Nikon D80.....

[STi Nut]

hey,

i am looking into a DSLR, i am leaning towards the Nikion D80 but i want to know what you people think of it and what else is in that area across the brands..... also what lens to get with it and not to go way over the top.

EDIT: Also looking further into the D80 i found that there are EURO and JAP version with the the JAP being about $50 extra, is there any diff between them?

[BerserkerCatSplat]

The D80 is an all-around excellent camera and has a ton of features for the price.

No difference between Euro and Japanese models except perhaps the menu language. If you can buy an Australian version, do so as it will give you better warranty coverage than a gray-market unit.

[STi Nut]

There are only Euro and Jap models no Australian version, when i went into the store they actually asked me what version i wanted so i don't think it is a gray-market thing

[RedBarron]

I have a D80. It's a pretty decent camera. I overall like the camera but mine has some small focusing issues for some reason, mabey it's lens though. And out of the box I think canon's take better jepgs abut I have been messing with the setting of my camera and finally got it decent. when I first got the camera I was let down. You might wanna look at the D40x too.

Here is a pick I took with my D80 just for an example for you.

[STi Nut]

So the Canon is better out of the box? because that is sorta what i am looking at, something that i can get working with no problems first go. i have a mate that has a Canon EOS 30D and loves it but he also got a very expencive lence for it to. I am basically flipping between the Canon EOS 30D and the Nikon D80 and all that i am thinking about now is what one comes with the better lence out of the box.

P.S. Love that pic, can i get a high res of that and maybe some info on that exhaust as i got a cousin he is in the market for a exhaust on his 997 Turbo.

Thanks

[BerserkerCatSplat]

The D80's 18-135 is a much better lens than the 30D's 18-55 "Dog Toy." The D80 will take better Jpegs out of the box with the kit lens. After that, it's mostly based on glass.

[STi Nut]

This one?
http://www.teds.com.au/www/6/1001102...1992870__.html

that is what i was looking at

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Aye, that's the one.

[STi Nut]

ok well RRP in australia is $2000 or abouts with that lence so i should have one by the end of next mounths

[STi Nut]

Just found the Nikon D40x with the same 18-135mm lense? what is the big diff between the two cameras... i can see that there is about a $400~ diff with the D80 being more expencive

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Don't bother with the D40x, it's a nice little camera but lacks a LOT of features the D80 has, like the ability to autofocus all Nikon AF lenses, and the great viewfinder, and the wireless flash control, etc, etc.

The D80 is just so much better then the D40.

[STi Nut]

ok D80 it is, So what other lenses should i be looking into. other then the 18-135mm lense?

[tloekke]

Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical [IF].
I got this along with my D80 a few months ago, and I love it.

A lot of my classmates got slr's with kit lenses and my lens has outperformed them all in low-light conditions (like indoors during winter). When they have to use flash, I can still snap proper exposed pictures. It's a bit more expensive than the kit, but it feels sturdier built than the kit lenses and I don't doubt a bit that it was worth the difference.

[STi Nut]

That is a $650 lense, i think it is this one....
http://www.dirtcheapcameras.com.au/s...idProduct=1366

I will keep that in mind but i am mostly planing out door car photo shoots. any lenses i should know for that situation or will the 18-135mm lense i plan on getting with the D80 be perfect for that?

EDIT: My basic plan now is to get the D80 with the 18-135mm lense kit and in the near future getting a second lense, what would be the best lense to go side by side with the kit lense. but i don't what to go way over the top with it, something no more then $550AUS will be good but i don't want to go over that.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

A 70-300VR or 55-200VR would make a good addition to the 18-135 if you're interested in any telephoto work. The Tamron 17-50 mentioned earlier makes a great replacement for the kit lens, as it's got the f/2.8 aperture all the way through. Something in the 10-20 or 12-24 range would also be good to cover the wide end. Basically, get the best glass you can afford for the range you'll be using most. The 17-50 range is the primary one for static car shots, the telephoto is best for motorsports work.

[STi Nut]

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

A 70-300VR or 55-200VR would make a good addition to the 18-135 if you're interested in any telephoto work. The Tamron 17-50 mentioned earlier makes a great replacement for the kit lens, as it's got the f/2.8 aperture all the way through. Something in the 10-20 or 12-24 range would also be good to cover the wide end. Basically, get the best glass you can afford for the range you'll be using most. The 17-50 range is the primary one for static car shots, the telephoto is best for motorsports work.

Is is posible to dumb that down for me? i ain't that good when it comes to this stuff i am still learning but am very interested. the only some what decent camera that i have ever had befor is a Nikon COOLPIX 5700....

[watisdis]

Originally Posted by STi Nut

Is is posible to dumb that down for me? i ain't that good when it comes to this stuff i am still learning but am very interested. the only some what decent camera that i have ever had befor is a Nikon COOLPIX 5700....

Sure.

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

A 70-300VR or 55-200VR would make a good addition to the 18-135 if you're interested in any telephoto work.

70-300mm means that the lens can focus on an image that is anywhere from 70 to 300mm away. Any lens with a capable focal length of 200mm or greater is considered a telephoto lens. These are usefull for closing in on far away objects.

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

The Tamron 17-50 mentioned earlier makes a great replacement for the kit lens, as it's got the f/2.8 aperture all the way through.

The aperture stop of a photographic lens is basically a hole that can be adjusted to control the amount of light reaching the film or image sensor. The smaller the "f" number, the bigger the hole.

The lens in question has a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 (very good/useful for a telephoto lens) over the whole focal range (70-300mm).

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

Something in the 10-20 or 12-24 range would also be good to cover the wide end.

In contrast to telephoto lenses, wide angle lenses have a focal length less than 30-20mm. They allow you to get close to your subject (cars) and are also good for landscapes etc..

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

Basically, get the best glass you can afford for the range you'll be using most. The 17-50 range is the primary one for static car shots, the telephoto is best for motorsports work.

Chances are you will probably get the most use out of wider lens for now. Having said that, you should consider getting the best wide/medium lens for your money.

Hope this helps! Photography gets more complicated than this, but this is good for starters (I hope)

[STi Nut]

Originally Posted by watisdis

Sure.



70-300mm means that the lens can focus on an image that is anywhere from 70 to 300mm away. Any lens with a capable focal length of 200mm or greater is considered a telephoto lens. These are usefull for closing in on far away objects.



The aperture stop of a photographic lens is basically a hole that can be adjusted to control the amount of light reaching the film or image sensor. The smaller the "f" number, the bigger the hole.

The lens in question has a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 (very good/useful for a telephoto lens) over the whole focal range (70-300mm).



In contrast to telephoto lenses, wide angle lenses have a focal length less than 30-20mm. They allow you to get close to your subject (cars) and are also good for landscapes etc..



Chances are you will probably get the most use out of wider lens for now. Having said that, you should consider getting the best wide/medium lens for your money.

Hope this helps! Photography gets more complicated than this, but this is good for starters (I hope)

That is awesome! now i understand a little more..... So i am now leaning towards a wider angel lense, what shoud i watch out for and what would be a good one to suit the D80.

P.S. Thanks to everyone i know it seems like i am annoying but i just want to know what i am getting.

[watisdis]

I'm not familiar with Nikon so I couldn't really tell you. Though according to berserkercatsplat the Tamron one looks like a good choice (for wide angle) for the D80. The following link is from Canon but it explains lenses very thoroughly.
http://www.usa.canon.com/app/html/EF...101/index.html
Also google for lens reviews to see what the consensus is for diff lenses.

[rootrider]

the tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is probably one of the better <$1k lenses you can buy in that zoom range. The Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 is the other option. Both cost around $400 here in the US