Customer Reviews

MADE Products CA-1111-BLK Camera Armor for Nikon D80 Digital SLR (Black)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Camera Armor is a rubber body glove designed to protect the Nikon D80 from impacts and scrapes. It includes a rubber shield to protect the front of one lens as well as a plastic shield for your LCD screen.

Installation of the armor is pretty simple. You need to remove the neck strap to put it on but that is easy enough. After you play with it enough to get it solidly in place, the rubber fits the camera snugly with no bulges. It also stayed solidly in place and was not prone to random movement. Most of the controls are left exposed but a number of buttons are covered to improve the structural integrity of the armor. These buttons are articulated into the armor and the label is likewise molded into the rubber button. The problem is that the label molded into the armor is black-on-black whereas your camera has white lettering against the black button for far superior ease of reading. Some of the controls are also too close to the edge of the rubber so it is not as easy or comfortable to use them. The armor also encroaches on the space that tripods attach to and many tripods will no longer have room to mount properly if the armor is on.

Once the camera armor is on, you'll finally get an idea of how much protection it offers. Unfortunately, the product description badly overstates the case. On a positive note, it should provide excellent resistance to scratches. The rubber armor should also provide small protection from impact but you need to be realistic about this. Any hard impact against rock or concrete will pose just as much chance of major damage as a camera would face without the Camera Armor.

The lens protector is similarly limited. Once on, it will completely block the threads a lens hood attaches to and so you will be completely unable to use one. Getting filters on and off will be very difficult with this on and even adjusting a circular polarizer is awkward.

In summary, Camera Armor offers legitimate protection from scratches. If this is important to you, then you may find value here. In return, you will be forced to give up the use of filters, lens hoods, ease of use for your camera, and most likely the ability to use a tripod. For most photographers, this is an unacceptable level of compromise.

I purchased this item with the idea that it might lessen the damage to my camera in a fall as advertised. The product might do that if it fell a few inches, but the thin neoprene does not seem like it will protect the camera from anything more than bumps and scratches. Furthermore, the controls are covered and the single color body armor makes it very difficult to read the control button information that is molded into the neoprene. I would suggest white out to highlight the raised type on the body armor. Oh, just forget the lens protection it is a piece of junk that flowers off the end of the lens and does absolutely nothing more than look foolish.

Pros:

1. Provides a better grip on the D-80 camera body.

2. Provides some superficial protection against minor bumps and scratches, but useless if the camera is dropped.

Cons:

1. The body armor limits accessibility to some of the controls and the diopter adjust is completely blocked.

2. The rubber body armor material is a magnet for dust and lint. The material needs to be treated with automotive interior sealant (applied with micro-fiber towels) to eliminate the static problem. This will add an additional $20-$25 to your overall cost.

3. The body armor kit includes a plastic LCD screen cover, but it's the same as the one provided in the standard D80 kit.

4. The body armor adds additional bulk making it impossible to fit into the Nikon D80 camera bags.

5. The body armor lens hood is a practical joke and should not be included with the package.

This item fits remarkably well. I can operate all of the buttons on the D80 through the armor. It also improves one's ability to grip the camera, although the camera is already of a size that makes it hard to lose one's grip. My only complaints are (1) the rubber seems to attract dust with static electricity (can blow or wipe it off the uncovered camera body, but not the rubber armor), and (2) the piece that fits on the end of the lens is visible on the periphery of the pictures I shoot and at the 18 mm end of my 18-200mm zoom lens (unless I fold it back) and makes it hard to remove and replace the lens cap. I don't use the lens part of the armor for this reason, which is not a huge problem but enough to subtract a star from my rating.

If you absolutely know every control on your camera then this product will provide excellent protection. However, if you need to see which button is which, don't use this product. There are embossed labels on the rubber, but, being the same color they are very difficult to read, even in strong sunlight. I would only recommend this product for those people who never have to look for a particular control. Then again, if you are such a person you probably don't damage too many cameras so you wouldn't need this product.

The cover is well-made and gives you access to absolutely ALL needed functions. If you're not familiar w/ your camera, the buttons may be hard to ID in low light. But, if you own a camera like this, you really should know how to use it already. White-outs on the button labels would be a good idea though. It offers excellent protection WAY beyond just scratches. With a camera like the D80 armored with this stuff, I am completely confident scaling rocks and the like with the camera hanging from my neck. Comes with an extra LCD cover like the one that comes w/ the camera from Nikon, but surprisingly, it did not come with any sort of cover for the upper screen. It adds a little bulk, but it's easily removeable if your just out around town. I will say that the lens cover is absolutely ridiculous. I just don't see the point of it. But, you can easily see that it's rediculous from the photo in the description. You get exactly what it says and shows you will get. Good product overall.

This product is to provide protection against the myriad accidental small bumps the camera of a physically active photographer receives. It's place is use in industry, construction, surveying, insurance adjustors, investigators and other such professionals whose duty requires them to be in crapmed, cluttered, or congested locations; or in physically awhward positions, where the use of both hands to move about safely may be required.

It is not for drop protection. that is the duty of the neck strap.

It is NOT for protecting a camera against novices or irresponsibility.

That ugly lens protector does it's job well. The filter threads are a fragile area. A high quality UV filter helps too. I recommend using both.

Remember, this product is an adjunct to careful camera use. Nothing will protect your camera against incompetence or apathy.

I recieved by body armor as a gift and at first I didn't really see a need for it. After taking my camera to Africa for a month, I could see just how much dust and grime I saved my camera from! Not to mention all the bumps and scratches it would have gotten from being with me always! I love it now and would not do without it outdoors! I insist on getting one for my new D300.

I've had this on my D80 since day 1, and it's never failed in its purpose. I'll give the highlights of my experience:
PROS
- Absorbs shock from banging camera against tripods or other equipment...I'm clumsy, and it happens
- You pretty much can't drop this camera - I can hang it stably at the grip using the tip of one finger; makes drop protection a non-issue
- the lens hood is a great way to protect the delicate end of your lens, and accordions back if it's in the way of the flash
- NOTE - the lens hood, as you will note in the pictures, should be wrapped around the zoom or focus ring, NOT THE THREADS ON THE END OF THE LENS (this could jam the motion of the lens). This allows for improved grip of the ring, and adequately protects the lens if you bump it. Also, it seems small for some lenses, but it stretches to fit my 18-200 VR lens and stays in place like it's glued there.
- The buttons line up perfectly, I've never had a problem with buttons presses not working; if you don't know the buttons, it might be tough to read but you can use a paint pen to highlight the raised text on the armor
- includes an LCD screen protector, although my camera came with one; also includes a lens cap tether that I do not use.
CONS:
- the card slot door opening doesn't line up perfectly, but I don't swap out cards much so it's not an issue; a 1/8 inch trim with an xacto would do it

This is a solid and worthwhile product for the D80, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. My D80 and lens are still pristine after almost 2 years.

I received the product in a very good and well padded box. Packaging was very well done. I only took about 5 min to fit the Armour onto my D80. The Armour for the Lens was not as easy as I thought it would be.

With my added on camera handstrap and the Armour, it made my camera handling more comfortable (being a guy with larger hands). All sockets and connections were still as easily accessible as without the Armour.

The only two down sides with the Armour was it attracts dust onto it and that the on and off button was a little hindered (difficult only when turning off).

As I travel often for overseas shoot (often in rural areas which are dusty and rough), the Armour gives me more confidence with camera safety.