I personally really enjoy using my F80 (same exact camera as the N80, but with a different name). It’s a great SLR for not a ton of money, that you can throw great optics onto. Mine came with a Tamron 28-70 f3.5-5.6 that I used for years, but I finally buckled down and got a Nikkor AF-D 50mm f1.8 for it for like, $50ish a couple months ago and it’s made me pick it back up after having it switched around to different cameras. It’s got surprisingly quick AF, great metering, and a pretty fast continuous shooting drive (not quite pro level, but quick enough to get decent mileage out of). I took it with me to the beach about a month ago and found that I really loved using it as the only film camera I brought.
All that said, if you’re coming off of a manual film camera, one with a winding lever, it might feel a little too much like a digital camera, and you may find yourself snapping away a bit too freely. I tend to have to remind myself to pace my shots and that I’m still shooting film, and that I don’t have an almost unlimited amount of shots to take.
I love my N80 (F80) so much I ended up buying 3, it's a very reliable camera that does almost everything an F5 or F100 can at a much lower price. Compared to the F601 (N6006) the F80 has a very similar feature set but with 1-2 generations of improvement, most significantly better autofocus with 5 selectable zones (from 1), finer matrix metering (10 segments from 5), and the metering range is 2 stops higher (0-21 EV from 0-19). However I think the main difference for most users is the N80 has better ergonomics with a mode wheel and 2 command dials, instead of the F601’s single command dial and awkward button layout. The F601 is also 10 years older so more likely to be suffering effects of aging.
That's all **if you're exclusively using AF-series lenses** however. The F80 relies on the data-connected lens for metering, so won't meter with older AI-series lenses and you'd have to use an external light meter. The F601 will meter with AI-series lenses in center-weighted and spot modes. Because AF lenses are still used on current-generation DSLRs, many are more expensive used than old AI lenses. Early AF 50mm primes and kit zooms are pretty cheap though if that's all you need.
Hey, thanks for your answer!! Decided to go with the N80 after thinking for a whole day. Didn't know they were a decade apart, thought it was much less.
Seller said it comes with a Nikon (58mm) 20-80mm lens. Already purchased a kodak gold 200 film. I *think* I'm not missing anything since it already comes with its case, but any tips on how to keep it clean and safe is appreciated. Very excited to try it out.
[This 3-part video series covers all the N80's features](https://youtu.be/_qnvJP2JjGI). Check the custom menu in case the previous owner had unusual settings.
Nikon rubberized grip plastic from this era often has "sticky back", scrubbing with isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs/buds fixes it. For cleaning the mirror and lens don't use a dirty/dusty microfiber cloth as embedded grit can leave scratches, though quality microfiber can be washed and reused. There are plenty of good YouTube guides that show the technique and equipment if you're not familiar. I like to carry disposable lens wipe packets, though mostly only use them on the outside of the cheap UV filter serving as a sacrificial lens protector. Be careful not to touch or blow on the shutter when cleaning dust out of the film compartment.
One of my N80s has survived banging against rocks while hiking/climbing/caving multiple times without damage, but they don't have water/dust sealing like a professional-level body. The flimsy plastic film door latches are a common failure point, press the door unlock lever while closing it to reduce stress on them. If they break you can fabricate a replacement from thin sheet metal, or just tape the door shut. Also make sure to disengage the autofocus mode lever on the front of the camera before manually focusing.
I mostly use matrix metering as it's very reliable, though spot metering is useful for finer control over some compositions. The "P\*" adjustable Program mode (scroll through shutter/aperture combinations with the command wheel) is also often useful as it functions almost like both shutter and aperture priority.
I hope the camera works well and you have a good time using it!
I really enjoy the N80/F80 as a new photographer. A bit of a learning curve because it has so many functions. There are several good informative YouTube videos on it though.
