I love it - the Nikon N80

Alan Edward Klein · Mar 5, 2023

Huss said:
There’s a very nice N6006 w Nikon 35-70 af lens at Pauls Photo in Torrance for $60. In case anyone is interested. Nice thing is you can actually check it out, instead of risking an online purchase.

I bought that same setup new 30-35 years ago. The electronic shutter was tested and is perfect after not using it for many years. The camera works perfectly and has all the features including PASM, metering, auto focus, bracketing, flash, etc. The lens is not suppose to be that good but you be the judge. Here's some Tmax 400 shot a couple of years ago.

Removing ground brush with fire - 35mm Tmax 400

New Jersey Forest Fire Department clears bush by burning. Near Craig House, Monmouth Battlefield.

www.flickr.com

Alan Edward Klein · Mar 5, 2023

Helge said:
Except when they aren’t used for fill but is deemed sufficient for everything.

Yes they're only good for a few feet but handy in a pinch. Better than cellphone flashes. You can always carry a better flash in your pocket.

Huss · Mar 5, 2023

Alan Edward Klein said:
I bought that same setup new 30-35 years ago. The electronic shutter was tested and is perfect after not using it for many years. The camera works perfectly and has all the features including PASM, metering, auto focus, bracketing, flash, etc. The lens is not suppose to be that good but you be the judge. Here's some Tmax 400 shot a couple of years ago.

Removing ground brush with fire - 35mm Tmax 400

New Jersey Forest Fire Department clears bush by burning. Near Craig House, Monmouth Battlefield.

www.flickr.com

Excellent stuff!

Huss · Mar 5, 2023

N80, 28-80g, C200

Moose22 · Mar 5, 2023

Patrick Robert James said:
I don't know why Nikon didn't put a shutter release on the battery pack. It would have made a hellova addition.

Consumer camera with a consumer battery pack. They didn't want the extra cost and see that as a Pro feature.

I agree. Would have been a good addition.

ic-racer · Mar 6, 2023

Moose22 said:
Consumer camera with a consumer battery pack. They didn't want the extra cost and see that as a Pro feature.

I agree. Would have been a good addition.

The N75 is a newer design and the battery pack did have the extra release. N75 cost about 1/2 the price of N80 when new.

Bwbuff · Mar 6, 2023

Sadly the MB-18 is four times the price of the MB-16 now. I just can't justify the purchase price. Unfortunately, there is no third party grip available for this particular model. Well, I just patiently wait for one comes up with a reasonable price.

Huss · Mar 6, 2023

Maybe I'm the outlier here, but one big reason for me to use the N80, and especially the N75, is that they are small.
Adding a grip removes a huge part of their appeal to me.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 6, 2023

Huss said:
Maybe I'm the outlier here, but one big reason for me to use the N80, and especially the N75, is that they are small.
Adding a grip removes a huge part of their appeal to me.

I agree. Small is better these days for me after all the years of lugging huge cameras and lenses around, though too small is a thing too. My Rebel T2 that I picked up a few months ago is too small. Great little camera, but just a bit uncomfortable to use.

More or less my point was the grip is pretty useless without the shutter release. They probably left it off so professionals wouldn't buy in in place of the F100. The N80 is a solid camera but you'd need the grip with the beastly 2.8 lenses.

Huss · Mar 6, 2023

Patrick Robert James said:
I agree. Small is better these days for me after all the years of lugging huge cameras and lenses around, though too small is a thing too. My Rebel T2 that I picked up a few months ago is too small. Great little camera, but just a bit uncomfortable to use.

More or less my point was the grip is pretty useless without the shutter release. They probably left it off so professionals wouldn't buy in in place of the F100. The N80 is a solid camera but you'd need the grip with the beastly 2.8 lenses.

Agreed, these small cameras are much better with small lenses. I mean, my N80 works just fine w the Sigma 50 1.4, it just is a bit ungainly.

That's what my F6 is for.

ic-racer · Mar 6, 2023

Huss said:
Maybe I'm the outlier here, but one big reason for me to use the N80, and especially the N75, is that they are small.
Adding a grip removes a huge part of their appeal to me.

Yes, and it is the smaller batteries of the N75 that makes that one smaller and lighter than the N80. The main reason I want the AA battery packs is because I have many AA cells always charged but have been in a bind with no CR123 or CR2 batteries on hand. Also, this winter I like that I can put the AA cell holder in my pocket to stay warm.

