After way too much time infront of a PC reading reviews or a camera store counter (damn I was sick of it), this D80 is what I chose. Bought it 2 weeks ago and then went on a 10 day trip West. After draging it everywhere I has not let me down. For the price its perfect. I'm still working out exactly how to make it work to its potential aswell as fighting understanding of other manufacturers camera layouts in my head) At work I have a Rebel Xt I bought last year as I need its compact casing. My Brother has the Canon D30 after he progressed from the XT and a friend on the west coast has the D200. Having experience both I still love what I chose. My biggest reason however for going again with Nikon was that I already have a N6006 film camera with a lens and my hope was I could use its Nikkor AF 35-105mm with this camera and give myself more options. After reading lots of reviews as to whether this was possible and finally taking the lens to a shop I found it worked fine. Experience in the field in the last 10 days has shown it does not work seemlessly buy that may well be me not the lens. The 2.5 inch LCD is sooo much easier to read than the Rebel XT. The info read out on top is much better placed than the one above the LCD on the XT (if obstructed in an architectural model shoot and I can't see through the viewfinder myself, I certainly can't see the info screen if its below it). I didn't go with the 18-135 in the end for a lens as there is a vinyetting issue at the high end which bothered me. I got a great deal for the same price at Cameraland in New Hampshire for the D80 and the (D70s) 18-70mm tried and trusted lens. Fab. Now need to save up and wait for the release of the 80-300 VR lens thats coming out. Would love the 80-400 Vr but its 3 times the price.
My hardest time was finiding someone with it in stock, at a price I wanted to pay, the set up I wanted and who wasn't trying to make a dodgie deal (like some of those cheap web based places in NYC).It really was the hardest part of the purchase in the end. I was surprised. Many people were almost reluctant to make a sale. It was wierd. Parts are hard to get too apparently like a spare battery and very few places have the 18-135 lens instock either.
Anyway enjoy your purchase if you choose this camera. I hope it takes many great pictures for you.

I've been looking at Digital SLRs ever since Canon came out with its 10D. Since then, there have been so many by so many companies. I've always been a Canon user. I have had 2 EOS bodies-the Elan IIE and the 7E. And also the Canon IX, its APS camera which I still have (its small viewfinder was a major disappointment).

Anyhow the 30D came along, and its viewfinder was small too. The camera was still too large for me, and I just wasn't sold. Now the Nikon D80. It is narrower than the Canon 30D, and what is breathtaking is the panoramically big viewfinder. Such a delight to use. The 2.5" LCD seems to fit perfectly in the back: nothing bigger or smaller would be right.

The pictures are fabulous. I bought a 2 GB Sandisk Ultra II card, which I thought would be fast. It takes about a half second for the picture to come on the LCD, but I'm not complaining. 2 GB is a big card. It can hold 500 photos using the Normal JPEG, large image. I'm sure the 1 GB would be faster. On the Canons, the onboard flashes never would use the advanced metering that the external flashes provided, but with the Nikon D80, I see such perfectly illuminated photos with the onboard flash.

The 18-135 lens is something I jumped for. 28-200 in 35 mm size is quite a huge range, and yet the lens is not massive. I thought hard about the Image stablization you could get with the Canon 18-85 IS lens, but naaah, the 30D just does not measure up so I dropped that idea. There are always such things called tripods!! The entire camera, lens and battery feel just right, and not too heavy. The lens is excellent. The kit fits nicely into a relatively small Lowepro bag.

This truly has been a camera worth waiting years for. 12 or 14 MP models are sure to come along in a couple of years, but I doubt that they can make the bodies any more compact; the file size is large enough as it is with 10 mega-pixel. The D80 is so perfect in shape I doubt Nikon can do much better. This is one fantastic digital SLR.

Raja

First of all I do not consider myself anything more than a very beginning photographer !!! So I will not go into anything technical. I will leave that to people who know more than I do. But what I am is an international traveler. I simply got tired of coming home from fantastic trips with "snapshots". I wanted someting much better, and boy did I get it with this camera. I looked at the D70s and since I have very small hands, I could never feel comfortable holding it. This camera is smaller without being small. I have only taken photos locally, but at this time of the year with the leaves changing it makes a good start. The built in editing features (filters etc.) are wonderful to work with. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants something more than "point and shoot" snap shots.

Hey there friends SiNMiN here with just a short word about this fantastic camera. I have been shooting cameras one way or another now for a living for nearly 15 years. I remember the days when we all dreamed of digital cameras and once we had them we dreamed of days like these! First let me say that I come from the uniqe perspective of having shot and worked on nearly every barnd and type of camera available at one time or another! So I have no Brand loyalty to speak of! I'm loyal to my pictures not cameras.At the time of writing this my D80 is on the way to me, I am making these remarks based on some tests I ran using a D80 and my D200.
I have to say right off that the D200 is just about the closest thing to the perfect digital SLR I have ever found, that is until I got hold of the D80, now there are 2!Sensor wise both cameras are identical as is shot to shot and start up time. The D200 is faster (5FPS) and has a bit more image control by way of the ability to change sharpness levels, contrast, and saturation. On this note the D80 simplfies the process with giving you the ability to photoshop your images within the camera. ( I really liked that!) You can bring out detail in shadows, add filter effects, the list goes on and on. But the important thing is the ability to change all the other aspects like in the D200 are there as well, making this one hell of a versitile camera. ISO performance is on par with Cannons 20 or 30D (Sorry Cannon)and quite frankly shuts the XT down all together. ( I used to use both these cameras so take my word for it!)I don't know about the XTi. ISO noise is controlled by Nikon in a different manner than Cannon, and wich method you will like better will depend on you. I feel that Nikon images clean up easier with better results, and thier software is better. Both cameras are built extremely well, The D80 is built to last as long as you can when treated right, the D200 however lets you hammer nails all day and take pictures till dawn. At 1/500 flash sync is slower on the D80 but unless you know what that is don't worry about it, even then its no big deal. The other downside...SD cards...but I love the camera so I'll just have to get over it. And, the battery life is much better than the D200, (Speed needs juice folks)Low light photos are better with the D200, mainly because of a little better setting control, shot to shot both cameras perform about the same. The LCD and view finder are the same as the D200 and are both clear and bright as well as a joy to work with. The control layout is placed perfectly so much so that once you learn your way around you will find yourself changing things without looking!I love Sigma lenses and both Nikons work like a charm with all my glass, in fact the response on both was so good I was able to shoot hand held with a Sigma 50-500mm at ISO 400 in the late afternoon. And both cameras nailed each picture tack sharp! Cannons do not work well with any lenses other than Cannons.. Trust me!! I will write more in depth once my camera arrives. Then I can really get into it and see what makes it tick. But let me leave you with this thought...In my opinion Olympus, Pentax, Samsung, Pannasonic, Sony, and now Cannon are all in what I call the gimmick camera business ( another Sony Invention) Relying on gimmicks rather than improving the basic function of the product. They all are guilty save Nikon who has maintained it level of performance and even improved upon it. In ALL respected circles the D200 is considered to be the finest camera available under $2000...it is. The D80 is the finest camera for $1000 and under. Like I said I have no brand loyalty, if Cannon or even Maytag could deliver a camera that could beat this I'd switch in a heartbeat, but I can tell you folks they have a long, long, way to go. Nikon just took it out a whole new door! I'll let you know when I have more. Thanks for your time and as always happy shooting!!

SiNMiN

Since this camera just hit the streets less than 2 weeks ago, I obviously haven't had this for a super long time, but I moved to the D80 as an upgrade from the terrific D50, and the D80 takes care of every single minor nitpick I had with the D50, and then takes it even beyond that. Moreover, since I moved from the D50 and not a D70-series, I was thrilled that the D80 uses Secure Digital (SD) flash cards, which I used for not only my D50, but for my Casio EX-Z750 point and shoot as well.

As with the D50, the D80 just feels terrific in my hand. I was concerned initially because the ergonomics of the grip have been ever so slightly modified (more like that of the D70s than the D50), and I really liked the feel of the D50. However, once I got the D80 and actually started using it and shooting with it, the concern evaporated quickly. The D80 is a complete success ergonomically... it feels solid and substantial without being excessively heavy. Nikon has really always excelled in this niche, which isn't something that shows up in most reviews or on any test charts. Moreover, the controls are very logically placed, easy to identify and use in real-world photography, and the menus are intuitive and highly functional.

This camera is FAST. It's senseless to really even try to quantify it because the numbers (less than 0.1 second to start up) just don't convey how instantaneous shooting with this camera is. There's no discernible shutter lag, and shot-to-shot time is as fast as you need it to be. The D80 can fire up to 3 frames per second, up to 100 JPGs deep. Amazing for a sub-$1,000 camera.

The things missing from the D50 that the D80 addresses? Backlit LCD, superimposable gridlines in the finder, depth of field preview, one-button bracketing, bright and large viewfinder, one-touch zooming on picture playback, ISO equivalency down to 100, and a snap-on clear plastic cover for the monitor.

As a bonus, some of the in-camera retouching options are fantastic. You can take a color shot, then convert it to B&W with a red filter (still preserving your original image). You can utilize red-eye reduction (in the uncommon instances when it occurs at all), and Nikon's D-lighting is the digital equivalent of dodging and burning, and I love it. There is even a color balance shift function which is fun to play with.

The autofocusing on the camera is staggeringly fast when coupled with the right lens. (I recommend the Nikon 18-70mm DX lens; I'm not a fan of the kit lenses offered with the D80. They're very good optically, but the build quality is lacking for my personal tastes.) Like other Nikon dSLRs, the D80 has an independent AF-assist light (some other cameras rely on the flash unit for this). For AF lenses utilizing the screw-driven focusing mechanism, there is a noticeable increase in focusing speed over the D50. You can also employ an 11-segment dynamic AF grid and select which segment will be used for the point of focus.

A word about the pop-up flash: It's brilliant. Rarely does a camera with a built-in flash get it right so often with such consistency. I took numerous flash photos in sometimes varying and difficult lighting situations, and the D80 nailed it every single time.

The LCD is the best I've seen to date on any camera. Plenty of cameras have 2.5" monitors now, but this one has 230,000 pixels and is gorgeously sharp and detailed. You can view it from any angle in a 170-degree arc. Similarly, the viewfinder is a major improvement over both the D50 and the D70 series. Rather than utilizing a cheaper pentamirror like some of the competition, Nikon elects to use a genuine pentaprism which allows the finder to be nice and bright. Additionally, the diopter control knob with detents for each setting is a welcome change from the slider on the D50.

Image quality is superb, as one would expect from a 10.2 MP dSLR. I like sharp, vivid pictures, and the D80 delivers. Different processing algorithms can be selected in the menu to yield different degrees of sharpness and saturation. I haven't had any of my photos from the D80 printed out yet; only viewed them on a 19" monitor, but they look terrific. The D80 can also shoot NEF (RAW) files simultaneously with JPGs in one of three compression modes. Very nice.

Battery life is exceptional. It's fantastic on the D50, even better on the D80. A six-segment display on the top LCD panel shows you how much life remains, or you can go to the menu and see how many shots have been fired since the battery was recharged, an exact percentage (to 1%) of life remaining, and the battery's "charge life" remaining (since any rechargeable battery has a finite number of charge cycles in it).

I bought the 2-lens package from Cameta Camera (available through Amazon, though you can call the camera store directly and get the same package for $40 less than Amazon charges). For my needs, the Tamron 28-80mm lens is, quite frankly, virtually worthless, so it immediately went on eBay, and I bought a new Nikon 18-70mm DX lens in its place (a vastly superior lens). However, the Tamron 70-300mm Di LD Macro lens that's included is a surprisingly good piece of glass. I've shot nature and architectural-type photos with the D80 and the Tamron 70-300mm and was very pleasantly surprised at the results. The lens seems to be quite clear and sharp, it focuses quickly with no "hunting," and the 1:2 macro ratio is terrific. The short end of the zoom range on the 70-300mm is excellent for portrait work; this is enhanced by the foreshortening effect of the long lens. Coupled with the excellent Nikon 18-70mm lens, I have essentially the entire range of useful focal lengths covered (although those 12-24mm super wides do make me drool a bit!). Like many Nikon users, I'd love to have the 18-200mm VR lens, but I'm unwilling to pay a $200-300 premium over its list price simply because it's hard to find anywhere in stock nearly a year after its release. I'll wait.

As for the D80, though, if you have any interest in owning a serious dSLR, buy this camera and don't even think twice about it. For 2006 and likely for 2007, it's the right choice. The D80 is highly recommended as the perfect camera for the advanced amateur or enthusiast photographer. It bridges the gap between the D50 and the D200 perfectly. Pair this camera up with a high-quality lens, and a good photographer will have a tool with which stunning images can be made.

I recently test drove a D200 and was impressed with the useabiity of the camera. It is almost perfect. When buying I opted for the D80 because it has a very similar feature-set for less cash. Which meant additional money for lenses. OK, it doesn't shoot 5fps or have the alloy body with weather seals, but it does have the sensor and useability. It is light, quick and a joy to use. Changing settings such as ISO, WB and flash is almost as easy as the D200. This is a fine camera. And it uses SD cards - much more preferable than CF in my opinion. Worth every penny.

I just purchased this camera and lens (with another lens in a different set) and it has blown me away so far. The pictures have been just incredible. The focus, metering, exposure, flash, color balance... Everything is perfect so far.

I have mainly used the camera in full automatic mode and it really shines. Its as simple as a point and shoot in this mode. I have used the camera in difficult lighting situations and the photos have been incredible. There is no noticeable shutter lag, which is very important to me. I have a 6 yo son who goes from smiling one moment to looking away the next. I have missed so many photos in the past due to shutter lag, but that is not a problem with this camera. Another feature that helps is the continuous mode. I can take 3 pics a second for up to 100 pics and then select the best. Generally I find I can get a good pic in like 10-15 photos.

I used to be a serious photo hobbist during the days of film, but always had problems finding a darkroom to develop my film. The darkroom issue and the shear cost of film and paying for processing made me abandon the hobby. But this camera is really bringing back the excitement of this hobby again without the trials and expense of the darkroom.

The only downside in this camera is the price, but in this instance, you get what you pay for. You might be able to save a buck or two with another camera, but I wouldn't even try. I can't imagine a camera taking a better picture.

By the way, I love this lens. The 18 to 55 mm focal length is a nice every day lens. Its much wider angle then you find on the point and shoot cameras, yet you can still get close. I have a 55-200 mm lens as well, but I find I use the 18-55 lens more. The shorter lens is great in confined spaces, where you can't easily back away from the subject, and its always better to move closer to your subject than use a long lens (unless you can't for safety reasons).

My only regret is waiting so long to get a DSLR camera of this quality. It has really opened up a old hobby for me.

I started with a D50 and have loved it from the very begining. I felt ready to step up to the next level, but didn't think I was ready for the d200. When I heard about the d80, I read everything I could. The biggest selling point was the fact that it was the same internal workings as the d200 in the more consumer friendly d50 body. I don't use all of the mode setting and find myself in Shutter and Aperture Priority most of the time, but it's nice to have the others there when I don't want to think about or have time to fiddle with settings.

The in camera image enhancements are amazing--but a word of caution. Vivid +2 will definitely give you vivid shots--if not too much so.

I've had this baby for about 2 weeks and imagine it will be my camera for the next couple years.

Compared to the Canon 30d (which I was thinking about) or even the new 400d (I haven't actually held one yet), this is the Nikon to have.

On batter life, I had a recent shoot where I took over 800 shots in a 3 hour period. The battery was at about half and that's with quite a bit of LCD viewing.

At this level both Canon and Nikon offer great equipment--you can't go wrong with either. Just get one of each in your hands, snap a few shots, and go with the one that feels the best for you.

This camera is awesome! I upgraded from my D50 for the better sensor and more MP. Wow - am I amazed at the increase in quality. Say goodbye to that digital look. The extras are a lot of fun and I've only begun to play. B/W with various filters to name one. Very worth the money.

Obviously, I am enamored with the Nikon D80. As one who has extensively used the D100, D70s, and D200, I was curious as to how the D80 would "shake out" in comparison with these fine cameras. The answer is that it does very well indeed.

The most obvious improvement in D80 over the D70s and D100 is the upgrade from 6.1 to 10.2 Megapixels--the same as its "Big Brother," the D200 This is not a major issue for many users, as a 6.1 MP image (uncropped) looks essentially exactly the same as a 10.2 MP image. However, if the user intends to crop images in post-processing, the larger amount of resolution becomes important--the more megapixels the more detail when images are cropped. Shooters of wildlife, for example, will appreciate the additional resolution of the D80, as it is often necessary to photograph wildlife at a distance and then crop the image to cause the subject to dominate the frame.

The other very obvious D80 improvements are the larger viewfinder and larger rear-LCD. These are very welcome improvements, also borrowed from the D200. The viewfinder is wide, bright, and a literal joy to use. Combined with the 11-point autofocus system (basically the same as that of the D200 although with some differences in options) the viewfinder makes the D80 a powerhouse camera for moving subjects, or for framing the subject in places other than the center of the image.
The autofocus is fast and sure. I literally never use manual focus with the D80--the autofocus is just too good not to use for almost every conceivable situation.

The 2.5 inch rear LCD is bright and vivid--a joy to use. This too, as mentioned above, is borrowed from the D200. The menu selections in the D80 closely track those of the D200 and are largely pretty intuitive for anyone who is somewhat familiar with the Nikon system.

A few nits. First of all, the D80 does not have a selection for focus-priority continuous focus mode. This is unfortunate, as such an option (present on the D200) allows fast action shots using continuous-focus with surety that the subject is, in fact, in focus. Happily, this absence (which I predict and hope Nikon will correct in a later firmware revision) is not a huge loss. I have shot hundreds of images of fast-flying birds using continuous focus with the D80 and the images are almost all perfectly focused. The user can trust the D80 in continuous focus mode, focus priority or no.

Nikon chose to equip the D80 with SD cards rather than CF cards. Why Nikon did this is a mystery to many of us as the D80 clearly is an upgrade to the wonderful D70s, which uses CF cards. Further, the D80 is a fantastic backup camera for D200 users, and the D200, of course, also uses CF cards rather than SD cards. CF cards would have been a more logical choice in my opinion for the D80. Fortunately, the cost of these media is dropping so fast that this is less of an issue than it would have been a few years ago.

The D80 sucks up power a lot faster than the D70s. That 2.5 inch LCD entails higher power use as a price. Most users will want to own a spare battery.

As to ergonomics, the D80 is terrific! I have just finished an 8 day stay on Maui, Hawaii, during which my D80 was literally always with me. The weight of the camera is low, and its bulk, reasonable. There is no digital SLR I would rather carry for an extended period than the compact D80. The placement of the various controls is excellent, and pretty intuitive. The quality of the D80 body construction is standard Nikon-Prosumer grade, which is to say, excellent albeit not as heavy-duty as the metal-body D200.

Overall, the D80 is destined to become one of the great Nikon cameras that will find a place with users all over the world.

It doesn't get any better at this price point. Excellent build quality, very easy to use, and intuitive. The optics are simply brilliant for a kit lense (135MM).

Went from a Canon Rebel film SLR which I loved, but when I tried to move into the XTi, there was just no comparison between the XTi and the D80. You could immediately feel the difference in quality and functionality. And the auto-clean feature is absolute marketing crap from Canon. THe CMOS shakes off the dust, but then where does the dust go? Bologna feature, not to mention the Flash nearly knocks your eye out when it pops up on the Canon XTi.

The D80 blows it away, and for it's price there is nothing out there better. If your in the market at this price point, or relatively close, just go for it. You WILL NOT regret this purchase.

You are reading a non technical review from your average fun photographer. So don't expect a lot of technical stuff. I finally stepped up from a Fuji S9000. I have loved my Fuji cameras ease of use and the colors they produce. I was a little reluctant to spend the kind of money it takes to get into the D80. I am thrilled I did. I finally have a digital camera that when the kids do something I catch it as opposed to the camera taking the shot after they have left the room. Super fast. A few Saturdays ago I was outside in our wooded back yard taking pictures of the changing colors in the trees.
When I went to take a shot the flash popped up. I said this isn't right the sun in filtering though the trees but I took the shot anyway. Wow the camera new what to do. Unbelievable photos. Easy to handle even with the pistol
grip MB D80. I also sprung for the SB600 flash and a great two dvd training program on Ebay. So don't be afraid to spend a couple of grand for the D80 and accesories. You will be glad you did. Happy in Alabama

I tried using the Canon XTI, then the D80, I was so amazed with the D80 I wouldn't ever recommend the XTI. I took two photos of my girlfriend, one with the XTI and one with the D80, the one taken with the Canon looked like a photo taken with a 5.0 MP Point-and-shoot lil' digital camera, the one I took with the D80 looked like a photo ready to use for a magazine cover, not even exagerating. Nikon D80 felt better in my hands and the extra LCD on top just works for me! Awesome camera, I would recommend it to ANYONE. It's my new favorite toy =]

There is not much of a practicle difference in the D70 and the D80. I had used the D70 for two years and nine thousand captures before jumping on the bandwagon with the D80. The view finder is larger in the D80, the viewing screen is much larger then in the D70, and some of the controls have their own buttons for more convenient adjustments.

But when push comes to shove the D70 pictures are in most recognizable respects just as good as the D80. The extra pixels don't get you better pictures. The D80 makes getting better pictures a little easier. The D80 has a bigger viewfinder and bigger viewing screen which is real nice, but the extra money is not going to get you better pictures.

For most picture that we take the d70s will do the job and get very good high quality results under most circumstances. The d50 might do the job just as well.

I like the d80 but all things considered it does not out perform the d70. The exra money would be better spent on a good lens.

First, note that most of the reviews for Nikon D80 here are before Pentax
K10D was out. Since both are similarly priced, I think that it should be
reviewed relatively. And in my experience with both cameras, I think that
Pentax K10D is (almost) everyway better than Nikon D80.
Nikon D80 is a very good camera. If I didn't get Pentax K10D, I would have
given 5 stars. But if I have to give Pentax 5 stars, I can't give Nikon
D80 the same.

I ordered Nikon D80 and 18-200mm lens in August from Amazon. They were
all out of stock, and were expected to arrive in the beginning of Nov.
But only the camera arrived in early October. Without any lens, I just
left it for a while, and eventually borrowed a Nikon 50mm F1.4 prime lens
from a friend. It was pretty nice, and I satisfied with the result.
But 18-200mm lens never arrived in Nov. It was in fact pushed further
back to next year. So, I simply returned D80, and ordered Pentax K10D
with the kit lens.

I immediately felt the D80 and K10D are in different level. K10D feels
heavier, bigger, and more professional. K10D's shake reduction really
worked very well. And there are tons of more functionalities than D80.
From my eyes, images qualities are almost the same. K10D slightly
more vibrant. But all these things can be altered by post-processing,
and just comparing the image results, I don't think that there is any
quality difference.

K10D are comapred with Nikon D200 or Canon 30D. It is not same as
in D80 level, but only in price.

I bought the D80 a week ago and have been experimenting with all the features the camera has to offer. I went to my local store and tried Rebel XTi, A100, and D80 and hands down the D80 was the best. From the menu layout to the feel of the camera in my hands it just seemed like a solid piece of equipment. It was a little more expensive then the competition but If I am going to spend a lot of money on a camera lenses etc.. It should be what I wanted and the D80 by far hands down took the best pictures and was the most pleasing to use. Although I am not a pro photographer by any means I am technically savy and I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants consistently great results with relative ease of use.

I've owned a Nikon D80 for over two months and made 1200+ shots with the D80 so far. My experience with the image performance of the D80 reveals that: Pros of this camera (most important in my opinions):

1. Nearly instant start up.
2. 10.2 MP sensor offering better possibilities with it comes to cropping
3. Prism view finder with grids
4. Excellent usability
5. Most default setting are very liable
6. Bright LCD monitor on the back
7. It is small and light enough so that the middle finger of my right hand don't hurt after 200 shots in an afternoon without a tripod. Highly recommended to anyone has small hands like mine.

and on and on

Cons:

1. Metering. The D80 has a very strong tendency of over exposure and its over exposure behaviour is not consistent. I was constantly turning the exposure compensation up and down from 0 EV to -2 (!!!) EV when doing landscape or street shots. On D80 it is very easy to adjust the compensation but still you need at least 10 seconds to press the +/- button, test shoot, looking at the monitor, if not right, execute the action loop again....it has been very frustrating to me sometimes. In a time-critical shooting like a sudden event on the street, the need of twiddling the exposure compensation all the time might make you miss the most interesting moment. I really really really wish Nikon could fix this problem in the next version of the firmware for D80.

