dmezzer's Full Review: Nikon N80 QD Body Only 35mm Film Camera
I thought that once I went digital that I would retire my 35mm for good. Well of course my interest in photography only increased with the ease and affordability with which I could experiment with digital and this led expectantly back to a desire for the greater quality possible on 35mm. I was very pleased with the Nikon Coolpix 800 digital (see my review) and decided to explore Nikon’s current 35mm offerings rather than fall back to my old Canon 35mm.
I wasn’t to be disappointed. Nikon has innovated another great product to the 35mm camera market with the hugely popular N80. The first thing that is striking about this camera is it’s lightweight construction hinting immediately that it is geared toward the consumer market rather than the professional. But this doesn’t mean that this camera isn’t loaded with features that could hold the attention of the professional as well.
Behind its seemingly cheap construction are some great features which make will make this camera a successful descendant in the vein of the also popular N70. Some features lacking in the N70 which were wisely incorporated into the N80 include depth of field preview and a cable release socket which is threaded.
The D series Nikon lens on an ‘F’ mount (which seems to be plastic L) makes this camera compatible with other Nikon lenses which have been in production forever. A potential major advantage for those with an existing collection of lenses.
One of the highlights of this camera are grid lines on the preview screen which can actually be turned off so as to not interfere with the image. This is a great feature for aligning shots for the amateur and experienced alike. There are a whole host of other custom controls. The pop-up flash although small and obviously geared towards the amateur market rather than the professional is never-the-less programmable and highly versatile with a ‘diffuser’ to control the results even further.
The shutter speed can be adjusted from between 30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second which should cover most needs.
In addition to the smartly labelled and logically placed controls, (which is starting to be a standard with Nikon cameras) the N80 boasts an attractive lighted LCD indicator panel.
The main drawback is it’s overly light construction which could make one wonder how well this camera will hold up. The auto focus is also a bit slow and the auto film advance sounds a bit too flimsy.
The cons however are compensated for by the price. There are many features here which allow this camera to be compared with more professional models which are much higher priced. The ease of use will allow many of the curious to explore on a more serious level a budding interest in photography without a huge time or dollar investment to attain and master the tools of the trade. The market niche targeted by this camera has been bolstered by the huge recent interest in digital photography combined with the desire for 35mm photo quality and permanence. Hat’s off to Nikon for once again so accurately nailing their market.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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