How outdated is the Nikon D80?

Question

I have a Nikon D80, I know it is no longer produced, but how "outdated" is it? Also, how long do cameras typically last with average use?

Answer 1

It came out in 2006 and was replaced in 2008. In the digital photography world, 2008 was millenniums ago. Could you still use one and be satisfied with it - most certainly. Beyond that all information on how "outdated" it is would really depend on your particular use case and expectations.

If you are interested in camera life, I would look at this existing question: What are shutter actuations? The above information, in addition to the camera shutter life database will help determine lifespan of a unit.

Answer 2

Wikipedia keeps a Nikon DSLR timeline, which will at least show you how many similar models there have been since the D80 was released, and let you research the newer similar models to see what has changed (and if they've added anything you care about).

For what it's worth, I use an even-older Canon 30D that I'm still happy with. There are some neat features on the newer models, but nothing I really need or that's compelling enough for me to spend several hundred dollars on (I'd rather spend that money on new lenses!).

Answer 3

Dated, yes. Newer DSLRs are much better and have improved in terms of performance and newer features like Live-View and video.

However, the D80 is still a good camera. Newer models cant change that and it is still better than 99% of cameras with fixed lenses. If you get it for a good price, its very good.

Answer 4

Only you can really say if your camera has become outdated. I suggest a simple experiment:

Take your camera down to a camera store with an extra memory card and ask the store keeper to let you try your lens(es) on one of their cameras. Take a number of tests shots with the new camera and try to take those same shots with your camera. Then take the images home on your memory cards and do your comparison.

Look at those images objectively and ask yourself if you can see a difference that is worth the money. The newer cameras will probably have quite a few more pixels - but take a look to see if it makes a significant difference with your level of skill and the lenses you tested with.

I still enjoy shooting my D70 (older than your D80) but I feel the in camera JPEG processing isn't quite as good as some of the newer cameras from Nikon. I typically shoot RAW and post process images that I want to keep, saving off both the RAW and JPEG, I feel that this workflow gives me the flexibility to compensate for what I perceive as weaknesses in the JPEG processing that, for example, doesn't preserve highlights all that well.