2. The diffraction is easily visible when the aperture is smaller than f/13. However for "tact sharp" landscape shoots, f/22+ is usually desirable.

These are the only two things which have been bothered me. I would like to give it a 4.5 star, rounded to 5.

When I am on the run, I use the automatic/default setting a lot. The most impressive automatic setting on the D80 is "night scene (landscape)" mode. The over exposure in daytime is a failure of D80, but it turned out such a nice feature at night. All my night shoots using the automatic night mode look brilliant and fabulous. D80 not only outperforms other DSLRs on the automatic night scene (landscape) mode, but also beats my manual settings most of the time when shooting city lights.

I resisted "going digital" until now, but my wife got me a D80 for Christmas. I've worked in photography but for many years it has been a hobby (which I prefer), and I've owned Nikon F2, F3HP, Bronica 6x6, and various 4x5 view cameras. One thing I've always struggled with in using the highly convenient 35mm SLR format is enlargement capability with such small format images. Once you've used 4x5 it's hard to settle for the graininess and low resolution of most 35mm films (Kodachrome excepted). But the 10 megapixel D80 may finally solve this for me.

The D80 + 18-135mm ED lens is an amazing package, and I salute Nikon for offering the new digital SLR this way. The capabilities of the D80 with this lens are impressive--and far beyond my rudimentary digital knowledge at this point. But learning how it all works is going to be a whole heck of a lot of fun.

Most of my reluctance over "going digital" evaporated the first time I plugged the D80's USB cord into my computer and watched the images I'd just taken load automatically into Adobe Photoshop Elements. Literally a few moments later I watched a beautiful slide show of my images--with music to boot--play across the computer screen with incredible clarity and resolution. Wistful memories of Kodachrome? Well yes, but I think I'll get over them with this camera.

One worry I had as an eyeglass wearer was whether the D80's viewfinder and eyepiece would allow me to see the entire image plus the exposure info while shooting---other digital SLRs I've tried were problematic in this. But I find the view through the D80 eyepiece is nearly as good as my F3 High Eyepoint body. This is significant and telling to me, since the D80 is decidedly an amateur camera while the F3 was Nikon's flagship pro SLR in its day.

Criticisms: not many at this point. The camera feels too light to me, but I'm used to the F3/MD3 motor drive combo, which most photographers today would think a punishment to carry and use. I'm inclined to say that the array of options in programming, exposure adjustment, autofocus, etc. is dizzying to me, and I'm not sure how much of it is really necessary. But, again, I think it will be fun playing with all the obscure settings.

An amazing machine, highly recommended--even for old guys like me.

I have been amazed at how easy to use the D80 is, while also creating unbelievably clear and crisp shots. It is easy enough for the novice photographer, yet advanced enough for the pros.

I used this with the 18-200mm VR lens and found the combo heavy. So I sent it back and got the D40 which I prefer (because it is lighter). After trying various menu interfaces, I prefer the type used by Panasonic - a four way circular button which give you direct access to Exposure Compensation, flash exposure compensation, ISO, WB, etc. But this is a matter of personal preference, and so some people might prefer the Nikon approach.

Some of settings could be better designed. For instance the ISO settings are placed in Custom settings and in other menus. You need to make changes to both to get the settings you want. It would make more sense if they were in the same place. I also found that some of the custom selections were things that should be available in the shooting menu.

Other than these minor quibbles, this is a great camera.

This is a very comfortable camera (with 18-135 lens). The 11 focus areas are a great help to accurately focus, color is excellent. Progaming is intuitive and has very good features. A great camera for starters in the SLR world!

I was about to drop all "big" reflex cameras for a pocket camera
Now I have both and I am astonished by Nikon's masterpiece
A bit complicated for my age but worth every penny

My wife and I owned a Nikon N70 35mm film camera prior to purchasing the D80 and we have been very impressed so far with the D80. We've taken about 400 pictures so far. When you're not buying film you tend to get carried away! The 18-135mm lens that comes with the Nikon equates to about the 28-200mm lens that we had with with our 35mm format camera because of the digital format conversion. This lens is versatile enough that you probably will not need to buy a second zoom lens. Most of the other digital SLR camera kits only come with an 18-55mm lens and in my opinion you would need to either purchase a more versatile lens or purchase a second zoom lens (55mm and up). I also like the feel of the Nikon SLR's. They are heavier than other SLR's but they feel solidly built. We are using a 2GB SD card with the camera and it will hold about 400+ pictures on the high quality setting which is what we have it set on most of the time. My wife scrapbooks and loves the ability to shoot pictures and then printout the ones she wants to keep for scrapbooking.

I only made two additional purchases in addition to the kit. The SD card (a 2GB Sandisk Extreme III which is one of the recommended cards for this camera)and an SB-800 flash. The flash was somewhat expensive at about $300 but it does a good job and came with a diffusor in addition to some other accessories. The flash also has a wireless capability that can be used with the D80. The built-in flash on the camera is very capable as well.

To date, in my opinion this DSLR is by far the best Camera for the money. The image quality is outstanding. I upgrade to the D80 just last week, moving up from my D70s, and I can say that after 10 minuets of shooting, it was worth every penny, in face it should be worth more than its going for. It has the feel of my D70s but better, I always found the D70s to be a little bit too bulky. The D80 is a little smaller, and a lot easier on my hands (I have large hands too), I did however find it to be a little short from top to bottom.

I also purchased the MB-D80 Battery Grip, this fixed my fitment issue. Not only does this allow you to add another battery (Or 6AA which is great for a pinch with two dead Li-ions), vertical shutter release, Aperture, shutter setting scroll knob,and AE-l AF-L Lock button. It also makes the whole camera more steady and a little bit more heavy, which is a good thing, this means less lens blur especially for zoom lens (like the 18-135). Look at the $4,000 Nikon D2X and the D80 with MB-D80 Battery grip side by side, this gives you an idea of the professionalism, simply in the camera size and layout.

Getting back to the D80, This is basically a D200 mini, if you will. Other than the smaller body, and the slightly different auto exposure metering system, you are holding a D200 for $700 less. In short, if you are looking to upgrade from a D50, D70(s) Cannon Rebel Xt, or would like a worthy back up, or even your first DSLR. This is it, a professional grade camera, with easy to use features, and even better all around quality.Its great for anyone really.

Nikkor lens are amazing quality as well, I have always preferred them to Cannon's. If you are thinking about getting the 18-135mm with the D80, I would recommend it. Overall, the lens is sharp and clear, with a great range that does not sacrifice too much considering the range. I would however recommend getting the Nikkor 18-200mm VR over this lens if you can afford the extra money. I have used both(and own the 18-135) and they are both great lenses, but if you are Serious the 18-200 VR will be the only lens you would ever need in that range, the Vibration Reduction (VR) will remove blur for up to four stops higher than what you would normally be able to shoot at.This is great for low light, and considering how great the D80 performs in low light anyways with its built in Noise Reduction and wonderful ISO quality, even at 1600. Its a perfect combination for anyone who is half way serious about pictures. I am a Photography Student, and even my professor is astonished with the resolution and quality.

I hope this helps a little bit!

My complaint is not with the camera but with the company. As a strategy to maximize profits, the company sells for different prices in different countries. Entrepreneurs then import those units and sell them here sometimes at a discount.

I paid full price for my Nikon D80 and discovered when I went to upload a firmware update that my unit was not supported. No software updates. No firmware updates and most importantly no Nikon warranty.

What amazes me is that when I wrote Nikon to explain the problem, they made it my problem and accepted no responsibility for the problem that they create. I always thought Nikon was a great brand but when they make the customer responsible for policing their attempt at maximizing profits, it's a company that I have no respect for. I even called Nikon before the purchase and no one even bothered to warn me about this so called gray market!

I suggest that you look at Canon as a more customer-centric company.

What's not to like? It ups the ante considerably from my D70. Just the improved viewfinder and low noise at high ISO were enough to justify the purchase.

I have had this camera a few weeks and it is very good. The 18-135 lens has one or two nits but overall I am very satisfied. I have been in Spain the last week and have taken hundreds of photos. The clarity is good and the night noise reduction works excellent. The camera feels better than my old D-70 and the quality in the photos is better. The only downside to the whole kit that I have angst with is using filters on the lens. The filters are very hard to attach and the screw adapter on the lens seems to be a bit small. I can attach the filters but it is not as easy as it should be. I would recommend this camer to any Nikon user upgrading or to someone new entering the DSLR game. Obviously if You are a Canon user or similar your mileage will vary.

This camera is, in my opinion, the best Nikon compromise just now between high performance and price. It is not a professional camera, but has on-board electronics that are virtually of professional level. The quality of the pictures is superb, and the camera is extremely versatile: one can just aim and shoot, without any worry for complicated settings, but one can also fully personalize the camera to his or her own wishes if one likes.
The lens is also very good, and covers most of the everyday needs of an amateur photographer.
I am very satisfied indeed with it!

this is a great camera! i'll be honest, i did alot of research and did find that certain comparable models made by cannon have a little more crispness when all the way zoomed in on the digital image, but personally, i trust nikon as a brand more than cannon. mostly its because the nikon uses the standard F-mount, so even my nearly 30 year old pro lenses that were originally purchased to work on a nikon f2 WORK with this camera! yes, they dont auto-focus or use all the built-in features of the newer computerized lenses, but they work manually as they did on my f2. cannon is only apparently compatible with the newer computerized AF lenses.

in the end, i hightly recommend this camera. however, if you have a bunch of AF cannon lenses already, you're probably not reading this. :D

The camera came with a problem and I tried to solve the issue with Adorama (seller) and had a horrible experience. I am now dealing with Nikon and their customer service is extremely better.

This camera perfect for the advanced enthusiast. SLR flexibility, sharp lens, and wonderful image quality are what you can expect. I recommend it highly.

The Nikon D80 is an excellent camera. How infrequent a product thrills so much after buying it. Bra-frakking-vo Nikon!
I have been taking photographs all my life and wanted a top quality near-pro digital SLR. I considered the D200, but liked that the D80 shares the most critical features and core imaging system with the D200 *and* adds in the automatic features for when I want to shoot more rapid spontaneous shots. It really is the best of both worlds.
I have used this for a month now and only found a few flaws.
Pros:
-too numerous to mention. -Battery life is incredible
-Color capture is terrific
-Sharpness of image terrific
-Speed of the system to turn on and be ready to capture is lightning fast
-3 shots per second capability. Not the 5 fps of the D200, but c'mon, I am not a war photojournalist. 3fps is fine for me.
Cons
-First, when using the onboard built in flash, its default setting is for TTL-BL, meaning that it tries to match the overall scene-results in some underexposure that needs correcting in photoshop.
-The only other flaw I can find is the availability of some Nikon components. I wanted to add a SB600 flash, this took a few weeks to find in stock. The same is true of some of the Nikon lenses. THis seems to be a problem of Nikon being too popular or a messed up manufacturing system back at HQ. Actually to put on my cynical hat for a moment, my suspicion is that Nikon is restricting some of their new VR lenses to kit lenses for the D200 to keep it from being completely cannibalized by the awesome D80.
You will not regret buying this awesome camera.
As far as D80 vs D200, here is my advice. Go with D80. You cannot hand the D200 to a non-pro and expect them to take decent photos with it, but with the D80 you really could set it to auto and anyone can take great shots. Also, the optics and performance will rival the D200 for much less price. Better to spend the difference in filters and lenses. Bottom line is, D200 is heavier and has less ease of use features. THe extra features it has, you won't use unless you do photography for a living. If thats the case, you probably need the D2X anyway.

Years ago, I had been shooting with SLR cameras for a long time, using my old Canon AE1 for scenics and portraits. In those days there were no way to do multiple exposures in the camera, only in the darkroom. But then Canon came out with the (black)Canon A1 with it's multiple exposures control 'slip' lever and I was in heaven!!

But, That was 'a long time ago...in a galaxy far,far away.

Since the arrival of the DSLR, I could not find a multiple exposures digicam. So, I settle for photoshop software to do it. BUT now that's changed. Nikon is truely a smart company. FINALLY! a Multiple Exposure DSLR-The Nikon D80 10.2MP has arrived. Man that's GREAT!!! a DSLR that can do IN CAMERA multiples. I'm in heaven again. These shots are amazing!!

With all the great features and Multiple Exposure too, that alone would cause me to buy this camera.

Portraits here I come!!!

This is a great camera that is very versatile and it is good for almost any kind of situation, especially when it is combine with the Nikor 18-135mm lens. Only limitation is the built-in flash. Need exterior flash if you do a lot of indoor shooting. The battery life is superior compare to other digital cameras that I owned. Only complaint is that the body looks cheap with mostly plastic.

I love this camera. The Menu is easy to understand and use. It does not take long to become familiar with the features. Picture quality is great. It has a good ergonomical grip and body weight. Great SLR camera for beginners and professionals alike.

This camera arrived and I was amazed at how friendly it is. Previously I shot film with a Nikon N70 as a serious amateur occasionally making some money with it. All I had to do was charge the battery, easily set the time and date and it was ready to go. The controls for even the more complicated features are very intuitive if you just spend a little time glancing through the manual. Because it's winter in Minnesota, I haven't had any time yet to use it outside but the shots I've taken with just the on camera flash have came out well. I'm still not sure what I'm going to use for an everyday lens for this camera but in the meantime, my AF 35 to 80 lens from my N70 works very well. The 2gb card that I bought for it has plenty of capacity even if I shoot in RAW. I still have plenty to learn especially about some of the on-camera editing features but everything has been so easy to learn so far so I expect that to come quickly as well.

I bought this camera around 4 months ago and have used it almost every day since then. I spent about 2 months researching cameras online, in stores, and talking to photographers. After all of my research the D80 fit my needs best, and overall I have been extremely happy with it. As someone who has shot with an SLR before, and spent a good but of time in the dark room doing processing and printing, this camera has been a lot of fun. I had gotten out of photography as a hobby due to the time constraints of working in a dark room, but with Photoshop and a digital SLR you can do pretty much anything you want at home in a fraction of the time.

To start with, the ergonomics of this camera are amazing. It feels extremely comfortable in my hands. I would suggest going and handling a few camera to get an idea of what is comfortable before you buy something. All of the controls are very intuitive, making it easy to switch from shooting with a film camera.

The image quality is great. Much of this depends on your lens, but the sensor on this camera does a tremendous job rendering images that you shoot. If you get a kit, start off with the 18-55mm lens kit, it is a great lens at a low cost. Then research lenses and find out what is best going to fit your needs.

As for quality, the camera is built great. It is not weatherproofed, and has a plastic housing, but unless you are a professional photographer this probably won't matter to you. Just take care of it and it will last you.

So if you are looking to step up to an SLR, this is a great place to start. When you buy this camera, learn how to use it, and you will be very happy with it. If you are looking at something to keep on auto the whole time, stick to a point and shoot because this will not make you a better photographer, although it will make you look like one...

I bought my Nikon D80 early November and am having a blast with it.
The rapid burst mode is perfect for my high action soccer and softball shots. I am able to get incredible high resolution, in focus, in frame pictures of my kids. I LOVE this camera. I still have a lot to learn however, and am fairly new to digital photography. I was able to pick this up and use before reading the manual. I am still working through the functionality, and am pleasantly surprised everytime I figure out a new feature I did not know I had.

I purchased this for my wife and I in an attempt to capture better pictures of our young 1 year old boy.
The camera is very easy to use and coupled with research on sites such as [...] we are learning more and more.
the 18-135 lens has a great range and is very good for our day to day photography. Of course I already have a couple more lens in mind that I would love to get next!
We also purchased an sb-600 flash which makes a huge difference indoors.
This camera kit is great and very useful and I am happy I got this one over the 18-55 kit.

We recently purchased a Nikon D50 and liked it very
much. However, this D80 exceeds the D50 in many
ways and takes great photos. This is probably not
the camera for the point-and-shoot person, but
actually the automatic operation of the camera makes
high-quality quick shots quite easily.

There is some question about the quality of the lenses
supplied with these kits. This particular lens is
very flexible and takes excellent photos, so we don't
have a gripe with it. We have purchased separate macro
lenses (made by a 3rd party manufacturer) and are
quite happy with them. Note that many Nikon lenses
are expensive, because they have extremely high
standards for their product. We are satisfied with
some 3rd party lenses.

Like any pro/am digital camera, there are a jillion
settings and options. We are still learning them.
We took part in a local photo class with a professional,
and he strongly suggested using the manual settings
only. If we have time, we do that, but using the
shutter or aperture priority options works very
well indeed.

If you buy this camera, get lots of SD chips!

There is a raging controversy between the Nikon
users and the Canon Rebel (etc) users. We have not
actually used the Canon, but we know people who do,
and they swear by that manufacturer. We are very
happy with the Nikon.

Great camera. Great replacement for my N75. Shutter delay is fast enough to catch my one year old.

Awesome Awesome Awesome. Super fast shutter speed. A++ picture quality. The first digital camera that I've owned that actually acts like a 35mm. This one is worth the money!

D80 is a feature laden camera for sure, however, it has the worst owner manual with really cheap print to go with it. I remember my Nikon FA's owner manual which has a concise ilustration and a quality glossy print. This manual is like someon stapled it from a copier! This camera has a wealth of features but the illustrations were poorly organized, jump back and forth makes it hard to follow, definitely not user friendly. No wonder there are a lot of DVD/books on the operations of D80. You have to buy another software from Nikon to do some advanced work, why? Why can't Nikon provide us a well organized manual with a DVD. Why do we have to BUY from another source. Do you buy another car manual from else where to supplement the owner manual? Do you buy a manual for your plasma TV or receiver to augment the manual from the mfg? Why can't Nikon do it right! Nikon should know that it sells a QUALITY camera, you need to have a quality MANUAL to go with it, not as an after thought. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth for a, otherwise well made product.

I am an Amazon customer and they make my life easier. It is easy and fast to buy in Amazon, whereas in other companies you find a lot obstacles: "We do not accept foreigners credit cards" "We do not ship goods to credit card different address" "It takes two month to ship you your good because we are out stocks" and so on.
Congratulation Amazon. You're the best.

I consider myself an amateur, but this camera, and the help of the Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR, makes me look like a pro.
I, like a few others, started by purchasing the D50, and quickly realized that the D80 is more of what I need. By the way, [...] allowed me to purchase and "try out" the D50 for a month, until I traded it for the D80. Nice people, those [...] people. The D80 is a perfect camera for someone at my level (family, floral and fun shots), and want a little more. The D80 can be a complex digital camera, but Nikon has made it easy to use until you learn it's potential. Thanks Nikon!

Though I have not learned how to use all the amazing features this camera has to offer, I am very pleased with the results so far! It is a GREAT camera!! So far I have taken some amazing professional like photos even though I am only an amature. I have two small children and with my previous digital (point and shoot) camera, most of the 'action' photos came out blurry and it was very frustrating. With this camera I have caught my children doing all kinds of things in action without the blurriness. I could not be any happier with this camera!

So much has already been said about the D80 that i will not go into too much detail...

This is by far my best camera. (i have owned many cannons, sonys, other nikons, etc.) it has so many awesome features and i have been able to take many great action shots that always came out blurry before. it is also GREAT in low light, and long shutter speeds.

it may take some time to learn all the different features, but definitely worth the time investment.

the only disadvantage i would say about this camera is the poorly written owners manual. i would recommmend getting the magic lantern dvd. it goes into detail about how to use the camera without going into too much detail about photography that most users of the D80 will already know.

with all that being said, i hope you all enjoy your D80's it truely is a great camera.

I won't write much about this digital camera, as so much has been said already and I simply echo those sentiments.

I have never owned a camera and I have many, which so clearly captures action far afield! If you're a nature photographer and don't like hauling a tri-pod, this kit is it for you. The image clarity and functions are not matched by any other camera I've used.

I teach Art and Design for Business and my students walk in with many different makes and models of digital camera.... the Nikon D80 is hands down, the best tool if you can have only one!

That's it... I have no reserves about recommending this kit.

First of all I was going to buy the sony alpha because it was named camera of the year. But after doing my research, I decided to get this one. Best damn 10.2 pixel camera.....period. Put it in Auto, and snap away. Even my night pictures of Times square came out perfect,without a tripod. If you got the loot,buy this camera. But dont just take my word for it, do your own research.

I tried the Rebel XTi and the Sony A100. The Nikon felt the best in my hand, I thought the viewfinder was significantly superior to the other and the camera was very quick (and quiet) to autofocus. I think the Rebel would have been a good choice as well, but I am very pleased with the Nikon.

I bought this camera for my family's special Disney World vacation and took about 1,300 pictures with it over an eight days period and was utterly stunned by the results. It was really easy to use, performance was lightning quick and the zoom lens on digital SLR feels so natural. I can take pictures pretty much as fast as I can press the shutter which is really great. I shot mostly in Auto or Potrait mode and the picture quality especially of potraits were breath-taking. People's skin and complexion were exceptionally sharp, soft and natural looking not washed out like my other point-and-shoot camera. And I absolutely love the wide angle composition that I was able to get from my 18-70mm lens so I get the people and the landscape at the same time.

It's a significant premium over my Canon Powershot S3 point-and-shoot camera but well worth it. I am starting to learn to use it's more advance feature for creative photography and loving it even more.

If you have photosensitive epilepsy and have problems with blinking displays, etc. this camera is not for you ( I have it and I just lost $1300 since I have had it over a week and now I can't get my money back )

1) If autofocus does not lock on the autofocus status icon blinks
2) If the light meter is out of range, the EV scale blinks CONTINUOUSLY in the bottom center of the viewfinder display.

Nikon gets an F for disability accomodation. ( Ever see an accessibility menu on a Nikon product ( or any other, for that matter ). Apparently they have no concern for people with colorblindness, eye problems or epilepsy.

COMMENT:
When looking at a product....
If you have colorblindness, can you change the screen colors? ( You can with Garmin GPS units, as an example )
If you have poor eyesite, can you change the display size? ( Again Garmin allows this )
If the displays have blinking elements, can you disable the blinking?

The Nikon D200 is the ONLY Nikon camera that is generally usable by epileptics. The F6 has blinking problems as does the D80 and the D40X. ( Using these products is kind of like walking through a minefield; if you encounter an out-of-range condition the blinking starts and I am history for somewhere between an hour and a day. ). The new D40X is the worst of the bunch. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi is a very nice camera but again, it has major blinking problems. I have not been able to use either the Nikon D40X or the Canon Digital Rebel XTi since I first purchased them.

Just a couple of things to watch out:
1. The 18-135mm lens will cast a shadow at the widest setting using the built-in flash.
1. In-door shots using the built-in flash maybe underexposed using P&S modes.

Other than that, this is a great camera.

I question your review, not so much for the content of what you complain about, but that you would have bought all those cameras when you have such a problem with blinking lights. Don't you have a pro camera store near you? If I had your disability I KNOW I would THROUGHLY research a cameras functions before I purchased it. Actually, I do that anyway!

Nikon is leading the way to the future with this camera. Great features like the overlay mode. If you are looking for a simple or high tech or profesional camera this is IT!

Right at the top, let me say that I have never had good luck with cameras. That's why I turned to NIKON this time. Everything I had read was positive, and I didn't see how I could go wrong. Well, guess what?!

I have had my camera more than a month, and up until yesterday, I couldn't get the shutter to snap a picture with regularity. I have been on the phone with Nikon's 'tech' dept. in NYC (twice), and he couldn't figure out why either - other than to say, "the camera may be defective."

GREAT! My luck! Well, for whatever reason, yesterday I took the lens apart from the camera body. When I refit the lens, I 'snapped' it back in place so that it seated firmly. VIOLA!!!! Since then, the camera has performed beautifully! Every shot is super fast, super focused, and dead-on accurate. I am so tickled that it is working properly, because I am on vacation next week, and I have been worried sick that it wasn't going to work (after spending a considerable amount of money for a 'memory-taker').

I'll let you know in a future review if it held up.

B.G.
Ankeny, Iowa

Still haven't been able to come up with a complaint. It feels extremely solid and well built, and the pictures are terrific. Much less intimidating to learn for the amateur photographer than I expected.

Great camera - has features that will keep me learning and improving for years to come. The lens is very versatile for travel and every day use.

A great camera with logical user features to make it easy just to get it, use quick start up, and get after it! Then, take the time to read the well organized manual and it gets even better. This camera is loaded with features, and is now well beyond the D40, has many features that appear to be improved from the D70. This one also is well beyond the Canon series at a similar price point, based on camparisons I've done with a 'Canon friend.'

The Nikon D80 feels well balanced and solid. The package lens quality is better than average, but is the one thing that someone may wish to 'upgrade' at some point - more just to add focal length. However, given the package price, its a great deal and makes getting great shots in most scenrios easy right out of the box.

