Willing to upgrade from Nikon D80, but does it make sense?

[SwampDude]

I've been an amateur photographer, off and on, for decades, and my first venture into digital was about 8 or 10 years ago when I bought a D80. Compared to my 35mm equipment, the D80's bells and whistles were a bit overwhelming. So, I bought a simple point-and-shoot to satisfy the camera needs for grandkids, travel, etc.

Now I've landed in SW Florida where I'm surrounded by interesting wildlife and landscape photo opportunities. With 5 young granddaughters that visit often, portrait and casual photo opportunities abound. I still have the D80, good carbon fiber tripods, cable and remote shutter releases, etc. My only lense is a AF-S 18-135.

I want to immerse myself in learning digital photography, and I want good tools to make the experience as easy and efficient as possible. At my age, I don't have a lifetime to grow into a good amateur photographer with digital technology.

Will the D80 be a good camera to accomplish my objective or would another camera be easier to become skilled with? For clarification, I want to be a good still-image photographer with emphasis on strong fundamentals rather than using technology to create special effects or using raw data to 'manage' images. I'm willing to upgrade to a new Nikon or another brand, or drop back to a simpler camera, if changing will enhance my learning process.

I will sincerely appreciate your comments and guidance. I'll try to define my needs in clearer terms if more information will help.

 

[manicmike]

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

 

[invisible]

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

I agree with Mike. Do lots of shooting with the D80 and see how you feel about digital photography. If you're not planning on selling BIG prints or shooting in somewhat challenging conditions (e.g., low light) then the D80 should be more than adequate. The 18-135 lens should suffice for portraiture and also for some wildlife photography, although you might find the lens too short under certain circumstances. With the money you'll save by not buying another camera, you could buy a longer lens (e.g., 70-300).

Good luck in your digital photography journey, and have fun!

 

[SwampDude]

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

I've heard that Nikon and others sell somewhat sophisticated digital SLRs with very user-friendly controls. I haven't researched cameras in this category because my D80 offers simple operation in the auto mode with additional features to allow 'growth' as knowledge progresses. Beyond the point-and-shoot mode, however, the D80 menus and operations are a bit daunting.

i want image sharpness, depth of field control, low light capability, ease in using manual settings, and all the other fundamental control benefits I experienced with my 35mm cameras. My Nikon lens should be more than adequate. Navigating around the D80's control functions is where I tend to get bogged down.

 

[manaheim]

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

I agree with Mike. Do lots of shooting with the D80 and see how you feel about digital photography. If you're not planning on selling BIG prints or shooting in somewhat challenging conditions (e.g., low light) then the D80 should be more than adequate. The 18-135 lens should suffice for portraiture and also for some wildlife photography, although you might find the lens too short under certain circumstances. With the money you'll save yourself by not buying another camera, you could buy a longer lens (e.g., 70-300).

Good luck in your digital photography journey, and have fun!

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

What they said. And the D80 is a fine camera to boot.

 

[SwampDude]

Just about any camera can make a great photograph in the right hands. The D80 is a great camera. Getting a newer camera won't make learning any easier.

I agree with Mike. Do lots of shooting with the D80 and see how you feel about digital photography. If you're not planning on selling BIG prints or shooting in somewhat challenging conditions (e.g., low light) then the D80 should be more than adequate. The 18-135 lens should suffice for portraiture and also for some wildlife photography, although you might find the lens too short under certain circumstances. With the money you'll save yourself by not buying another camera, you could buy a longer lens (e.g., 70-300).

Good luck in your digital photography journey, and have fun!

Is there something about the D80 that makes it ill-suited for low light conditions other than the poor flash set up? I probably need a good add-on flash unit.

A quality long lens sounds like a nice addition for critter shots. I've thought about an ultra-wide angle, too.

It sounds like the D80 will suffice for now. I've been reading here about the 90, 5100 and the 7000, which seem pretty popular; all of these are probably as complex (or more so) as the D80. Since video isn't an important feature, these later models might not provide much additional benefit.

i probably need to work harder at studying the manual and getting familiar with the controls.

 

[invisible]

Is there something about the D80 that makes it ill-suited for low light conditions other than the poor flash set up? I probably need a good add-on flash unit.

If you are shooting with a tripod, nothing. If you plan on shooting handheld without flash in low-light situations, you might find that the high-ISO performance of the D80 is not all that great when compared to that of more recent cameras.

 

[Mully]

I would keep and use the D80 until you are proficient with it, by then you will know what you want a camera to do and decide then.

 

[SwampDude]

I'm convinced...the D80 will work for me, probably for a long time.

My only concern is that it may be dangerous hanging out here with you folks. Camera 'stuff' is kinda like guns and bicycles 'cause one never has enough equipment. I can already feel the itch for a good flash unit and a long lens coming on.

Thanks for your advice. I'll be back with more questions, I'm sure.

 

[Mike_E]

Another + for the D80.

Although I'd get a water-proof case to transport it, tripping over a submerged (or not) log and falling into the water is not a good idea.

 

[sm4him]

Add another "Keep the D80" vote to the pile. It's a fine DSLR and will serve you just fine, at least for the foreseeable future.

At my age, I don't have a lifetime to grow into a good amateur photographer with digital technology.

Sure you do. It's just not quite as *much* lifetime as it would have been twenty years ago. There is no better time to get started than Right. Now.

I, too, did film photography for decades. But I went straight from film SLRs to digital point-and-shoots, because kids came along and took any time/significant interest in doing more than pointing the camera and clicking the shutter. But the empty nest syndrome found me wanting to get back into photography seriously, so I bought a DSLR about 18 months ago now. Joined this forum a few months after that, and I can tell you that this forum has done more to improve my skills than I could have managed in five years on my own.

My suggestion is to just take it slowly. Don't try to learn it all at once, or it WILL be overwhelming. Get a good book, like Understanding Exposure...and READ your camera manual. Several times. With your camera at hand. Concentrate on one section at a time and play with the controls. The more you just start using it, the more you'll start to "get it." And then you can start taking it OFF auto.