nikno f80

[lee74]

Hello

I am looking for a film slr and was wondering does anybody have any experience of the Nikon f80, would like to keep with Nikon as I am used to them as I have a D80.
Also does where is the best place to obtain one, my budget is around the £100 mark.

[Gordon_McGeachie]

Here is a link to UK camera shops, you should find one out there somewhere.

http://www.ukcamera.com/

[El_Sid]

Ffordes have them few listed as do Mifsuds....

The F80 was generally regarded as one of the best of Nikons consumer models with a good range of options included. Handling will be very similar to to the D80.

Don't forget though that any DX, or equivalent, lenses you may have are not designed for 35mm film cameras, the smaller image circle will vignette badly in most if not all cases.

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I own one which I use as a backup to my Fujifilm S3 pro as they are essentially the film version of the S3. It is a great camera, gives great exposures with very reliable metering as you would expect of a Nikon the AF is also very reliable even in low light. It has a pedestrian continous shooting speed but it is still a great camera, everything else is very responsive. I got mine from warehouseexpress.com for £89 body only, but I dunno if they still have them.

[lee74]

Thanks for the replies, will check the websites and see if I can get hold of one.

[taxor]

I have an F80 myself. It's a fantastic little camera which accompanies me whenever I go hiking (my F5 is a little on the heavy side). Metering is pretty much spot on and AF is good also. My only criticism is that it gives up the ghost pretty quick in very cold conditions, although it's not unique in this respect. I got mine from Warehouse express for a ton.

[sandyfyfe]

I have one and enjoy using it immensely. The London CAmera Exchange and Sttation Cameras (?) in Reading usually sell them at around £100 a pop. London Camera Exchange has a website which may lead you to a dealer close to you.

[Lazza]

I too have an F80 and it's a great camera, probably got the best deal around when I paid a mere £49 from mbpphotographic for a mint/boxed black F80 + MB-16 battery grip - And when I say mint I mean just that, can find no signs of use in either so one happy bunny for such silly money - better quality results using good old film than any DSLR out there too. It's got most of the best features of the Pro F100 without the bulk/weight. (I did read an article a few years back about a top US photographer that shot for National Geographic mag & similar that preferred to take a light, plastic F80 with them on trips as opposed to heavier F100, F5 cameras so that speaks volumes in itself.)

I find it great for street photography as it's so light yet so capable, whack a 50mm AF lens on it and it is just so light and portable and most important usable - much rather do that than lump my D200 + heavy zoom lens around. It's taken over from my FA as my favourite Nikon film SLR which kind of even shocks me considering that to begin with even I did not take the F80 seriously as it's a light weight plastic build camera that I bought to sell on, so glad that I kept it though.

I know Mifsuds usually have a few in stock around the £89 mark, phone them up and make an offer on one they are usually open to a bit of a barter I've found over the years I've used them - http://www.mifsuds.com/usedpriceindex.htm 01803 852400.

[Guitarist]

I have a Nikon F80, which is excellent in every way. I've had it for 4 years, and I have 28-80mm and 75-240mm AF-D Zoom Nikkors and the MB battery grip to go with it. I would highly recommend the camera, and although these particular lenses are quite cheap, they produce excellent pictures. You should be able to find a body for around £70-£80, and a 28-80mm AF-D Nikkor for around £50. Ebay is the best bet, or you can pay a little more at a dealer and get a guarantee.
Regards
John

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I got the 75-240mm and I use it on my Fujifilm S3 pro and it's a super lens for what I paid for it. I have no qualms using it wide open, which says a lot for such a cheap lens.

[ScottW]

It's also worth looking at the F100. I bought one for £104 recently on eBay, and it's pleasantly similar to my D300. I haven't used the F80 myself, but there's a comparison at ByThom. The differences which might be important are that the F100 meters with manual focus lenses, has a faster sync speed, and has three cross-type sensors (only the centre one on the F80 is cross type). The F80 has a built-in flash, and the F100 doesn't.

[AJUK]

Its a great camera, a pleasure to use and solid, I dropped mine down a set of solid concrete steps in Penzance.

[beejaybee]

I dropped mine down a set of solid concrete steps in Penzance.

Oh dear, I hope the council doesn't sue you for the cost of repairing the steps....

[spinno]

I dropped mine down a set of solid concrete steps in Penzance.

Oh dear, I hope the council doesn't sue you for the cost of repairing the steps....

...it was yesterday and the shock was felt in the Lake District.....

[AJUK]

Ha, it only has a scratch and a dent in my Polariser.

[Lazza]

I dropped mine down a set of solid concrete steps in Penzance.

Oh dear, I hope the council doesn't sue you for the cost of repairing the steps....

Yes now there's one clear advantage the F100 has over the F80, the F80 would probably now be mush in the same circumstances.

I always remember the old saying that went along the lines of this about the Nikon F4 and it's robustness (Though I bet any money it was probably first said about the F2 or even the F and probably originated in the Vietnam war!).... - "If attacked you can beat someone half to death with an F4 and then still photograph the scene afterwards".

One thing to be said about the F80 that on the other hand, plastic body lightness! I still have a crick in my neck from excess F4s carrying many years back.

[AJUK]

What? I was talking about an F80, LOL!

[Rhys]

I still have a crick in my neck from excess F4s carrying many years back.

..know the feeling - got the F4E. Felt safe with it, nice weighty camera - knew it would come in useful if someone tried to mug me