Downloading is simple and fast, and with the SD card you have the option to save to standard formats (JPEG) or with a larger SD card you can save 'raw' and/or JPEG which gives maximum editing capability.

Don't forget, you will need to buy an SD card (I'd recommend no less than 1 GB). And, although battery life has been great so far, if you plan on a full weekend of nature or action shooting, you may wish to order a backup for the very specific battery required.

It's a fair bit of money but totally worth it. I used to be a 35mm film photographer but digital is so much easier. I was also looking at the D200 but for the price increase I couldn't justify it quite yet.

oneCall was very courtious, after I received the camera a Onecall rep followed up and called (very polite) to asked was I satisfied with the camera, but I informed them that hadn't tested it yet. when I did test the camera it didn't work, I called Onecall since it was within 30 days I was instructed to return the product for a full refund (minus shipping cost) I prepared the return package, before I placed the camera in the return package, I took the cam to an experienced Nikon user to test and it still didn't work, so immidiately I placed the cam in the return package and sent it back, I forgot to retrieve my 1 gig of secure digital memory from the camera.
the reason I"m unsatisfied- when I called OneCall to see if they received the returned cam,
1. their test found no defect in the cam, true or untrue.
2. shipping cost amounted to $40.00, camera defected.
3. OneCall claimed no memory card was locate.
three days later I bought the same model elsewhere and it works fine.

I bought this camera about 4 months ago and I have to say it was probably the best camera I've ever used. Allthough the menues can be pretty overwelming the clairy of the pictures rankes it with the professional models at 2-3 times the price. If you don't believe me just read the reviews from Popular Photography and Outdoor Photographer. If you're an avid photographer or are looking to upgrade to a 10 megapixel DSLR, I HIGHLY recommend this camera.

I had the Nikon D80 for about a year, and had been eyeing the D80 since it was released. Although I already had a slew of Nikon lenses, I was tempted by going for the Canon 30D, and after doing extensive research and playing around with both the 20D and the 30D to compare with the D80. It wasn't even close. The D80 felt solid, and the photographs are remarkable. I like the low noise on higher ISO of the 20D and the 30D, but the difference isn't that much more significant between them and the D80. The 18-135mm lens is a great walk around lens, but the vignetting at higher zoom is really annoying.

This is my first digital SLR, though I've been using a Nikon point-and-shoot for several years. I chose the D80 because it includes a more versitile lense (18-135) than the Canon Rebel XTi (18-55), not because I think Nikon is vastly superior, or Canon's suck. I just didn't want to have to buy a second lens right away to zoom in.

The camera is very easy to use. I love to take photographs, but am definately still an amateur. With this camera my photos look great. I can't wait to see how good they are after I learn how to actually use all of it's features.

It is bigger and heavier than my old point-and-shoot Nikon, but that is true of any SLR. It's a small price to pay for such great photographs.

D80 is an excellent camera and the 18-135 lens is also good to an extent. When you focus at 135mm you need a triapod or it will be out of focus. SO, I suggest that you get the D80 body and 18-200mm lense or be prepared to use a Triapod at long focal lengths.

I finally did it. I have made the transition from film to digital photography.

I LOVE this camera! Definitely a great addition to the venerable Nikon line of SLRs. It is right-sized, easy to handle, fast and quiet. There is a good deal of automation built for those times when you are more need to get a shot NOW, yet the fine control to enhance your creativity.

Since this is my first digital camera of any type, I cannot compare it to other digital models; I can only compare it to film cameras.


D-80 and Digital Advantages
---------------------------
Low processing costs. Only pay for the "keepers" you print.

"Throw away" and test shots no longer carry a penalty of any kind.

Huge picture capacity with large SD cards. No more changing film rolls at the most inopportune moment.

Instant feedback.

The D80 has a high enough resolution to make good sized prints.

All the digital processing advantages, (white balance, cropping, converting to black-and-white or sepia tone, etc.)

Auto ISO and the ability to change ISO for any given shot.

The many exposure modes give you flexibility and fine control. The modes vary from point-and-shoot, to manual. There are also vari-program modes that automate many common shooting or difficult situations like night portraits where you want to flash the foreground but also want a long exposure to get the darker background. Or high-speed modes where you may need the AF system to track a moving object as it passes across the field of view.

Compatible with the full range of 35mm lenses, speedlights and accessories. So if you are like me and have a significant investment in 35mm Nikon gear, this is the way to go. Do not get rid of that 35mm body! (Using DX-type lenses on a 35mm body is not recommended!)

Smaller focus area (compared to 35mm) means less shutter travel. That translates into much faster flash sync speeds and less vibration.

The D80, when combined with Silent-Wave Motor lenses has a very fast focus which is nearly noiseless.

The Auto-focus system is one of the most intelligent I have ever used, yet you have extremely fine control over it. Very flexible.

Setting the built-in flash to Commander Mode permits you to control several off-camera CLS compatible speedlights *wirelessly* (SB-800, SB-600 and SB-200). You can also turn off the built-in flash so that it will not fire during exposure (avoiding the harsh face-on light). It will still generate the monitor pre-flashes to fire the other speedlights. You can also use a shoe-mounted speedlight to be the commander as well. There are a couple of channels and groups so that you can avoid stepping on another photographer in competitive shooting situations.

I love the rear-curtain flash sync! I will not buy a body or flash that will not support it!

There are so many other options and capabilities with the flash, such as multiple flashes during a single exposure, that really give you tremendous creative control.


Digital and D80 Cons
--------------------
Not too many cons, but they can be show-stoppers for some.

Film has a much higher resolution, so if you want to make poster-sized prints, you will still need that film body.

Limited ISO range. The slowest ISO for the D80 is 100, common in other DSLRs too. I often shoot ISO 25, 50 or 64 for the express purpose of getting very slow shutter speeds to blend motion, such as running water. Even with these, I would often use neutral density filters to get exposures of several seconds. Now I need to use more ND filters to stop down.

The battery does not last as long as a 35mm battery, more than 1,000 shot w/o flash, but it recharges quickly and you can always carry a spare. If you are used to camera batteries lasting for weeks or months, you will not get that here, but then.

While the D80 has a very solid feel, it have a feeling that it is somehow more prone to shock and vibration damage than 35mm counterparts. Note! This is speculation on my part!


Other Points
------------
Remember that there is approximately a 1.5x effective focal length ratio when compared to a digital camera. So that 18-135mm DX lens actually equates to a 27-202mm lens on a 35mm. a 24-120 lens would be 36-180. If you like wide angle, you may need to pick up another lens. If you like telephoto, you are in luck.


Recommended Accessories
-----------------------
I recommend the SanDisk Extreme III SanDisk 2 GB Extreme III SD Memory Card ( SDSDX3-2048-901 ) line of SD cards, the bigger the better. These are very fast and can *exceed* the Nikon product claim of 100 continuous shots, at 3 per second, when not using RAW mode, even when image size is Large! It also comes with special "undelete" software to recover deleted images. I am happy with the Ultra II line but they cannot quite keep up with lots of continuous shooting and they do not have the undelete utility.

The optional MB-D80 Nikon MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera battery pack uses two batteries (discharging them one at a time!) to power the camera. You can also use AA batteries in it to drive your camera in a pinch. While it adds weight, it makes vertical shooting easier as it has a shutter release (which can be disabled) and command and sub-command dials. I recommend this accessory.

Do you travel? Consider the Adorama QP-104 Rapid Battery Charger. Adorama QP-104 Rapid Li-ion Battery Charger for Nikon EN-EL3 Battery, 110-220V, 12V Car Cord Adapter Included It has a car adapter so you can recharge your camera battery while you are on the road. The A/C adapter is compatible with both North American and European power standards (you still need the plug converters, however).

Consider the getting the D80 body separately and the Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF Autofocus DX Nikkor Zoom Lens zoom and the 18-200 VR DX Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lenszoom instead of the 18-135mm kit. But only if you are a fan of zoom lenses. I have yet to use a zoom that came anywhere near the quality of a prime focus lens. Not to mention zooms are almost always a stop or two slower.

I really like to SB-800 Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight for Nikon D50, D70s, D80, and D200 Digital SLR Cameras speedlight. High guide number 38/125, auto-zoom 24-105mm and, of course, the amazing Nikon wireless CLS are great! Get a couple or three if you do any indoor work! Do not forget about sync cords Nikon SC 29 - Flash synchro cable - flash terminal if you want to use a pistol grip.

The ML-L3 wireless remote is useful only if you standing in front of the camera. If you need a remote release, get the MC-DC1 cables release. If you need to back away from the camera, consider the after-market Satechi MA-G (118 inch cable) MA-G (118 inch) Camera Remote Control for Nikon MA series D80 D70s remote release.

Consider the Domke Domke F-2 Original Bag (Sand)line of camera bags, as most models are large enough to hold the camera with the the MB-D80 battery back attached.

Do not forget filters for the lenses.

One Last Point
--------------
Why only 4 stars?

About 3 months after getting this camera, it inexplicably died, displaying "err" and underexposing each picture. With the dozens of pieces of Nikon gear I have purchased over the years, this was the very first failure I ever had. I contacted Nikon support, which was easy and fast (the never put me on hold). I sent the camera to the service center and got it back 10 days later. I was pleased with the the service and repair, but disappointed the the camera broke to begin with. Still, I am considering getting another D80 so I can have a second body.

This is a little bit of an "early" review since I'm just now breaking it in. I'm not a photography expert, so I won't try to sound like one. This was an upgrade for me from an 8.0MP Digital Rebel XT--which was my first DSLR camera--so I will compare my experiences with the two.

Digital Rebel XT 8.0MP:

Pros: price, weight, ease of use.
Cons: very noisy focusing and shooting. feels cheaply put together and mass produced (the latter is certainly true); feels and looks like an entry level DSLR camera (which, granted, is what it is). tends to overexpose pictures outdoors, and underexpose pictures indoors. ease of use comes at the sacrifice of desirable controls that just aren't there.

D80 10.2MP:

Pros: Solid look and feel. The 11-area autofocus system makes a HUGE difference, at least to me, and enables much better control and less wasted time trying to focus how I want to than the Rebel XT. Looks and feels serious and solid, like it means business. far more features and controls than the Rebel XT (which does make it harder to use, however) much quieter focusing and shooting. Excellent low light exposure, far better than the XT (using their respective kit lenses). Colors seem more rich and vibrant than the XT, and bright colors seem to "pop" more. This kit lens is of FAR better quality than the horrible kit lens that came with the Rebel XT. This kit lens does not live up to the usual kit lens reputation. It far exceeds it.
Cons: price (still near impossible to find one of these for a steal), weight (it feels solid and well constructed, but you pay for that with the weight. my hand never got tired with the Rebel XT, it gets tired with this. I don't mind it though because I know it is more solidly built), seems to underexpose outdoors, but the detail and colors seem richer. (I'm sure once I get more familiar with the controls I will be able to tweak this), uses SD cards instead of CF.

Now, I realize that to be fair the D80 should be compared side by side to the Rebel XTi, not the Rebel XT, but again I don't have the experience to do that. I can only speak from my own personal experience based on what I have owned and used.

Bottom line, to me this seems like a great midway point between entry-level DSLR and true professional DSLR. It seems to straddle the two ends of that spectrum very nicely in terms of picture quality, price, controls, and features. I can tell that this camera is going to make me a better photographer.

I am still very happy that I started out with the Rebel XT, however, and if a friend of mine asked me for advice on buying their first DSLR I would probably recommend the Digital Rebel XT because it is so easy to use. I mean the Rebel is basically a glorified point and shoot camera with a mechanical shutter, ability to change lenses, and much better picture quality. Please pardon my slight hyperbole there, but hopefully you get the point. The Rebel XT takes zero know-how to use. For a beginner this is perfect if you ask me. Someone who knows how to use a point and shoot will quickly be able to master the Rebel XT.

The D80 takes much more know-how to use but so far as I can tell that is a good thing if you are serious about photography. It is going to push me to be a better and more knowledgeable photographer, and it enables me to fine tune my pictures for better results.

In one sentence:
Digital Rebel XT: instant gratification.
Nikon D80: better gratification, but not instant.

As long as you know what you're buying, it's hard to go wrong with Nikon's digital SLRs. They all take beautiful photographs. Even the basic D40 will give you professional-level clarity, color and focus. When I started using a Nikon digital to shoot travel-guide photos at Walt Disney World about five years ago, I would often get stopped by guests wanting to ask about my camera. Now I never do, because so many have one that looks just like it!

There are four Nikon digital SLRs in the consumer market. Here's how they compare:

The entry-level camera is the Nikon D40. It's a basic SLR camera that takes high-quality 6.1 megapixel (MP) photos. It has an automatic flash, eight programmed exposure modes, three focus areas and a self-timer with four settings (2, 5, 10 and 20 seconds). The D40 can shoot about two-and-a-half images per second and take about 450 photos on each battery charge. Its ISO range is 200-1600. On the downside, it has a plastic body, a semi-mechanical shutter and only accepts Nikon's newer AF-I or AF-S lenses unless you want to manually focus each shot. It weighs about a pound. The basic D40 kit is Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens.

One step up from the D40 is the D40x. Using the same body as the D40, it shoots 10.2 MP photos. It can take about three images per second, get about 500 photos out of a single charge, has an ISO range of 100-1600 and has a fully electronic shutter. The most popular D40x set has a single lens: Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens.

A major step up is the D80, shown here. About a third-inch wider and four ounces heavier than the D40, it uses the same processor but works fully with any Nikon SLR lens. It has 11 focus areas, a depth-of-field preview in its optical viewfinder, white-balance bracketing and a self-timer that can be set for any time between 2 and 20 seconds. Incredibly, you can get up to 2000 shots on each battery charge, assuming you don't use the LCD screen much. This is the camera used by Disney's PhotoPass photographers. Amazon sells the D80 body separately (Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) and in various lens-package deals.

Finally, the D200 is simply one of the best cameras Nikon has ever built. A half-inch taller and a third-inch wider than the D80, it weighs nearly two pounds thanks to its all-metal body. Designed for more advanced users, it does away with all but the standard programmed exposure mode and instead shoots 5 frames per second, outstanding for a 10 MP ISO 100 camera, especially at this price. It uses Compact Flash cards. In many ways the D200 is a professional camera at a consumer price. This is the camera I use for all but my most demanding shots. From a professional standpoint it really increases your productivity compared to the far bulkier D2 models, as it is so much easier to carry and position. Amazon sells the D200 body by itself (Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and in various package deals.

I'm not including the professional D2 models here, as explaining all their features would drag this review on forever. Besides, from what I've heard the new D3 should be released this fall.

-- By Mike Neal, photographer for The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.

I love this camera. I have several small digital's (Pentax A-10 and W10) but wanted something to replace my Nikon 8008 film camera. The D80 is the ticket. All of my AF Nikon lenses work with this camera, so I could save money and purchase this model instead of a cheaper one. Bonus; the camera is so easy to learn to use.

This was an upgrade for me from an 8.0MP Digital Rebel XT--which was my first DSLR camera--so I will compare my experiences with the two.

Digital Rebel XT 8.0MP:

Pros: price, weight, ease of use.
Cons: very noisy focusing and shooting. feels cheaply put together and mass produced (the latter is certainly true); feels and looks like an entry level DSLR camera (which, granted, is what it is). tends to overexpose pictures outdoors, and underexpose pictures indoors. ease of use comes at the sacrifice of desirable controls that just aren't there.

D80 10.2MP:

Pros: Solid look and feel. The 11-area autofocus system makes a HUGE difference, at least to me, and enables much better control and less wasted time trying to focus how I want to than the Rebel XT. Looks and feels serious and solid, like it means business. far more features and controls than the Rebel XT (which does make it harder to use, however) much quieter focusing and shooting. Excellent low light exposure, far better than the XT (using their respective kit lenses). Colors seem more rich and vibrant than the XT, and bright colors seem to "pop" more. This kit lens is of FAR better quality than the horrible kit lens that came with the Rebel XT. This kit lens does not live up to the usual kit lens reputation. It far exceeds it.
Cons: price (still near impossible to find one of these for a steal), weight (it feels solid and well constructed, but you pay for that with the weight. my hand never got tired with the Rebel XT, it gets tired with this. I don't mind it though because I know it is more solidly built), seems to underexpose outdoors, but the detail and colors seem richer. (I'm sure once I get more familiar with the controls I will be able to tweak this), uses SD cards instead of CF. While the kit lens is far better than the Rebel XT kit lens, it does show more of a pincushion effect than the kit lens of the Rebel XT.

Now, I realize that to be fair the D80 should be compared side by side to the Rebel XTi, not the Rebel XT, but again I don't have the experience to do that. I can only speak from my own personal experience based on what I have owned and used.

Bottom line, to me this seems like a great midway point between entry-level DSLR and true professional DSLR. It seems to straddle the two ends of that spectrum very nicely in terms of picture quality, price, controls, and features. I can tell that this camera is going to make me a better photographer.

I am still very happy that I started out with the Rebel XT, however, and if a friend of mine asked me for advice on buying their first DSLR I would probably recommend the Digital Rebel XT because it is so easy to use. I mean the Rebel is basically a glorified point and shoot camera with a mechanical shutter, ability to change lenses, and much better picture quality. Please pardon my slight hyperbole there, but hopefully you get the point. The Rebel XT takes zero know-how to use. For a beginner this is perfect if you ask me. Someone who knows how to use a point and shoot will quickly be able to master the Rebel XT.

The D80 takes much more know-how to use but so far as I can tell that is a good thing if you are serious about photography. It is going to push me to be a better and more knowledgeable photographer, and it enables me to fine tune my pictures for better results.

In one sentence:
Digital Rebel XT: instant gratification.
Nikon D80: better gratification, but not instant.

This camera is just awesome. I played around with the Canon Rebel Xti but the Nikon blows that out of the water.

You'll need to get the external flash for picture taking in poor lighting. The lens that comes in the kit if you buy it that way is just splendid.

This is the first digital camera I have, replacing Nikon 8008 film camera. Of course I struggle whether I should get a D40x or D80. I am glad I finally decide on D80 for the following reasons:

(a) Larger viewfinder
(b) I get to use all my old AF lens (not for D40)
(c) The 2 monitors on D80 are not a nusiance, it is a plus. Changing ISO speed can be done using a simple button and displayed on the top monitor, rather than at the back.

Of course D40x is a very lovely model. But here I see a lot of people buying the older version, cheaper but excellent quality, AF lenses of fixed local length (e.g. Nikkor AF 50mm, micro 105 mm) to go with the D80 body with perfect auto focusing available. It saves a lot of money but the photo quality is superb.

Besides, D80 and D40x both have very bright LCD monitors at the back, easy-to-use buttons. I have bought my D80 for exactly 1 month today and have not stopped taking photos with it. The light very affordable 18-55mm and the 55-200 mm VR lenses are light and deliver sharp photos. Trust me, the photos even for those at 2.5 mega pixels after enlarging to 10"x12" are still clear and sharp. This camera totally exceeds my expectations!

This camera TIED with the Canon 30D both having a 74 Score with Consumer Reports July 2007 Issue, which stated on the front of the magazine. "Finding the Best Digital Camera" THEY EVEN SHOWED THE NIKON D80 camera on the Front of the Magazine!!! I find this Camera and especially the Nikon Lenses quality to both be extremely EXCELLENT. You can't go wrong with buying this Nikon D80 DSL Camera, This Camera even OUTPERFORMED (according to consumer reports) the HIGHER PRICED Nikon D200! This is one FANTASTIC CAMERA! As for Lenses, I know that Nikon offers a package with THIS D80 Camera along with an 18-135mm Lens. (An EXCELLENT LENS) The only other lens in this same categeory of Lenses would be the Nikon 18-200 which is priced at OVER $800, if you can afford to just buy the D80 body and can afford the $800 for the 18-200mm Lens I would highly recommend it, otherwise the 18-135 Nikon Lens IS an EXCELLENT substitute, Nikon also has a NEW Lens out the 55-200mm Zoom Lens It retails for ONLY $218 on Amazon and is a worthy investment. I am just getting into photography but am a quick study and one thing I will tell anyone is this: Do NOT substitute a lesser quality lens which may list the SAME Nikon Lens Spec's such as: SIGMA, Tammaron, and a few others who make the same type of lens Nikon makes but NOT WITH THE quality and dedication to EXCELLENCE that Nikon Lenses offer. You may save money in the short term by going with one of these COPY LENSES as I call them, but you will regret your choice when you see the lower picture quality, especially if you are able to compare the picture with one taken using a true NIKON Lens.

C. HENDRIX, ATLANTA, GA

I purchased this camera as my first digital SLR. I love the camera but am not happy with Nikon. Here is why.

First
The software bundled with the camera is absolutely useless. You will need to purchase something like Photoshop or Photo Impact if you plan on doing any serious editing and printing. So add the cost of $75 for PhotoShop Elements 5 if you don't already have it. Nikon has a product called capture NX. You can download a demo of the program (It is not included on the CD) But at $129 its just not worth the price unless you have money to through away.

Second
I don't care what kind of digital SLR or how careful you are at changing lens or what kind of special cleaning operations the camera has.
YOU ARE GOING TO GET DUST ON THE SENSOR. Ask any series photographer. You will have to clean the sensor at some point. The camera has a cleaning mode that holds the mirror up without charging the CCD. Nikon recommends using a blower to blow the dust off the sensor. All this does is moves the dust. My first attempt at this cause me to get some small micro shavings on the sensor that could not be blown off. Nikon says you should send the camera in so that a qualified tech can properly clean the sensor. BULL, BULL, BULL

No serious photographer is going to put his camera out of commission while this happens nor will they pay the price to have it done. First off I have had friends send their camera away only to get it back with dust simply moved around. The only real way to properly remove the bulk of the dust is with a sensor cleaner and these are not cheap. Now that I have done it, its not that big a deal. The problem with Nikon is that they don't want you to do it yourself. I don't feel this is reasonable.

Third
In the old days Nikon was known for quality and I have to say the camera and most of the low end (Under $700) lenses are also made in china and feel cheap. I also have a Nikon F2 and have to say they don't make the camera or the lens like they used to.

Fourth
Nikons Raw format is proprietary and encrypted. It is possible down the line that you may be at Nikon's mercy about what software you are allow to use to access your pictures.

All this said I love the camera and in little over 2 weeks have taken over 2000 pictures. I would make the purchase again. I also purchased the SB-600 flash and the creative lighting system makes for some truly awesome flash pictures. You can place the SB-600 on another tripod and the D80 will communicate and allow total control over the remote flash as well as allowing you to use the built-in flash.

The only problem buying from Amazon is that if the product is defective the return process is difficult and you never get to actually speak to a human. I bought the Nikon D80 as a present for my wife. She decides to open the box and get the camera out the night before a big family event, to take pictures of everyone. Of course the camera doesn't work. So off to a camera store (the following Monday) to see if they can determine the problem. Seems the lens is defective but the body works fine. Of course the "authorised Nikon retailer" cannot return the product unless they charge me a fee. Since it is only the lens that is faulty one would think one could return only that part. Since there is no human interaction with Amazon we ended up shipping the entire package back to Amazon. So much for using a new camera. Now we have to wait 14-21 days before we even get a response from Amazon on the return. Then they will probably credit my card and I still won't have a camera. The lovely email they send does not even allow for any response. On the off chance you get a defective product better to buy from a local retailer in case you have a problem. You don't save that much with Amazon to offset the hassle if it doesn't work. Books are fine but don't do electronics.

My last camera was a 3MP that fit in my pocket. I got this camera hoping to really take a step up from my old digital camera. I mostly shoot famly outings and real estate. I have gotten nothing but compliemnts from my work. I am quick to point out that is is merely the camera that is making me look good. Of course, owning this camera has made me want to get better at what I do. Is it out of my league? Maybe. Will I outgrow it? Not for many years to come and that whats made this a good investment for me.

The camera is very responsive, operates very fast. Images are excellent. The viewfinder is very bright and big. This camera is a big WOW for an amateur photographer such as me. 5 stars.

Many D-80 users, myself included, have problems where the battery dies for no reason when using the 18-200mmVR lens. Evidently it may be a contact issue/voltage related with this combination camera and lens. Nikon has not offered a solution yet and replacement of the body and/or lens does not help. Hence the 3 star rating BUT this camera is fantastic and so is the lens. Hope Nikon solves this soon.