The battery pack might be more useful with the n75 for a few reasons:
1) CR2 batteries are smaller than the N80 batteries and therefore shorter life
2) The date back on the n75 uses the camera batteries to stay running, so the CR2 batteries in the camera will slowly be used up when sitting, so I stick the AA pack on it when not in use.
3) They do make rechargeable CR123 for the N80 , but I have never seen rechargeable CR2 for the N75.

Huss · Mar 6, 2023

ic-racer said:
3) They do make rechargeable CR123 for the N80 , but I have never seen rechargeable CR2 for the N75.

I have rechargeable CR2s. They are made by Watson.

ic-racer · Mar 6, 2023

Huss said:
I have rechargeable CR2s. They are made by Watson.

I’ll have to check it out!

Bwbuff · Mar 6, 2023

ic-racer said:
I’ll have to check it out!

I just received these from Amazon last week.

Moose22 · Mar 6, 2023

Huss said:
I have rechargeable CR2s. They are made by Watson.

They are lower mWh capacity, but since they are rechargable obviously you just plan on slightly less endurance.

How many rolls have you been getting from your F6, typically, using the rechargables?

Sirius Glass · Mar 6, 2023

Moose22 said:
They are lower mWh capacity, but since they are rechargable obviously you just plan on slightly less endurance.

How many rolls have you been getting from your F6, typically, using the rechargables?

I just keep spare batteries. The batteries are designed to fail just after one goes on vacation sending us to spend part of the vacation searching for batteries.

Moose22 · Mar 6, 2023

Bwbuff said:
I just received these from Amazon last week.

whoo -- 300mAh is LOW for this type of battery. Rechargable should be more than double that. Typical lithium is usually triple that.

Huss · Mar 7, 2023

Moose22 said:
They are lower mWh capacity, but since they are rechargable obviously you just plan on slightly less endurance.

How many rolls have you been getting from your F6, typically, using the rechargables?

25+

Here’s the interesting thing.. they must have sold duds because the first batch I had would literally last 3 rolls. So I wrote a scathing review on B& H. Watson apparently read it and sent me replacements which last as they do now.

Moose22 · Mar 7, 2023

That's all the more I get out of Lithium batteries. Though I so put a VR lens on now and again and I'm pretty bad about shutting it off. I also let it sit sometimes.

And I wouldn't be surprised if you did get some duds. But if the replacements are lasting that long you're doing good. They're only rated 600mAh.

Have you burned out any batteries on the N80 yet? I'm wondering how they're going to last. Anyone here know?

Huss · Mar 7, 2023

Moose22 said:
Have you burned out any batteries on the N80 yet? I'm wondering how they're going to last. Anyone here know?

I have not but I always take a couple spare because I don’t trust the battery level indicator. I every film camera I’ve used,:they go from full to empty in a handful of shots!

Moose22 · Mar 7, 2023

You're not kidding. On the F6 if it registers anything under than 100% you're a few rolls away. Seems that way with most of my cameras that have batteries, even the Zs. Voltage drop with dissipation on most batteries isn't linear, though, so I get why.

I am curious. I'm only 4 or 5 rolls into my N80.

Huss · Mar 7, 2023

Moose22 said:
You're not kidding. On the F6 if it registers anything under than 100% you're a few rolls away. Seems that way with most of my cameras that have batteries, even the Zs. Voltage drop with dissipation on most batteries isn't linear, though, so I get why.

I am curious. I'm only 4 or 5 rolls into my N80.

I've been juggling between my two N80s, so maybe 5 rolls in each and it still reads as 'full'. My Fuji Klasse W is like that too - will read 'full' at the beginning of a roll, then after a few shots - dead battery! This is after it has shot a bunch of rolls though. Still, full to empty in a few shots!
So, with any AF camera I have, pack some spare batteries.

ic-racer · Mar 18, 2023

As someone who wears glasses, I wanted the little rubber eyepiece covers. I found one for each of my N80s. Though, I know sometimes these cameras would come with them attached, both of my cameras came without.

FYI: the N80 takes DK-10, which is a little different from the eyepiece rubber for the N75.

ic-racer · Mar 18, 2023

What all N80s want...a lens that cost 100 times the price of the body...

Here it is, $20 camera wearing a $2000 lens. It is a great combination! Just got the lens and going to be using it this afternoon.

brbo · Mar 18, 2023

ic-racer said:
Here it is, $20 camera wearing a $2000 lens. It is a great combination! Just got the lens and going to be using it this afternoon.

Isn't that an ED lens, so you can only shoot it wide open on F80 (or any other film SLR)? How does that make it a great combination?

I love it - the Nikon N80

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