Nikon N80 35mm SLR Film Camera (Body Only)

by Nikon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00006I5JT
• Item model number: 1776
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,320 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #60 in Electronics > Camera & Photo > Film Cameras > SLR Cameras
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 22, 2002

Product Description

Nikon N80 35mm SLR Film Camera (Body Only)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect camera for the serious amateur, November 30, 2003

By 

Chad A. Lauterbach "chadl2" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nikon N80 35mm SLR Film Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

Photography has been a hobby of mine for nearly ten years now. Having shot on a lot of Minolta and Canon I can say that Nikon equipment is sufficiently superior to its competition unless you are in need of fast auto focus (i.e. for sports) where Canon tends to rule. However, in nearly every other arena in the 35mm SLR world Nikon is at the top of the list. From build and lens quality, to controls and light meters Nikon beats out the competition. So if you are already sold on buying a Nikon (which you should be) the N80 is a great pick for the serious amateur or beginner, but probably a little bit too high on the food chain for the casual photographer.

The N80 fits nicely between the N55, N65, N75 cameras and the F100, F1 cameras. The F100 and F1 (as well as the D100 and D1) are geared for the professional photographer and provide quality and features only an experienced amateur or pro could notice. Those cameras are definitely not appropriate as first cameras unless you are serious and just have money to burn. The N55 and N65 are geared toward the casual consumer that wants more quality than a point and shoot offers, but likely doesn't really know or care much about photography. These cameras provide "easy" to use features including some that are simply annoying for the serious photographer. The N80 operates in a very similar manner to the F100, F1, D100 and D1 and it makes the transition to these cameras down the road much easier when the time is right. The N80 also provides 10 segment metering, selectable auto focus regions, composition guides (awesome!) and it opens up features of the more advanced Nikon lenses. Overall the N80's build quality feels better than its smaller counter parts as well.

Who is this camera for:

The serious amateur and student photographer, especially those wishing to move up in the Nikon line in the future.

Also, make sure you get a great lens too, I'd highly recommend the Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S Zoom as a first lens.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Step Up SLR at a Great Price., October 8, 2004

By 

Jennifer A. Kern (Ozone Park, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nikon N80 35mm SLR Film Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

As a serious student photographer who worked with old metal bodied all manual SLRs I thought the transition to an automatic camera would be difficult. Too many cameras on the market are made of cheap, lightweight plastic that feels like it's going to crumble in my hands. I like a camera that has weight to it, but won't require a visit to the chiropractor after a day of shooting. The N80 is great for this. It has a very solid construction, and a comfortable, weighted feel in my hands. The grips on both sides are well sized and well placed and I feel that I have optimal control at all times.

The thing that sold me on this camera over similar models was its ease of use. As someone who never wants to read an instruction manaul, but still wants to use the bells and whistles, this was a great camera. The controls are the most intuitive I've seen on any camera of its kind, whether you're on your way to becoming a professional, or you're just starting out, the combination of versatility and ease of use is perfect.

It's extemely self explanatory to change from automatic/program mode, to aperture priority, to shutter priority. Its also easy to use the timer and the multiple exposure controls. bracketing, similarly is easier. I've had the camera ofr 6 months and enver needed to consult the instruction book, hopwever there are many features I can explore in the book if I so choose.

The focusing is about the same as you get for most cameras in this price range. The focus lock works very well, as do the zones. The on;y problem is focusing in low light conditions, but this is typical of these cameras.

Overall, I've found this camera to be a perfect blend of great price, great variety of accessories, utter ease of use, and bells and whistles for the serious student or amateur or aspiring professional.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About the best SLR I've ever owned, May 27, 2006

By 

Brian Baker (Santa Clarita, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nikon N80 35mm SLR Film Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

I've been a serious amateur and occassional professional photographer for over 40 years. My experience spans the early SLR entries up to the present.

I've also been a long-time Nikon groupie. In my opinion, they manufacture the best equipment of this type available, though in recent years the quality provided by a few of the tops seems to be closing the gap. By that I mean Canon specifically.

That having been said, I'm the type of photographer that drags around a select few lenses and a couple of bodies so I can mix and match lenses and films.

Speaking of which (films): I am not technology-averse. I love the idea of digital. I shoot home movies direct to DVD on Sony equipment. I also scan my 35MM negs/prints using the Canon 9950F (an excellent print scanner) or Nikon 5000ED Coolscan (the best slide/neg scanner)to digital files for further action in Photoshop.

HOWEVER, that being said, I still shoot my stills in 35MM film.

Several reasons: Current digital camera bodies simply do not afford the flexibility in speed, sensitivity, or versatility that film does.

I HATE the fact that the CMOS sensors effectively double the focal length of all my lenses (with currently only one exception, by Canon, I think).

I'm recording my images to the only currently available archival medium: film. Yes, I know bytes and bits are supposedly archival. But 50 years from now, is your DVD still going to be readable by any then-current technology? Remember Beta? Or 8 track tapes?

However, Daguerre's and Matthew Brady's prints
(both from the 19th Century) still will be. As will mine -- and yours if you shoot in film.

That having been said, a few years back, as I decided my eyes no longer afforded me the luxury of manual focus and I decided to go for the auto-focus capabilities now available, I stuck with Nikon and bought my first N-80.

I am so happy I did! This camera is simply outstanding in every way, affording you the ability to use it as a simple point-and-shoot if you wish (due to its extremely fast and sharp system coupled with the Matrix Metering system, and on-board pop-up flash), as well as the option to take direct control over every aspect of the creative photo process with intuitive and easy-to-use systems.

I liked it so much that a couple of years later I bought a second as a backup and system enhancer (meaning two loaded bodies with different lens/film combinations).

An additional benefit is that as the current fad seems to be toward digital bodies, N-80 prices have gone down significantly.

An interesting phenomenon that merits a quick observation: in order to get the same quality of resolution available with a good film/camera body/lens combination as far as cropping or enlargment capability goes, you have to spend in the neighborhood of $3000 to $4000 for a body-only camera, and you're STILL limited as to the duplication of film sensitivity. Try duplicating a 3000ASA film speed on a digital camera. Good luck! You'll be blasted by "noise" on the image; what we used to call "grain" for film, i.e. a loss of resolution and sharpness.

I'm finally making the move up to my next big camera purchase. Guess what? It's a Nikon F-5. Another film body. What does that tell you?

Buy this camera! It's great!