I must say, I am severely disappointed with the D80. I "upgraded" from the Kodak 14n, sacrificing megapixels for speed, shadow detail, and ease of use. Yes, the D80 is better in these capacities, but it lacks in one area that is critical- focusing. I have tried this camera with four lenses, both pro and amateur, including the new 18-200 VR, and still have yet to produce consistently sharp images. I have tried these lenses on two different D80s, and still run into the same problem. It's not motion blur, as the images are frozen, but still have an unacceptable soft-focus to them, almost as if the focal plane is out of alignment. My wife uses the D40 with kit lenses, and doesn't run into this. Now, maybe I'm doing something wrong, and I'm willing to listen, but when a subject is out of focus, shooting in daylight at f16, there's something wrong. I got better focus from my original D1.

I recently purchased the Nikon D80 with the 18-135mm kit lens and I am quite pleased with the quality and performance of both the camera and lens. It is my first digital SLR, though I have had film SLRs and three digital "point and shoots."

I bought the Nikon after weeks of research and indecision during which I read countless reviews and forum messages comparing the Nikon and Canon systems, and I also handled the actual cameras in stores. I finally decided on the Nikon because, among many other desirable features:
1. It has a very fine and solid feel. It is built well and fits my hands perfectly.
2. The viewfinder is large and very bright, by far the best.
3. It has spot metering.
4. The battery life is great.
5. It uses SD cards, which I already had.
6. There is a top LCD status panel.
7. Grid lines are available to help with composition and camera leveling.

Image quality is superb. My pictures so far are surprisingly good, considering my inexperience and the complexity of the camera. I realize that any available DSLR is probably more than good enough to supply my needs but I am delighted with this one.

I had high expectations for this camera, going from a point-and-shoot Canon A70. I love this camera. It's worth the weight of carrying it around. I bought the 60mm macro for portrait and macro work. The capture is quick. Startup is fast. I love the bracketing feature. I love having the ability to change ISO.
Problems: compared to my film Canon Elan IIe, it is much heavier.

Autofocus, even though it is said to be problematic with the Canon Elan, is much better in the Canon. Frequently, the Nikon doens't focus even though it is a simple composition and there is plenty of light. It doesn't tell you why it won't focus. Frequently, the shutter won't release even though it looks focused. The Canon's focus follows your eye, whereas the Nikon's focus has to be manually located (much slower and impossible to do in action shots). Yes, I know it's like comparing apples to oranges, but it's what I've got.

The big problem is color representation. Despite the high pixels and technology, the colors aren't quite accurate. It is unnoticeable when shooting most landscapes and portraits, but macro flowers are problematic. Magenta is particularly notable which is represented more toward red, eliminating blues. When the field is saturated with color, it is particularly apparent. Greens tend toward blue, blues tend toward purple, reds tend toward orange. Where the color shifts slightly along a macro flower, pixelation though not particularly visible, is apparent.

Edges aren't as sharp as with film, even with a macro lens. This is more apparent in a macro shot, even without being at the limits of the lens e.g. 6 inches away from an object, and this is still noticeable even on a portrait when I look for it. This suggests that it is a matter of digital capture rather than a lens problem. I've never had this problem with Nikon lenses before.

I still love using this camera. I take it everywhere. I get much better shots than with the point-and-shoot (which I still take with me when travelling). I don't have to worry about how many photos I shoot, since I can delete them. It's better for the environment than film. It's just not as good as film for color representation and clarity.

I had a compact digital camera but I was never really satisfied with the results because I found it more difficult to "frame the shot" and see what I was really going to get. So I found myself always going back to my trusty Nikon N60 so I could have a "real viewfinder" manually adjust the zoom and see what the light meter was saying.

So when I had the chance to swap my Marriott points for this camera I jumped at the chance. I actually got this camera for free but would gladly have paid the money knowing what I know now. This camera has the feel of a traditional SLR but the digital results are incredible. Transferring to my PC was a no-brainer -- just hook up to the USB port and the computer does the rest. I didn't have to install any drivers or anything.

While you are able to get a good idea of how the shot turned out real time by looking at the camera display, you don't realize just how good the pictures are until you see them on your computer screen. Don't like a shot? Just delete it. Don't have to worry about burning film.

I do have to admit that the menu system etc is taking a bit of getting used to. For example, when I take a picture of a sunset, on "replay" the brighter sky flashes making you think that it isn't going to turn out. However, when you actually load it onto the computer, it looks fine. Also, the metering -- which can be spot metering or over the fuller frame is kind of tricky to pick out the right point so that you get the best auto focus for the shot. The auto-focus can be temperamental under certain circumstances -- mostly involving extremes in lighting. Sometimes, I can't get the shutter to release and I have no idea why. However, I'm not going to hold my ignorance against Nikon since this probably isn't really intended to be a simple "point and shoot".

I DO have one problem with Nikon, though -- BEWARE of the strap!!! I put the strap that was included with the camera on so that I could wear it on my neck. I picked the camera up by the strap and on the first weekend I was using the camera, the strap came undone and the camera dropped about 4 feet to the ground. Fortunately the only thing that broke was the sky filter that I had placed over the original lens -- I was very lucky that the original lens was not scratched by the shards of glass or that the camera itself was not damaged. So if you do buy this camera, make sure that you have a decent strap or always just hold the camera directly in your hand.

J U S T A W E S O M E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought the Nikon 80 with the 18-135mm AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens for my daughter's college graduation gift. She loves it and has put it to very good use in only a week. The lens is perfect as a starter for this camera ("Awesome" to quote her). The professional photographers where she works were also impressed.

Beware of some of the "deals" you see offered at online stores and auction sites. Research revealed the following problems:
1. Online stores with very bad ratings - they try to shake you down for more money after the order is submitted.
2. "Grey Market" cameras that were improperly imported and come with Japanese manuals.
3. Kits that bundle non-Nikon lenses (Sigma, Tamron). These work but they are of lower quality and cost than the Nikon lenses.
4. Kits that bundle Nikon lenses that are not the AF-S DX lenses designed especially by Nikon for their digital SLRs.

After looking at the whole picture, Amazon with my Prime shipping was the best deal.
Now my only problem is that I want one, too!

Product was defective-the sensor had a large black spot in all the pictures (not due to dirt/grease etc). Disappointing quality-not what one might expect from a Nikon.

I did a lot of research before buying this camera and I sought a lot of advice. The camera is very easy to use and gives great results. The manual is not however very good. It is confusing and brief. The good news is that you are able to purchase a DVD on How to use the D80 and there is also a 700 page detailed instruction guide written by Thom Hogan "The complete guide to the D80"

I recommend that you get these books and DVDs as well an extra battery and memory card.

Overall I am delighted with the camera and the results are amazing! I already feel like a pro.

With 93 D80 reviews already posted, the world needs another one like it needs higher oil prices. In any event, we all have our opinions so I'll impose mine upon you now.

After 30+ years of shooting with Nikon film cameras, I decided to stick with the brand when switching to digital. It was a tossup between the D80 and D200, as either of them would fit my needs.

Since my eyesight now requires auto focus, the fact that my manual focus Nikkors will not meter with the D80 but will with the D200 didn't make a difference. That being the case, I saved a few hundred dollars and bought a D80.

Cutting to the chase, I am amazed by the image quality. It took a few hundred shots to "zero in" on the settings that I prefer, but now it turns out very consistent results.

If I'm so satisfied with the D80, how come I only gave it 4 stars? I'm glad that you asked. After 4 months of ownership, I think that I've found some weaknesses that I hope Nikon will address with the D80's replacement.

1- Matrix metering, as configured in the D80, is too sensitive to very light or dark areas in the center of the frame. With a dark central area, it's far too easy to blow out the highlights. When they're gone, they're gone. No amount of magic can put back what isn't there to begin with. Sure, you can dial in some exposure compensation, but why should you have to?

2- Dear Nikon, Please, Please, Please put a stiffer detent on the door for the SD card. I'm really tired of finding it open in the middle of a shoot. It's only a matter of time until I find that it's snapped off.

3- Speaking of detents. An interlock is needed to keep the mode dial where it's placed. It's far too easy to wind up in some idiot mode instead of remaining in aperture priority. Nothing is worse than having the flash pop up and fire because the dial slipped.

4- While not exclusive to the D80, Nikon is the only manufacturer that does not include a fully-featured RAW converter in its software package. What's up with that? RAW is all that many advanced amateurs and pros shoot, so why isn't a converter included? It wasn't a deal breaker for me, but I felt like my pocket was being picked.

Anyway, it's all about the images and those that come out of the D80 are as good as I've ever seen from a camera in this class. When I look at the 16X20 prints on my walls I'm almost ready to give Nikon that extra star. Almost, but not quite.

Enough with reading reviews.....go to your local camera store (if you still have one) and wrap your hands around the cameras you're considering. Trust me, you could be out there shooting instead of wasting so much time reading reviews. :-)

If you're looking to buy an SLR, this is the camera. I love it!!!!!

I ordered this product late Thurs evening (PST). I couldn't wait for the Free Shipping to arrive, so I paid the extra 2 day shipping for this and the Nikon camera bag also through Amazon. ~$16 extra total for both shipping. Recieved the camera on Monday and the case on Tues. Through research and debate between this and the Cannon Rebel XTi, I chose this due to the massive reviews. I didn't mind paying the extra $100+ because this would hopefully be the only dSLR I plan on purchasing for a loong time. I chose Amazon to purchase because the price is still less than purchasing it through the store. (Camera + case = $1190 less than store where it's $1299 for camera & lens only.)
Hopefully this helps, g'luck!
Have yet to use it yet. Played around with it. Will edit once taken pictures!

Excellent camera ,Nikon quality,a CF card would be better than SD but...
lens perfect

I bought a D80 earlier this year. It performed well enough for me (knowledgable amature level). However the LCD component broke after two months with no rough handling. The breakage wasn't covered under warranty as it was judged my fault. Well whatever, but I'd caution others that the camera is especially fragile. However my biggest problem is that its been six weeks and Nikon still hasn't provided the necessary part to my repair shop. The shop is a large high volume one and they say the long delay getting Nikon parts is very common and is why they recommend that people go with another brand, say Canon. They can't even get a target delivery date out of Nikon. So beware, if you need repair work you may well be without your Nikon for a long time.

The nikon Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-135mm AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lensd80 is an exceptional camera, so easy to use and take very clear and detailed picture. I will recommend this to anybody.

Nikon has muddied the waters about, and now offers no less than three digital SLR cameras that use the same basic imager -- the D200, D80, and D40x. Which should you buy?

This D80 is smack in the middle, and packaged with a useful lens that's also middle-of-the road in its applications. Appropriately, the D80 may be the best choice for those who have graduated from the point-and-shoot/snapshooting phase, but aren't ready for a more semi-pro camera.

D40x -- Uses the same 10.2MP sensor, but is smaller than the D80. It produces similar image quality, but has the limitation of providing autofocus only with AF-S and AF-I lenses (or other lenses from third-party vendors that have autofocus motors built-in.) If you own an existing complement of lenses that aren't compatible, you'll want to pass on this camera.

D200 -- Larger than the D80, it has more water-resistent sealing, and uses a four-channel readout from the sensor, so it's capable of 5 fps bursts in continuous shooting mode. The D200 is much more customizable, has shooting banks to store sets of settings, and will provide metering in both M and Aperture-priority modes with older, non-"cpu"-equipped manual focus lenses. This camera might be your choice if you're shooting a lot of sports, have older lenses, and want to be able to customize your settings. The D200 uses Compact Flash cards rather than the SD cards used by the D80 and D40x.

D80 -- This camera has many of the features of the D200 in a smaller package, but with a slower 3 fps burst rate. It's a camera you won't easily grow out of, is simple to use, and provides excellent image quality. It makes an excellent "first" D-SLR.

Soy Venezolano, compre este Item ya que soy Fotografo, y poseia una Nikon D70s, de verdad esta camara es superior, recomendado.... I'm from Venezuela, Bought this Item Because I'm a Fotographer, I used to own a Nikon D70s, Really this camera is a superior stuff, Highly Recomended...

Overall, this is a good, solid camera. Here are some issues:

The sub-command dial on the front of the camera, which controls the exposure in Aperture-priority mode, is approximately 6 mm above the On/Off switch. These controls have a similar feel. This means that when attempting to adjust the exposure, the camera may be turned off easily by accident.

The camera comes with Picture Project, a basic software program that can adjust red-eye, brightness, sharpness, and convert NEF to JPG. However, the more robust software, Capture NX is $99 extra. The extra software is needed to correct things, such as distortion and rotation in photos using wide angle lenses.

Nevertheless, the camera is light-weight, and there are a variety of lenses and accessories to match the camera. Operation of the camera is relatively easy, although I needed to read the manual and the quick-start guide to understand the menu and gain access to all the features. My batteries seem to last about 400 - 500 shots (RAW + JPG Basic, VR on intermittently, moderate use of LCD screen), so I highly recommend a spare. Nikon's own battery tests indicate a charge holds for 600 - 700 shots, but none of these tests were performed using RAW format (Nikon used JPG Basic and Normal).

I live in a city that is windy, and the lenses with Vibration Reduction (VR) work like a charm. I would recommend VR enabled lenses, especially in the telephoto lenses. VR always can be turned off.

Given all of the options out there (eg, Canon, Nikon's new line, etc), this is still a good, solid choice. When shopping, I did like the feel of the Pentax K10D and because Image Stabilization for the K10D is built into the body and not the individual lenses (Nikon's and Canon's are in each lens). However, the K10D seemed to have a softness in photo quality, which is indicated in comments in various online forums.

Being an amature photographer, I found this camera very easy to use. The menus are easy to follow. The camera is very light weight. I ordered the body only because this was an up grade for me. I have no complaints about this camera and would recommend it to anyone.

Starting a photography business is hard enough, you need equipment that is economical and gives results. For being a small sensor/small format camera this is easily one of the best to get started out on. I wouldn't recommend a novice wanting to start a business get anything more than the D80 for starters except maybe a D40x for a backup. Plenty of Jpg power for enlargements. The menu takes a little getting used to but once you understand where the settings are and the buttons that make the changes for you are at it becomes easier with each use. The DX lenses have motors in them and the auto focus is pretty fast. It can lag a bit on some action shots but that may depend on the lens you have on the camera at the time. The kit lens that I got goes up to 135mm but only f5 at the lowest so getting the right light can be tricky, especially indoors. I recommend the SB600 or SB800 speedlights which can be used remotely on a stand or bracket off the camera and a lens that goes down to about f2 or so. Being that the camera is digital you can get over 500 jpgs with a 2gig card set at jpg normal, less for fine, raw, etc. This is a great camera to begin with, learn from, accesorize and grow from. Nikon just released some new models you can work up to as well. There are many complaints about the manual and software but in reality the manual does its job. I have had no problems finding anything I need to in the manual or the manual that came with my SB600 speedlight. And if you need software that bad to fix your pictures then you're not taking good pics to begin with. I'm all for photoshopping some bad lighting or adding in some effects or a background but some people get irritated at the smallest things. These people need to brush up on their reading comprehension and get over themselves. If you are that nitpickty about a book then you're not out shooting enough pictures! Get over it already and love this camera like you know you should! 11 points of focus, bracketing, in eyepiece framing, it goes on and on...for the value it's loaded with professional features. Hey...I may not have all the terminlogy down but I'm on the right track with this camera and some classes in photography. Get your D80 on and start shooting today!

This is my first SLR and what an awesome camera. I am absolutely amazed at the picture quality. You can cut and zoom pictures without losing any picture clarity and even go to almost poster size pictures and keep all the detail. My past cameras have all been Sony point & shoot type cameras and they served me well. The only downfall was the pause between shots, sometimes 2 to 3 seconds which is common in the point and shoot type digital cameras. There was no way to catch great action shots so I upgraded to an SLR and am very happy that I did. This camera will take continuous photos without losing clarity. I am amazed with this camera and have already upgraded to a 300mm telephoto lens. You are almost guaranteed not to be disappointed if you buy this camera. My only regret is that I waited this long to buy one.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and stuck my toe into the digital pool. I'm glad I did, and chose the D80 as the vehicle.

I'm an old film fan from way back, and my standard was the F5, an absolutely outstanding camera in every way. I also have a couple of N80s, and a couple of FMs. So I know the Nikon product line pretty well, and of course have a significant investment in lenses, so there was no way I was going to switch to another brand like Canon and have to buy a whole new line of lenses also.

The D80 is a pretty outstanding camera, and utilizes the digital technology pretty impressively. Now that I have some experience with it, I'd recommend to other film users to go with at least this level camera, as the 10 megapixel capability is going to be important to you if you want to use it similarly to film as far as cropping, enlargements, etc.

This camera's easy to use, and if you're familiar with Nikons the learning curve will be very steep; it's all familiar territory. No surprises here.

Excellent quality, excellent image quality. Of course, the ease and speed of seeing your end result as soon as you shoot it -- as opposed to waiting for film processing and printing -- is a huge plus to the digital technology.

The only lens I had to add to my current line with this body was a super-wide zoom, as my 18-35 now became effectively a 28-52. On the up side, my 28-300 now effectively became a 42-450.

All well and good, BUT..... don't throw your film camera away. There are some things that film just does better. The ISO range of digital is much more limited. You can't crank it as low as the available film ISOs, which may impact your ability to take long exposures, especially in daylight. Also, above a relatively modest ISO of 400, you start running into issues that have to be addressed in the digital world that aren't a factor in the film world until much higher ISOs, such as artifacting (the digital equivalent of graininess), lessening of color accuracy, etc. Though there is some compensating programming built into the camera, ISO 400 is a pretty low speed at which to have to start thinking about these kinds of issues. With my F5, there are films available with ISO 3200 that can be pushed to 6400. Digital just comes nowhere near this.

So, a great camera for what it is. A wonderful capability to add diversity to your camera bag. But keep your film camera around.

I had not planned on upgrading to the D80 from my D70, but around Christmas, a local camera store had a 20% coupon for nearly anything in the store, including the D80. So, my plans changed. I have been a Nikon shooter for a number of years, and my most recent 35mm SLR is a Nikon N80. So, the D70 had a very familiar look and feel to it, and I found the transition from film to digital was pretty comfortable. I researched the D70 for months before buying it and had extremely high expectations for the camera, all of which were exceeded. The D80 retains all the great features of the D70 with improved imaging, new features, and an excellent system of buttons, dials, and menus.

I have really enjoyed shooting with the D80 and find I use a number of different approaches depending on my shooting subject. Aperture preferred, shutter preferred, program, etc. All have their merits. I think that DSLRs today are fantastic, and all the good brands have great offerings. So we can hardly go wrong any more. Since I had the experience with Nikons and some good lenses, I decided to stick with Nikon and have been most pleased. Nikon's approach is to focus on image quality, no pun intended. There is less emphasis with bells and whistles, compared with some other brands. The competition among the big DSLR manufacturers is fantastic for us digital shooters.

This is a great camera, but I think that Nikon should provide Capture NX, its imaging software developed by Nik and Nikon, should not be an add-on at additional expense. Other manufacturers provide that imaging software for free, and I wish there were an ultrasonic dust remover, but this camera is a pleasure to use. Hope this helps you make a decision.

This is my first digital camera, well, not really, I had a Sony Mavica 1.1 pixels, cerca 1999.

Previously, for serious work, I used a Canon film body with a Nikon CoolScan which scans 3000 dpi.

The D80 is my first "real" digital SLR and I am completely satisfied with its performance.

I consider myself to be a "semi-pro" and this camera fits perfectly (I like the hand grip and features much better than its' sister D40 & D70 models).

OK. One year passed since I've bought this camera so I can get into a review of my personal experience with it.
First of all, if you consider into buying this model, you should know that this is not a dSLR that you can use on auto settings and get fabulous results. Get a point and shoot for that or a D40/ D40x. D80 seems to be tuned to provide best results with manual modes or semi-auto modes (fixed-aperture or fixed-shutter). I spent almost 1,000 shots until I got used with the behaviour of D80 in different light conditions and with different camera settings. The learning curve may vary, but definitely won't be a steep one.

EXPOSURE: the matrix metering mode is thought to overexpose but, IMO, those that said that use this mode in the wrong situations: high-contrast, high-dynamic scenes which require careful analysis of the zones (with spot metering and/ or center-weighted) and exposure settings should be chosen accordingly. Matrix is fabulous for shooting scenes with the sun to your back, overcast or uniform lighting: exposure is perfect. For all other situation I would highly recommend spot metering.

FOCUS: focus is always dependent on the lens you use. If you invest in this DX body, get a good (pro) lens to suit your needs. The 17-55DX (Click here: Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens) from Nikon is a fast-focus, super-sharp lens that allows you to take shots using all capabilities of the D80 AF system. However, there are some cheaper lens I would recommend, one of them is the 50mm f/1.8 prime (Click here: Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras), super cheap bargain for the quality you get. The new 55-200VR (Click here: Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Zoom Nikkor Lens + Hoya 52mm UV Haze Protector Glass Filter + CapKeeper Lens Cap Strap + 6-Piece Cleaning Kit - for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras including Nikon D40, D40x, D50, D70, D70s, D80, D100, D200 & D300) is also a bargain but don't expect to get similar sharpness as from the 17-55DX. Overall focus is very fast WITH a fast-focusing lens but will require some learning form you especially if you'll use single point focus so some recomposing technique should also be learned.

COLORS: You'll be ABSOLUTELY AMAZED by the colors this camera will provide you considering that you nailed the exposure and set correct camera settings. Skin tones are natural, vivid and well balanced, blues are deep, reds are explosive, greens are smoothly rendered. But please take tests on all three color modes (two sRGB modes, I and III and one Adobe RGB mode, II) and see which suites you best. If you intend RAW, go for Adobe RGB; for JPEGS use I or III sRGB modes. You should be aware, though, that deep reds tend to overexpose on I and, especially mode III, so either compensate exposure, either go for RAW and mode II. Overall, colors are marvelous and you'll get amazing results once you'll learn how to master the camera.

Please get yourself two rechargeable batts. One is not enough if you intend to shoot all day. Another option would be to buy the grip, the MB-D80 (Click here: Nikon MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera), that allows you to stick 6 AA batteries or two EN-EL (Click here: Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200 Digital SLR Camera) rechargeable. With 2 nikon rechargeable batteries the autonomy is VASTLY improved.

HIGH ISO: From my experience, the limit of all-around ISO setting is 1250 for best-detailed photos. However, as you'll learn to better expose ISO 1600 is perfectly usable and ISO 3200 for Black and White or small-sized photos (4x6"). Please remember that higher you get with the ISO, more important is to nail the exposure in order to minimize the noise. In-camera high-ISO noise reduction does marvels IF you'll shoot JPEGs, but please don't use it if you go RAW: you'll loose details.

The camera body is made for middle-sized hands. For bigger hands, the D200 body is more suitable. Most important, for example, is the distance to the buttons than can be reached with the right thumb (the AE/AF-L and the multiple selector). But the controls operate smoothly and you can do a lot of customizing to fit your needs.

Overall, this is an excellent camera and don't get fooled by reviews that point to poor image quality. Almost all cases of poor image quality come from improper use and not enough testing of this camera capabilities. My first results were awful, but after a couple of weeks of continuous learning I started to get amazing results. I'm suggesting 5 topics you SHOULD learn/ cover before or simultaneous with using this camera:

1. Basic controls: aperture, shutter speed, ISO and how they interact;
2. Relationship between aperture and depth of field;
3. Ansel Adams zone theory; very educative
4. Color temperature and color temperature correction
5. RAW files processing

About #5 above, please get yourself good RAW processing software. I use, for my workflow, Nikon's Capture NX (Click here: Nikon Capture NX Software for Windows and Mac) and Adobe Photoshop (Click here: Adobe Photoshop CS2): I squeeze most of image from Capture NX, save it as TIFF and make final adjustments in Photoshop.

Good luck, D80 is worth each penny I spent on it.
And no, I'm not on Nikon's payroll. ;)

I had a Canon DRebel 300D for 1.5 years before I finally upgraded to the Nikon D80. I waited SOOOOOO long for this camera! I was so excited to get it! Well right off the bat I noticed the focus was off on the camera. I had an 85mm lens (I previously shot with a 50mm) so I thought maybe it was a focal length/shutter speed issue. Then I started noticing metering issues....so many of my pictures were either seriously over or underexposed. Again, I attributed it to user error. But it kept happening and finally I googled the D80 and metering problems and VOILA! It would appear there are quite a few of us struggling with this. Ken Rockwell actually has a good article on the D80 where he addresses these issues.

My camera works well as a studio camera (with strobes) but is very inconsistent for natural light photography. This is a huge disappointment for me. I find myself using my old Rebel to shoot often and that's just sad after spending so much money on a new camera.

This camera could be great if they worked out the "bugs".

