D80 reliability?

[justin_ngo]

Hi,

 

I intend to upgrade to D80 from my D40x because I want to get buil-in AF motor

for using with old, non-AF-S lenses ( such as 50mm f1.8. I will never left it

but tired of manual foccus).Researching on the Net and some reviews at the

reseller stores, I see there are some negative/dissapointed reviews about the

reliability of D80 while I don't see any regarding to D40/x.

 

1/Is D40/x is more reliable than D80??? ( although I know reliability also

depends on user's cares, and luck!!)

2/Which one, D40x or D80 is released by Nikon first? Is the D80 is an upgrade

of D40x or at higher level?

3/If I use AF_S lenses with D80, which one,the AF motor built-in body or built-

in lens will do the auto foccus job? ( since I don't think both do at same

time) Which one does better???? ( speed, accurate..) .Or similiar?

 

Thanks a lot!

[franklin_polk]

1. I haven't seen anything to indicate the D40x is significantly more or less reliable than the D80.

 

2. I'm about 99% sure the D80 was released before the D40x. The D40x has better noise characteristic, but the D80 has features that would make it worth the upgrade, for me at least, like having the command dial (2 dials, so you don't have to press buttons to change aperture/shutter in M mode), commander capability for wireless flash, and the in body motor. The D40x is also fits worse in my hands, but that is just me.

 

3. With AF-S lenses, the motor in the lens will always drive the focus. AF-S lenses physically lack the mechanical coupling to the body. The D80 has slightly better AF than the D40x, regardless of the lens used. AF-S lenses will probably focus a little faster than standard AF lenses.

[joe_a2]

Justin....I don't think you will find any one model to be more prone to failure than another. Owner's habits probably have much more to do with it.

 

The D80 was released in mid 2006, the D40x in early 2007. The D80 and D40x share a similar sensor, but the D80 has a more advanced AF system, more detailed controls and adjustments, the "AF motor" as you know, faster shooting rates, etc.

 

Any AF-S or AF-I lens is going to run off the motor in the lens, regardless of which compatible body it's on. AF-S lenses have no link to the motor in the body. Any AF or AF-D lens is going to need a motor in the camera body.

 

AF speed depends on many variables. Not all AF/AF-D lenses have the same gearing in their focus mechanisms. A great AF-D lens is going to focus faster than a cheap AF-S lens. A great AF-S lens will focus faster than anything.

[justin_ngo]

Thank you so much for your great knowledges.

I like D40x and also think D80 is great. I don;t think I will get so many lenses to my collection, but I like the 50mm f1.8 so much that I need a AF motor in the camera body.

I just wish Nikon release the 50mm f1.8 AF-S soon, but don't know when and feel hard to wait!

[ShunCheung]

The D80 was introduced in August 2006 and the D40x in March 2007, just prior to PMA 2007. Since the D2 family is now superseded by the D3/D300 and the D200 is replaced by the D300, the D80 is now the oldest current Nikon DSLR in production (as far as its initial date of announcement is conerned).

 

At least in this forum, there has been a lot of complaints about the D80's metering accuracy, but there doesn't seem to be any reliability issues with the camera, other than the fact that a certain percentage of every camera model will develop problems.

[Two23]

I've been using my D80 almost every day for the past 15 months. I am almost exclusively an outdoor photographer and have HAMMERED the thing. It has held up very well. It even survived being picked up by a 72 mph wind, carried across a road while on the tripod, and slammed into frozen ground. It seems to be as solid as my F100 was. If I haven't destroyed it yet, very doubtful you will. (I've destroyed at least one lens in the past 6 months.)

 

As for an AFS 50mm, I doubt it. With the ever increasing ISO performance of the later camera bodies, it's looking like Nikon just doesn't see the market or the need. Specialty lenses, such as macro or tilt/shift are an obvious exception, as are very long telephotos. Even there the fastest is f2.8. Look at it from an economic standpoint too. Why buy both a 50mm f1.4 AFS lens and a mid range zoom when you could simply get an 18-55mm f2.8 for similar money?

 

 

Kent in SD

[Michael R Freeman]

<i>"I just wish Nikon release the 50mm f1.8 AF-S soon, but don't know when and feel hard to wait!"</i><P>

Lot's of people share your "wish list", but don't hold your breath waiting for an update. If and/or when Nikon decides to eventually update all of their short primes to AF-S, I predict that the 50/1.8 will be the very LAST one updated. It's the cheapest prime lens in the line, and it was the last lens that was updated to AF-D (in 2002).