p80 Price Drop a Nice Bonus
Now that the Nikon p80’s price has come down to the $240 range (US) I find it much easier to recommend the camera to folks who ask about it. At the previous $350+ price point I had some reservations about the camera. But not now.
At $244 out the door (with free shipping) from a solid, reputable dealer, it’s now a great deal that should make a lot of post-Christmas shoppers very happy.
[ed. note — This price reduction has ended. Used and refurbished p80s can still be found in this price range or better, however. Look here to check the most up-to-date p80 prices.]
Others are saying...
« nikon p80 Q & A -- questions and answers about the nikon p80 in everyday use (especially for newbies) Nikon P80 Price Drops to Just $200 US »
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Hoang said 436 days ago …
hello
recently i’ve been looking at the cameras, and i come down to 2
1.P80
2.Nikon D40
im only planning to taking pictures as a hobby, nothing very professional, and btw im only 17 so my budget is kinda low, im interested in up close shot.
I dont know much about taking pictures yet, so if i really going to get one it will be the very first time owning a camera myself. and do you know which is easier to use? i like the D40 bc later on i change new lens.
thank you
p80 Bob replies:
Thanks for your question, Hoang...
Either of the two cameras will give you a good introduction to photography, but each one has some advantages the other lacks. For example...
The D40 will produce photos with lower noise (because of it's larger sensor), and this could be important to you in low-light situations -- something most hobbyists encounter quite frequently.
The D40 is far more flexible than the p80 -- after all, it's a full-fledged DSLR, not a glorified point-and-shoot.
The D40 will accept almost any Nikkor lens, so you'll have a huge variety of choices when your skill level and budget are ready for more. And there are zillions of attachments and other gizmos you can add on to a D40, if you choose to do so.
The p80 may seem to offer more immediate flexibility because of it's amazing telephoto zoom lens, but in the long run you may find it limiting. Things like noise, chromatic aberration, slower low-light focusing and limited add-on capabilities could become factors that might cause regret once your skills and abilities develop.
As for which is easier to use, I think they're both pretty easy to use for basic stuff. The D40 can be set to one of its automatic modes and snap photos almost as easily as a point-and-shoot. The p80 can be used in its automatic modes to produce decent-quality photos in well-lit situations. But it's a bit funky when you try to use it under less-than-ideal conditions. In those conditions, the D40 would be more forgiving.
Of course, the D40 is priced about $150 (US) higher than the p80, so it's going to be more expensive initially. And as you learn to use it and explore it's capabilities, you'll want to start adding lenses, filters, flash units and other goodies. Can't add any of that stuff to the p80.
If the price difference isn't a factor and you don't need the telephoto reach of the p80 (sounds like you don't if you're concentrating on close-ups), then the Nikon D40 would probably be a better choice. It takes great pictures, is very easy to use and will certainly provide more growing room.
Peace,
-- Bob
Hoang said 430 days ago …
hi Bob
i think i will probably buy the DSLR, but i narrow down to 2.
1. D40 6 mega pix
2. D40× 10 mega pix
im wondering if later on i want to enlarge the pix, will the higher the mega pix the more my enlargement picture will look?
also how for does the 18-55mm will cover in feet? how would i know how to convert it to feet?
and when i buy my camera should i buy the kit that comes with 18-55mm with VR or without VR (one with VR cost more).
im quite confuse about the noise your are talking about what exactly is it? and i know VR stands for vibration reduction, can you tell me more about that too.
thank you Bob.
p80bob replies...
Thanks for your questions, Hoang. See my reply to your comment here...
Peace,
-- Bob.
omkar deshmukh said 369 days ago …
Hey Bob…
Got ur site from Google. Very nice and constructive work u r doing.
I got P80 last month and I’m very happy with its zoom and picture quality.
I chose this this camera because I like bird photography , but I think I need more zoom to get closer to birds and animals .
So I’m planning to buy this lens..
cgi.ebay.com/2X
So I need ur advise whether I should go with this lens or not…
Waiting for ur reply..
Omkar
p80bob replies...
Thanks for your question, Omkar.
I don't know anything about that lens, so I can't say whether it's a good choice or not. In my experience (with other cameras), most of those low-end lenses produce photos that are too soft for my taste. So if you're concerned about sharpness and clarity, it's probably best to avoid them.
You could always try it and hope you can get your money back if you don't like it. But you'll probably get much better photos by combining your p80 with some sort of a spotting scope like this one.
Peace,
Bob.
Jim said 365 days ago …
Hi Bob, Just bought a p80 about 6-8 weeks ago and really enjoy the camera. I am very pleased with the purchase and am just getting into photography. My question is that the instruction manual says to turn off the vibration reduction when using a tripod, Is this necessary? And could any damage occur if you don’t turn the VR off when using the tripod?
p80bob replies...
Thanks for the question, Jim
You won't damage the p80 if you don't turn off VR, but your photo might not turn out as nicely as it could. Here's why...
Nikon's VR sensing occurs inside the lens. The idea is to analyze the image and adjust to compensate for shaky hands and other camera movements. Trouble is, the in-lens VR doesn't know if the movement it sees is coming from the subject... or from a nervous photographer. It'll make adjustments no matter what, whenever it sees any small motions of the image.
Now that's fine if your camera's not locked down on a tripod: the VR keeps your camera's sensor stationary in relation to the subject so your photo comes out clear. In other words, the VR system is designed to compensate for the lack of a tripod.
When you use your camera on a tripod, though, the camera doesn't shake. The only motion would come from your subject. But if you leave the VR turned on, the in-lens sensor system continues to make adjustments in response to any motion it sees, just as if the camera were shaking. Result: it might blur stuff you don't want to blur. And deliver a photo you don't want.
It probably won't happen all the time, but it's gonna happen often enough to be frustrating and irritating. Turning off the VR essentially tells the camera, "Hey! You're on a tripod now, so don't mess with my image by moving it around."
So when you're using a tripod, turning off the VR will usually result in better, cleaner photos. Leaving it on won't improve anything -- and may turn a potentially nice-looking photo into one you can't wait to delete.
Enjoy your p80, Jim... and take _lots_ of photos!
Peace,
-- Bob.
john Malone said 255 days ago …
as far as prices go, i recently bought a p80 for 200 dollars refurbished on Amazon.com
it was never used and came in the original Nikon Box.
all im saying you can find amazing deals, and they dont have to be used…
-John