D80 dead - what next?

Columbo

Columbo

Columbo

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Got the dreaded 'Err' message on the LCD at the weekend and the shutter locked in the open position.

A look round the net seems to suggest the mechanism is foobar and the cost of repair is uneconomical so it looks like I'm in the market for a new body.

Should I look any further than a 2nd hand D90?
 
K.C. Leblanc said:
Depends weather or not you can afford a D7000?
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I could afford it but can't really justify the cost of a D7000. I was perfectly happy with my D80 and could just look at getting another but some of the newer features of the D90 do appeal to me.

I'm a keen hobbyist at best with no intention of elevating myself to anything more.

I also don't have any particularly expensive glass that a D7000 might enjoy having on the front.
 
D7000 has same size sensor as D90 anyway, just a few more bells & whistles.
Getting a D90 is a logical step & noticeably better than a D80, unless you turn to the dark side.
 
Nah the D90 and D300s share the same sensor, the D7000 is a newer one and slightly higher MP. You could look at a D300 2nd hand, maybe £450-500? it has better control layout than the D80/90 series but lacks video.
 
DanF said:
Nah the D90 and D300s share the same sensor, the D7000 is a newer one and slightly higher MP. You could look at a D300 2nd hand, maybe £450-500? it has better control layout than the D80/90 series but lacks video.
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Would a D300 be noticeably better than a D90 for my style of photography? (I don't care about video at all btw)

My 'style' is general walkabout type stuff and landscapes. I generally stick to my Sigma 17-70mm or 50mm and do very little telephoto stuff.
 
If you can, see if you can hold the two. The D300 won't offer you a hell of a lot more over the D90 than ergonomics but that can be a lot of it for some people. Especially if you ever see yourself going to something like a D700, a D300 could be a backup for a D700 much more than a D90 could (vastly different layouts between the D90 and D700, different size etc.)
 
ManCuBuS said:
Would a D300 be noticeably better than a D90 for my style of photography? (I don't care about video at all btw)
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They should both take the same quality of shots so it's really down to the other features, the D300 has a better AF system and more hard buttons for quicker option changes. It's probably best to head in to a shop and hold them both side by side, then buy one 2nd hand :) Different people prefer different cameras, the D300 is a bit bigger so it suits larger hands.
 
DanF said:
They should both take the same quality of shots so it's really down to the other features, the D300 has a better AF system and more hard buttons for quicker option changes. It's probably best to head in to a shop and hold them both side by side, then buy one 2nd hand :) Different people prefer different cameras, the D300 is a bit bigger so it suits larger hands.
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I think the D300 is off the list.

I've just realised that my Meike grip, batteries & shutter release cable are all compatible with a D90.

Also I've 32gb worth of Class 10 SDHC cards which would be useless with a D300 due to them using CF.

Looks like a D90 is the no brainer.
 
I think the D300 has a better sensor than the D90, maybe 14bit with better interface etc.
D7000 sensor is newer but you'd have to review tests to see if its better than a D300 or D90.
Megapixels are not everything, in fact 12MP could be better than 16MP with an APS-C sensor in certain low light situations.
Id go D300 all the way if I could afford, before touching full frame.
[Edit] ahh soz you can't go D300, D90 then?
 
For wildlife, sport and wedding, photojournalism, expedition photography got for a D300s, for landscape (excluding expedition), architecture, still life, macro you are as well to stick to a D90.

The D300s accepts both CF and SD cards (the original D300 only CF).
Both the D300 and D300s use the same batteries as the D90 and D80
(Nikon EN-EL3e)
 
D.P. said:
For wildlife, sport and wedding, photojournalism, expedition photography got for a D300s, for landscape (excluding expedition), architecture, still life, macro you are as well to stick to a D90.

The D300s accepts both CF and SD cards (the original D300 only CF).
Both the D300 and D300s use the same batteries as the D90 and D80
(Nikon EN-EL3e)
Click to expand...

Ah cheers for the advice DP. Looks like a D90 for sure then as I don't do any of the type of photography you have listed for the D300 and all of the stuff you have listed for the D90.
 
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