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Upgrade to D80 from D70?

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Andrew Ting

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I have a D70 and it works great.... but obviously I want the newer D80. :)

Anyone upgrade this way and if so what did you find improved on the D80...white balance improved, lower noise? More importantly anything more annoying on the D80? (other than the lower flash sync).

I've read many threads, but nothing really describes how much better the D80 is.... even Ken Rockwell's comments.

THANKS!
Andrew
 
I was actually going to ask this exact same question.

I want the D80 mostly for the vertical grip that works without needing the menu to go between shots, and well the metering and larger sensor would be nice too.

I am unsure how the 1/200 instead of 1/500 will efect me with my strobes as of yet though.

My biggest problem is the fact that it doesnt use CF cards, and that its a cheap feeling plastic and a bit smaller then the D70.

I would jump right to the D200, but at double the price tag over the D80 its hard to chew when I know the D70 is prefectly fine for what i do.
 
if the D200 had cleaner ISO 1600 I would jump on it. I shot it and it feels solid, you can hold it with one hand, it also weights a lot with the 18-200vr. Good luck man.
 
I did because I wanted it, :p

The D70 is a better camera than I am a photographer. However, I wanted a 'lazier' camera---better out of camera jpg, less pp'n pictures, pics with more 'pop' without too much work.

I was just about to get a D50 for the 'pop' and high iso, when the D80 info was leaked.

So..I waited and then got the D80.

D80 is 'tuned' more as a consumer camera vs the D70. There seems to be more saturation and exposure. The pictures are brighter and have stronger colors. The D70 defaults give a more 'dull' picture, which is good data for pp'n; the D70 tries to not blow highlights.

The D70 has slightly better grip feel than D80. The D80 sucks down its battery much quicker than D70. With the D70, I never felt I needed a back up battery (not a professional photographer). However, I am going to order an extra battery for the D80. The batter runs down pretty quick even with casual shooting.

The D80's extra buttons and the custom button are great. I had to get used to the location of the delete button on the D80, and pic view/data overlay are opposites on the D80 vs D70.

The D80 definitely has better WB than D70, and the high ISO is very good. Also, I wanted the extra MP. The reviews so far on the D80 are very positive. You will not regret buying the D80.

The irony of all of this is I ordered some 'digital' photography books. I have skimmed the books and most say use RAW or jpg with the lowest sharpening and lowest contrast...etc. In others words, start with the best data (usually a 'dull' looking picture) and PP the images. If I wanted to do that, I could have just stayed with the D70. Talk about 'full circle.'

--
D 8 0, D 7 0, 1 8 - 2 0 0 v r, 1 8 - 7 0, 1 0 5 v r,
5 0 f 1 . 4, S B 6 0 0, N V, N C, P P, P S E 4
 
I had a D70 until Monday when I shipped it off to an out of state friend who bought it. I bought the D80 and am very happy.

There were several posts initially about how the D80 was only really an upgrade from the D50 but that the next logical step from the D70 was the D200. I agree in part because the D80 isn't a totally different camera. The D200 is - faster FPS, weather resist body,etc. But, the D80 seemed like a nice midstep to me. The D70 is $500 used (body only), the D80 is $1000 (same), and the D200 is $1700 (same) - so to me it's priced right in the middle too.

I will be honest and say that in looking at the pics between the D70 and D80 on the computer, I couldn't really tell any significant difference. I mean, for 4MP more you might expect a BIG difference, and there really isn't any - until you zoom in! Then you can really see a lot more detail. What is almost indistinguishable from the D70 is much easier to see on the D80.

I used the D80 for 10 days before deciding to ship off the D70. I loved my D70 and it was hard to part with her. But after using the D80 I couldn't imagine going back. Just looking at the viewfinder and LCD was difficult - they were so tiny after getting used to the D80.

I think the White Balance is more accurate on the D80, but what is really nice to me is the ISO. I always hesitated to go up to 800 on the D70 and I don't even think about it on the D80. in fact, one of the awesome features on the D80 is that you can set the ISO to Auto but tell it the maximum ISO allowed and when to "kick into" auto mode. So mine is always set to ISO 100, unless the shutter speed drops below 1/30 - then the camera knows its allowed to go up to ISO 800 to get a better shutter speed. How is that for smart! And I have taken pics at 1600, run them through noise ninja, and they are beautful.

I also love the 11 point AF, which I think is better and faster.

Basically, the D80 is not a "must" upgrade from the D70 because the D70 is a very competent camera (as is the D50 for the price). But if you have the funds, I believe the D80 is worth the difference. I sold my D70 for $600 (body only) so to me it was a $400 upgrade - and worth every penny...

Cheers.
--
-Steve

 
Actually I went to the store today to play with a D80...welll what can I say, but I love it... actaully the 2.5" screen is fantasic...the viewfinder didn't "seem" that much better.

If I can sell my D70 I'll go get one... hahaha.
 
If you know how to set up your D70 it is a fantastic camera and the price for a small framed camera (If you are use to the D70) you won't like the feel of the D80. Not worth the upgrade..
jmo.
--

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - ' Wow! What a ride!'

