The D80 - Is it worth it?

nikusnikus Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
edited September 10, 2008 in Cameras
Hello everyone.
I've been thinking about this but I would like to get some more opinions from more experienced users. With the new D90 just announced, do you guys think it is still worth buying the D80. I'm sure there will be plenty of D80s floating around eBay at crazy deal prices. I currently own the D40 and I'm looking to upgrade to something that will autofocus AF lenses. Do you think the D90 will be 'that' much better than the D80 (and I don't care for the new movie feature). I'm sure I'll be able to find a D80 body in mint condition for half of what the D90 sells. Anyway, what's your opinion on this?

Thanks,
Steven.

Comments

  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2008
    There are two trains of thought in regards to keeping up with tech that I apply to myself. Buy it right away or stay behind the curve and get top of the line on closeout.

    It really depends on your needs. While it remains to be seen if the IQ of the D90 is that much greater than the D80 in real world tests by end users, I don't think you can go wrong with the D80 if you can find a good deal.
    www.jonimages.com
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2008
    jonh68 wrote:
    There are two trains of thought in regards to keeping up with tech that I apply to myself. Buy it right away or stay behind the curve and get top of the line on closeout.

    It really depends on your needs. While it remains to be seen if the IQ of the D90 is that much greater than the D80 in real world tests by end users, I don't think you can go wrong with the D80 if you can find a good deal.

    Even though it has a little video trick I'm guessing that's just part of live view, so if you saw a D200 versus D300 image comparison it could be very very close to what the D80/90 will be like

    I think the big question is what specifically are you looking for in the upgrade from your D40?
    http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/
  • nikusnikus Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
    edited September 9, 2008
    NikonsandVstroms wrote:
    I think the big question is what specifically are you looking for in the upgrade from your D40?


    What I'm really looking for is a better AF system - the D40 has a basic 3-point AF as opposed to the D80 which has an 11-point AF system - that will allow me to autofocus on AF (non-AFS) lenses. I'd really like to have some of the controls more readily available so that I don't have to dig through the menus to change them. I know this might sound silly but I also want a camera that will be a little bigger and sturdier. Being able to step down to ISO100 is also nice... But I guess in short, the main reason I'd like to upgrade from the D40 is to be able to autofocus on AF lenses such as my Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AF lens.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,081 moderator
    edited September 9, 2008
    nikus wrote:
    What I'm really looking for is a better AF system - the D40 has a basic 3-point AF as opposed to the D80 which has an 11-point AF system - that will allow me to autofocus on AF (non-AFS) lenses. I'd really like to have some of the controls more readily available so that I don't have to dig through the menus to change them. I know this might sound silly but I also want a camera that will be a little bigger and sturdier. Being able to step down to ISO100 is also nice... But I guess in short, the main reason I'd like to upgrade from the D40 is to be able to autofocus on AF lenses such as my Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AF lens.

    Those are legitimate reasons. Additionally, the D200 and up can also use older manual focus lenses and provide auto-exposure.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2008
    nikus wrote:
    What I'm really looking for is a better AF system - the D40 has a basic 3-point AF as opposed to the D80 which has an 11-point AF system - that will allow me to autofocus on AF (non-AFS) lenses. I'd really like to have some of the controls more readily available so that I don't have to dig through the menus to change them. I know this might sound silly but I also want a camera that will be a little bigger and sturdier. Being able to step down to ISO100 is also nice... But I guess in short, the main reason I'd like to upgrade from the D40 is to be able to autofocus on AF lenses such as my Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AF lens.

    For all those features, it will be the same on either of the cameras. And I just shocked myself going on B&H, the D80 is only 600 dollars now! It might not have all the bells or whistles of the 90 but both are rock solid and it sounds like the D 40 image quality has been fine for years so the 80 will be even better.

    Plus $400 is a nice bit of money towards the most important thing, lenses
    http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/
  • nikusnikus Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
    edited September 9, 2008
    NikonsandVstroms wrote:
    Plus $400 is a nice bit of money towards the most important thing, lenses

    This is true. I guess I'll wait to see more reviews and reports of the D90... but I don't think I'll be able to justify the d80-d90 price difference. I'll try to go to a photo store and play with the D80... I'm sure I'll love it :) Thanks for your opinions guys. I appreciate it.

    -Steven.
  • nikusnikus Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
    edited September 10, 2008
    In case anyone is curious, this is what Ken Rockwell had to say about this:
    http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm

    "
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]What About the D80?[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]History! If you can find a bargain on one, pick it up, but I sold mine months ago because I never used it. I use my D40 for travel, and my tougher cameras for more serious work.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]So long as dealers have D80s in stock, you'll see it in catalogs as if it's still current, but be sure to get a deep discount. I paid $999 for my D80 in 2006, and today it's down to $725, which is a great discount. [/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Would I get a D80 for $725 or a D90 for $999? Personally, because I find ADR and the newest Picture Controls to be huge improvements in my picture quality, I'd get the D90. If you read this website, you're probably the sort of person who'll use these, too, and therefore ought to get the D90 over the D80. Most people don't use any of this, and for those people (like my mom), I'd say pocket the $275 and go with the D80 (or D40). [/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The D90 is superior to the D80 because the D90 offers more flexible Picture Controls and ADR. Adjust these properly and the D90 can give significantly better photos than a D40, D60 or D80, but left at defaults, will do the same thing.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Unless you need to make movies, the real reason you want a D90 over a D80 is the great LCD."[/FONT]
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,081 moderator
    edited September 10, 2008
    nikus wrote:
    In case anyone is curious, this is what Ken Rockwell had to say about this:
    http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm

    "
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]What About the D80?[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]History! If you can find a bargain on one, pick it up, but I sold mine months ago because I never used it. I use my D40 for travel, and my tougher cameras for more serious work.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]So long as dealers have D80s in stock, you'll see it in catalogs as if it's still current, but be sure to get a deep discount. I paid $999 for my D80 in 2006, and today it's down to $725, which is a great discount. [/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Would I get a D80 for $725 or a D90 for $999? Personally, because I find ADR and the newest Picture Controls to be huge improvements in my picture quality, I'd get the D90. If you read this website, you're probably the sort of person who'll use these, too, and therefore ought to get the D90 over the D80. Most people don't use any of this, and for those people (like my mom), I'd say pocket the $275 and go with the D80 (or D40). [/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The D90 is superior to the D80 because the D90 offers more flexible Picture Controls and ADR. Adjust these properly and the D90 can give significantly better photos than a D40, D60 or D80, but left at defaults, will do the same thing.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Unless you need to make movies, the real reason you want a D90 over a D80 is the great LCD."[/FONT]

    Unfortunately Ken Rockwell is trying to take credit for something that does not work as simply as he describes. Both recent Nikon and Canon cameras have methods and technologies to improve dynamic range, not just protect the highlights, as Ken's method would do. While the new Nikons and Canons do indeed enhance the total dynamic range it appears that they work somewhat differently (and neither manufacturer is disclosing exactly how they work.) BTW, Nikon calls it [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Active D-Lighting"[/FONT] and not "[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Adaptive D-Lighting" as Ken calls it.[/FONT]

    In the Nikon [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Active D-Lighting" it appears to apply a "knee" adjustment to both shadow and highlight tones before saving as either JPG or RAW file. It certainly looks like the adjustment is made in the pre-amp section before the image information hits the image processor. This is something new and has not been done before.

    The Ken Rockwell method would just increase shadow noise dramatically and that does not seem to be the case.
    [/FONT]
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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