Upgrade to D80 from D70?

Jola013 said:

Yes, but the D200 also comes with banding and high iso noise.

I have a D200 and a D80, and I suspect that I will use the D80 most
of the time.

Click to expand...

What is banding?

I will take your D200 off your hands for you.

Laurence60 said:

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?

Click to expand...

I would feel confident making a general statement like this aswell after holding both at the same time.

Unless you have small hands I would doubt many would like the D80 grip over the D70. The D70 with a semi heavy pro lens still feels soldid and balanced when holding it. The D80 with the same lens feels like the grip is going to break because you have to hold it so much tighter, and it feel like its going to twist out of your hand more.
After holding the D80/D50 I see why so many use a strap.

Bill Karadimos said:

(If you are use to the D70) you
won't like the feel of the D80. Not worth the upgrade..
jmo.

Click to expand...

Minority perspective there...
--

-Steve

Jeff000 said:

What is banding?

Click to expand...

Do a search for D200 banding. There are hundreds of threads on this subject. It is a form of image distortion.

But the D80 doesn't have it.

I think if you want to upgrade from a D70 to a D80 and you have the money go for it. But I really don't see a need for it other then...I just want it. Personally D70 to D200 seems more logical.

I had a full day to play with a D70's and a D200 and used same lenses on both. As I type this I have two shots of the same bird, one with the D70's and one with the D200. Lens was a Nikon 300 f4. I have both pics at 100% crop and in all honestly there is very...I mean very little difference.

Now if someone was getting their first DSLR, I say get the D80, unless you are on a budget like myself, then get a D70's.

I do say I like the way a D70 feels better then a D80. I really hate the trend towards smaller bodies. I am 6'5" and can one hand grip a basketball. Camera's like the Canon Rebel make me cringe while holding them.

Now the D80 with grip is another story....I just hope Nikon stays away from the let's make it small trend that Canon uses on the Rebel.

Now a D2Xs is what I like in a body.

Jola013 said:

Jeff000 said:

What is banding?

Click to expand...

Do a search for D200 banding. There are hundreds of threads on
this subject. It is a form of image distortion.

But the D80 doesn't have it.

Click to expand...

Seems to be a non issue from my searches, esspecially on the new ones.

not trying to be a smart ass here but just a reminder hehhehe

Jeff000 said:

Seems to be a non issue from my searches, esspecially on the new ones.

Click to expand...

All D200's have short banding, it is part of the high speed design, there is even a Nikon circular about it. But this subject was discussed to death, so nobody talks about it anymore.

Some of the first D200's had long banding, but Nikon fixed these.

I can easily make my new D200 show short banding at iso 100, but I cannot make my D80 show banding at iso 400.

As a consequence, there are many situations where I would not even think of using my D200, and would use the D80. Just to make sure.

let me translate

The D80 is better than the D200 at one thing - Shooting directly into a light and ovexposing 4 stops. Banding is a non issue - i have never noticed it. If yours is bad, get it fixed

The D80 also looks to be better at high iso, so lets give it those two -

ignore the banding issue just like D80 users should ignore the hot pixle thing unless they take shots of the night sky

Luke

Jola013 said:

Jeff000 said:

Seems to be a non issue from my searches, esspecially on the new ones.

Click to expand...

All D200's have short banding, it is part of the high speed design,
there is even a Nikon circular about it. But this subject was
discussed to death, so nobody talks about it anymore.

Some of the first D200's had long banding, but Nikon fixed these.

I can easily make my new D200 show short banding at iso 100, but I
cannot make my D80 show banding at iso 400.

As a consequence, there are many situations where I would not even
think of using my D200, and would use the D80. Just to make sure.

Click to expand...

I have encountered the same dilemma when Nikon showed the teaser for the new 10.2 MP camera on July 20...

On the morning of Aug 9, I pre-ordered the D80 with 18-135 lens for $1,300. I just received the kit on Sept 19. BUT I still haven't open the box yet, wondering if I should keep my trusted D70s and return the D80 outfit. And if I open the box, I may end up keeping the D80.

I don't really want the kit lens though. I currently have the 18-70 AFS f3.5-4.5. IMHO, I really think that the 18-70 lens is sharper than the 18-135 kit lens. Am I right or wrong?

I still haven't decide if I want to change my work horse to D80 yet. 3 days has passed since I got that D80 kit, and the box's still not opened. May be I should return it.

Is D80 really a better camera than the D70s? Helps!

Hemidart said:

I do say I like the way a D70 feels better then a D80. I really
hate the trend towards smaller bodies. I am 6'5" and can one hand
grip a basketball. Camera's like the Canon Rebel make me cringe
while holding them.

Now the D80 with grip is another story....I just hope Nikon stays
away from the let's make it small trend that Canon uses on the
Rebel.

Now a D2Xs is what I like in a body.

Click to expand...

