Something I noticed about the D80

ajmall · Dec 21, 2006

This may have been brought up before but reading Nikon's site about the D80 being a "Semi-pro" camera I was stunned to see it uses SD and not CF memory. Also, are Nikon still not producing battery grips for their "lower end" DSLRs? That was the one thing that frustrated me most about my D70s.

Big Mike · Dec 21, 2006

It looks like Nikon is making the shift to SD cards...at least for their entry level and 'semi-pro' DSLR cameras.

D-50 · Dec 21, 2006

I realize most pro cameras use CF cards but what is the advantage to having such a large card? Are they better than SD for some reason? I would prefer to have a smaller card. When all is said and done its not so much the camera you use but the images it produces, so if your going to critisize a camera critisize the image quality not the little things such as card type or lack of battery grip. Just carry a couple exra batteries in your bag and problem is solved. If you are having trouble holding the camera upright without a battery grip maybe you should work on your dexterity.

dewey · Dec 21, 2006

I have the D80 and I love the fact that it's SD. Now that they have 4GB SD cards readily available it's no longer a CF world... and microdrives scare me.... I prefer the solid state construction of the SD cards or the non-microdrive CF cards.

Nikon has a batt grip for the D80 and up... D40, D50 and D70 do not have the grip.

fmw · Dec 21, 2006

Terms like semi pro have no meaning. Not even a little. SD is a newer technology than CF and is a smaller medium. All positive. Why cling to the past? Battery grips are available for the D80. I have one myself.

Don Simon · Dec 21, 2006

I remember someone on another forum warning someone off buying one dSLR because it used SD instead of CF cards like pro cameras. Odd.

dewey · Dec 21, 2006

But if your camera takes CF you're a pro... duh :lol:

Don Simon · Dec 21, 2006

But I thought you were a pro if your camera was black! :lol:

fmw · Dec 21, 2006

ZaphodB said:
I remember someone on another forum warning someone off buying one dSLR because it used SD instead of CF cards like pro cameras. Odd.

Very odd. SD cards are high capacity, reliable and very small.

Big Mike · Dec 22, 2006

Some thing they are too small.

fmw · Dec 22, 2006

Big Mike said:
Some thing they are too small.

They'll change their minds as the "pro level" cameras catch up and use them on upcoming new models.

Big Mike · Dec 22, 2006

Oh, I'm sure they will. It's not a big deal IMO...it's just a memory card, who cares what shape it is?

I believe Canon Pro bodies have slots for both CF and SD, don't they?

cloose · Dec 27, 2006

fmw said:
They'll change their minds as the "pro level" cameras catch up and use them on upcoming new models.

Huh? Are you implying that SD cards are better in some way?

cloose · Dec 27, 2006

But if small was the best, why wouldn't they all use XD cards.......
Really, memory is just that, completely meaningless what type, as long as you personally have as much as you need.

CMan · Dec 27, 2006

I agree, but to clarify on the xD, that is a technology co-developed by Olympus and Fujifilm, and as such is used only in their products.

It would be a lot easier (and cheaper) if everybody just used the same type of memory...