I have a D80 and love it. I decided after much research and hesitation that it was- for me- the best in it's price range. Others obviously may reach a different conclusion...
Have you looked at the Canons?. D80 is a great camera from most reviewsthat i've read but canon 400d has better high ISO performance and.
Not as saturated images, Plus is way cheaper, Nikon is expensive. Build quality isgood but the range of Canon lenses and quality of sensors swayed me.I reckon I would take photos just as well on the d80, but I saved myself heaps.
And take outstanding photos on the Canon. (I'm a little bias but I did read a lotbefore making my decision)YOU CAN ON A CANON!!!..
The D80 is a fantastic camera, and is one of the top cameras of that range. Nikon has a very good selection of lenses and accessories and a solid reputation of making excellent cameras. Its' responsiveness and speed stand out from the rest of the crowd..
The other cameras in this range (a Canon 30D, Pentax K10D) are also very good with their own strengths and weaknesses, but you certainly can't go wrong with the Nikon if your heart is set on it...
A DSLR is an investment and you should treat it as such..
The single biggest factor deciding your final image quality is how comfortable you are holding and using the camera. Everything else you can, to a reasonable limit, learn..
In reality the difference in image quality between something like the D80 and the 30D is almost non-existant..
For that reason you should decide based on your experience trying these out in a camera store or two. Any reasonable shop will be happy to let you try out ( in shop ) several cameras..
I started out thinking of an Olympus E-410, and trying that out in a shop led me, via Canon and Nikon, to my Pentax K100D, which I'm very comfortable with ( and going through the usual transition pains from small-sensor to DSLR ! )..
StephenG.
Pentax K100DFuji S5200Fuji E900PCLinuxOS..
My experience:.
I did not do a lot of cross-brand research; I gravitated towards Nikon out of brand loyalty and a feeling that I might have greater access to old/used lenses if I wanted (I don't really know how true that is, to be honest) - not necessarily AF, the idea of being able to use a top-quality MF Nikkor for some applications in the futre (eg macro) was appealing..
I read up online - sources like Rockwell and Hogan, for practical no-nonsense advice and it was clear that the D80 would certainly not be the wrong choice..
I chose the D80 over the D70 because of it's greater feature level (and resolution, but acknowledging that the advantage is minor) even though I did not expect to master the camera on day 1, but I do want it to last 5+ years and therefore I want something I can grow in to..
Ease of use is a major factor and a quick hands on comparison (combined with credible opinions that I read online) led me to believe I would be more comfortable with the D80 than Canon or another. This I suppose was partly because after 3 years of using a Nikon film SLR I was more familiar with Nikon terminology and control layout..
Quality (image quality) was frankly not an issue. I did not believe then, and I do not now, that there is any realistic way of measuring or saying that in a given price range "Canon > Nikon" or vice versa. I only wanted assurance that IQ would match or exceed my capabilities as a photographer * and what I read and heard convinced me of that..
I am aware of opinions about noise at high ISO etc, on the other hand credible sources (ie Hogan, Rockwell & co) convinced me that this was not a major impediment, if it was one at all..
* This is an important point. I do not pretend that as a photographer I would stretch, or be frustrated by, the IQ limitations of any decent camera. When the day comes that I feel I would be "held back" by anything less than a $15,000 pro DSLR I will be a happy (but broke) man..
Was that advice to buy the D80? Well, it was advice that if someone forced you to go out and buy it tomorrow, you probably wouldn't regret it..
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Puppetzinc wrote:.
Canon 400d has better high ISO performance andnot as saturated images, Plus is way cheaper, Nikon is expensive..
If high ISO matters to you, the 400D only goes up to ISO 1600. The EOS 30D and the D80 go up to ISO 3200 (albeit with special names for settings above 1600)..
The 30D and D80 use pentaprisms. The 400D uses a pentamirror and the review here said that it has a "small viewfinder view"..
The 30D and D80 have spot metering. The 400D doesn't..
All in all, the D80 is more comparable to the EOS 30D than to the 400D...
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D80,,, 18-135 lens ,,, hand held,,,, overcast ,, if you afford one get one, you will love it, if you can't afford one, sell the car, sell your PC, or even sell the wife, I nearly didMike Rudge..
Merkavam4 wrote:.
Do you recommend this camera? is there a better one in it's price range?.
If you're looking for a body with a good viewfinder, dedicated buttons/dials for the most commonly-used controls, and lots of "system" accessories, I'd suggest looking at the Nikon D80 and the Canon EOS 30D...
The D80 is a great starter camera which is complimented by more advanced equipment like the D200 and D2 series..
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1 Have you held it? Looked through the viewfinder? Decided if it 'feels' rightwith the lens you're likely to be using most at first?.
Different people have different ergonomic tastes..
2 It's no lemon. It's compatible with a large collection of lenses and accessories.So provided you're willing to spend the time and money there's an awfullot you -could- do with it. For determinations of 'better', however, one wouldhave to know what you intend to shoot and under what circumstances..
It will probably be a good choice unless you have some specific requirements (like, say, being waterproof and you don't want to use a case or bag; or extremely high FPS; or live view), or if, for some reason, you just don't take to the handling...