New Nikon D80

[Mike W]

For you guys with your tongues hanging out and your credit cards clutched in sweaty, trembling fingers, the new Nikon is the D80 and there's a preview on www.dpreview.com

The good / bad news is it looks very similar to the D70...but not similar enough, the controls are set differently on the back panel and the camera is a bit smaller.

[TimIngmire]

Shame about the changed shape but then hopes were low on that score anyway.

Nice points:

• More megapixels
• Improved Autofocus
• New (Improved?) Metering
• ISO 100
• Selectable min Shutter speed with auto ISO
• More shots in Cntinuous fire mode
• Bigger LCD and Improved Histogram

There are some other improvements but these seem most relevant to me.

The big downside of course is the slower flash sync rate of only 1/200 - not at all impressive compared to the 1/500 of the D70.

It's a nice camera tho and buying from new would deffo be a serious consideration on those specs - watch those D70's flood the 2nd hand market. It may finally be time to get a back-up body as I don't see myself upgrading on ths round of cameras (D200 or the D80).

[KenByrne]

Damm thing isn't going to fit my housing is it.

The flash sync on the D70 is nominally 1/500 but because of the electronic shutter it actually syncs at any speed. I'd really miss this on wide angle if I changed and the D80 is definitely 1/200 as is the D200 because they have mechanical shutters.

Still very tempted, the price seems to be very good, until you add in a housing.

[Mike W]

At least the new Nikon offers 100 ISO, making the synch speed effectively slower than it would be for ISO 200. Maybe it'll actually synch just a bit faster, my Canon says 1/200th but makes 1/250th. Doesn't match a compact, though...

You're right about prices, it seems cameras are getting cheaper by the day, it's housings that stay expensive - low production runs and ever changing camera bodies.

I think when Canon announce a 350D successor I'll buy a back up body

[dave s]

I am thinking of getting an SLR, had been thinking about a D70s but then saw the D80.

Any help on making a choice would be great.

How much is the D80 ?

[Mike W]

My turn now - the Canon UK web-site is trailing a new Canon 400D. The body size is exactly the same as the current 350D and most of the buttons look similarly positioned, but I bet one of 'em is somewhere different and I bet it's one of the b*ggers I use.

The new model boasts faster focusing (Very useful) an ultrasonic cleaner for the sensor (Very useful) and 10m pixels (Slightly better than the 8 million of my 350 but nowt much to shout home over.

I wonder if it will fit my housing? If not, I see a second 350D body in my stars when the prices tumble as the new model takes over.

[TimIngmire]

I'd say you might be in luck Mike, Canon seem to make more of an effort to not change the bodies too much.

[TimIngmire]

Dave, the D80 is going for about £699 AIUI. On ebay, D70's are going for a lot less than that, in fact you could buy 2 or three bodies for the same price.

As for which to go for, well it's a difficult one. I think, given the cost difference that I'd go for the D70 still, especially as housings will be going cheaper 2nd hand as well. I don't think there is a housing out for the D80 yet. However, with the launch of the D80, the D70 will soon be discontinued so you'd need to consider that.

HTH

[Mike W]

I hope you're right, Tim, the Canon US press release highlights lower cost than the 350D as a feature and gives an estimated street price of $699 body only, which is about £375 at current exchange rates and undersuts the 350D by £50-60. 350D prices are really going to have to drop to make a second body worthwhile. I wonder how long it'll be before the full frame cameras are a reasonable price.

The pics I've seen suggest the various buttons to the left of the main screen have been moved further out and there's an extra button that looks to be something to do with printing, not a function I use underwater!

[TimIngmire]

I've just read on Wetpixel that a member has tried a D80 inside a Nexus Housing.

It fits but the AF switch didn't line up. Also the buttons on the back didn't line up but, if all you do is change the shutter and aperture then you're sorted.

It'd be nice if Nexus were to just offer a new housing back for the D80.