Now, you sound like a big guy with big hands. I'm not surprised you'd prefer the D70. I've handled the D50, which I expect the D80 to be greatly similar to in size. My hands aren't tiny by any means, but I didn't find the 50 to be uncomfortable. Smaller, yes, but it felt alright. I have my father's old OM-2, and that's a tiny slr. I don't mind the size of that either.

Andrew

Here is a rather short but nice thread comparing the D80 to the D70. Quite positive on the D80 side. At any rate a good read:

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID236/334.html

My D80 is due here any minute (where are you UPS guy?!!)

Ken

Andrew Ting said:

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

Click to expand...

You KNOW you wanna open that box!!! =P
Hell...I would. Im getting ready to package my D70 for ebay as we speak!
--
Chuck
http://parrothead.smugmug.com/
($5 account discount code: iW7a.tlXF2aic )

You could always keep the 18-70 and sell the 18-135 with the D70...

AlbieSky said:

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).

Click to expand...

You're right about that. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination or not. Just snapping a bunch of test shots during an evening the battery indicator would go down a notch. Of course I was using the monitor a lot (after each shot). I just don't recall my D70 battery ever going down fast.

Larry

gene said:

You could always keep the 18-70 and sell the 18-135 with the D70...

Click to expand...

Why didn't I think of that! Thank you very much.

BTW, I just opened the box tonight and I'm keeping the D80. The bigger & brighter viewfinder (thanks to penta-prism) & 2.5" LCD wins!

--
Kindly regards,
chira2010
: )

Laurence60 said:

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.

Click to expand...

Hey Cake, If you read it says in my post JMO..

That means just my opinion....lol... Also most that had a D70 argee that the D80 being a smaller frame feels really different .. You better start reading more threads. That is everywhere...lol. You crack me up...
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!'

Jola013 said:

CUTCOREINC1 said:

A little more and I could have the D200 which is built
much better than the D80.

Click to expand...

Yes, but the D200 also comes with banding and high iso noise.

Click to expand...

I paid extra for that banding, and did not even get it on my D200. I am ticked off.

OK, OK, sorry ....

--
Roger
Huntington Harbour, California
Surf City, USA

'I want to die peacefully, in my sleep, like my Grandfather...'
Not screaming, and in terror, like his passengers...'

... linked up at: http://www.nikond80links.com/nikon-d80-features-vs-d70/

Would you say the greens are better now, no more "yellow" problems? I'm guessing that the answer is "Yes" after seeing the samples off the Japanese review sites.

jeremyInMT said:

I have a D70 also, but bought a D80, and here's why:

• 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.

--
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

Click to expand...

--
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

I upgraded from the D70 and aside from the slower flash sync, there's nothing about the D80 that I feel is poorer than the D70.

Larger Viewfinder:

The image is larger and brighter, which makes a big difference when composing my shots.

Great high ISO performance:

I like to minimize the amount of post processing as much as possible. Sure, you can get good results with a D70 + Noise Ninja, but the D80 delivers clean images straight out of the camera. Some people have nitpicked about Watercolor effects, etc. but I've been very happy with my D80. I rarely ever went higher than ISO640 on my D70 but I confidently shoot at ISO800-1000 on my D80. Even 1600 is very useable. Don't know if you've seen my old thread here, but you can see some high ISO tests here:

http://www.fotop.net/teruphoto/D80?page=4

Delayed exposure:

Not quite Mirror Lock Up but still better than not having anything on the D70.

Larger resolution:

In the past 8x10 prints were the largest I needed, so the D70 was more than enough. But my print size requirements have gone up substantially, and the 10MP of the D80 really does show.

ISO100

The ISO200 of the D70 was pretty clean, but I still prefer the ISO100 of the D80. Plus, it allows me one more stop for long exposure shots (like waterfalls, trailing lights.)

Commander Mode wireless flash

I loved the wireless i-TTL flash of my D70, but the D80 goes one step further by allowing the built-in flash to contribute to the flash output, essentially giving me an extra light source.

11-area focus

Lets me track moving subjects more easily.

Larger Continuous Buffer

I sometimes need to shoot a sequence of shots to capture an action, and the 23 frames of the D80 is nearly double that of the D70.

Larger, more resolving LCD

Makes a difference when shooting models because I get to show them their photos more clearly. Nothing helps a shoot better than when a model is happy with how her photos are coming out.

MB-D80

At last, I can use a Nikon vertical grip!

I could go on, but I think these points give a clear enough indication that the D80 is worth the upgrade. Naturally if you:

never shoot higher than ISO400
don't use wireless flash
don't need large prints
don't shoot slow shutter night time photos
feel the D70's viewfinder is good enough
shoot stationary objects

then you probably don't need to upgrade. The D70 is still a great camera, but the D80 fits my current needs more.

--
Photography - It's not about the things you see but the way you see them.

Gallery: http://www.photo.net/photos/teru