If you’re willing to take risks for the best deals, eBay is always a decent place to find vintage cameras. Personally, I like the peace of mind a trusted reseller like KEH can provide with used gear. Using these affiliate links for eBay and KEH helps me keep this site online with no ads. Thank you!
Nikon N80 Original Release Year: 2000 Alternate Names: Nikon F80
You may have heard the old saying that the best camera is the one with you. An amazing lens is useless if it’s so heavy you just leave it at home (looking at you my gigantic Nikon 70-200 f2.8). So I’ve been on the lookout for a great lightweight Nikon SLR that would be more comfortable on the shoulder when traveling compared to my default Nikon F100. After reading a lot of great things about the N80, I decided to pick up one for myself.
As one of the last Nikon SLRs made for everyday casual photographers, the N80 shares a lot of DNA with early consumer DSLRs. In fact, it feels uncannily like my old Nikon D40, right down to the silver shutter button (though this one has a screw hole in it). The very last Nikon film cameras were geared towards pros who wouldn’t let go of film (Nikon F6, F100) or manual film cameras for college kids learning darkroom (Nikon FM10). The N80 feels very different from both of these camps. This is one of Nikon’s last attempts to make the best 35mm camera possible the lowest price for regular people.
That’s how we get a lightweight, fun, feature-packed camera that’s also somewhat fragile and underpowered. However, don’t underestimate the lightweight factor – this has become my go-to causal carry-around camera simply because it’s so much nicer to hold for extended periods of time. The flawed camera you have is better than the perfect camera at home.
The N80 is about as full-featured and modern as film SLRs get. Check out that flash!
Controls and Features
When it comes to features, the N80 is as good as it gets when it comes to Nikon film cameras. There’s almost nothing missing here you’d get on the F100. All the proper exposure modes, metering options, autofocus, and more is present. The five focus areas are the same as the F5 and F100, which is great. I also really like the grid in the viewfinder since I have a bad habit of canting photos without one (it’s something I always use on my mirrorless digital cameras). There’s even a built-in flash!
One complaint is that the flash exposure compensation and exposure compensation buttons are right next to each other. In a hurry, it’s easy to accidentally mix one up with the other since their icons are so similar. This happened to me when I was shooting outside with a bunch of distractions. Speaking of exposure compensation, it only adjusts in .5 stops instead of the standard .3-.5-.7, which is kind of frustrating. I use -.3 all the time when shooting landscapes.
Unfortunately, the N80 has the same set of cryptic ‘custom settings‘ that the F100 is saddled with. The CSM button will get you into the kind of menu on the LCD that used to drive us all crazy on VHS players back in the day. The numeric code has to be deciphered with a manual to set up your camera just how you like it. Thankfully, unlike us back in the 1990s, we can easily look up these codes on the internet. It’s good to keep a card on hand in your bag with the info if you need it in a pinch. I’ve also created a virtual pocket guide. Thankfully, most of these are settings you check once and don’t have to worry about again.
The N80 is significantly lighter than contemporary cameras like the F100. It still feels great to hold too.
Ergonomics and Handling
The N80 feels great in the hand and is delightfully light. The weight difference between this and the Nikon F100 is very noticeable in practice. I’m a big baby when it comes to back pain, and I can wear the N80 around my shoulder with no fatigue for hours at a time. The weight also helps when it’s pulling duty as a secondary camera – when you’re wearing multiple bodies and backpacks at the same time every ounce counts.
To go with its small size, the viewfinder is a bit smaller than the bigger cameras but it does the job. It’ll feel right at home for people used to a DX/APS-C type DSLR viewfinder.
Part of the reason the N80 is so light is the kind of batteries it uses. Which brings us to…
Batteries go into the grip.
Power and Batteries
Unlike the more ‘pro’ F100, the Nikon N80 is powered by two small lithium CR2 batteries rather than common AAs. This has the advantage of reducing the camera’s weight and bulk, but these batteries are way harder to find in a pinch (I order mine online). Also, I like to use rechargeable Eneloop AA lithium batteries with all my cameras and they don’t come in this form factor.
