I love it - the Nikon N80

[Huss]

I had one of these before but sold it because it was silver and I am shallow like that. Found this one on ebay in black w the 28-80d lens (as good optically as the G but also has an aperture ring so I can use it on my F3 etc). Was listed as ‘sticky’ and ‘for parts, untested’.
First thing I checked was to see if the back was broken - as many Nikons of this era are wont to do. It was fine. ‘Sticky’ is super easy to fix -15 mins w a cloth and rubbing alcohol. As it is a Japanese camera, chances are good that all it needs is batteries. And that indeed was all it needed.
$30 for a beautiful n80 with a 28-80 lens.

 

[Cholentpot]

N80 is peak plastic 90's camera. I really like mine, slap a 50 1.8 on there and it's compact, light and capable as anything I own. And you have back button focus.

 

[Huss]

I really like that it has the grid option on the focus screen as a custom setting. I set mine up like that.

 

[KerrKid]

Great find! Congrats!

 

[Roger Thoms]

On Demand Grid Lines, how cool is that.

Roger

 

[Huss]

On Demand Grid Lines, how cool is that.

Roger

i know!

you can turn these on or off:

 

[Moose22]

Grid lines are too cool. It is one of the best things about a Digital camera. I have a custom button to turn them on deman on my Zs. So nice for architecture or when you have a horizon.

I actually bought a second F3 just to get the P focus screen, and bought a grid screen for my F6.

I had no idea ON DEMAND grid it was a thing on any film cameras. Excellent feature.

You going to end up with 80 cameras again Huss?

 

[Huss]

Grid lines are too cool. It is one of the best things about a Digital camera. I have a custom button to turn them on deman on my Zs. So nice for architecture or when you have a horizon.

I actually bought a second F3 just to get the P focus screen, and bought a grid screen for my F6.

I had no idea ON DEMAND grid it was a thing on any film cameras. Excellent feature.

You going to end up with 80 cameras again Huss?

Yeah I have the P screen on my F3 too. It’s interesting that the F80 has this as on demand it must be because the screen is fixed and so can be electronically controlled. I don’t remember the F100 having it. The F6 doesn’t but has interchangeable screens.

Still selling off cameras - recently sold my Xpro3

 

[Moose22]

F100 and F6 do NOT have this feature. F80 was a pretty darned good camera in 2000 at the prosumer level. Had most of the features you'd get from an F100 for cheaper.

Does that have a little fill flash? Honestly, for a lightweight, knockaround camera a those pop up flashes are a super feature. Kind of wish I had one on my camera about once every other roll.

 

[mtnbkr]

My first and last AF film camera. I went from that to a DSLR, then mirrorless (kept the mechanical manual focus film camera until I went mirrorless around 2010).

The N80 was a great camera and made chasing the kid (this was pre-Thing-2) easy.

Chris

 

[Paul Howell]

Will the metal latch replacement for the F100 work on the N80?

 

[Huss]

Will the metal latch replacement for the F100 work on the N80?

Yes

 

[Huss]

F100 and F6 do NOT have this feature. F80 was a pretty darned good camera in 2000 at the prosumer level. Had most of the features you'd get from an F100 for cheaper.

Does that have a little fill flash? Honestly, for a lightweight, knockaround camera a those pop up flashes are a super feature. Kind of wish I had one on my camera about once every other roll.

Yeah it has the little pop up flash.

 

[AZD]

I had one, kind of want another. They were very good cameras, very easy to use, and quiet.

I had the grid lines on all the time. Too bad the crappy Quantaray zooms I had couldn’t imagine a straight line…

Only down side for me now is that it won’t meter with manual AI lenses, which is all I have.

 

[AZD]

Typo… the Quantaray zooms couldn’t image a straight line. Maybe because they couldn’t imagine it?

 

[madNbad]

So, thirty bucks and it doesn’t scratch the film…

 

[Sharktooth]

They really are excellent cameras. Full featured, and extremely light weight. Everything works well, and they go for next to nothing now. What more could you want?

.... the only problem is that they have no "magic". It's like comparing a Toyota Corolla to an old Triumph TR6. A Corolla is better in every way, but it doesn't have the "magic" of a TR6. It's completely irrational, but that's just the way it is. I'd rather shoot with my old Nikon P7100 digital P&S, than take out my F80 with film. On the other hand, I have lots of less competent film cameras that I like to shoot with film.

 

[Cholentpot]

They really are excellent cameras. Full featured, and extremely light weight. Everything works well, and they go for next to nothing now. What more could you want?

.... the only problem is that they have no "magic". It's like comparing a Toyota Corolla to an old Triumph TR6. A Corolla is better in every way, but it doesn't have the "magic" of a TR6. It's completely irrational, but that's just the way it is. I'd rather shoot with my old Nikon P7100 digital P&S, than take out my F80 with film. On the other hand, I have lots of less competent film cameras that I like to shoot with film.

It's debatable. The N80 is quick and responsive. The N70 is not. They're both autofocus plastic cameras yet I'll reach for the N80 over the N70 every time.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have a N80 waiting in the wings for when my N75 bites the dust. I cannot use it for infrared film though .

 

[ic-racer]

This is a F80/N80 to me:

 

[Roger Thoms]

So, thirty bucks and it doesn’t scratch the film…

What the issue with scratched film? I ask because I have a roll that has a very fine light scratch that runs the length of the roll of film. The only problem is that I’m not sure which camera I shot it with, but it may have been one of my N80’s.

Roger

 

[madNbad]

What the issue with scratched film? I ask because I have a roll that has a very fine light scratch that runs the length of the roll of film. The only problem is that I’m not sure which camera I shot it with, but it may have been one of my N80’s.

Roger

It refers to an issue the OP is having with a different and somewhat more expensive camera.

 

[Huss]

What the issue with scratched film? I ask because I have a roll that has a very fine light scratch that runs the length of the roll of film. The only problem is that I’m not sure which camera I shot it with, but it may have been one of my N80’s.

Roger

Sort of an inside joke because right now Leica is having issues delivering $5500 cameras which are scratching film.

 

[Huss]

They really are excellent cameras. Full featured, and extremely light weight. Everything works well, and they go for next to nothing now. What more could you want?

.... the only problem is that they have no "magic". It's like comparing a Toyota Corolla to an old Triumph TR6. A Corolla is better in every way, but it doesn't have the "magic" of a TR6. It's completely irrational, but that's just the way it is. I'd rather shoot with my old Nikon P7100 digital P&S, than take out my F80 with film. On the other hand, I have lots of less competent film cameras that I like to shoot with film.

I find mine pretty magical Just put a 50 lens on it and I haven't been able to put it down. Such a great, light weight combo that feels like an extension of your arm.

 

[KerrKid]

That black color and combo is the bees knees. I’m jealous.