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| Brand: Nikon
Category: Photography
Buy New: Too low to display
New (12) Used (11) Refurbished (1)
Avg. Customer Rating:  257 reviews
Sales Rank: 130
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Optical Zoom: 3
Display Size: 2.5
Maximum Resolution: 10.2
Has Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.4 x 3.1
MPN: 25412
Model: 25412
UPC: 018208254125
EAN: 0018208254125
ASIN: B000HGMX5M
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Absolutely Love This Camera October 3, 2006
23 out of 26 found this review helpful
First of all I do not consider myself anything more than a very beginning photographer !!! So I will not go into anything technical. I will leave that to people who know more than I do. But what I am is an international traveler. I simply got tired of coming home from fantastic trips with "snapshots". I wanted someting much better, and boy did I get it with this camera. I looked at the D70s and since I have very small hands, I could never feel comfortable holding it. This camera is smaller without being small. I have only taken photos locally, but at this time of the year with the leaves changing it makes a good start. The built in editing features (filters etc.) are wonderful to work with. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants something more than "point and shoot" snap shots.
Nikon Just became the top dog! September 27, 2006
68 out of 81 found this review helpful
Hey there friends SiNMiN here with just a short word about this fantastic camera. I have been shooting cameras one way or another now for a living for nearly 15 years. I remember the days when we all dreamed of digital cameras and once we had them we dreamed of days like these! First let me say that I come from the uniqe perspective of having shot and worked on nearly every barnd and type of camera available at one time or another! So I have no Brand loyalty to speak of! I'm loyal to my pictures not cameras.At the time of writing this my D80 is on the way to me, I am making these remarks based on some tests I ran using a D80 and my D200.
I have to say right off that the D200 is just about the closest thing to the perfect digital SLR I have ever found, that is until I got hold of the D80, now there are 2!Sensor wise both cameras are identical as is shot to shot and start up time. The D200 is faster (5FPS) and has a bit more image control by way of the ability to change sharpness levels, contrast, and saturation. On this note the D80 simplfies the process with giving you the ability to photoshop your images within the camera. ( I really liked that!) You can bring out detail in shadows, add filter effects, the list goes on and on. But the important thing is the ability to change all the other aspects like in the D200 are there as well, making this one hell of a versitile camera. ISO performance is on par with Cannons 20 or 30D (Sorry Cannon)and quite frankly shuts the XT down all together. ( I used to use both these cameras so take my word for it!)I don't know about the XTi. ISO noise is controlled by Nikon in a different manner than Cannon, and wich method you will like better will depend on you. I feel that Nikon images clean up easier with better results, and thier software is better. Both cameras are built extremely well, The D80 is built to last as long as you can when treated right, the D200 however lets you hammer nails all day and take pictures till dawn. At 1/500 flash sync is slower on the D80 but unless you know what that is don't worry about it, even then its no big deal. The other downside...SD cards...but I love the camera so I'll just have to get over it. And, the battery life is much better than the D200, (Speed needs juice folks)Low light photos are better with the D200, mainly because of a little better setting control, shot to shot both cameras perform about the same. The LCD and view finder are the same as the D200 and are both clear and bright as well as a joy to work with. The control layout is placed perfectly so much so that once you learn your way around you will find yourself changing things without looking!I love Sigma lenses and both Nikons work like a charm with all my glass, in fact the response on both was so good I was able to shoot hand held with a Sigma 50-500mm at ISO 400 in the late afternoon. And both cameras nailed each picture tack sharp! Cannons do not work well with any lenses other than Cannons.. Trust me!! I will write more in depth once my camera arrives. Then I can really get into it and see what makes it tick. But let me leave you with this thought...In my opinion Olympus, Pentax, Samsung, Pannasonic, Sony, and now Cannon are all in what I call the gimmick camera business ( another Sony Invention) Relying on gimmicks rather than improving the basic function of the product. They all are guilty save Nikon who has maintained it level of performance and even improved upon it. In ALL respected circles the D200 is considered to be the finest camera available under $2000...it is. The D80 is the finest camera for $1000 and under. Like I said I have no brand loyalty, if Cannon or even Maytag could deliver a camera that could beat this I'd switch in a heartbeat, but I can tell you folks they have a long, long, way to go. Nikon just took it out a whole new door! I'll let you know when I have more. Thanks for your time and as always happy shooting!!
SiNMiN
Nikon hits this one out of the park September 26, 2006
181 out of 185 found this review helpful
Since this camera just hit the streets less than 2 weeks ago, I obviously haven't had this for a super long time, but I moved to the D80 as an upgrade from the terrific D50, and the D80 takes care of every single minor nitpick I had with the D50, and then takes it even beyond that. Moreover, since I moved from the D50 and not a D70-series, I was thrilled that the D80 uses Secure Digital (SD) flash cards, which I used for not only my D50, but for my Casio EX-Z750 point and shoot as well.
As with the D50, the D80 just feels terrific in my hand. I was concerned initially because the ergonomics of the grip have been ever so slightly modified (more like that of the D70s than the D50), and I really liked the feel of the D50. However, once I got the D80 and actually started using it and shooting with it, the concern evaporated quickly. The D80 is a complete success ergonomically... it feels solid and substantial without being excessively heavy. Nikon has really always excelled in this niche, which isn't something that shows up in most reviews or on any test charts. Moreover, the controls are very logically placed, easy to identify and use in real-world photography, and the menus are intuitive and highly functional.
