Nikon F 80 > Reviews (12)

After many years using a fully manual, second hand OlympusOM30 I decided to take a step up and get a good quality mid-range SLR. The Nikon F80 did everything I hoped for. I did not have a fortune to spend but wanted something as good as possible for the price. It was important for me to have optimum creativity as I like fine art and abstract photography.

At £379 (including lens) the Nikon is fabulous. With several different metering options, it is fully capable of tackling all lighting conditions. The autofocus is made possible in low lighting thanks to a natty small assisting light. However it draws attention to the photographer when photographing animals and unsuspecting human subjects, which can sometimes cause problems.

Shutter speeds range from 1/4000 (ideal for freezing moving objects) right up to B (bulb) setting for longer exposures. I also like the multiple exposure setting which has many creative opportunities. Continuous film advance can be very useful for shooting moving subjects.

It came complete with a very versatile 28-105mm lens which is the expected Nikon quality.

The noly thing I do not like about this camera is the built in flash, which transformed otherwise decent images into poorly lit snapshots. The range of the flash is quite limited and I much prefer using my seperate flashgun on the hotshoe.

Overall though, I love this camera. It is, in my opinion, the best around for this price.