I own the D70 and have enjoyed it tremendously. I do quite a bit of event work and picked up a D200 last year (owned by another photographer) and was convinced that it was too heavy to carry. Another friend owned a D80 and had nothing but good to say about it compared to his D70 so I decided to give it a try. The D80 seems to be the best option for those considering weight and contemplating an upgrade or first time investment in a digital SLR from Nikon. I love the larger lcd display and am getting used to the differences in the way the camera responds to light and records color, both are fine but different. Many new options -- some needed and some for the 1st time user who doesn't know how to work with photoshop. . . such as black and white, other color shifts, in camera cropping and exposure adjustments (I'll probably never use these features) Overall I give it 5 stars. I highly suggest you get a DVD on how to use the camera. . . even if you already know a lot. It is great to sit down and go through the features to familiarize yourself with the camera -- visually on DVD where you can stop and review with camera in hand rather than reading a manual that doesn't give you the same type of introduction. It takes a great deal of familiarity with the camera to be able to answer your questions using the manual. I personally like the Elite Video Series (Nikon D80 Made Easy).

Very good choice for your first camera in the Nikon line. Auto focus a little slow, Kit lens to "slow" to allow you to make a photograph in your kitchen without camera movement, or use of a flash. Your kitchen is usually the brightest room in your house. Smartest choice, is to buy the camera body only and than buy the Nikon 50 mm f1.8 D lens here, < http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-50mm-Nikkor-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00005LEN4/ref=pd_bbs_3/105-0107392-3918020?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1191098706&sr=8-3 > , this lens is the best value of a lens in the world. There is always time to spend your money on a zoom lens, use your feet. Any digital camera you buy today you will replace in 3-5 years, this is a smart start.

I had to decide between the D200 and the D80. The D80 is perfect for me and it is much cheaper. I ever dreamt of having a Nikon. Now i got my Nikon!

I have had the D80 for 3 months now, and am totally loving it. I use the 18-55mm kit lens, the inexpensive 50mm/f1.8 prime and 70-300mm VR lens. The only challenge I am facing is with getting the expensive 105mm f/2.8 VR lens, as the cheaper AI-S lenses do not meter with D80.

If you expect to use a large number of specialised lenses, you may want to consider the D200/D300, as they would allow metering with the older AIS lenses.

It would have been nice for Nikon to actually disclose the useful life of the shutter, and its replacement cost.

I struggled with my purchase between the Nikon D40, D80, the Sony Alpha, Canon XTi, but ultimately made a great decision. This camera will do it all. My wife can shoot auto mode and get great shots, I can shoot in customized / priority or manual modes and get the action shots I want. Easy to use, lots of glass available, quick, light, and fun to shoot.

Ordered this camera body as new, what was received was a rebuild. Beware of Adorama!

UNA VEZ MAS NIKON SE DESTACA, EXCELENTE PESO , PRECIO Y RENDIMIENTO .
SERIA BUENO QUE LA DISTANCIA FOCAL FUESE MAS CERCANA , Y QUE AMAZON TUBIESE PAGINA EN ESPAÑOL

This is a 99% perfect camera. But that remaining 1% is a catastrophic failing which, sadly, outweighs all of its strengths.

That crucial flaw is the matrix metering algorithm. Nikon reconfigured the matrix metering so that newbies to SLR photography could be sure they wouldn't underexpose the center of their images. The result is horrible for advanced amateur or professional photographers. Why? Because as another reviewer on Amazon put it, this means that "[w]ith a dark central area, it's far too easy to blow out the highlights. When they're gone, they're gone. No amount of magic can put back what isn't there to begin with."

Exactly. If you autofocus on something in the shadows in a brightly lit meadow, the D80 will radically overexpose the meadow. If you focus on a dark blue car in a sunny parking lot, the D80 will radically overexpose the parking lot.

Sadly, the overexposure problem is unpredictable. You cannot merely underexpose by, say -.7 EV or -1.0 EV to solve it. You must tweak exposure for EVERY NEW COMPOSITION to be sure you won't blow out highlights.

NIKONS WHICH GET AUTOMATIC MATRIX METERING RIGHT: The Nikon D70 (antique now) gets matrix metering exactly right. the D200 gets it exactly right. I presume the D50 gets it right.

NIKONS WHICH GET IT TERRIBLY WRONG: The D80 and the D40/D40X series.

How can so many owner reviews not mention this fatal flaw? I'm not sure, but possibilities include: (1) they raved in the first week of owning the camera, before they'd experienced a wide range of lighting situations, (2) they use flash all the time, (3) they mostly shoot in a narrow range of ambient light, and, my guess (4) they are first-time owners who lack any previous standard of comparison.

Whatever the reason, I'm right about this, and if you wanted a camera that can avoid blowing out highlights automatically, you'll be sorry if you buy the D80.

I am not the only advanced amateur who loved his D80 at first ...until he discovered this fatal flaw. Check out Ken Rockwell's dramatic retraction (!) of his endorsement of this camera -- he initially raved about it, then about a month later he simply deleted that review and replaced it with one which complains bitterly about how screwy the matrix metering algorithm is. (He actually calls the metering on all D80's "defective").

I bought the D 80 body to lighten my load when traveling. The D200 is a wonderful machine but bulky. The D80 has all the important characteristics of its bigger brother,especially the bright viewfinder, and with the the 18-200 VR lens it is the perfect travel companion.

It takes time to learn to use this camera -- and I'm still early on the learning curve. I am definitely not impressed with the new G lenses -- my older 2.8 lenses produce a far clearer image. In short, I probably should have purchased a D200 or waited for the D300. Regardless of the hype about VR, better have a tripod or monopod at all times when at 200mm telephoto. The "2 f-stop" claim is either bull, or this camera without VR and a 6.3 lens produces nothing but blur. Still, it took a bit of time with my F-5 (far, far superior equipment) and I'm willing to try.

I would definitely buy this camera and lens kit again. I am a beginner budding photographer, and love it. It's pretty user friendly. My photos come out looking like a pro shot them. Even for absolute beginners using Auto mode, you'll still get much better photos from this camera than anything else out there. The Nikon lenses for their D80 kit is much better than the comparable Cannon kit lenses.

Having shot film for over 35 years, I researched DSLRs for over six months. Cost was not an issue. The D80 exceeds every need and nearly every want. I've sold prints in galleries and have clients who buy stock photography images--though I'm hardly even a semi-pro. I'm a writer who wanted digital to complement magazine assignments. The D80 is rock solid. The battery outlasts the 2Gb memory card. I use the 18-200 VR Zoom, and if the camera has a shortcoming, it's that 3 fps isn't much if you're at a sporting event. There's a great focus lock though that takes care of nearly all that might otherwise be a problem. A buyer needs to know clearly, though, that camera's don't make bad photographs--photographers do. Learn all you can about the D80 and let it work for you. It's a great piece of equipment.

Love this camera! It replaced my Fuji S2 which was built based on the Nikon body, but the Fuji is heavy and not as fast as it could be. Since I got the Nikon D80 I've hardly picked up the Fuji. The Nikon is lighter, faster, and better battery use. Even when using the D80 with a single battery and not the dual batteries, I've yet to run out of power on one battery. The Nikon D80 is considerably lighter than the Fuji even with the dual battery pack. And since the Fuji was based on the Nikon body, I can use my old Nikon lenses as well as the newer Nikon lenses. Great camera.

I had one of these where I worked and it's now great to have one for play. I love the size of the body and the quality of the images. I recommend this to any amateur looking to step it up.

This is a great great camera! I was undecided between the D80 and the more expensive D200. This is the best bang for your money hands down! Amazon offered the best price, and it was delivered quickly. I also ordered the 18-200mm VR lens. This baby is fantastic! This is a great lens that covers an amazing range. The lens delivery was a bit delayed and did not arrive when the body did. All in all, I would highly recommend these.

This is a very good camera for the money. The pictures are fantastic. It is very ergonomic in the hands and a ease to use. I am still working on trying all the features as they are numerous. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone that currently uses a 35MM SLR in either a digital or Film format. For anyone currently using one of the small compact Digital cameras, this camera might be a bit daunting but with practice, anyone can become accustomed to the many features the camera offers.

This camera has just about every feature that the intermediate and advanced photographer would want. And nearly all work very well at an extremely high level of quality (i.e., color rendition is excellent, it permits relatively quick sequential shooting for a digital camera, etc.) Hence it would be perfect for them. But for a novide it would be overkill and too expensive. For these photographers the D40 would be a better choice. For the professional a more durable camera with a few more features such as the D200 would suffice. Hence the camera is great for the intermediate to advanced level market.

The camera itself is not only heavily loaded with features but it is relatively ergonomic, has a fairly decent battery lifespan and, with the 18mm-200mm lens can do everything that required a large set of lenses (and the accompanying bag) that were needed in the past world of film cameras. Hence it is perfect for trips. One does not need to lug around 100 lbs. of equipment.

I did a lot of research and bought a Pentax K10D. Right away the Pentax bothered me because it was really loud when taking pictures. It sounded like a little hammer was banging around inside it every time I took a shot.

Also, and more importantly, after a week of owning it I just was not happy with image quality. It took very soft pictures, even with one of the prime lenses (though I have been told I just needed to work with the images and fix them up. I didn't relish the thought of having to 'fix' all of my images). I also started to get a little worried about ever being able to upgrade to a better camera and use my lenses.

At any rate, I took it back and got a D80. What a difference! For starters it is much quieter, while focusing and shooting. It also takes crystal clear photos right out of the box, even in RAW form.

If you are trying to decide between this and the K10D I would recommend you go with the D80. It is easy to use, has intuitive controls and takes great pictures.

I know it is more expensive but if you want to get serious about photography IMO you will be more happy with the D80, especially if you want easy access to lenses, camera upgrades and to shoot clear pictures right away.

One of the features I like the most is the Auto ISO feature. Works great for all my indoor shots. One of the things that was not very obvious initially was that in Program mode, if the flash is switch, the Auto ISO is overridden to the ISO setting's value.

Overall, good results so far.

Its great, but IMO a APS-C sensor is too small for 10MP, it reveals the imperfections of the lens and is half as sensitive as the 6mp versions. If i was buying again i would a get a d40 since it has most of the features like the big screen. If you use DX glass its the perfect body and leaves money for accessories like sb-800.

It's been awhile that I've used a SLR (Canon AE-1)
and (IMO) Digital is far superior to film! I've had this
camera for a month and have taken some great pics
without knowing all of the functions and the camera's
potential. I'll get the (heavier) 70-300mm VR Lens
next, and that will meet my current needs. This 18-
135mm Lens is very light and is great for the money
but has some minor limitations that I can live with.
Other reviews will point out these limitations, but
keep in mind the cost and your use/needs. However,
the wide angle does a good job! Also, keep in mind
the pics will look much better when up-loaded to your
computer versus what you see on the camera's LED
monitor. The camera's monitor doesn't begin to do your
photos justice at all! And, this D-80 is much lighter
than the pro D-200. BTW- I bought the Hoya 67mm
UV(0), Skylight 1B, and Cir-Polarizing filters and Lexar
2 GB 133x SD Memory from Don's Camera. I also bought
the Nikon Camera bag, but need another for all of the
accessories, etc. I think I'll get the Sierra bag for D-80s
since it has easy access and holds a camera with a longer
6 inch lens (70-300mm) attached.

i am a nikon fans.i bought this camera in Oct 2007.this product worth the value of it.i tested the noise of the ccd, and the result is amazing: no noise point in low ISO 100 at 8" exposure. the pictures are also excellent,the color is vivid and the image is sharp. the lense in this kit is ok, and i plan to buy more lenses like 50/1.4 and micro 105 VR.

I just upgraded from a Nikon D100 and will say that this Nikon D80 is a solid performer. I'm a novice but not a professional yet. I have taken some visually stunning pictures with the D80 that not even the D100 could produce without using photoshop. The details that now can be seen is nothing more than the art of technology. Never again will I fall to far behind the power curve. If you're looking for an upgrade and dont want to spend alot of money but need to be competative, the Nikon D80 will not let you down.

Overall this is a great camera. It's a little overwhelming since I'm an amateur photographer and new to DSLR's. It's a good idea to spend some time reading the manual and fully understanding all the camera's capabilities & settings. The camera takes wonderful pictures. The only downside is the camera's tendency to underexpose pictures & make them a little dark. I have found you must have a good flash like the SB-600 (or SB-800) to truly make this camera great.

Coming from a prior point & Shoot camera owner to a nikon D80 was a big step for me. I choose the D80 over the D40 because of the on camera photo editor that allows me to edit photos prior to uploading to web for local photo printing. The nikon d80 is several steps above entry level DSLR that gives me the ability to take shots that I just could not get from my point & Shoot camera and guess what it accomplished that and more with photos that are extremely detailed and color rich. In addition to the Nikon D80 body I choose the Nikon 18-200mm vr lens, Nikon SB800 flash (A must) and a 60mm micro lens. In the future I will be purchasing a nikon 10-24mm wide angle lens.

It is just what I want. Easy to use (the menu system is very good). Small enough to carry. Good image quality.

I knew this camera was going to be great but, WOW! The picture quality is amazing. I had a N65 and thought is was great but there is nothing like having a digital camera. I now can take picture after picture and keep or develop only the pictures that are good and not have the added expense of film and developing all pictures.

- Battery life is excellent - I hav used camera for two weeks with flash photos and battery is only at 1/2.
- Flash photos are very good color and image.
- Flash adjusts very well to almost all photo situations.
- Zoom is very powerful. I am able to get close-up shots from far away.
- The wide angle is wide enough for almost every wide shot needed.
- I have the camera set to 10.2 m and fine. I can still take over 500 photos with 4GB HCSD memory.
- The color seems to always be true.
- Flash recovery is fast.
-Automatic flash pop up when needed.
- The camera set-up on most defaults make taking photos easy and very sharp.
I recommend this to everyone.

I bought this camera in the Spring of 2007 after owning a D50 for almost a year. I shoot a couple hundred shots a month unless I am going to an event or attraction and then that number goes way up. You can see examples of my photography on Amazon under the D80, Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, Nikon D50 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only), Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens, etc. under the Customer Images area.

Here are my thoughts on this camera compared to the D50.

I am glad I updated because the D80 lets you do more tweaking then the D50 and the performance is at a higher level. The increase to 10 from 6 MP is visible on large photos. The increased buffer and slightly higher frame rate then the D50 really helps in action photography. The Nikon MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera is a great addition that the D50 does not have and that allows for longer shooting without changing the batteries and for better camera control when the camera is turned sideways in portrait orientation. But the D80 is not perfect. Here are my Pros and Cons.

Pros
-Easy of use and of changing WB, Exposure, Image Format, etc
-Large viewing screen on back of camera
-Large buffer and 3 fps
-rugged construction
-detailed 10.4 MP photos

Cons
-Low level ISO noise seems worse then D50 even with in camera High Iso Noise reduction maxed out
-Lower number of exposures on battery charge then D50
-Well documented problems with over exposure (set EV to -0.3 or -0.7 to compensate)
-Does not have the water resistant seals of D200

I would buy the D80 again, but I really would like to upgrade to the Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) someday. It seems to have 99% of what I want in a camera. Having to buy the pricy battery grip and switch to CF cards after spending $1800 are the only things I don't like about the D300.

This camera has received many accolades from places like CNet and PopPhoto. I own one and find that I make some wonderful photos. I would like to comment however on many misconceptions with the cropped sensor and its limitations. For the photographer who wishes to sell prints and where image quality is paramount, nothing comes close to a full frame sensor. You will pay of course for this feature. Full frame sensors simply put have larger pixels and this captures the image better, with less noise. Also realize that if you continue to buy a cropped sensor camera with more and more pixels, all these pixels are being squeezed into the same size sensor which must be dealt with by the camera using some type of processing, because there will be more noise. Those printing at 8x10 will probably never need more than a 10 megapixel camera. A lens in this casse would be a better idea as most $100 lenses have limitations. If I could I would stick to film, but not having complete control of the final product bothers me(no darkroom.)I think the digital camera is becoming more like a gimmick and companies are duping alot of people. You invest in DX (lenses for cropped sensors made by Nikon) and all of a sudden they make a D3 full frame sensor, sure it will take a DX lens, but that defeats the purpose doesn't it? Eventually they will make all cameras full frame, but thats after you've bought about 4-6 cameras. My point is be careful about your purchases and realize the misconceptions being thrown out there. That buying the latest and greatest is not the answer and waiting it out might be the best solution. Getting for instance a D200 for its better metering system is a better decision than getting 12 megapixel camera,simply for the higher pixel count. I've tried to simplify things here to make a point. These camera companies are doing with digital cameras what they could not do with a simple straightforward 35mm film camera, and that is sell you alot of lies.

Can anyone tell me if this camera from Amazon is the USA model with USA warranty?
I'm also interested in buying the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens,
here from Amazon, but nowhere on the site does it mention the USA warranty on either product. I wrote to Amazon to ask, but got a reply stating that they couldn't answer my question. Any help would be appreciated.

Bought both this camera and the Nikon 40X as Christmas gifts and everyone in the family couldn't be happier with both of these excellent cameras!
My hubby was formally trained at the New York Institute of Photography way back in the 1970s and way before digital. It took this long for him to even consider buying a digital/SLR and he is SO HAPPY with the D-80 with this lens. I haven't seen him take this many photos since our kids were born years ago and it doesn't look like a passing thing either. We now have 4 cats so there's plenty of opportunities right there. And we look forward to our next trip as we are like 2 kids in a candy store. I am not trained in any way, so I just keep it on auto and snap away. WOW is all we can say! Read the explicit reviews for all the particulars, but just know that you can't go wrong with this camera. And the 40X has also passed with flying colors. You should also be able to find good deals on both. We've now ordered some filters & the remote, and will buy another lens. Be sure to only buy VR lenses as they are great!

I am new to photography and had been wanting a digital camera for a long time, and bought my first one this summer. After months of research and comparison shopping, I decided on the D80. This camera was awesome right out of the box - I was taking amazing pictures the very first day I got it! It comes with a quick-start guide which shows you the basics, and by the time the battery charged (an hour and a half) I was off & running!

I don't know why I waited so long, I absolutely love this camera! Start-up is very fast, as is the autofocus, and continuous shooting is a blast! The buttons and menus are very user-friendly and intuitive. The pop-up flash makes pictures taken in bad lighting conditions look great, and the battery lasts an unbelievably long time. Everything I do looks amazingly clear & crisp.

I love the 18-135 lens that came with the camera, it allows me to capture close-ups, landscapes, or zoom in for intricate detail. Lately I've been experimenting with the different modes (portrait, sports, etc) and getting some awesome shots. I admit the owner's manual is a bit intimidating; it contains a lot of good information but is a little overwhelming for a newcomer like me! I've learned a lot in the last 6 months though, and feel I will 'grow into' the more advanced features. I guess I'm a little spoiled because for a first camera - Wow! I am taking professional-quality shots, I feel like a pro just owning this camera. It does all I'll ever need it to do. If you are shopping for a digital slr camera, treat yourself to the D80, it is worth every penny.

I use Extreme III 2-Gig SD cards and highly recommend them also.

Got the D80 with the 70-300VR and 50mm f2/8 lenses in time for the holidays! Also ordered the SB600 flash. Got some great pictures! I took over 1500 pictures in 2 weeks. Can't believe the quality at times! Very happy with it. Hope to understand the more technical features of it like aperture and shutter priority. Happy with my decision.

I bought this as a xmas gift for my wife as we were expecting our second child, and she had moved from her film slr to a canon powershot. This camera has all the features you could want, but at the same time is a simple point and shoot camera that even I can use to take photo's of our newborn son.

If you aren't super serious you might want to check out the d40x, but everything I read online said to pay the few extra hundred to the d80 line, and I'm happy we did.
Battery life is amazing, and with a 4 gig card (purchased at Frys) it can hold over 500 pictures'

We love it

First of all, I am an amateur photographer. I do, however, have years of experience shooting 35mm SLR photographs. My favorite camera, which I still own was my old reliable Nikon FE. I have recently made the change to digital photography. Having loved my old FE and having confidence in Nikon, I bought a Nikon D80. Up to now, I haven't really gotten into the meat of the camera, so to speak. I've mainly been playing with shooting photos from the full green auto mode, while I read up on the many other features of the camera. I am extremely disappointed in the flash photos using the full auto mode and onboard flash. They are all underexposed and very dark. I sent an email to Nikon's technical support, along with some photo samples. The technician agreed that the photos were underexposed. However, he told me that he felt the camera was working properly. Remember now, these were fully auto mode photos. There was no operator error, since I had left all settings up to the camera (auto exposure, auto focus, auto ISO, auto aperture setting, auto shutter speed, and auto white balance). I find it disappointing to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $1200 or so for a Nikon DSLR, and, in order to get properly exposed photographs, if you're wanting to just point and shoot, you have to shoot in another mode such as Program mode and adjust the exposure, or, brighten up your auto mode photos with photo editing software after you've uploaded them to your computer. There are a lot of good things about this camera, but, since this a $1200 Nikon camera, I'd expect it to not only take a decent auto mode flash photograph, but that any auto mode flash photo taken by this camera would be outstanding.

I've owned my D80 for over a year, now, and because of it, I am selling virtually all my film cameras, from 35mm to 4X5" behemouths.

I never thought I would be saying that, but this camera has convinced me that the digital age is here to stay! The body is absolutely wonderful! With some common-sense adjustment of exposure and knowing when to manually focus, this camera does it all.

The camera matches the quality of the D200 easily when it comes to image quality. While there might be some advantage in owning a camera with the ruggedness of the D200, I have yet to find it.

Coupled with the SB600 or SB800 and my SB26s, which are still wonderful flashes, I have a great compact photo studio!

I need to mention one very large caveat. The 18-135mm lens is good enough for some general shooting situations, but unless you really want to travel light, it is still best to carry extra lenses for sharpest results and flattest fields overall. While I have and am selling several professional bodies, I am keeping all my D lenses, which work wonderfully with the D80!

I love this camera! I puchased a Coolpix 8800 a couple of years ago, which I found to be flawed, especially having to view through an LCD finder and placement of some controls. I now use it as a backup to the D80 and find that in that role it is worth keeping.

I have made wonderful 20X30 enlagements with the JPEGs from this camera. With the RAW files, you can rival medium format film with less hassle and more versatility by far.

I loved my Nikon D50! and had no complaints. But Santa gave me a D80, and who wouldn't want a few more MegaPixels, another half frame per second, and the ability to add a cool vertical grip :) Now I love my D80, and have zero complaints :)

I have had my D-80 for over a year,I continue to be impressed by how easy it is to take crystal clear pictures. I suplemented my purchase with the 135mm micro Nicor lens.

I have owned the D50 for about a year, and after reading a report by Ken Rockwell I decided to upgrade. One feature I opted for is the variable ISO setting. It operates exactly as advertised and was worth the trade by itself. The increase from 6 to 10 Mpixels alone is not worth the extra investment, but I love the camera and would do it again. I use the 55mm to 200mm VR zoom with this body and it works!

Unless you want to constantly change the camera settings, the Nikon d80 overexposes pictures. This means that the picture looks extremely white in some cases, especially if you take a shot that includes the sky. This is the case even when the camera is set in auto mode. One would expect that auto mode would produce a balance picture quality. Instead most pictures taken in bright light, even the sun reflecting off an object, will be extremely white to the point where you cannot see the features or "highlights." It is a shame because this camera is rather expensive!

Based on several reviews and web postings, the D70 underexposes and the D80 overexposes. From what I am reading, some people buy the D70 to find out that it underexposes--meaning that the pictures are very dark. A lot of people who bought the D70 got stuck with it because they believed that the underexposure was due to their not knowing how to use the camera. So, they end up buying the D80, which is presented as an upgrade. However, the other extreme happens in the D80; it overexposes. Some people are smart enough to return it immediately. Others fall trap to the notion that overexposure is due to their not knowing how to use the camera. When they realize that the D80 has a defect, it is too late to return. Some end up buying yet another upgrade--the D200. I have not used the D200, but from most accounts, it does not have the exposure problems that is seen in the D70 and D80. Here is my theory: Nikon purposely designed the cameras with a flaw, so that you will never be satisfied with the camera that you buy. As a result, you will end up buying three or more cameras to compensate for the shortcomings of the one before. I have packed my D80 in it original box and I will return it immediately. At first, when I decided that I cannot live with the D80 another day, I was thinking about buying the D200. However, I am skeptical of a company, who designs products to trick consumers into spending more and more money because of dissatisfaction.

Don't buy the D80! If you cannot take "normal" pictures in auto mode, it is useless--especially since the camera was designed for amateurs, as some reviews present.

Do not trust the reviews that say the camera is good, including DPreview. The reviews are done in a way that people who do not know about camera will not get a straight forward presentation as to whether the camera should stay on the shelf.

