Time for my first SLR

[boogaguy]

I think you should just use what you have while saving up the few extra dollars and get the D80. Your not going to out grow it any time soon and it works with every Nikon lens old and new. Have a little patience and get the D80.
Its what i use. Its a good camera.
I am going to upgrade to the D200 soon but not because Ive out grown the D80 but because its sealed and I work offshore so it gives me peace of mind knowing it is better protected than my D80 in that environment.

Like Someone else said, it all depends on what you want to do with it.

 

[les_rokr]

Yeah, I really like all the features of the D70s, but I liked the D80 even more when I found out it had 10 mp instead of 6.1.

I guess I can suck it up and wait for the D80...

But can anyone tell me, why did they make the D80 smaller than the D70s?

It would've been just perfect if they woulda kept the same size.

Doesn't it also affect the shutter speed too?

 

[DSLR noob]

Because people like smaller cameras. As for the megapixel thing. THEY DO NOT MATTER FOR IMAGE QUALITY. it is a huge scam from companies like best buy and such to sell point and shoot cameras to ignorant buyers. Read the megapixel myth by Ken Rockwell.

 

[les_rokr]

Ah, so it's a myth! lol

I've heard rumors.

Thanks for the link man.:thumbup:

 

[DSLR noob]

No problem

 

[luckyskater820]

I own the D40, it's great, everything thing I need to learn and continuly learn on. But as said up above, you can only use AF-S lens, which are a little bit more $$. The main problem for me would be that they don't have the lenses I want in AF-S.If you can afford the D80, I'd get it. Just to adviod the lens problem.

 

[koda-46]

keep in mind that Nikon has no dust reduction technology so you'll have to go through the hassel to get dust off yourself

 

[Garbz]

Lol there's a bit of not miss-information but impractical information going around this thread.

- "But can anyone tell me, why did they make the D80 smaller than the D70s?"
Because they can. As technology improves things get smaller. People like smaller lighter cameras. If you look at the D200 internals and the D80 you'll see both cameras are packed as tightly as possible in their case.

- "As for the megapixel thing. THEY DO NOT MATTER FOR IMAGE QUALITY."
That is plain false. The fact is yes they do, but unlike marketing mantra it is not the only thing that matters. Pixels size, sensor design, and megapixles all matter. There is only so much resampling and upsizing you can do to an image to try and increase the size. Does it matter for 6x4 prints that mummy and daddy make? No. But I have 2 poster sized prints in my room that would not look as good on my old 3mpx camera simply because of the number of pixels. Mind you the more pixels you cram onto a sensor the smaller (noisier and less defined) they get. There needs to be a balance. 10mpx makes sense on APS sensors in SLRs, but not much sense on a 7mm sensor in a small P&S.

- "Read the megapixel myth by Ken Rockwell."
Do yourself a favour and don't read anything on Ken Rockwell's site. Regardless of how people think of him as a photographer, his site is 50% opinion and the other half crap. I mean common he writes reviews on products he has never used and disses products for features he thinks "no professional photographer ever uses". Unless you take identical photos to him take everything on that site with a grain of salt.

- "keep in mind that Nikon has no dust reduction technology"
No they don't, but those companies that do, don't work. I have read lots of crap reviews about those ultra sonic cleaning thingamabobs that some Canon and Olympus models have. Prevention is better than repair. Switch lenses quickly and don't remove a lens during a dust storm. A friend has had a D200 for years (pre-ordered when it was announced) and only uses prime lenses. Even though he switches several times on every expedition he's never once had to try sensor cleaning.

 

[ANDS!]

No. But I have 2 poster sized prints in my room that would not look as good on my old 3mpx camera simply because of the number of pixels.

Lets be realistic though: the jump from the average 3MP P&S (do they even make 3mp p&s any more?) to a 6-10MP dSLR is pretty noticeable. However amongst the dSLR camps 6-10MP isnt going to offer the OP any life-altering change in the prints he makes.

 

[D40]

The D40 is a sweet little camera with the only real down side is the necessity of the getting AF-S lenses. I feel they are built better then the Rebels and the D40 seemed to fit in my hand better then the Rebels.

I agree 100%

 

[koda-46]

actully garbz you have a mislead concept of dust reduction. it does work, I have a dslr with it and have changed lens in very dusty areas and the pictures I took afterwards were crystal clear. dont try to act all smart about things that you dont know it makes you look stupid

 

[jstuedle]

actully garbz you have a mislead concept of dust reduction. it does work, I have a dslr with it and have changed lens in very dusty areas and the pictures I took afterwards were crystal clear. dont try to act all smart about things that you dont know it makes you look stupid

I'm not a mod, so take this with the grain of salt it's served with, but that comment is uncalled for in my opinion. We are all in this sandbox together, so as Rodney King once said "Can't we all get along?".
Also, many reviewers don't find dust reduction all that remarkable. I believe the most dust inducing thing we hang on a DSLR is a zoom lens. Each time a lens is zoomed, it changes th air volume within the mirror box/lens assembly. This pushes air out and draws it back in again from around the mount and lens components. Changing lenses carefully and quickly, and using primes will introduce less dust in the area of the sensor.

 

[WDodd]

Changing lenses carefully and quickly, and using primes will introduce less dust in the area of the sensor.

Thats what I do. A lot of times I don't even end up changing lenses when I go out. Especially if I know what I plan on shooting before hand.

 

[S2K1]

Because people like smaller cameras. As for the megapixel thing. THEY DO NOT MATTER FOR IMAGE QUALITY. it is a huge scam from companies like best buy and such to sell point and shoot cameras to ignorant buyers. Read the megapixel myth by Ken Rockwell.

LOL, I used to sell digital cameras at Best Buy and one of the first things I pointed out to customers is that megapixels does not equal image quality. I blame the marketing team at the camera companies.

 

[NikonD40x@Denver]

This is really something that my wife and I would like to get into, I took a look at some classes to sign my wife and I up for her B-Day/ which this camera would be her Gift also, So with that said ......... how about this

Nikon D80, 10.2 Megapixel, SLR Digital Camera with Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. http://www.wisetronics.com/ProductDe...de=nkd80k18135

Does this look like a good deal?