised and on time. Two things I would have done different on this major purchase (not just a financial major purchase but a camera is something you live with for a long time).
1. make sure you can get a one year warranty on a camera like this. Nikon does't recognize the serial number of the camera from this retailer.
2. kit lenses: it the big debate. Kit lenses are your low end quality. I believe kit lenses are great for new, serious hobbiest like myself, but don't be suprised by their limitations (terrible vignetting, dust spots, et al). But these lenses are great in learning how to use a D80. After a year or so, if you've mastered this great camera, sell the kit lenses and get some good ones.

I love everything about this camera. The picture quality is amazing. I think the sports setting is actually quite good. I took my camera to a NASCAR race a few weeks ago, and I used this setting. The cars were going almost 200 mph and I still got excellent shots that looked like the cars were setting still. the 18-135mm lens is extremely versitile and is a good choice for an all-around lens.

I love being able to take a ton of pictures in a split second instead of waiting for a light to turn back to green lol. This camera is so fast and takes beautiful pictures! I am so glad I took the plunge. Although I did not pay uner $1000 for it I paid $1299 but that did include the 18-135mm lens. I also bought the SB-600 speedlight and wow does that make a difference in a dark room!

This is my first DSLR and I must admit, I don't think I could've made a better choice in camera. The D80 feels great in my hands, the weight is just right and the pictures are tack sharp! I also bought an external flash (Speedlight SB-600) and that is and outstanding flash. This camera has loads of features so reading the manual would be vital. Make sure that you buy quality lenses or your shots won't be as "crisp" as the could be. I have nothing but HIGH PRAISE for the Nikon D80. You'll pay a little more but it's worth every penny!!

Happy Shooting!!

Goldie~

I have had several point and shoot digital cameras over the past five or six years. I use an older Canon 3 mp. for work and have a Sony 5 mp for home photos. We have a catalog of over 10,000 home photos of the kids growing up. My son and I recently took a trip to Alaska and I wanted a really good camera to capture those once in a lifetime pictures. I did a lot of internet research and have a couple of professional photographer friends who I consulted with. One friend has a Nikon D200, but at nearly twice the cost of the D80, I opted for the D80. After our Alaska trip where I took over 1000 pictures with the D80, I am very pleased that I chose this camera. It is very easy to use right oout of the box with the automatic functions, and I am learning some of the manual functions. It has a tremendous amount of features to offer. It will take some time to master all of the capabilities of this camera, but even the automatic settings produce phenomenal pictures.

This is the ultimate Digital SLR camera for consumers. It has an extremely fast start up time, takes fantastic pictures out of the box and is very easy to use. I like the fact it has both an LCD (2.5 inch I might add) plus it still has the LCD on top that gives you information on the pictures taken, % battery left, % memory left, F-stop, shutter speed, flash info and so much more. The standard battery lets you take hundreds of pictures and the automatic flash is aided by red eye reduction before you take the shot. The camera has a menu that enables the shooter to edit pictures on the spot such as cropping and red eye removal. The camera is very well constructed and feels much more professional in my hands vs. the Canon Rebel XTI. I looked at both and took pictures with both and there was no comparison. For the money, and you can get a great deal on ebay on the D-80 this was a no brainer. Go with the NIKON. The fact that I had a Nikon EM for 30 years with "NO" problems helped me make my decision and I hope this limited review will help you make your decision.

In considering the purchasing of the Nikon D80, I researched several sources, including professional photographers. All opinions directed me to this particular camera. I was especially concerned about purchasing a camera that I could grow with as I developed my photographic skills. The D80 is amazing in the variety of functions, which I am still learning. This is a camera for a serious photographer, not an amateur. It literally is forcing me to be a much more skilled photographer. It was a very good purchase! I highly recommend it. I have already taken some beautiful photographs and I am very pleased with the quality of the images that I am getting.

The only reason that I'm going to give this camera an "excellent" rating is because I have such limited experience with DSLRs. My friend has a Canon 350D and my Nikon D80 seems far superior to it. As far as the way I feel about it? I LOVE it! The D80 is pretty easy to figure out, very intuitive and takes photos that I still can't believe! If you have any experience at all with a digital camera (especially one of those "sport zoom" models) you'll find switching to this DSLR fairly easy. It fits well in my hand and feels very solid. The battery that comes with it (Nikon EN-EL3e) last 4 EVER! I can get over 1000 shots at times! The software (Picture Project) is a bit lacking, but it is functional. I just can't say enough about it. The Nikon D80 is everything I hoped it would be...next?...D2X!