Batteries last a long time on film cameras, and the N80 is no exception. I’ve shot countless rolls on the same batteries that I put in the camera when I got it. However, for peace of mind, I typically charge my AAs before a shoot, so I really don’t like that I have to just ride out the N80 batteries until they die. The battery meter isn’t going to give you much warning, so it’s best just to keep an extra pair of the CR2s on hand.
Keep in mind that you use the built-in flash on a regular basis, that’ll eat up your batteries at a much, much faster rate.
Large telephotos will sometimes struggle with the limited power of the N80.
Image Quality
Like most film cameras, the actual ‘image quality’ is based on the film and lenses, rather than the camera itself. Unlike a digital camera, the cheapest 35mm SLR on the planet can use the exact same ‘sensors’ (film) as the most expensive F6 out there.
However, factors like out-of-focus shots or bad exposure will do a number on objective image quality. Fortunately, I’ve found the exposure on the N80 to be accurate in all modes.
Unfortunately, I tended to get more out of focus shots than usual when using big, heavy lenses. More sensibly sized lenses were fine. I can’t know for sure if this is an issue with my specific model of N80, but considering how much less power this thing is packing than a F100 (or a monstrous F5) it doesn’t surprise me.
The N80 makes an excellent pair with a lightweight zoom or prime.
Compatibility
The Nikon N80 is technically compatible with a huge variety of Nikon F lenses, but I would recommend sticking to lightweight, smaller AF-S types for the best results. AF-D work well, but the power of the N80 sometimes doesn’t have quite the oomph needed to drive heavy AF-D focus systems. Beware the handful of AF-P lenses Nikon released towards the end of the Nikon F mount era, they aren’t compatible with any Nikon film cameras. Kenrockwell.com is a good resource for looking this kind of thing up.
The focus motor struggled with my 70-300mm AF-S and 24-105mm AF-S zooms in particular, constantly focus hunting and missing shots on the far end. If you stay away from telephotos and chasing birds you’ll probably be fine. I had no problem with lenses like the 85mm AF-S, 50mm AF-D, 50mm 1.8 AF-S, 28mm AF-S, 24-85mm AF-S, and many other lenses that weren’t telephoto zooms.
The plastic latches that often break off. Don’t mash your camera closed if you’re worried about this issue – always open the latch with the side switch when opening and closing.
Common Issues
Unfortunately, the N80 suffers from the same brittle plastic back door latch that the Nikon F100 has. It’s not the end of the world, as if your door breaks there are ways to fix or replace it. Just keep this in mind when purchasing an N80 – I’ve gotten countless cameras from eBay over the years with broken latches. The model of camera I own has a back that I’m almost positive has been replaced by a previous owner.
The exposure switch on my particular N80 was damaged and has a hard time staying on matrix exposure, sometimes switching by itself to spot. Either way, I had no problems with images coming out with the wrong exposure, so this hasn’t been a major issue.
My N80 was missing the rubber eyecup, and I think I purchased the last replacement floating around the internet from what I can tell (sorry). Fortunately, the body is plastic so it won’t scratch glasses as easily as a metal Nikon F3 with a missing rubber ring around the viewfinder.
Finally, this camera can suffer from sticky rubber syndrome. This is also a very fixable condition. My N80 arrived horrifically sticky and all it took was a little elbow grease to completely fix the problem. Now there isn’t a hint of stickiness to it.
The N80 rocks. If you’re looking for a modern, lightweight SLR, this is one of the best.
Recommendations
If you want a lightweight Nikon SLR to do some serious shooting with, the N80 is a no-brainer. I like pairing mine with a Nikkor 24-70mm f3.5-4.5 AF-S zoom, one of Nikon’s best F-mount lightweight zooms in my humble opinion. If you’re going to be in tougher conditions, the N80 is a bit on the fragile side compared to the F100. I’ve gone out in blizzards and storms with my F3 and F100s with no problem, but those same storms would’ve definitely killed my N80. As long as you keep the N80’s limitations in mind, you’re going to have a great time.
If you’re willing to take risks for the best deals, eBay is always a decent place to find vintage cameras. Personally, I like the peace of mind a trusted reseller like KEH can provide with used gear. Using these affiliate links for eBay and KEH helps me keep this site online with no ads. Thank you!
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