Nikon, you need to fix the D80 overexposure problem!

We were originally looking to get a D40 or a Canon Rebel. We went to a big box store just to see how the cameras actually felt and picked the D80 up just because it happened to be next to the other two models of interest.

Our immediate impression was that we like the way the D80 felt in the hand better. The top LCD screen and additional control wheel make a huge difference to the ease of use. If you intend to take the camera out of manual mode a lot then the additional control and setting readouts is nice.

We ended up getting the D80 and a 18-70mm kit lens to start with (if you can do without a zoom lens I think I'd recommend starting out with the Sigma 30mm 1.4/f instead). The D80 has been an excellent choice for us. It is fine for basic shots and the auto mode works quite well for snap shots and the like. The camera really shines when you want to be a bit more creative or take more control though. I've used a D40 but have found the D80 manual mode much easier to use (due to the extra control wheel and LCD).

If you're just looking for an upgrade from a point and shoot which you can change the lens on and occasionally control manually then the D40 should be perfectly all right. If you intend to run in manual mode more often or expect to get more into photography I think the D80 is an excellent camera to grow with.

I really enjoy this camera and I received it fairly quickly from Amazon, but I was a little disappointed to see that I was not the first one to open the box nor the first one to use the Lowepro camera strap that was free with purchase. The products seem to be fine but very disappointed that the packaging for both items were already opened. Also, I really enjoy the camera, but it was very discouraging and frustrating when I tried to shoot an inside event with my SB-80DX flash. Although my flash is "compatible," it is not designed for digital cameras; so, I have to go buy another $400-500 flash - just another way for the camera industry to stick it to you.

I have been a Nikon user for many years and have Nikon SLR's from the F through the F4S. I wanted to upgrade my digital camera and asked for this one. "Santa" was generous and got it for me - along with the 18-135mm Nikon lens. I can't say enough about the quality. I have discussed the differences with a friend who has the D200. He bought his specifically for the accelerated burst rate on the D200. I have been very impressed with the burst rate on the D80 & it is more than enough for the things I take photos of the most. This is the best Nikon digital for the money IMHO. Other post 1977 Nikon lenses work on the camera (something that it not as true for the D40 - another reason that I wanted the D80).I have small hands and the D80 fits perfectly. I found the F4S and the D200 a bit too large for a comfortable grip for me. I use this camera every day - and still have lots of things to try out on it.Uploading photos is a breeze. I also like using the remote. I LOVE this camera and highly recommend it!

I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT BRAND NEW FROM AMAZON WITH THE LENS PACKAGE IT CAME WITH. AFTER TAKING ONLY 68 SHOTS IT STOPPED WORKING. I GOT AN F-- ERROR. I REMOVED AND REPLACED THE LENS AND IT STILL DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE TOP BORDER WAS BLACK. I HAVE HAD THE PRODUCT FOR ABOUT 2.5 MONTHS SO IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD TO PAY $37 TO SEND IT INSURED BY UPS TO NIKON. I WAS TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED. I WAS SOLD A BAD EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT FROM THE BEGINNING AND I STILL HAVE TO PAY TO SHIP IT BACK SO THAT THEY WOULD FIX IT. I DECIDED TO TRY NIKON BECAUSE MINOLTA WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. THAT WAS A SAD LOSS FOR THE PHOTO WORLD. I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER NIKON AGAIN.

Like others I spent a long time reading and discussing the benefits of a DSLR. Now I have a D80 I would urge everyone to avoid entry models and get your options in your hands before making a decision. Wanting to take pics of family, wildlife and sporting events and avoid lots of lens changing made the 18-200mm a no brainer. After a month I can say the research was worth it and pics in RAW are significantly better than jpeg it reminds me of when I first heard CD v vinyl.Buying on Amazon was the best deal and faultless delivery.

I purchased the D80 bundle with 18-55mm and 55-200mm VR lens. I absolutely love the 55-200mm VR lens, but seriously thinking about getting rid of the 18-55mm lens. I'm currently waiting for the new Nikkor 16-85mm lens, but it will not be out for another few weeks.

I have owned the camers for 2 months now and can say that I have made a great purchase. I have taken over 3000 pictures so far and the quality has been great. I recently purchase the SB-800 speedlight to compliment the camera and boy does it. If you are reading this may I suggest that you purchase the D80 with the 18-135mm VR lens bundle. That lens is versitile and I wish I could have purchased that bundle.

As for the camera body, it is outstanding, and as for the 18-55mm lens well you can be the judge of it. The Nikon D80 is the best camera that you can purchase under $1000 dollars hands down. I have a close friend who purchased a Canon 40d and you can't tell the pictures apart.

At times the 18-55mm lens is slow to focus. I attribute that to the lens and not the camera. The 55-200mm VR lens functions flawlessly. The 18-55mm lens is really cheap because it sells for under $100 and the saying goes you get what you pay for. And as for the camera body..........you get more than what you pay for.

Agree with Marlon Wilson that Nikon D80 has over exposure problem. The matrix metering system is flawed. All auto-modes use it and user cannot change to Spot or Center weighted which are always spot on so I returned it in 1 week after full testing and got a D40x instead which has no over exposure problems.

I've had this camera for about six months, and enjoy the freedom it gives me. However, it has three major flaws. The first is that whenever I am shooting continuously - usually on location - the on/off switch switches off without warning. This is because of its location, to be sure. The second is that even when I underexpose my shots several stops, the metering still blows out the highlights in most daytime pix. And lastly, autofocus just doesn't work at night, and I have to manually focus. So I really enjoy the pictures when I can take them...but that isn't always as easy as I would expect with this hardware.

I was used to take photos with a FM3 (Nikon - film). I realy like a film machine, but I also falled in love with this digital camera (Nikon D80). I like to take pictures in a manual mode and this camera allows me to do that! And, of course, if you want it does everything in automatic mode! Furthermore, it's pretty good in vibration reduction, specialy in a slow speeds! The unique negative point is the battery, however you can take almost 250 pictures before charge it!

What can I say that hasn't been already said. If you are deciding which DSLR to get, and the D80 is in your options, GET THE D80! Uncomparable to the D40, D40x and the new D60 in many ways. Lens compatibility is the main reason why I purchased the D80. I can switch/borrow lenses from my friends who own D100, D200, D70x and D300. That alone helped me make my decision. The D80 has a lot of the features that higher tier DSLR also has. A very good buy!

I own both the D40 and D80; it's a overkill having two for what I do as an amateur/leisure photographer, but this is a great camera that does all I need. The differentiator between D40 and D80 for what I do are the following: AF lens support (D80), faster function/info access (D80), finer controls (D80), and portability (D40). I don't see the D40 as an inferior camera; in fact, it's much easier to shoot to get good pictures. Using the kit lens 18-55mm 3.5-56G Nikkor, I can lug the D40 all day and not break a sweat.

With the D80, I find myself playing with the control much more trying to get a different shot, and this is my portrait camera as well as my photography teacher. I use a 80-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor ED lens typically, and it doesn't focus as fast as my 18-200mm VR lens. The VR lens makes it almost too easy to get sharp pictures, but the fast aperture AF lens is more satisfying to shoot because it's more challenging.

In conclusion the D80 is a versatile and capable camera for an aspiring photographer that wants to learn the technicals, while the D40 is a great SLR camera for anyone that wants to take good pictures.

I have my D80 for a month now with the kit lens and I'm still playing around with it. There is indeed some exposure issues as most photos tend to be underexposed. But it's not too big of an issue for me. Another thing is that it is too big for my slim fingers. Holding it for more than a few minutes at a time can be somewhat painful for my hands. Well, maybe I just need to get used to it. Probably the D40 would have been perfect for my hands, I've tried it before but I have no regrets of getting the D80. I love it despite its flaws!

If you looking for a affordable camera with great features, this is the camera you need to buy.Very good for family photos.

Having worked my way through an entry level digital camera and a pretty good ZLR, I was ready for more megapixels, more features and more lenses. After much research, I bought the Nikon D80 with the 18 t0 135mm zoom Nikkor lens, in part because I have had Nikons before and had older, manual focus lenses that I could use. It does take wonderful pictures, and the features are amazing, giving you great control with some study and experimentation. But as for the lens that it came with it, big trouble. I bought the camera in August, and it's first break down was in November (yes, first). Nikon repaired it under warranty, but they do not pay the inbound postage, which given age of this lens, only a couple of months old, I felt they should have. Got it back, and I was happy enough, until 200 or 300 photos later, in early February, the lens broke again, same problem. This time Nikon sent me a prepaid mailer, and they have now had my lens in the shop for several weeks. So in the 5 month life of this lens, it has been back at Nikon for repairs for 5 weeks! And they refuse to just give me a new lens, it is so obviously a lemon, so now I basically have a factory reconditioned lens that I paid full price for! I bought this as a starter lens, but I didn't expect it to actually NOT WORK!!! I am so ready to buy other lenses for this camera, but can't quite bring myself to pay for another Nikon. A photographer friend of mine who works for a local paper said, in looking at the lens, that they make cheap versions and slap the Nikon name on them, to offer attractive pricing on their pacakged sets. Well, this certainly isn't the quality I expect from Nikon, nor the treatment after the purchase ... overall, the experience has been a very disappointing one, and i am back to shooting with my ZLR. Hope you have better luck if you decide to take the plunge with this one...

I've owned a Nikon D40 for more than a year now, and more recently had bought a Canon XTI/400D. I've been wanting to upgrade to something more than an entry-level camera, and I've been eyeing the D80 for a while now, so I decided to go for it. It' s a great camera, but not without it's shortcomings.
Pros:
-Well-built, love holding it in my hand. The controls are pretty well-placed so that most of the settings you usually would want to change quickly are within easy reach, not buried in some menu.
-As an upgrade to the D40, the D80 allows for more lens choices. In my case, I wanted the D80 so I can get some prime lenses.
-Contrary to how others feel, I love it's matrix metering. Maybe it's because I'm used to the D40's which is similar to the D80's, so I know what I'm going to get with matrix metering.
-It's simply fast and responsive.
-great 2.5-inch LCD display, plus top LCD which can be lit up is great for looking at some last minute info.
Cons:
Well, I'm not listing them individually. I would just like to say that as far as this camera's shortcomings are concerned, they are pretty much caused by the D80's age. I just bought mine a few days ago (march '08), and at this time, the D80 has been out for two years and there are features that more recent cameras have that is missing from the D80. More important to me are live view, and wider (and finer fine tuning of) image parameter settings (which is great on the Canon XTI), automated sensor cleaning, and maybe a bigger LCD.
BUT, the price of the D80 has gone down considerably. It's much cheaper than the Canon 40D and not that much more than a rebel XTI, so I believe that the D80 is a great buy at this time. It's just a matter of priorities.

Solid feel and excellent picture quality makes this camera unbeatable in its price range.
If you are worried abou the extra bucks you pay for this camera compared to a Digital Rebel, try a test drive! This camera has so many functions you will spend weeks getting to knoww all the features. Or just switch to automatic and have fun.

Very handy camera. This is my first digital slr from switching from film. This camera has all the options you need for any type of photography. Easily switching from automatic to manuel modes. Would suggest to get a high quality lens, a shoe mount flash, and the vertical grip to make this camera all you will need for the best functionality.

I purchased a Canon PowerShot A700 about 2 years ago, thinking it would be the only camera I'd ever need. I use it all the time, but the photographer in me said I needed more control over my exposure than it could provide.

I selected the Nikon D80 based on a number of reviews and research that I did independently. I am thrilled with it, but I will have to say that there are so many bells and whistles in this camera that I may never learn to use them all. I have already purchased 3 books that are specific to the camera, and still can't figure everything out, nor do I need or want to. When I purchased the camera, I ordered it with the 18-135 MM G kit lens. It's a good lens, but I'm going to need a shorter lens, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60 MM.

I have enrolled in the Nikon School to learn as much as I can about the camera, and about digital photography in general. I think this is a good step that will help a lot toward becoming a better photographer, and learning as much as I can about my camera.

Nikon workmanship is the best. No one can come close to it. This camera will serve me well for the rest of my life.

Let me just first say that I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because of the over exposure tendencies o it has.
I can compensate sure but right out of the box this is a small nuisance at first.
I started awhile ago on a N70 and then a N90s and stayed there awhile as I was reluctant to switch to digital. When i did I compared the D200 to the D80 and in hindsight I wish I would have bought the D200... Not because it is significantly better but because of its more rugged body construction and the fact it has a sealed body. I work in and spend a lot of time in a damp and sometimes very wet environment and that extra would have offered a little piece of mind.

Other than that the D80 is Fantastic and I am thoroughly pleased with it.
It Makes picture taking an absolute pleasure as there is no need to change filters on the lens repeatedly as they are all included in the camera software. Minus things like the CP filter or Neutral density.
The colored filters they have included are great.
The body is pretty lightweight and smallish and at least for me it is enhanced a great deal by the addition of the MB-D80 vertical grip.
The added weight is nice for extra stability in slow shutter speed shots.
Ergonomically speaking though the camera is very comfortable to handle and your neck isn't hurting after a day of walking around with it.
The built in flash.... well it is a built in flash you know... buy an SB 600 or 800.

I hope this short review was at least a little helpful.

lots of great lens's for this camera. i got the rebel xti but returned it after lens issues, I now have the D80 and love it. I got a "4 million dollar home" from crumpler as a case, fits it perfect with the 18-135 and a 50mm.

I bought this camera for when I do wedding photography! It is awesome!!! Love it!

This was my 1st DSLR and I'm pretty pleased with it so far. It feels pretty comforable in my hand. I primarily use it for outdoor sports photography. I'm still figuring out my way around it but I will grow into this eventually. This was the best body I could get within my price range and it will be more than enough for a weekend shooter.

Though this camera is priced on the high side of other cameras in its class, it will well worth the money. I has numerous program modes to select from as well as the ability to adjust whatever settings you may need. Beautiful image quality and good in camera picture adjustments such as crop DLighting and more. The VR kit lens is also a good lens for the money.

If you are a beginner looking for a camera that you can grow into, this one will fit nicely.

We are sending back our 2nd D80 now. The lens keeps coming 'detached' and won't take pictures. You have to take it off and put it back on again. It works for awhile and then indicates that it is detached. Nikon indicated they never have had this problem before (despite this being the 2nd incident with us). For a very expensive camera - this is quite frustrating.

I am really enjoying this camera, it is a nice upgrade from the Nikon D40. Heavier, but better.

When I first decided to purchase a DSLR I did a little research and ended up buying a D40 because of it's low cost and "easy of use". I quickly realized I had made a mistake and upgraded to the D80. The D40 was really more difficult to use, requiring me to access the menu every time I wanted to change a simple setting. The D40 took great photos, but it was too frustrating to use.

So, I bought the D80 from Cameta Camera(highly recommend them) and it is just in a different catagory than the D40/40x/60. I'm very happy with it so far and it is well worth the difference in $$$.

Initially I tried out the Canon XTi as well. The D80 seemed far superior to me and it much, MUCH nicer to hold. The XTi's grip is absolutely TERRIBLE. I recently tried out the new XSi as well, and even though it seems like an improvement over the XTi, I still prefer the D80.

so glad I got it,Wanted this camera for a long time,then thought I wanted the 200,it does everything I need and more,the vr lens I got is great and the camera works great with my other nikkor lenses.You have to take time to get to know the menus,but after that you're all set!Turns out I use the features on this camera that are not available on the 200!

We originally purchased a Panasonic DMC-FZ50 to be an all-purpose family camera and were sorely disappointed. The D80 is everything that Panasonic's near-DSLR is not - fast, accurate, crystal clear. Whether an advanced user or a beginner simply wanting a highly performing auto mode, the D80 exceeds expectations.

Paired with an appropriate lens, the D80's auto mode catches a flurry of high-speed, action photos of our toddler. The speed and accuracy have helped us catch more fleeting smiles and funny faces than we had been able to ever catch before. It seemed as though we were always a second late with our prior camera.

I stopped short of a 5 star rating because the D80 does omit some nice features that the higher-end D200 offers. Specifically, the ISO and Wb settings atop the D200 help make experimentation (and learning) somewhat easier. But, nice as they are, the cost of the D200 made those optional for us. After a month with the D80 (and about 3000 photos), we don't miss them. New users shouldn't be intimidated and experts already understand that the Nikon name stands for quality. By the way, the Nikon site offers a great online tutorial for the D80 that does not exist for the D40s or D60. Buy it. You'll love it.

Over 3 days i tried 3 cameras. I wanted a DSLR but was unsure of what to buy. I tried the Nikon D40 first. Although a good camera i didn't think much of the quality of some of the pictures. Second, I was then recommended the Canon XTi. I took 150 shots and took it back to the store. The same, there was just something missing from the shots, it was decent but again something missing. Thirdly, I was recommended the Nikon D80 by my brother who owns one, I have seen his pictures of some of his landscape and nature shots and they where awesome, so on a whim i paid the extra and got the D80. I have to say, i am well impressed, i should of got it from the beginning. This camera was night and day over the D40 and the Canon XTi.

You will not be disappointed by this camera. If your going to pay $600 for an XTi or a lower end Nikon, pay the extra and buy this instead.

Before you buy this camera, Google "D80 autofocus problems". This camera has major autofocus problems and lots of people are experiencing it. My next door neighbor has this camera as well and she's having the same problem. I love all the bells and whistles on the camera and all the different options, but my Kodak Easy Share takes better pictures.

I had a Nikon N70 before I bought the D80 and I loved it. Based on this experience, I will probably never buy a Nikon again.

In 2001, I bought my first serious digital camera the Minolta Dimage 7 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom. It wasn't a true DSLR, but it had a great lens, and at the time 5MP as as much as any amateur could ask. For a long time I felt it might be my last "real" digital camera.

But as time passed and the mega-pixel wars produced cheap point and shoots, I began looking for a camera with more features. Certain really good cameras I ruled out largely because of my personal preference for SD over CF. Thus the Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black) was out. That left Nikons.

One choice was the Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens but 6.1 MP did not seem like much an improvement over the Dimage 7's 5MP. That left two real choices the D80 and the completely over the top Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). MPs were the same, lenses were the same, the photographer (me) was the same, but the price was better. I am sure the D200 would have made me very happy, but the D80 does too.

The quality of this camera with a Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens is simply spectacular. Battery life is outstanding, and with a Transcend 8GB HC SecureDigital (SDHC) Memory Card with USB 2.0 Card Reader + Universal Memory Card Case + 5-Piece Cleaning Kit I get something like a thousand fine quality jpegs on one card.

"Amateur" is French means "lover of". This camera is making me a more passionate amateur photographer everyday.

FANTASTIC !
It does everything the specs call for, without compromise.
Rugged. Reliable. Flexible. Extrermely high performance.
Everything in my Nikon digital system works with it.

The price was attractive. I bought one body to try out.
The next day I ordered a D80 body for each of my staff photographers.

I recently used a D80 all day and got really good shots (Lens was the 105 mm). Great camera. Very nice. The only thing is that the D80 is now two years old and doesn't have some of the latest features, such as self cleaning.
I'm a Nikon fan but Nikon needs to come out soon - now - with the upgrade for the D80.
Canon is eating their lunch in that market area with the new Rebel XSi and the EOS 40D. Other manufacturers are also jumping in.
Personally, I think I will wait for the D90 (if that's what they call the upgrade to the D80) and I hope it's available soon.

There are scores of reviews about the D80 on here, so I'll try to just add relevant information for someone buying this body *now*

If you're buying this body today, I'd suggest buying it for no more than ~650 or so if you can, or even better, buy it used from a reputable source for under 600. The new D90's are coming out soon, and though I love my D80 dearly, it just doesn't make sense to be paying 700+ for this big guy anymore. If you *need* to buy a dslr camera *now* you're probably better off just renting one from a pro camera store.

First let us say we aren't professional photographers and this is more than just an amateurs camera.

Rest assured, it comes with a "soccer mom" switch and I use this term with reverence because you can just switch the upper dial to "Auto" and the camera essentially goes on autopilot and does everything possible to deliver a balanced and focused shot.

If you have problems, you can just call tech support at their toll free number and our call at 1:00 AM Eastern Time was answered in less than 4 rings and we got a hold of an extremely competent individual who was more than patient and placed us on hold only so he go pull an actual D80 and the same lens from a supply closet and walk us through it while holding it himself.

In working with him, you could tell he was an owner and a loyalist and tech support like this you typically have to pay for as a separate line item. Whether or not we already paid for it as just part of the retail camera price or if Nikon just differentiates themselves this way..... the support is one of the reasons Nikon stands apart.

Bill Gates doesn't even get this great tech support when he calls Microsoft himself and gives them his name.

I recently upgraded from a Nikon D70 to the D80, and I am in love with my camera again! I had stopped using the D70 because it seemed no matter what I did my images were always grainy looking. With the D80 all of my images have been extremely sharp, even with an older 300mm lens. I also love being able to hold down the shutter button and let the camera take picture after picture, I have been able to get some amazing shots as a result. I think the built in flash is more powerful than on the D70 as well, some pictures I took inside turned out good and did not look like an obvious flash picture (shadows, dark background, etc.). I highly recommend this camera.

I upgraded from the D40 as my introduction to DSLRs to the Nikon D80. There were a few more knobs and gadgets on the camera but well put together. I went to Seaworld and snapped off some shots with my 18-55mm and my 105mm Fisheye glass. I couldn't believe the difference this was from my D40. I am so impressed with the quality, I am enrolling in UC San Diego Extension class to learn the things I can't seem to get from all the books and manuals I've read. This has become my new passion and I feel, without spending a mortgage payment, this camera can get me to the next level and maybe start getting paid for what I now love to do.

Research the product and figure out what you want to do with it. Whether it be strictly a hobby or move into the professional realm. This camera is a great starting point.

This is my first digital slr camera, which I've had for about a month now and it's great. Considering how many features it has its relatively easy to use, I just picked it out of the box and started getting amazing quality pictures with my nikkor vr 18-200mm lens. I'm sure it'll be only better when i figure out the more obscure details.

The D80 has two problems. The first is a "firmware" defect that causes most pictures to be under exposed, most pictures look too bright. The second problem involves the sharpness of the pictures. I bought almost every lens that Nikon makes, and could never get that sharpness that I was looking for, until I bought the Nikon D300. Wow, the Nikon D300 is INCREDIBLE! The problems I had with sharpness, were do to the SENSOR I believe, and it makes sense! Yes, the D80 takes "good" pictures, but the D300 takes INCREDIBLE pictures. The D80 has a CCD sensor, and the D300 has a CMOS sensor, is this the difference? I don't know, but my D300 takes razor sharp images! Wow. I sold my D80, and I've never been happier!

This camera goes above and beyond anything I could have imagined. It works well the my Sigma lenses I already had and you really can use it to point and shoot or take full control yourself. I have taken some amazing shots with this camera. I recommend getting the DVD that describes all of the camera's functions in more depth. It was a great way to learn the camera.

I researched the Canon EOS 450D and the Nikon D80 for quite some time. All the reviews for both cameras were very positive (making it even more difficult to choose.) Finally decided on the Canon because of the updated feature set and the higher resolution. After checking a few stores, I finally was able to put an incoming camera on hold (with a down payment) at my local Circuit City. After three day's of use, I ended up returning it for the Nikon D80; don't get me wrong, the Canon was a lovely camera but for me it came down to the ergonomics and build quality. Before buying the Canon, a photographer friend who uses all Nikon's commented that both cameras are good cameras but the Nikon could be likened to a Mercedes and the Canon a BMW (no offense to BMW's of course). At the time, I had no clue what he meant, but after using the Canon, and previously demoing the Nikon, I knew what he meant. The Canon's hand grip and significantly lighter weight were uncomfortable for me. The included kit lens (although stabilized) also left much to be desired. Although subjective, the build quality, weight, and ergonomics (button placement, feel, and additional external LCD screen) of the Nikon D80 are very pleasing.

In the end, I think anyone interested in either camera should do like the reviews say and try them out to see which feels better, something that I wasn't able to do as the newness of the Canon did not lend to the stores wanting to even open a box for me to compare. I think anyone would be happy with either, but for me, I'm very happy that Circuit City's exchange program allowed me to exchange, no regrets with the D80 - I love it!

I've had the camera for almost a year. I have no complaints. Search for the Nikkor f1.8 lens and pick that up with it ... you won't be disappointed.