I've played with D80 for almost half an hour at a local camera shop, and combined with the news release on Nikon, I'll list some improvements and differences of the all new D80 compared with D70/D70s:

-10.2 MP CCD Sensor,Though not a huge step foward, extra 4 mp definitely helps in define finer details. Long exposure noise control still need improvement, not suited for extended long time exposure, but definitely good enough for most night photography. - Improved image processing engine, Nikon claim it is similar to D200/D2x, faster processing speed and extended image processing power. - 3D Color matrix metering II, similar to D200/D2x but only have 420 pixel sensor instead of 1005, still, more than enough. - Awsome 11 area AF, much better AF focusing point positioning for better composition. - Mechanical shutter instead of Mech/Electronic. Max shutter speed only goes to 1/4000, flash sync only goes to 1/200 without front pannel flash unit SB-800 or SB-600. - Shorter viewfinder blackout, a bit better than D70/70s, not as good as D200. - Larger brighter viewfinder with 95% viewing area and 0.94x magnification, better than D70/70s which have a tiny viewfinder. - Support SD memory card and SD-HC(SD High Capacity, enables capacity over 2gb) - Multiple-exposure!! Very creative tool you can ultilize. - A bit smaller body size than D70/70s, good for smaller hands, might not as comfortable for larger hands, but have vertical grip available for grab. - Similar menu interface as D200, menu response speed is slower, means when you press a button there is a lag before the cursor moves to another item. - en-el3e battery, same as D200 with very accurate battery info. - Wireless flash control (Nikon Creative Lighting System, it's awsome! use your on-camera flash to trigger remote SB-800 or SB-600) - Very large and bright 2.5" LCD w/170 degree view angle. - MD-80 vertical grip for extended battery life with 2 batteries. - Programable Function button(very useful). - Shooting mode and AF mode included on top LCD panel. - longer continues shooting buff, though same FPS rate as D70/70s (3fps) - Automatic AF-s/AF-c.

Camera handling is similar to D70/D70s. Overall we see a refined model of D70/D70s. Price tag is very attractive(under $1000)! Buy it and you won't regret. Highly Recommended.

** When you are purchasing on eBay for a brandnew D80 however, make sure you are purchasing a USA model instead of Grey market. Ask seller for verification. Otherwise Nikon USA is not gonna gurantee your warranty related repaires.

I purchased this camera for my daughter, who's career goal is professional photography. We're both photo enthusiasts, and love a quality camera. The D80 has so many options, so a user would need to be familiar with not only digital, but how SLR photography works. With that said, my daughter loves this camera because is does fucntion like a high end SLR, but with the convenience of digital. The quality of pictures are based more on the quality lens, than anything else. The camera has a heavy solid feel, reminding me of
the older film SLR's. The battery life isn't the longest, but that's typical of digital in general. Purchasing this camera would be a waste of money for casual use, but would make a serious shutterbug delighted!

I had another top line digital SLR for several years and this is like entering a whole new world, easier to use, more lens options, better pictures, fabulous just fabulous! I love the speed of recovery between shots, I don't miss the good ones anymore. Also for some reason I don't get as many blurred photos from me oversqueezing the trigger - the camera just fires easily. I can't say enough.

In short: The Nikon D80 is an excellent high-end consumer-grade digital SLR that should satisfy the needs of most amateur and aspiring professions. I'll focus my review on my likes and dislikes of this particular body, and will leave out the endless comparisons to other cameras on the market.

Like most Nikon products, the D80 feels excellent in hand, with controls that fall naturally at my fingertips. This is important to me, since I find the camera that's most comfortable gets used most often. In true Nikon fashion, the build quality is excellent, and I haven't found the plastic construction of this camera to be a problem. I'm especially sensitive to this, having shot with many classic metal-bodied film Nikons in the past.

What I found most remarkable about this camera is the long battery life. If you don't use the on-camera flash much, you can easily get 600 to 700 shots on a single charge. There's a two-battery adapter, but I find the duty cycle of the single battery more than adequate for my needs.

The use of SD flash memory may offend some geeks and purists, but it's both convenient and extremely inexpensive, as SD has become a pervasive standard.

The picture-taking abilities of this camera are predictable and linear. I have found the tone and color to be very "flat" - and that's a compliment. The 10.2 megapixel sensor isn't the fastest on the market, but it does the job. Keep an eye out for dust on the sensor, though.

Nikon's software is intuitive, and the menu-driven screens only take a few minutes to learn. Most people will only shoot with this camera in the green "AUTO" mode, and that's a shame - the various programs that this camera comes with work fairly well. There are also the usual program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority and manual modes that will keep the purists and tinkerers happy.

All in all, I am not disappointed in this purchase at all. The only things that keep it from getting the coveted "EXCELLENT" rating is the inability to permanently suppress the flash in "AUTO" mode, and the lack of a PC connector for an external flash. These are nit-picks, though, and will not significantly detract from an otherwise excellent camera experience that the Nikon D80 provides.