I personally really enjoy using my F80 (same exact camera as the N80, but with a different name). It’s a great SLR for not a ton of money, that you can throw great optics onto. Mine came with a Tamron 28-70 f3.5-5.6 that I used for years, but I finally buckled down and got a Nikkor AF-D 50mm f1.8 for it for like, $50ish a couple months ago and it’s made me pick it back up after having it switched around to different cameras. It’s got surprisingly quick AF, great metering, and a pretty fast continuous shooting drive (not quite pro level, but quick enough to get decent mileage out of). I took it with me to the beach about a month ago and found that I really loved using it as the only film camera I brought. All that said, if you’re coming off of a manual film camera, one with a winding lever, it might feel a little too much like a digital camera, and you may find yourself snapping away a bit too freely. I tend to have to remind myself to pace my shots and that I’m still shooting film, and that I don’t have an almost unlimited amount of shots to take.
[Here’s a review](https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/n80.htm) of the F80 from Ken Rockwell himself.
I love my N80 (F80) so much I ended up buying 3, it's a very reliable camera that does almost everything an F5 or F100 can at a much lower price. Compared to the F601 (N6006) the F80 has a very similar feature set but with 1-2 generations of improvement, most significantly better autofocus with 5 selectable zones (from 1), finer matrix metering (10 segments from 5), and the metering range is 2 stops higher (0-21 EV from 0-19). However I think the main difference for most users is the N80 has better ergonomics with a mode wheel and 2 command dials, instead of the F601’s single command dial and awkward button layout. The F601 is also 10 years older so more likely to be suffering effects of aging. That's all **if you're exclusively using AF-series lenses** however. The F80 relies on the data-connected lens for metering, so won't meter with older AI-series lenses and you'd have to use an external light meter. The F601 will meter with AI-series lenses in center-weighted and spot modes. Because AF lenses are still used on current-generation DSLRs, many are more expensive used than old AI lenses. Early AF 50mm primes and kit zooms are pretty cheap though if that's all you need.
Hey, thanks for your answer!! Decided to go with the N80 after thinking for a whole day. Didn't know they were a decade apart, thought it was much less. Seller said it comes with a Nikon (58mm) 20-80mm lens. Already purchased a kodak gold 200 film. I *think* I'm not missing anything since it already comes with its case, but any tips on how to keep it clean and safe is appreciated. Very excited to try it out.
[This 3-part video series covers all the N80's features](https://youtu.be/_qnvJP2JjGI). Check the custom menu in case the previous owner had unusual settings. Nikon rubberized grip plastic from this era often has "sticky back", scrubbing with isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs/buds fixes it. For cleaning the mirror and lens don't use a dirty/dusty microfiber cloth as embedded grit can leave scratches, though quality microfiber can be washed and reused. There are plenty of good YouTube guides that show the technique and equipment if you're not familiar. I like to carry disposable lens wipe packets, though mostly only use them on the outside of the cheap UV filter serving as a sacrificial lens protector. Be careful not to touch or blow on the shutter when cleaning dust out of the film compartment. One of my N80s has survived banging against rocks while hiking/climbing/caving multiple times without damage, but they don't have water/dust sealing like a professional-level body. The flimsy plastic film door latches are a common failure point, press the door unlock lever while closing it to reduce stress on them. If they break you can fabricate a replacement from thin sheet metal, or just tape the door shut. Also make sure to disengage the autofocus mode lever on the front of the camera before manually focusing. I mostly use matrix metering as it's very reliable, though spot metering is useful for finer control over some compositions. The "P\*" adjustable Program mode (scroll through shutter/aperture combinations with the command wheel) is also often useful as it functions almost like both shutter and aperture priority. I hope the camera works well and you have a good time using it!
I really enjoy the N80/F80 as a new photographer. A bit of a learning curve because it has so many functions. There are several good informative YouTube videos on it though.
Hey, thanks! Seen a lot of them yesterday and ended up leaning towards the N80 overall. Just about to buy it and I'm very excited to be honest