Nikon F80
Encyclopedia
The Nikon
F80 (or N80 as it is known in the U.S.
) is an SLR
camera manufactured by the Japanese Company Nikon
for prosumers, that is to say amateur photographers with advanced skills.
and was based on the highly successful F100
with the notable lack of the weatherproofing and ruggedness that characterizes that camera.
Three versions of the F80 are available, the F80, the F80D which has a different back that can imprint date information on the frame and the F80S which can also imprint exposure data between frames in addition to the date information. Using the exposure data imprint function will slow the F80 varying on film speed and temperature.
The F80 accepts all F-mount Nikkor
lenses with the exception of many pre AI, and all IX, lenses (these cannot be mounted on the F80 without causing damage). Older non-CPU AI and AIS lenses can be mounted on the camera, but exposure must be set manually as the camera will not meter through them at all.
The F80 was the first Nikon camera to feature on-demand grid lines.
The F80 was chosen by Nikon to be the basis for the popular Nikon D100
digital SLR.MIR resource on Nikon D100. The chassis was also used by Fujifilm
as the basis for the FinePix S2 Pro
and S3 Pro
, and by Eastman Kodak
for the Kodak DCS Pro 14n
and DCS Pro SLR/n
.
Rumors were abound during 2005 that Nikon would make a successor to the F80, and discontinue most other film cameras apart from the F6
and the F80 replacement. Early in 2006 Nikon announced that they intend to drop production of all film cameras apart from the F6 and FM10
. Regardless of whether Nikon had actually developed (or even planned) a successor for the F80, this now makes it unlikely that one will ever appear on the market.
Nikon Digital Archive on Film SLR camera's http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/archives/filmcamera/index.htm
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
F80 (or N80 as it is known in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is an SLR
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
camera manufactured by the Japanese Company Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
for prosumers, that is to say amateur photographers with advanced skills.
History
The F80 was introduced on January 27, 2000 to the worldwide consumer market. It was the successor to the F70Nikon F70
The Nikon F70 was a SLR camera manufactured by the Japanese Company Nikon. Introduced in 1994, it is the predecessor to the Nikon F80. This camera is known for its unusual user interface which uses a combination of function and set buttons along with the thumb wheel to navigate the nestled settings...
and was based on the highly successful F100
Nikon F100
The Nikon F100 is a 35mm film-based single-lens reflex camera body introduced in 1999. It is often thought of as a scaled-down version of the Nikon F5, and as a precursor to the Nikon F6...
with the notable lack of the weatherproofing and ruggedness that characterizes that camera.
Three versions of the F80 are available, the F80, the F80D which has a different back that can imprint date information on the frame and the F80S which can also imprint exposure data between frames in addition to the date information. Using the exposure data imprint function will slow the F80 varying on film speed and temperature.
Design and construction
The F80 keeps with the traditional look of Nikon camera bodies, with a black plastic exterior, white Nikon lettering on the prism with a red rubber insert on the inside of the camera's grip.The F80 accepts all F-mount Nikkor
Nikkor
Nikkor is the brand of lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, including camera lenses for the Nikon F-mount.thumb|right|Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved....
lenses with the exception of many pre AI, and all IX, lenses (these cannot be mounted on the F80 without causing damage). Older non-CPU AI and AIS lenses can be mounted on the camera, but exposure must be set manually as the camera will not meter through them at all.
The F80 was the first Nikon camera to feature on-demand grid lines.
The F80 was chosen by Nikon to be the basis for the popular Nikon D100
Nikon D100
The Nikon D100 is a discontinued 6-megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera designed for professionals and advanced hobbyists. It was introduced on February 21, 2002 at the PMA Annual Convention and Trade Show as a direct competitor to the Canon EOS D60...
digital SLR.MIR resource on Nikon D100. The chassis was also used by Fujifilm
Fujifilm
is a multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.Fujifilm's principal activities are the development, production, sale and servicing of color photographic film, digital cameras, photofinishing equipment, color paper, photofinishing chemicals, medical imaging...
as the basis for the FinePix S2 Pro
FinePix S2 Pro
The Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro is an interchangeable lens digital single-lens reflex camera introduced in January 2002. It is based on a Nikon F80 film camera body that was modified by Fujifilm to include its own proprietary image sensor and electronics. Because of the Nikon body, it has a Nikon F...
and S3 Pro
FinePix S3 Pro
The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro is an interchangeable lens digital single-lens reflex camera introduced in February 2004. Its successor, the Finepix S5 Pro, was released on 25 September 2006...
, and by Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
for the Kodak DCS Pro 14n
Kodak DCS Pro 14n
The Kodak Professional DCS Pro 14n is a professional Nikon F80 based F-mount digital SLR produced by Eastman Kodak. It was announced at the photographic trade show Photokina in Germany during September 2002; production examples became available in May 2003....
and DCS Pro SLR/n
Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n
The Kodak Professional DCS Pro SLR/n is a 13.5 megapixel full-frame 35mm digital SLR produced as a collaboration between Nikon Corporation and Eastman Kodak. It was an improved version of the Kodak Professional DCS Pro 14n series, and was based on a modified N80 film SLR and thus compatible with...
.
Rumors were abound during 2005 that Nikon would make a successor to the F80, and discontinue most other film cameras apart from the F6
Nikon F6
The Nikon F6 is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera body that became commercially available during 2004, and is the sixth top-of-the-line professional film camera in Nikon's line since the introduction of the Nikon F in 1959...
and the F80 replacement. Early in 2006 Nikon announced that they intend to drop production of all film cameras apart from the F6 and FM10
Nikon FM10
The Nikon FM10 is a manual focus 35 mm film camera sold by Nikon Corporation. It is of SLR design and was first available in 1995. It is normally sold in a kit that includes a Zoom Nikkor 35–70 mm f/3.5-4.8 zoom lens, although a Zoom Nikkor 70–210 mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom lens is also available...
. Regardless of whether Nikon had actually developed (or even planned) a successor for the F80, this now makes it unlikely that one will ever appear on the market.
External links
Nikon F80 Datasheet in PDF Format http://nikonimaging.com/global/products/filmcamera/slr/2000-2004/f80/pdf/f80_3p.pdfNikon Digital Archive on Film SLR camera's http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/archives/filmcamera/index.htm