I bought this camera three months ago after having twins because I wanted a good camera to document their growth and that is just what I got. I bought the camera, the case and a 4GB card from amazon, cheaper than anywhere else in town and the items arrived quickly and in great shape. I love this camera and use it daily though I am still figuring out all of the functions. It takes crisp, clear shots and is reminiscent to me of my old Nikon N6o, that I loved. If you are looking for a decent, digital SLR, I highly recommend this one.

well, as a starter, I can only say that this D80 is much better than my stylus500 and feels good

I searched FOREVER to find the right D 80. Now, don't get me wrong. I love a deal but, when I learned about "gray market" cameras.. I was worried. Gray Market cameras are very cheap in comparison to the norm. However, they are made for other countries outside the USA and if you buy and it breaks...NO ONE will want to fix it here. The warrenty will be for another country. Do you really trust sending it to ??? and actually get it back. No dice, friends. So, I found a factory demo from CAMETA Camera for a good price. I did get a USA Nikon 90-day warranty, and a Cameta Camera 1 year warranty, plus I just spent another $129.95 for a "diamond" warranty. The Diamond Warranty covers EVERYTHING from an OOPS issue to a camera malfunction for 3 years. I can live with that. I tried the camera and everything is works perfect. I chose the factory demo because 1-no one really has used the camera. 2-it was checked out and approved for sale 3-the price was about $100 or so less expensive than the new ones.
One final note - if you go on-line you will see broadway camera and a host of other camera outlet retailing their D80's for $300 to $600 for the body. DON'T DO IT. If you go to the BBB.com you'll see a laundry list of complaints. Not to mention it's ONE company who passed itself off as 15 other companies in order to up-sell you on other equiptment and there is a large possibility that you will NOT get what you paid for.
Buyer Beware.

Cameta Rocks and so does Calumet and Adorama.

Happy Shooting!

I bought an used Nikon D80 10.2 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-135 AF-s DX Zoom Nikkor Lens.
It was a very good experience buying this camera, not only because the price, but it cames in the original box as a new one with and as described in Amazon page.
I am taking the most beautiful photos I have never taken.

I upgraded from a Nikon D50 to the D80. I have really enjoyed the extra features that the D80 provides. It is a great camera, a great purchase!

Pretty darn good camera for it's price. Image quality is very good. Have to zoom in pretty far to see any blurring or pixelization. Ease of operation is very good as well. Had qiute a bit of it figured out in a couple of days, to get me rolling, and I haven't even scratched the surface on what it may do.

Unfortunately the optional telephoto lenses from 300mm to 600mm range in price from around $1700 to almost $9500 respectively. So I'll stick to what I have.

I am the typical point a shoot upgrader and was in the market for a DSLR for the month of may. After extensive online research, I ultimately decided for the Nikon D80 and received it 2 days ago. If you want my blessing to buy this product, you got it. If you are interested in my detailed reasoning, read on.
My Sony P&S had reached its limits in terms of image quality and creative freedom (though it has a pseudo manual mode). I long hesitated to go DSLR due to their size and weight, but if you are looking for serious image quality, there is no other option (plus they came a long way in shrinking them). The consumer DSLR market is largely driven by feature craze, so let's take a look at what's out there and how useful some features are at closer inspection. Benchmark is the Canon XSI, since it has all of the latest features and is the newest on the market:
1. Live view: Coming from P&S and wearing glasses, this is obviously a feature I liked. However, it is not practical in real use, since it can cause add'l noise on the sensor due to heat and focusing is not fast enough (Sony and Olympus got canceled off my list due to other reasons). Friends who own the XSI say they never use live view. It's also a significant battery drain. Canon's 600 shot bat life compares to 2,700 on the Nikon.
2. Dust reduction: Already had dust problems on my P&S and it's a known problem on DSLRs. However, tests show that the vibration systems are mostly ineffective, with Olympus having the best and Canon the worst. Even on Nikon's web page where they showcase the feature, they say that a blower is a very effective way to remove dust from the sensor. Tests confirm this, there is no way around it.
3. Lens selection: Web pages advise shoppers to not only look at the body, but also at lenses, which is very true. I got the impression that Canon's lens selecton for APS-C sized sensors in the consumer segment is straight out horrible. Terrible build and image quality, terrible zoom ranges. They are still stuck in 35mm film stuff.
4. Mega Pixels: It's the lens, stupid! Increasing pixel resolution beyond what the lens can resolve just clogs your memory card.
5. Build quality: Yes, the Canon is lighter, but: No pentaprism, just mirrors for the viewfinder, tons of plastic, and the lenses are even worse...
6. LCD size: it's a battery drain. To really benefit from a larger screen, you would also want more pixels to keep resolution constant. Nikon and Canon both have 230k.

Bottom line: The Nikon is a gorgeous camera engineered for photography! It gives me the image quality and creative freedom I want. After doing my homework, I figured it's not even worth waiting for it's successor D90, coming out between now and September.
The D80 delivers solid performance w/o going over board with feature craze. It received a ton of accolades for image quality, so I don't have to repeat it here. Just a serious piece of equipment that now is available at a great price. I invested the savings into the new Nikkor 16-85 DX VR lens, making it the awesome combination that I was looking for.

SO I had about 3 camaeras in one month to test them out.They where the Nikon D80, canon XSi and the sony A300. The Nikon D80 felt the best in my hand and build quality just felt better ecspecially when spending alot of money. Ths XSI and A300 had some great features but I kept coming back to the nikon.
The XSi had a plastic feel. And the Sony felt good build wise but the flip screen I felt got in the way of my face using the viewfinder.
So hope that helps a little.

The D80 is a great SLR digital for people like me who had previously used Nikon Cameras and have collected a number of Nikor autofocus lenses.

I won't go into the individual specs because every other review does that. Ever wonder why it is compared to the professional Nikon D200? Most people don't know this but the D80 and D200 are brothers! The little brother, D80, has most of the same functions, CPU programs and CCD image sensor (10.2 mega-pixel) but the D80 must be preprogrammed to set up your shot (unless using AUTO), a time consuming process, and the main frame is made of plastic.

The metal D200, however is for the pro who has the camera to their eye everyday and knows the settings like the back of their hand, thus it can be programmed on the fly by rubber finger knobs and settings can be read in the viewfinder so they don't have to take the camera from their face. That's a lot of itty-bitty info for an amateur and although it can be used in AUTO, what self-righteous photographer wants that?

In short, the D80 is meant for the semi-pro while its big brother, D200, is the D80 on steroids!

An avid photographer, I was upgrading from a Sony Cybershot that I had had for 5 years and that had essentially been another appendage. So I read review after review... knowing simply that I wanted my next camera to be user friendly, have more pixels/take clearer photos than my previous, have greater zoom, a larger LCD screen and give me editing options for photos taken. Well, my Nikon D80 delivers all of this and more. I've had it for 1 month today and I've taken over 200 photos... and to give you another's perspective, friends have commented on the clarity of all the photos that I have shared with them. I'm a thrilled with it. It was worth EVERY PENNY!

Nikon D80 is my first Digital SLR(In fact, first serious camera I bought), my previous camera was canon SD1000 point and shoot. Overall I am pleased with the picture quality. But I don't like the fact that Nikon D80 overexposes photos a lot in automatic mode. Many of the photos I took in bright sunlight is washed out. After reading and experimenting a lot, I learned to take pictures in manual model, with different metering(SPOT and CENTER WEIGHTED) to avoid this issue. But after spending about 1299 $, I don't like the performance of the camera in automatic mode at all. I hope Nikon will release a firmware update to fix the metering. If you are a novice DSLR person like me, and is considering buying a system, I suggest you go with Canon EOS 40D, I haven't used it, but after researching a lot online, I haven't come across major issues with EOS 40D. Experts can correct me if I am wrong.

The D80 is my first digital SLR, and my fourth Nikon camera. I've owned 35mm SLR cameras since 1975 or so. The D80 is already my favorite of them all. It packs a lot of features, Nikon reliability, and a good form factor into one well-priced package.

I had first intended to purchase the D60, but after doing a side-by-side feature comparison, I decided that the D80 provided more bang for the buck. One feature the D80 has that was critical to me is a depth of field preview -- an important feature for macro photography, and not one you will find on the D40 or D60 cameras.

People with small hands may find the D40/D60 easier to handle, but the D80 feels great in my average sized hands.

I purchased the 16-85mm and 70-300mm VR lenses at the same time and I am very happy with my choices.

I purchased my D80 a few months ago and was initially pleased with the camera. After buying a Nikon 18-200 VR lens to use with it, I took it to Russia on a mission trip in late July. I shot 2,000 or so pics with it, and the quality is fantastic! Initially I was pleased with this camera, now I am thrilled with it.

A few days after getting the camera and changing lenses quite often, I noticed dust spots on my shots. Blowing the dust from the sensor was easy -- I just followed the instructions in the user's manual. I haven't had a dust problem again, and if I do I know how to fix it.

The camera interface is easy to follow. A person unfamiliar with DSLRs will find the point-and-shoot capacity of the camera comforting. When that same person however wants to venture into manual settings, there is a full range of options available.

If you want a streamlined DSLR only, the best value is the D40 or D60. If you want a full-featured DSLR, then the best value is the D80. The Nikon quality in this camera simply rocks!

I am quite happy with this camera, but if you are looking to get your first professional camera go a step higher to the D200 AT LEAST. The function buttons on the D80 are extremely useful when you are trying to change settings on the fly. This is helpful if you are a photographer that shoots on different locations (outdoors, indoors, different lighting) during a single shoot. The camera is quite light and the battery consumptions is fantastic. The camera has quite a number of settings that allow you to choose the metering system (center weight with different diameters, matrix), focus area (if not in the center, thank God), sharpness, tonal differences, etc. It can be a point and shoot camera, but it would not be used to its full potential. Great starter camera for the future professional.
The D80 uses a SD memory card. I use a professional SD 4GB by Lexar and it renders me about 300+ RAW images. If that is not enough get the 8GB Professional SD also by Lexar.

My third Nikon digital SLR (D50 & D40x). I purchased the D80 as an upgrade when the prices fell. The camera performs great in most situations but there is a tendency for photos to be soft compared to the ones taken D40x. I also experience focus problems when there is a slight fall off in lighting. This is also something I didn't encounter with the other cameras. Overall I am pleased with the results.

I am a student Photographer and I recently upgraded to the D80 from a D50 and have been very impressed. This camera was purchased refurbished from Adorama for $600 (Body) and paired with a Nikon 18-55dx lens.

Wonderful Updates
1) This camera can shoot in RAW + JPG Fine
2) This camera supports SDHC Cards
3) The Image quality is much better than the D50 or new D40
4) No lens limitations and works well with my sunpak flash.
5) On camera flash works great. A huge improvement over the D50.
6) Very good auto focus!

Nice Extras
1) Big screen and onboard editing capability
2) High ISO

Downsides
1) Cost (the D40x can be purchased refurbished for $400 with less features)


Overall I am pleased that I went with the D80 over the D40x and it is miles more advanced than the D50. The auto focus system in the D80 is great and with one wedding the camera will more than pay for itself.

I'm going to make this clear right off the bat, i love this camera and the following review will tell you why.

I started off as a complete novice, as innocent as a baby when it comes to photography, I recieved a Sony Cybershot W55 for Christmas in 2007, which was similar to my mothers P150 Cybershot, which basically packed all the same features as the p150 except one critical feature that lead me to the D80, the Sony Cybershot lacked a manual mode, the W55 was completely automatic.



So I began to look into DSLR's as a suitable replacement for a completely automatic Sony Cybershot W55, which i could not take manual pictures, sports shots, or slow exposures with.

I considered the major players first, Canon, Sony and Nikon on my dad's recommendation. I found that Sony's SlR, the Alpha line, pretty much sucked in terms of their performance in low light, the only attraction was the live view, which basically defeats the purpose of an slr anyway.

So now the only two competitors were Canon and Nikon, and by this time, my budget jumped from the initial 400 to 750 dollars which was the starting price for slr's. I read some reviews for the Canon D-Rebel line of slrs, this is the thing about Canon THEY PUNCH OUT THE SAME STUFF W/DIFFERENT NAMES AND COLORS WITH ALL THE SAME FEATURES INCLUDED!!!!!!!!!!!!! the XT and XTi were no different to me and by the time i had purchased the D80, the Xsi had just come out.

I was turned off of the Canon line for two reasons, 1) were negative reviews about the crappy performance and durability of the Rebels, the former of which I noticed myself. Plus, the Rebel's felt cheap in my hands and too delacate; and 2) after doing a lot of spec grazing and review watching on CNET i turned finally to Nikon.

At that point, the competition was going to be between the D60 and the D80, both of which were in my budget.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO:

D60's matrix metering was flawed, while the same system in the D80 worked like a charm, that was the main reason i wanted it, along with modest aperture settings, that stretch from 3.5-22 and 5.6-36 with the 18-55 VR Nikkor, (3.5-22 is at the minimum focal length of 18mm while 5.6-36 happens at the max focal length of 55mm) the final thing that sold me on it were the large number of great reviews from people who loved this camera coupled with some fantastic customer images submitted by people owning this camera.

While the d60 does have a higher ISO index, up to 3200, I find the Nikon D80's ISO 1600 to be pretty good unless the light around me requires it.

The PRO's of the D80

1. Excellent color reproduction in all three color modes, saturation and hue is very good.
2. Sharpness and contrast (buyers should change the default settings to the highest sharpness and normal contrast in CUSTOM mode to acheive the best pictures) are spot on.
3. Lightning fast: powers up in an instant with very quick shutter response, i don't miss a single shot with this camera.
4. Matrix (multi) metering system: very good unless the subject is sillhoetted by a bright sky in which case you should switch to center or spot weighted metering.
5. Intuitive: i barely read the manual for this thing, the buttons are easy to use and manipulate.
6. Speed: I don't usually use the built in flash because i normally shoot in M,A,S or P modes and i can adjust the ISO to the perfect setting.
7. 1/4000 of a second to 30 seconds is a modest gift, and allows me to almost never employ alternative means of lighting WHICH MEANS I SAVE MONEY TOO!!!!!!!!!!


Who should buy this camera?

-Anyone looking to upgrade from a point and shoot with a budget of $1000 or less.
-Anybody looking to grow as a photographer, by using this camera I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY!!!!!!!! AND I'M STILL LEARNING.
-Anyone looking to buy something worth their money!!!!!!!!




NOTES:

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WRITING NEGATIVE REVIEWS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURS WITH THIS CAMERA.

to those who wrote such reviews, listen to this:

take advantage of the manual, aperture, and shutter priority modes, often times i use those over P mode and always over all that other crap like "Landscape" and "Portrait" which don't do anything, if you want good looking pictures, take advantage of the manual opportunities presented with this camera, IF YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT UNDEREXPOSED OR OVEREXPOSED PICTURES, YOU ARE PROBABLY USING THE AUTOMATIC MODES AND WOULD GET ALONG FINE WITH A POINT AND SHOOT

The Nikon D80 is an excellent camera, with more features than other SLR cameras in its price range. My only disappointment is that the D90 was announced one month after I purchased the D80. From what I can see, the D90 is a better camera for the same price.

About two years ago I purchased this camera because I wanted an excellent quality camera that I could use through my lifetime and which would give me artistic control over my photos. This is the camera. I am not a photographer and I have to admit that even after a year I have a tremendous amount to learn about this device. It's important to refer to the user's manual and experiment. While I'm learning, I occasionally use the auto features, and the photos I get are fabulous - it's not me - it's the camera!

True, it is complicated for the novice, but in the long run, it is the D80's many settings and features that will allow the experienced photographer to create the most artistic and professional quality images.

While it took many months of research and comparison, I finally narrowed the decision down to the Nikon D80. I have to say that I was slightly influenced by the slight lead that Nikon continues to hold in their high quality lenses. My main choice was between the Nikon D80 and the Canon EOS. My hands are smaller, and the Nikon just seemed to fit better.

The capabilities of both systems are amazing, and it boils down to which you like better. The in camera editing feature of the D80 is a nice touch and has been useful occasionally.

I am by no means anything more than an amateur shooter, but this camera has been easy to use, and to figure out more as I progress in my capabilitys. For a hobbyist, this is a great appetizer before you jump to the pro level cameras, and teaches you many things.

Best choice betwen price and permormance. Good for big amateurs and little professional. Perfect in mid range cameras. if yuo want go to next step (d300) you need pay Doubble price.

I researched the D80 for a year before I bought it. I ended up getting the D80 with the 18-135 lens. Then I bought the 10-20mm Sigma lens; and next I bought the 50-300mm Sigma Macro lens. Every review basically said it was amazing. Well, I have never been more disappointed! This camera is NOT worth what it costs. To date I've spent well over $2,000 and it simply can not compare to my 40 year old Konica film SLR.

Good points: screen size; start up speed; ability to take numerous pictures in a row very quickly; easy menu & good editing programs.

Bad points: 18-135mm lens is obviously cheap and takes very poor pictures (unless you're just going quick indoor shots - then it's okay); the pop-up flash is weak - very, very weak; the printed picture quality is abysmal - always looks flat; the manual settings do not work like a normal SLR - the light meter is off and I need to always go darker or the pictures are very white

I have been using film SLR's for many, many years but as good film is harder & harder to find, I "upgraded" to the D80. I have no confidence in it however, and am now going back to shooting with my film SLR (using slide film) as a backup to the D80.

I do not recommend this camera. Buy a point & shoot digital instead - the picture quality can't be any worse. This is not a good investment.

I bought my Nikon D80 on Labor Day weekend 08. I originally was looking hardcore at the D40 adn D60 or the Canon XTi or XSi. The D80 was out of my price range and not really on my radar. I went into Circuit City knowing kind of what I wanted but knowing that I was open to being upsold. Upsold I was and I won't get into that bc it's irrelevant (though I can tell you I'll never buy a product from Circuit City again). Regardless, I allowed myself to be talked into buying the D80 with the 18-135mm zoom lens. At first I wasn't thrilled. I was worried about the money and I was overwhelmed by the features on the camera.

I've now had this camera for about a month and a half and I love it. I read the manual from front to back PLUS I read the Dummies Guide to DSLRs and learned a lot. I took the camera out shooting in all different kinds of modes and took a ton of pictures in my house of just anything with the manual open. In this way, I learned a lot about the D80 and am 100% satisfied with my purchase. When I look at the D80 and then other cameras, it just has so many features on it that I cannot drum up any buyer's remorse. I am a novice DSLR user and I know that I haven't even reached the tip of the ice berg on using this camera in the myriad ways it can be used.

I wanted to buy a camera that would be quality, that would be sturdy, that would complement a novice DSLR user and would allow me to grow with it as I became more aware of its features. I recently took a trip to LA and I took over a thousand pictures. Even on auto mode, the quality of the pictures was absurdly high. Once I stopped babying the camera (keeping the lens off and the camera safely in its camera bag) and started just bringing it with me (throwing it over my shoulder or in my tote bag), I started to have a lot of fun with it.

Bottom line is that I researched a lot of cameras and read a lot of reviews before buying this camera. There are merits to buying different cameras but I am not disappointed with my purchase at all. To those who are novices like me, I truly feel that this is a camera that you can use point and shoot OR to learn on to take artistic shots. I hope that this review helped you. Good luck!

Oh one last thing...I ended up buying the 18-55mm VR (Vibration Reduction) lens separately. I highly recommend this lens. The 18-135mm lens that comes with the kit is good and allows you to get pretty close to subjects far away and so I appreciate that it came with the camera body as a package...BUT the VR in the 18-55mm really does make a difference when quickly shooting things you don't want to miss. I have a bunny and three cats. When they are up to something, it helps to have VR so as not to get a blurred shot. This has come in handy for night shots too when I don't want a flash. Just thought I'd add that tidbit (I don't even take this lens off of the camera, I use it so often).

I bought this over a month ago. I was a happy owner of the great D40 but I like using prime lenses and the D40 did not support auto focus on the 50mm 1.8 and 35mm f2. I could have spent money on third party lenses instead but decided to just get a new body. Well, I am glad I made the move. The D80 takes slightly better pictures anyway but in terms of usability, it's way better than the D40. Fully loaded. I love it. The D90 is out now and is gonna be a better machine but the D80 should be a definite consideration if you are looking for a cheap DSLR that will never let you down. The design and quality are top notch. The only minor gripe is that it slightly over-exposes. However, this is a common fault on digital sensors and is easy to fix before or after. Still a winner.

Bottom line. If you are looking at a D40/60 then you will be happy with the results. However, if like me you are the type of person that really likes to get into a hobby go for the more functional D80.

This camera was easy to use right out of the box. It gives high quality photo, that we used to have to pay others to take. You will not regret this purchase.

I shoot western Colorado landscapes for microstock sites. I need a camera with low image noise, smooth focus, long battery life, and durability.

I love Nikon. I have had Nikon SLRs since I started shooting stock in the late 70s. They are dependable, quality instruments. The D80 is no exception. No point-and-shoot, it feels like my old F2. It takes beautiful pictures in all kinds of weather.

You will need at least one extra battery. The battery life is long--three or four 2 gig cards worth of RAW pictures, for me--but you will want this baby with you all the time.

I bought the body only, because I had the lens from my D70, but you will want a VR zoom or a fixed lens for maximum sharpness. I don't like tripods and don't use them as often as I should. The remote is useful for closeups. It helps you avoid camera shake, especially in low light.

This is not a review of the camera, but of a vendor. On Time Digital is a horrible company to deal with. They put one price on their web page and tell you another when you call to place the order. The say that they have a USA body Nikon D80 for 330 dollars. It would be nice if they would honor the price they advertise. I guess it is true, there is no honor among thieves. I would/will stay away from this company. The camera, I will still try to purchase elsewhere.

After being one of the last die-hard darkroom photographers in my area, I finally took the plunge and went digital. I upgraded from a Nikon 6006 35mm, to the D80. Features are similar to my older Nikon so the learning curve was not too difficult. I also have a large collection of AF lenses that all work perfect with the D80. Picture quality far surpasses that of the 6006 (although it is hard to compare Digital vs. Film). All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase, and would recommend the D80 to anyone.

I recently decided to replace my Nikon D70. After a long time researching my options I set my sights on the the D80. My reasons were simple. Money (the D80 is no longer made and I got a great deal on a body only), mega pixels, and the brand. I have two extremely good Nikon lenses so changing to another brand was out of the question. I have to admit I never did like the D70 camera. It took substandard photos. The colors were never clean and vibrant, and detail was lacking. After looking at test photos on dpreview.com I knew replacing the d70 with a newer generation was the answer. When I got my new Nikon D80, I made a few tests. I took photos of the same subjects with the same lens and camera settings. What a difference. The D80's colors were smooth and bright. The shadows dark without a muddy look. Detail of course was better because of the extra 4 mps. If you have a D70 and not satisfied with your photos, try stepping up to a newer camera---you'll see a difference.

This was a good camera but, time marches on. Waiting for a newer model by any camera maker may be a better move at this point. It might have better features with the same price or lower.
Regardless, be sure to check out equivalent models by all the camera makers. Canon, Sony, and even Nikon have come out with newer models.
Before any Nikon fanatics yell at me, I like Nikon just as much as any other brand and was the camera brand I first owned and owned for many years and still own.

This is my first DSLR and I have been using it extensively for the last 9 months. My last camera was a point-and-shoot Canon, which I also liked, but I realized that I tweaked the manual controls as much as I could with a p&s. I debated between the D80 and the D40. The only real difference for me was the feel of it in my hands--I appreciated the weight and bulk. I also liked that it had an internal autofocus lens drive, in order to drive some older lenses that would otherwise become manual. While not a totally bad thing, the D40 lacked this feature. I've traveled with my camera to Tokyo, India, a few cities in the US and around my neighborhood. Perhaps the fact that I love to frame a shot and look for opportunities wherever I go, my D80 simply lets me take the photograph. It is just a tool that, upon learning some basics, moves out of the way and lets me express myself.

Some technical details: the battery lasts a long time; perhaps 250-400 shots. I bought a second battery, but unless you use the LCD after every shot, you rarely need to change out batteries often. You can get all of your necessary information via a low-power LCD on top of the camera or through the viewfinder. Low light shooting is generally good, as long as you stay under 1000 ISO. 1600 ISO gets a bit grainy, but is decent enough for prints.

The one accessory I recommend is a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens. It is by far the best value in a light, fast portraiture and all-around lens you can get. It's about $100 or so. No need to think about it.

Since the D90 is out the D80 should be super cheap (by DSLR standards). And it doesn't make this camera any less of a fine photographic tool. Remember, you are the artist.

I bought this camera in 2006 at much higher price, but I am satisfied with it as I took a lot of pictures in the past 2 years.

I recommend users to have a better lens instead of the default lens 18-135 f/3.5~. the picture should be sharp, and you will find the difference easily.

Bought for my wife who does professional color balance work. The quality is there and she is glad to have switched from film. She has had Nikons all her life and is more used to a high level of complexity that I find confusing. It is a rugged camera, and not at all heavy for what it does.We live in the mountains, so the camera is packed in demanding terrains weathers and seasons. The unit behaves flawlessly in the 8 months we have had it.