This camera is FAST. It's senseless to really even try to quantify it because the numbers (less than 0.1 second to start up) just don't convey how instantaneous shooting with this camera is. There's no discernible shutter lag, and shot-to-shot time is as fast as you need it to be. The D80 can fire up to 3 frames per second, up to 100 JPGs deep. Amazing for a sub-$1,000 camera.
The things missing from the D50 that the D80 addresses? Backlit LCD, superimposable gridlines in the finder, depth of field preview, one-button bracketing, bright and large viewfinder, one-touch zooming on picture playback, ISO equivalency down to 100, and a snap-on clear plastic cover for the monitor.
As a bonus, some of the in-camera retouching options are fantastic. You can take a color shot, then convert it to B&W with a red filter (still preserving your original image). You can utilize red-eye reduction (in the uncommon instances when it occurs at all), and Nikon's D-lighting is the digital equivalent of dodging and burning, and I love it. There is even a color balance shift function which is fun to play with.
The autofocusing on the camera is staggeringly fast when coupled with the right lens. (I recommend the Nikon 18-70mm DX lens; I'm not a fan of the kit lenses offered with the D80. They're very good optically, but the build quality is lacking for my personal tastes.) Like other Nikon dSLRs, the D80 has an independent AF-assist light (some other cameras rely on the flash unit for this). For AF lenses utilizing the screw-driven focusing mechanism, there is a noticeable increase in focusing speed over the D50. You can also employ an 11-segment dynamic AF grid and select which segment will be used for the point of focus.
A word about the pop-up flash: It's brilliant. Rarely does a camera with a built-in flash get it right so often with such consistency. I took numerous flash photos in sometimes varying and difficult lighting situations, and the D80 nailed it every single time.
The LCD is the best I've seen to date on any camera. Plenty of cameras have 2.5" monitors now, but this one has 230,000 pixels and is gorgeously sharp and detailed. You can view it from any angle in a 170-degree arc. Similarly, the viewfinder is a major improvement over both the D50 and the D70 series. Rather than utilizing a cheaper pentamirror like some of the competition, Nikon elects to use a genuine pentaprism which allows the finder to be nice and bright. Additionally, the diopter control knob with detents for each setting is a welcome change from the slider on the D50.
Image quality is superb, as one would expect from a 10.2 MP dSLR. I like sharp, vivid pictures, and the D80 delivers. Different processing algorithms can be selected in the menu to yield different degrees of sharpness and saturation. I haven't had any of my photos from the D80 printed out yet; only viewed them on a 19" monitor, but they look terrific. The D80 can also shoot NEF (RAW) files simultaneously with JPGs in one of three compression modes. Very nice.
Battery life is exceptional. It's fantastic on the D50, even better on the D80. A six-segment display on the top LCD panel shows you how much life remains, or you can go to the menu and see how many shots have been fired since the battery was recharged, an exact percentage (to 1%) of life remaining, and the battery's "charge life" remaining (since any rechargeable battery has a finite number of charge cycles in it).
I bought the 2-lens package from Cameta Camera (available through Amazon, though you can call the camera store directly and get the same package for $40 less than Amazon charges). For my needs, the Tamron 28-80mm lens is, quite frankly, virtually worthless, so it immediately went on eBay, and I bought a new Nikon 18-70mm DX lens in its place (a vastly superior lens). However, the Tamron 70-300mm Di LD Macro lens that's included is a surprisingly good piece of glass. I've shot nature and architectural-type photos with the D80 and the Tamron 70-300mm and was very pleasantly surprised at the results. The lens seems to be quite clear and sharp, it focuses quickly with no "hunting," and the 1:2 macro ratio is terrific. The short end of the zoom range on the 70-300mm is excellent for portrait work; this is enhanced by the foreshortening effect of the long lens. Coupled with the excellent Nikon 18-70mm lens, I have essentially the entire range of useful focal lengths covered (although those 12-24mm super wides do make me drool a bit!). Like many Nikon users, I'd love to have the 18-200mm VR lens, but I'm unwilling to pay a $200-300 premium over its list price simply because it's hard to find anywhere in stock nearly a year after its release. I'll wait.
As for the D80, though, if you have any interest in owning a serious dSLR, buy this camera and don't even think twice about it. For 2006 and likely for 2007, it's the right choice. The D80 is highly recommended as the perfect camera for the advanced amateur or enthusiast photographer. It bridges the gap between the D50 and the D200 perfectly. Pair this camera up with a high-quality lens, and a good photographer will have a tool with which stunning images can be made.
An Exceptional Camera and a Good Value September 24, 2006
14 out of 23 found this review helpful
The D80 packs 90% of the punch of a much more expensive, professional-grade SLR-type digital camera, at a fraction of the cost. I've had mine for two weeks now. The camera works like a charm. I love it.
High quality and features for pros! September 22, 2006
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
High quality and features for pros!
By Skylinenet from Santa Rosa, CA on 9/22/2006
Pros:
Nice Features and Settings, Rugged, Great Resolution, Intuitive menus, Accurate Colors, Easy to learn features
Best Uses:
Special Events, Action Shots, Travel, Portraits
Oh yeah! This is one sweet SLR. As a long-time SLR user switched to digital about 6 years ago I have owned 6 previous digital cameras and find number 7 to be the best in many ways. Ten point two megapixels at high speed with instant startup, Accurate Colors, Great Resolution, Nice Features and Settings, Rugged Case, Intuitive menus, and Easy to learn features make this a photog-addict's dream. Oh, did I mention affordable? Sure we have seen some pretty awesome DSLRs out there but cost has been prohibitive, until now.
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