Obligatory D80 Post
Just like everyone and their brother, I need to make a post about the D80. To start, here’s some specs:
- Sensor: 10.2MP CCD APS-C format (1.5x “multiplier”), 3872 x 2592 pixels
- Sensor Readout: 2 channel (D200 is 4 channel)
- Flash Sync: X and FP. Max sync speed 1/200s
- Maximum continuous shooting rate: 3fps for 100 frames (JPEG) or 6 frames (RAW)
- LCD: 2.5″ diagonal, 230k pixels with 170 degree viewing angle
- Viewfinder: Pentaprism, magnification 0.94x (same as D200)
- AF: 11 point
- Eye Point: 19.5mm
- Flash: Built in, GN 13
- Shutter Speeds: 30-1/4000s
- Memory card type: SD
- Remote Release: ML-L3
- Battery: EN-EL3e
- Sensitivity: ISO 100 to 1600 in 1/3 EV steps plus HI-0.3, HI-0.7 and HI-1. Three levels of High ISO Noise Reduction are available when shooting at high ISO settings
- RGB Histogram available
- No metering with non-CPU AI/AI-S lenses.
- MB-D80 grip available (18,900 Yen in Japan = $165, probably cheaper in US)
- In-camera D-Lighting
- In-camera B+W, Sepia etc.
- In-camera filter effects
- Smaller, D50 sized body, 132mm x 77mm x 103mm, 585g
- $999.95 for the Nikon D80 body only
- $1299.95 for the Nikon D80 body plus Nikkor 18-135/3.5-5.6 kit lens
- Availability: September 2006
(source: bobatkins.com)
I was hoping for more, but I guess this is a D200 crammed into a D70 body with a slower frame rate and no weather seals. A few items that really disappoint me.
- SD cards. What the? Come on Nikon. OK, there may be some benefits down the line, and this may be the way of the future, but put SD AND CF in there. Shesh. We all have CF cards.
- Slow 1/200 flash sync. I love the 1/500 sync on my D70. Ugh.
- No AI lenses. I guess there has to be a reason to get the D200.
- Frame rate at 3 ffps. You know that’s just crippled from the D200. I hate it when companies do that.
This one is a little anti-climactic as we all knew it was coming.
Responses and Conversations
Really? Nikon has a new camera??
(at least it wasn’t the SONY with a Nikon sticker on the pentaprism).
Comment by JimmyD on August 10th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
I like the SD cards. Clearly as a D70(s) owners are screwed (in that they are “encouraged” to upgrade to the D200 instead).
But consider who is more likely to buy a D80. A first time dSLR buyer/D50 owner, or a D70/D70s/D100 owner?
The 1/200 flash sync is due to the lack of electronic shutter. It took Nikon years to figure that out for the D70 but it looks like 1/250 is the maximum because it wasn’t enough of a selling point for the D70 (more of a bragging point).
I dislike the in-camera metering. Canons and Pentaxes do this. When you consider the target market (first time owners who will be buying their own lenses), it won’t seem liek a loss.
Rockwell was talking about the 4.5FPS and I was surprised. I actually predicted 3 FPS in my blog until the “specs were leaked,†but lets be honest. How many sub-$1000 dSLRs do 5 FPS? None. Sure it would have been nice in a crush-Canon-see-them-driven-before-you-hear-the-lamentation-of-their-owners sort of way, but…
In any case 5FPS and SD card would be an issue (the buffer will fill up too quickly). Then again, Canon users seem to do pretty well with a pathetic PIO3 or PIO4 sort of solution that never uses their expensive CF cards to the max.
Just my views.
Comment by terry chay on August 10th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
Terry,
I wouldn’t be so quick to say that only first timers would be looking to get the D80. I’m sure a large percentage will be D70/D70s “upgrades”. There’s still a large cost difference between the D80 and D200. The original D70 is getting a little long in tooth and these owners may be turned off by the SD cards.
I know the flash sync is due to the lack of electronic shutter, a cost savings tactic. But it’s sure nice to have. I use 1/5ooth all the time.
I may be one of the few, but I would seriously consider the D80 over the D200 because of cost. Maybe it’s Nikon pushing me to the higher cost model, but it erks me about the lack of AI lens support. And that’s been bugging me since my N50.
The thing that gets me about the 3 fps is not the actual number, but the fact that they could easily have made it 5 fps. You know it’s just a bit flip in the firmware.
Comment by John Koontz on August 13th, 2006 at 4:14 pm