This is a wonderful camera. I am not a professional photographer, but have been taking wildlife and sports photographs since the early '70s (Nikon F2). I still have it...

The D80 is my first foray into digital SLRs (I first bought a Nikon Coolpix to "test the waters" and loved it). I must admit, I put an awful lot of thought into this purchase. Money is, of course, a major consideration. I really want the D300, but this is out of my price range right now. I vacillated between the D80 and the D90, but finally decided that the video feature (which I would NEVER use, the Live View (which I would not use either)and the added 2MP were not worth the additional cost-I would rather transfer that amount of money to lenses. As a result, I went with the D80 body and two lenses-an 18-55mm and a 70-300 VR zoom lenses. All of my photography is handheld because I rarely have time to set up a tripod. I shoot in a completely manual or aperature priority mode and I really, really like the way the D80 responds and the photographs I get. Not least of all, I especially like the way I can change the ISO from photograph to photograph, depending on the range and visual conditions. And finally, I have some very fast Nikon AF lenses that I think will work in the manual mode.

All in all, I am exceptionally pleased with this camera and would recommend it to anyone.

The camera comes with a Quick-Start guide that makes it incredibly user friendly for the basics. For the many, many advanced features, though, the user manual is a must!

This camera takes beautifully clear pictures and does a great job with anti-redeye. It's weighted nicely and is useable one-handed, if necessary. Only drawback we've found, thus far, is that it doesn't shoot video.

Great camera and lens. Took it on a trip to Chile -- lots of shots of mountains, architecture and little kids. The photos look great, the camera was easy to use without any previous instruction, and a 2MB card and one battery lasted me almost the entire 2.5 week trip (got about 800 photos on one card and then switched it out; battery is still good to go).

I am really am enjoying my new camera! It is the best equipment i have taken photos with. It is easy to use- just enough camera to use as an amateur, but alot more for taking it to the next level! I am very pleased with my purchase. Amazon was fast, efficient, and bought with much confidence!
thanks.

Product came as advertised and in just a couple days. You can use it immediately out of the box without reading the guide, if needed (however, would suggest reviewing the operating guide) especially if you know something about photography. Picture quality is excellent. We replaced an Olympus 400 point and shoot. Reason for replacing, picture quality and speed of shooting, with the Olympus would have to wait a bit between shooting pictures, sometime missing the photo you wanted to take, not the case with this camera. Lots of options with the D80, more than we would probably ever use or need. However, we love the camera. Suggestion with one 4G smart media card on normal setting can shoot over 1000 pictures on one card, ond the fine setting you get about 500 on one card.

Now trying to find a good photo software package that is easy to use and not a huge computer hog. Currently have Photoshop Elements 6.0, but seems to be a computer hog and a large learning curve. Trying to find something different. Any suggestions?

Have only had the camera for a couple months so still learning all the options. Would put us in the category of novice or just above the novice in photography.

I've shot the D80 for over 9,000 exposures and I have grown to appreciate this as a wonderful enthusiast level camera.

It's a 10+ mp camera with 2.5 inch screen. The controls are easy to reach and adjust.

Given what the camera was advertised as, I am more than satisfied. Please understand that this is a DX format camera with a conversion factor of 1.5. It is NOT a full frame FX camera. I have shot in all sorts of conditions with several lenses and have had no issues at all with the camera.

It has now been discontinued and replaced by the D90, but unless you want video try to get a D80. It's perfect for anyone who wants a DX format camera.

My only regret is not simply going to FX (Full Frame) right from the start, but that was a decision I made and is not a relection on the camera.

If I was in the market for a DX size camera I would certainly buy it again and I have no intention of buying another DX formatted sensor, so I will hang onto the D80 until I purchase an FX camera. Get one... you'll love it.

I love my D80. This is a great camera and right now is a great time to buy one since the D90s are out. My only problem with the camera is that I wish it had better high ISO capabilities. Other than that I really like this camera and the wireless triggering of speed lights is a major plus for me. Sorry this isn't a very good review, but that's what [...] is for.

awesome quality, excelent camera, and major stuff to learn about it, if you want a professional picture this is it !, although it is kinda overwhelming to learn(atleast in a hurry).
this is by far, no point and shoot, like a credit card camera, there is allot of things you need to just sit down for a day and read the manual, otherwise your just going to get frustrated with yourself , and the pic wont come out like you want it too......... take your time, learn the cameras features, and it's a camera you will want to keep forever...... awesome job nikon, by far, superb !!!!!!!!!!

I wanted this camera since last year wen I saw it on Nikon.com; i know it is not the best but it's better than the one I used ti have so it's getting better...

It's a defective item, the lens couldn't auto focus, I haeve returned it, but you charged me shipping fee, I don't know why.

Great camera except that it has a tendency to lock up and not record the pictures taken. Tried multiple different memory cards with the same result. Finally tried to upgrade the firmware with the result that the camera completely died and is now useless. As my warranty has expired it will probably cost me several hundred dollars to get fixed. In contacting Nikon the refused to even reply with a solution as my residence was listed as others. In short avoid Nikon if you ever expect to need support as their main concern will be to turn you away to avoid responsibility.

We ordered this camera instead of the D90 because it was simply about 300.00 cheaper. Also, we have existing movie capability, therefore that extra chestnut was not of great value to us. The D90 will do a few things that the D80 will not, but for us wannabes, this is a Super camera.

The operation is good, I like the way the modes are set up. I've been taking several pictures in low light situations (one of the main reasons for getting a SLR camera...) and had good success. It is quite versatile. I had a question on some photo issues that I was having, and got a hold of their online help, and fairly quickly they steered me in the right direction.

All in all, We really enjoy the camera and look forward to lots of use.

My wife purchased this camera after much research and comparison with the Canon DSLR products. She has used Nikons for decades and had some lens that would fit so we went with this camera. The one major disapointment with the Nikon product is that you can not compose a picture using the LCD screen on the back of the camera. Nowhere does Nikon tell you that this LCD is for playback ONLY. All of the Canon products have real time use of the LCD to compose pictures. Heck, even cell phones let you use their screens for real time photo composition. The lack of this function and the lack of any reference to the lack of this function by Nikon make this product unacceptable. Shame on you Nikon.

This was my first real SLR, after a few years with a Sony MVC-400 semi-SLR. With that prior experience, the basics with the d80 were almost trivially easy to learn.

The 18-135mm kit lens is a good all-purpose "vacation" lens, with only a tiny amount of chromatic abberation occasionally visible at 18mm (specifically sharp and distant objects in landscapes), and only then if you look for it.

Feels good in the hand even with a heavy lens.

This camera is amazing. I have a Nikon D40 also and I like the D80 better. The D40 did amazing things, but I like the slightly larger camera body of the D80, the top-mounted LCD display, and more direct access feature buttons on the D80. You can access more settings faster on the D80 with more buttons on the exterior, instead of having to scroll through so many menus in the D40. The LCD display is wonderful. You had to look through the viewfinder to adjust any setting in the D40, but you can just look on the top-mounted LCD to see what shutter speed you will get when you have it on aperature priority mode, or when you are adjusting the ISO. Of course, I like having 10 MP over 6 MP, not that it makes much of a difference if you are making smaller prints. I have printed flawless 12x18 posters with the 6MP D40. The D80 does better with the built-in flash when using larger diameter lenses, such as the 18-200mm lens. If you weren't sure which digital SLR to get, this is the one.

I bought this camera to replace my D100 body. This is a little lighter but is much more capable. I can actually select ASA100. There are more focusing regions, actually focuses faster is what I have noticed. Haven't really tried it out as much as I want but from what picture taking I have done, it is already much better.

Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens + 4GB Deluxe Accessory Kit

If you have any interest in owning a serious dSLR, buy this camera and don't even think twice about it. The D80 is highly recommended as the perfect camera for the advanced amateur or enthusiast photographer. Pair this camera up with a high-quality lens, and a good photographer will have a tool with which stunning images can be made.

The Nikon D80 is the novice photographer's dream! It's ease of use and the high definition picture quality it offers certainly will increase your photographic confidence! And, if you are a more experienced photographer, you'll find risk taking with this camera is a whole lotta fun! We are taking pictures at every opportunity and totally enjoying our results!

The Nikon D80 is a fantastic camera. You can't get a better camera for the price.

I am a professional photographer, and actually own two D80s. They have served me well as my photography business has grown over the past two years. Almost all of the images at http://www.simple-treasures.net were taken with the D80.

I recently upgraded to the D300, but will keep one of my D80s as a backup.

If you are on the fence, take the leap and get a D80.

The only reason I did not give it five stars is its performance is somewhat limited in low light conditions. But this is not a problem for most 'personal use' users, and even many pros if you shoot a lot of outdoor stuff.

The item is received in new conditions. Thank you.

The product is great for day light with the lens, but with an average
performance at night or with action shootings (need a faster lens for
sure), even with a 600 flash light.

Comments about Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera Body, 10.2 Megapixel, Interchangeable Lens, USA Warranty:

1. I've used film cameras (starting with all manual and handheld lightmeter) for 35 years, including my own B&W darkroom.

2. The D80 is a pleasure to use. It has some very good serious features. For example, while there is a "portrait" setting on the mode dial, the menu offers not only more options, but bracketing ability to really hone in on your light situation.

3. At size settings Medium, Fine I can put about 800 images on a 4gb SDHC card.

4. If you are shooting alot at one time (a couple of hours using continuous shutter triggering) you need a spare battery. The Nikon one takes 2 hrs to recharge with the included rapid charger.

5. As an aside about memory, I am ordering a faster transfer card to see if it really makes a difference. Some times it seems that with continous shooting the camera gets bogged down, but Nikon says it takes the faster cards.

6. While the menus are straight forward, I find use of the buttons, main and sub control dials less than intuitive when I am actually shooting, and some can easily change other settings while you are fumbling. I hope that will change as I get use to it, but it is annoying to find out that when you wanted to change the focus mode from still to continous, you also changes which focus area the camera used.

7. I know one of the complaints is that over ISO 400 the image quality deteriorates. The D80 has a feature which I have not seen advertised. It purports to correct this -- I haven't time to try it yet.

Finally, I have been using it with my old Nikon AF 35/135 lens. I have not had any problems with this combination.

At this point I enjoy using it and would recommend it to others. But that is the catch to most product reviews - they are generally written shortly after the product is received, and you don't know how the item has been used. I'll write again if I change my mind.

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This is a great camera. The 18-135mm lens is a great combination. It is useable right out of the box, but customizable to suit just about any person.

Would highly recommend!!!

For digital camera users wanting to upgrade from point and click to a relatively sophisticated SLR, the D80 makes the most sense. At about 2/3 the price of the heavily advertised D90, the D80 delivers almost all the same features, except the built-in video capability. The user interface is pretty complex, but this is a complex piece of technology. Two negatives are the sheer size of the beast with the big zoom lens, and the unnecessary image editing capability of the camera. Who edits in camera? That's what Photoshop is for.

This camera is incredible. It is so easy to use. You don't have to be a professional to buy and use this camera. It is a mommy's must have. If you are wanting to take phenomenal photos to have for years to come, this is the camera to do it.
The camera turns on immidiatly without delay and snaps the photo immediatly without delay. So basically, what you see through the viewfinder is exactly what you get in the photo. This camera I purchased has a zoom of 18-135mm. What that means for me is that I can put the camera within 2 inches of my childs face and take a detailed picture of her eyes, or even something as small as a freckle. The detail is incredible. The instruction guide that is included with the camera walks you through step by step on how to set it up. So if you are at all intimidated the idea of using a bigger camera, DON"T BE! Memories are important, that is why we take pictures to begin with. This camera is perfect for anytime, day, night , sports events, super mega close ups etc. If you do any sort of scrapbooking, I highly encourage you to use photos taken by this camera. You will not be disappointed at the quality of the photo. You may use the camera like an amateur, but the photos look professional. You can't go wrong, because when you look through the viewfinder, there are markings to help you center the photo with ease. The clarity is amazing. I did a side by side comparison with my old camera to this one and this camera picked up things i could barely see with the naked eye. My family and friends are pleasantly suprised at the quality and clarity of the photos they have seen so far. I love this camera. Its an SLR with digital technology. Basically, that means, good old fashioned camera with the capability of using automatic or manual modes, but get the benefits of getting the digital clarity and not having to develope rolls of film because it saves to an SD memory card. This camera is a keeper, you will get your moneys worth on this camera because it will last you a lifetime to come.

This has been a true joy so far. I can not say enough about it, other than fantastic.

It was between the D40 and the D90. The D80 won. It has all of the features a DSLR owner would want in their first camera. I did not want to be upgrading in a year if I liked digital photography. D40 can't do everything a DSLR lens wise should be able to do (great camera only a pro would run into this lens problem, 1k lens price and up type deal). The D90 on the other hand only offered marginal benefits over the outgoing D80 but cost a D40 more. The math presented me the D80, and after a month I love this camera and do not see myself replacing this camera for several years even when full frame FX digital reaches the more amateur line of Nikon cameras. Note to those considering the weight, this does weigh much more, a D40 will feel like a point and shoot around your neck after this has been hanging for a while.

I got Nikon D80 with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S DX Lens. I used all auto model to take some pictures.
Shooting distance: 5-6', using auto focusing with 18mm, auto model,
single area mood and auto area mood. I took pictures of white label
with letters. the label is 4"X2" the letters are 3/8", I could see
them clearly by my eyes.
When I view the picture on computer on original size (X1), I found the letters were not well focused, I could not see them clearly. The picture
was totally blur. I tried several times of taking pictures, the results are same. I also tried 135mm with same case, pictures were OK.

I also did another test, the result is:
(Picture size is L)
1: Setting camera to auto with manual focus, focusing with 135mm then back to 18mm
taking picture, Viewing original picture size(X1), letters could be seen, not very
good ,but acceptable.

2: Setting camera to auto with auto focusing, focusing with 135mm then back to 18mm
taking picture, viewing original picture size(X1), letters could be seen, but not as
good as above.

3: Setting camera to auto with auto focus, focusing with 18mm, taking picture, viewing
original picture size (X1), letters could not be seen clearly

Such a high-end SLR camera even could not take a clearly picture under above case.

I asked Nikon, and was told it is normal, your setting may be wrong.

I think taking clearly picture is a basic function for a camera, especially for such a DSLR

I do not know who is wrong. I decide to return this D80 to seller.

(In point of view of sharpness of picture, this D80 is even worse than coolpix 8700)

At the present time this Nikon camera gives you the most bang for the buck. Good overall performance and acceptable image quality even under low light and a high 1600 ISO.

I have used the D80 camera with the 18-135 lens kit that was a package when I bought it in Dec 2006. Not even 3 years and the lenses has malfunctioned. I was on vaction in Yellowstone and the camera does not focus anymore, so I ended up doing manual focusing. I knew it is the lens because I have 2 other G lenses from my old N65 and the camera focuses well when using the old lenses. Nikon only has a 1 year warranty on this. Otherwise, before the lenses broke it was a great camera. Nikon has very poor customer support.

Nikon D80 so far deliver great pictures. only problem i see is with the lens. Nikkor 18-135 giving issues with Auto focus mode. but only advantage is lens has more warranty around 4 years. so no issues, you can keep on sending it for repair if you are patient enough

Though not a professional camera, it is still very advanced. The price has dropped significantly since the D90 came out. Though the D90 does have a few more options like video, I was looking for a camera. I had an old Nikon that used film and wanted a camera that I could use the old AF lenses with. The D60 & D5000 require that the lens have a motor in them, so I would not have been able to use my old lenses.

Though I have only used my camera a few times, I have already taken a few thousand photos with it. There is no fear of taking that perfect picture like there was with film. With Digital, I take a few hundred pics and then narrow it down to that one perfect picture. I love the quality of the pics that the D80 takes. In daylight, the color of the eyes comes out crystal clear.

I recommend buying a DVD that explains all the options and an interactive book that explains the options. There is so much that this camera can do, it will take me years to master it. By the time that I do, I will be ready for an upgrade.

there have been so many reviews of this camera that I doubt there is much I can add, except this...I have been an amateur photographer for nearly thirty years and about 10 years ago switched to Nikon film cameras. I have an F80 and an F90X, but my favourite is my F90X with MB10. I love the robustness of it. In February I purchased a Nikon D80 and just after bought an MBD80 for it. I was initially worried that it would not be the equal of my tough F90, however, last weekend, on the Monday public holiday I accidently left my D80 outside and it was rained on for two hours, quite heavy rain. I am immensely relieved to be able to say that the camera, though thoroughly wet on the outside, is fine. No water had penetrated the lens mount, the memory card hatch or the rubber boots which cover the connections on the side of the body. The top screen is fine and the rear screen is fine too. I had the sense not to turn it on and see if it was OK. I took the MBD80 off and the batteries out of it. I dried all the outside surfaces with tissue and let it sit in a warm room near a heater for that night and half the next day. When I put the batteries back in the MBD80 it fired up OK. I have read forums where people have said that the D80 weather sealing is not pro level, well, if people expect it to be better than this they should buy a Nikonos

The D80 is a great camera, with which I have taken many pictures. The description here is accurate...BUT BUT BUT--this model is superseded by the D90 in SO many ways. And for some reason, right now on Amazon, a new D90 is selling for less than this D80. That's insane. Everything the D80 can do, the D90 can do at least as well, and many things better, and you get video, too. Indeed, the D80 is so old now, that in many ways, lower end Nikon DSLRs are superior (D40s, D60s, D5000s). The only person who should buy a D80 at this price is someone who likes to burn money. In a just and fair world, the D80 would be priced around [...] bucks. Then, you'd really have a decision to make--go with the updated D90, for double, or get a great camera at [...].
Again, it's a great camera, but someone is ripping you off at this price.

I bought the camera refurbished from Cameta Camera 2 weeks ago and I really like it. It feels great in your hand, even better than the new D90 to me. I also have a Canon XSi which feels great in the hand too. I like the controls on the D80 better. It is more of a shooters camera than the Canon. I think they are both great cameras.
All the pros and cons have been listed in prior reviews. Check out the D80 review at dpreview for all the details. The only feature on the D80 that I probably need to check on is the compressed NEF raw file format. The camera saves RAW files in a compressed format, although the details are sketchy. Nikon claims it is lossless process. I usually shoot large JPEGs with low compression - but I will update this review after I try opening some RAW shots in both Bibble & PSE to compare the results.

This camera is awesome! Even with "only" 10.2 megapixels, it blows away my best friend's Canon XSi with 12+ pixels (same price). When we shoot side by side, my photos come out way better, more detailed all the way out to the corners - crisp and focused - and with much better color saturation. He even asked me what was "wrong" with his camera once he saw the Nikon results.

There are a few things in the menus and the way it works that are kind of confusing, and I honestly don't know why digital is this way, because I was schooled on 35mm film cameras, but it's all a matter of mastery. Everyone has a brand preference, and I will admit mine has been Nikon since I switched from other brands long ago. You will certainly find people who are just as passionate about Canon or Olympus, true, but when I hear them brag about theirs, I just yawn and think, "my Nikon can do that in it's sleep!"

I personally wouldn't waste my time with concerns over megapixels. Especially after seeing the less-than-professional results from my friend's 12mp+ Canon (fuzzy focus, bland colors). Not to mention the Nikon zoom lenses have a greater range over the competition - for the same price. Also, the D80 is at a GREAT price point right now, being 'upgraded' to the D90, but seriously, most amateur photographers will not ever know they're missing a paltry 2 megapixels.

If you're not sure whether to buy this over the other brands - don't think too hard. Nikon is the best and always has been, in my experience (25 yrs). The proof for me is in the results, side by side with their competitors. Don't be fooled by megapixel stats or ad campaigns. The only reason I gave it four stars and not five is because of the sub-menus which are tedious to navigate and master, and the body is heavier than some other brands - but I just interpret that as being better built. The competition simply pales in comparison! They're all just scrambling to keep up with Nikon, way I see it.

My first digital camera was the original Canon Rebel. When I needed to make larger prints, I assumed that I would get the newer Canon Rebel. That is, until I saw it and handled it and found it so small, so hard to grip firmly, so ridiculous-looking when you use a long lens.

But there, alongside it, was the Nikon D-80. Since I hadn't felt sure enough about the Rebel to invest in lenses, flashes, or other brand-specific accessories, I figured I could afford to jump ship. So I got my first Nikon.

The D-80 is said to be comfortable for people with big hands and fat fingers. I have short fingers, long nails, and fairly small hands. Yet, when I hold this camera (in either portrait or landscape orientation) I feel I've got a good steady grip, regardless of which lens I have on.

The camera has DX format, which means that it has a multiplier of 1.5 when you purchase a lens. This means that, if you buy a lens labeled 50mm, it acts like a 75mm lens. If you actually want 50mm, you need something between 33mm & 34mm. This mental arithmetic is important, not because you arbitrarily insist on a particular number. It is because this changes the size you use would traditionally select depending on your intended subject (landscape? closeup? portrait?) You have to remember that the aperture specs listed on the lens aren't what you've got. Wide-angle lenses become less wide; telephoto lenses become longer (your 70-200 mm is suddenly 105mm to 300mm). This is true of the D-80 and almost all other prosumer cameras, so it's not a point specifically against it, it just takes adjusting.

It is a camera that can do all your thinking, just like a point-and-shoot, if you put it on auto mode. Or it will allow you to make your own decisions in fully manual. I usually use it either on Program Mode (which is an adjustable semi-auto) or Aperture Priority Mode. There are several other modes available, the typical macro, shutter priority, etc. The camera can be trusted to choose the right exposure in a surprisingly high percentage of the time. And, if you shoot RAW, this only increases your percentage.

The menu and settings are varied and logically arranged. The controls are, for the most part, easy to reach and remember. The only exception is the AE-L/AF-L button, which is awkwardly-placed and requires changing your grip.

The focusing system is fast and responsive, as is the shutter response.

There is a wide selection of lenses and accessories to support the expansion of the basic camera. I have felt confident enough to commit to continue using Nikon equipment and have invested in a variety of lenses as well as flash and other accessories. I've made a conscious decision to not purchase DX-only lenses because, should I ever be able to get a full-frame Nikon, I won't get full benefit from it. An FX lens can be used on a full-frame camera at full size, (a 50mm lens = 50mm) and the entire sensor is used. If you get a DX lens, and use it in a full-frame camera (which you can do), you lose a wide swath of the perimeter of your sensor and your subject area is greatly reduced, actually canceling out your benefit from full frame.

For the time being, I'm delighted with my D-80, I haven't come across a requirement that it can't meet. If I ever need to make larger prints (than approx. 24"x36") I'll get whatever Nikon full-frame camera with more megapixels is on the market at that time and pass on (or share) my investment in lenses with that other camera. But I think that my D-80 will always remain my favorite and I will always think of it as the camera , didn't teach me, but allowed me to really learn and enjoy photography.

I purchased the D80 with a 18mm-135mm zoom in early 2009. As a former 35mm professional shooter I was blown away with the features this camera offers for the money. I may decide to upgrade in the future but there is no rush because this camera is very satisfying for the casual shooting I now do. I bought it as an entry level DSLR but I can see now that it would satisfy most buyers as their final upgrade.

still learning lot of functionality. found to be very easy to use, always we get sharper image.

I bought my D80 in early 2008 and have enjoyed using it. It has many useful features and produces very vivid pictures. It does want to over expose in certain circumstances and isn't the best at high iso low light situations.

Awesome features, great quality photographs, very long battery life. I can't ask for more.

This item was shipped quickly!
And I knew what I was getting when I ordered this camera! Nikon makes a great product, and the complicated simplicity of camera is great. Now on to buying lens, filters, and flash...

I'm so disapointed with Nikon. I bought a new D80... my first Nikon. My Wife bought me a Nikon 18-135 lens. I've invested about $1,200 into the camera and accessories. I've taken about 200 pictures and have taken exceptional care of the camera, yet I turned it on this past weekend and got the "Err" error on the display.

I've tried 2 different lenses, removing and re-inserting the battery (fully charged), removed and re-inserted the XD card, tried the +- reset and then tried a complete soft reset using the reset button. The "Err" is still there.

I contacted Nikon and I'm outside my warrenty so they said to send them the body and they will let me know what it cost to get it fixed. I guess I should just send a blank check also because they said they couldn't even give me an estimate of what it might cost.

I'm sickened. I picked a Nikon because of the "supposed" quality behind the name. I can't believe this camera failed with so little use. My friend, who uses only Pentax, said his Pentax cameras have over 10,000 shots on them and still no problems.

Last Nikon I will ever own.