 
I did it. It's night and day. I'll keep the 70s but the 80 is more a 200 with better options, as you read from Ken Rockwell's info you refer to.

I also rated and did a mini review on the D80 if you check the customer reviews.
--
Nikonian
D80 - 18-135mm, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tamron LD ASP 28-200mm
D70s - Spare - Sigma 70-300mm APO
Fuji S5100 4mp
 
10MP - big difference seen if you print large

Better colours (my own preference) than the D70 in default settings - from seeing the samples floating around, I'll have to admit that my D70 would not be able to match the colours from the D80 even after extensive in-camera tweaking and coaxing.

Better high-ISO performance based on a "casual viewer" (as opposed to pixel-peeping) comparison principle - the D80 maintains excellent saturation and the in-camera NR does the job of reducing chroma and luminance noise very well.

The in-camera ability to set Kelvin temperature is very welcome.

etc, etc.

--
Regards, David Chin
(D.7.0. & C.P.4.5.0.0.)

Nikon D80 Links:
http://www.nikond80links.com
http://www.pbase.com/dlcmh/nikon_d80_sneak_pictures

Links to all my other sites:
http://www.flickr.com/people/davidchinphoto
 
For the right price, I'll take that D70 body off your hands
--
Trying to get by as a poor college photographer.

Nikon D50
Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF D
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF D
 
Hi there,

Well I've tentatively sold it to another guy... dunno if it's a good price or not...

D70, 18-70, 1GB, extra battery, all other original accessories.

$800 CDN ~ $714 USD

Regards,
Andrew
 
My opinion on the D80. I have the D70 and D80. The D70 has a better grip. The rubber on the grip is different then the D80. The D80 seems like to much plastic on the grip. Also I have the Mb-D80 vertical grip and it has a good rubber grip. It would have been nice if they put some rubber where your thumb rests, its just plastic there. The command wheels operate okay but not as nice as the on camera wheels. The shutter button should have been the same as the camera but instead Nikon used another type that is hard to half press for focus. In my opinion it is nice to have a vertical grip on the camera but Nikon could have designed it better. Especially for $150.00 US. The D80 takes very good out of camera pictures but slightly over exposes in many of the pics I have taken. I pretty much shoot in manual now and compensate for it. White balance is better than the D70. The viewfinder is much better. The focus is more accurate. Anyway if I where to do it again I would have stepped up to the D200. I spent $999.00 on the D80 body, $150.00 on the grip, and $175.00 on 2 Sandisk extreme III 2gb cards. A little more and I could have the D200 which is built much better than the D80.
 
Andrew Ting said:
I have a D70 and it works great.... but obviously I want the newer
D80. :)
Click to expand...
I have a D70 also, but bought a D80, and here's why:
Andrew Ting said:
Anyone upgrade this way and if so what did you find improved on the
D80...white balance improved, lower noise?
Click to expand...
  • Lower noise.
  • Much better white balance, especially Auto White Balance.
  • RGB histogram so you know exactly what that pesky red channel is doing.
  • More MP (not much, but I'll take it.)
  • More dynamic range.
  • Much better IR suppression (so AWB is way better and blacks stay black)
  • Shutter delay (kinda like MLU, only the delay is automatic (hit the shutter once and it swings the mirror up, then exposes...don't have to press once for mirror up and once for exposure).
  • Much bigger viewfinder.
  • ISO 100.
  • There are more, but I can't remember them all right now.
Andrew Ting said:
More importantly
anything more annoying on the D80? (other than the lower flash
sync).Well, this isn't completely accurate because you do have FP up to 1/4000.

I've read many threads, but nothing really describes how much
better the D80 is.... even Ken Rockwell's comments.
Click to expand...
He is one of the very last resources I use. Try someone like Thom Hogan instead. I find his information to be accurate enough that I use it to help make my decisions on a camera, both the new D80 I purchased as well as the D70 I purchased over 2 years ago.

--

Greens too yellow? Blacks going magenta? check out this thread: http://www.mastersphoto.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=79
Gallery: http://www.mastersphoto.net/copper
D70 and photo discussion
D70 custom tone curves @ http://forum.mastersphoto.net
 
Bill Karadimos said:
If you know how to set up your D70 it is a fantastic camera and the
price for a small framed camera (If you are use to the D70) you
won't like the feel of the D80. Not worth the upgrade..
Click to expand...
Well, that's quite a sweeping proclamation. I won't like the feel of the D80 because I'm used to the D70? On what is this based? Did you take a survey? Did you ask everyone--or even a reasonably sized sample--who upgraded to the D80 from the D70 if they liked the feel of their new camera? The reality here is that for whatever reason you have some bizarre anti-D80 prejudice. It's been demonstrated elsewhere on this board time and time again. There's no way you can say that anyone who's regularly handled the D70 will not like the feel of the D80---that's just a ridiculous smear. And to say that it's not worth the upgrade, well, honest and open-minded people completely disagree. Your opinion in this matter is plainly and incoherently biased against the D80. Now you're trying to fill the original poster's mind with nonsense based on your irrational dislike of the D80. It's obvious you've got some sort of axe to grind, which makes your recommendations here worthless.
 
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