Now, when Nikon space models are released, and euphoria is over, let's get back to earth. I own very "earthly" Nikon D80. It's a very good camera and I like it a lot, but there is always place for improvement, isn't it. And here are few »improvements«, which I would like to have in next Nikon D80 firmware. Not in new camera, in new firmware.
- Top control panel. It's nice that Nikon D80 still have one. There is almost complete data on it. Also an »EV« compensation indicator. But just indicator, not how much or in what direction did you compensate EV. When turning main command dial while searching for »neutral« position, you can skip »neutral« position very easily and end up turning that dial in both directions, not knowing, where that »neutral« is. Of course, you can look in viewfinder, where those little lines do tell you, where the hell you are! Annoying.
- Let's say that »preview« mode is on and we want to take few shots one after another while looking through a viewfinder. While doing that, you need to change aperture or/and shutter speed. You start turning main or sub command dial between shots, but instead of changing desired parameters, you and up scrolling between stored photos. Of course, you(again) forgot to half-press that shutter release button, which cancel preview and allow us making those changes.
- AUTO ISO. Excellent feature. But why we can choose only 1/125sec as "min shutter speed". Why not 1/500sec? I would like to have usable AUTO ISO also when using 300mm lens. Why not 500mm lens? I have explained how AUTO ISO is working in my Nikon D80 review. Read it, if you still don't know, why it is good for.
- ISO value. Why not showing it in viewfinder all the time? Common now Nikon! You do not expect to sell less Nikon D200/D300 because of that, do you?
- Bracketing. Why you can't do it with self timer mode? Why must we press shutter release button for each »bracketing« separately? If anywhere, than in bracketing we do not need shake ones. They must match perfectly!
- Matrix metering mode exposure. I didn't want to put this on a list, because I don't think that this is an issue. But make it a little bit less sensitive to darker-than-middle-gray areas in the centre, and problem will be solved. Just a little bit. I do like bright pictures, but let me decide, if I want blown highlights.
That's all. That's my Nikon D80 "don't like" list. My Nikon D80 " like list" is longer than that. Much longer. Much much longer.
2 comments:
Nice written!
I own d80, and I think it's a great camera, but It's not perfect, and should not be since it's and upper beginner level camera and not direct contendor with d200. (I know it's missing 5fps, Lock mode, and some other features, but it's basically the same for the 2/3 of the price)
- »EV« compensation indicator:
You can check in viewfinder if your in + or - (check the EV icon and change to +/-), I guess it would be nice to have that animation in top screen but you have it there. Don't know if d200 has it in top screen?
- preview mode:
I guess you can change the time the preview is on, but i prefer it on OFF and preview when I want and not the camera. It's helping mi in such situations as you described. Btw have you tried Countinous mode with preview on? Just curious.
- AUTO ISO:
Don't know, don't use, but if it's true, It's bad :\
- ISO value:
I'm missing it too, but you can configure the front button and it shows you the ISO. I had it that way, but later changed it on spot metering later.
- Bracketing:
I don't know how d200 handles this, but I didn't like it 2. I guess they had in mind that user has remote for that kind of shots.
- Matrix metering mode exposure:
It's different than d70 and d200. But not in all cases. I think its bad only in high contrast scene, when (because it's told so, by programes @ Nikon) it tries to preserve shadows, and blows the Highlights. I'dont like this mode, so I use spot + Manual mode as much as I can.
just my 0.02$
Pri meni se tudi dogaja da mi Nikon D50 pri Matrix metering preosvetljuje sliko.
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