And right now the p80 price has dropped to a level almost anyone can afford: just $200 US — and free shipping is included.

This $200 Nikon p80 has been refurbished by Nikon and comes with a full Nikon refurb warranty. Supplies are limited though, so you probably shouldn’t wait too long to grab it. You can check on availability and accessory kits here.

Now that the Nikon p80’s price has come down to the $240 range (US) I find it much easier to recommend the camera to folks who ask about it. At the previous $350+ price point I had some reservations about the camera. But not now.

At $244 out the door (with free shipping) from a solid, reputable dealer, it’s now a great deal that should make a lot of post-Christmas shoppers very happy.

[ed. note — This price reduction has ended. Used and refurbished p80s can still be found in this price range or better, however. Look here to check the most up-to-date p80 prices.]

The Nikon p80 generates a lot of questions and this post is a response to several that I’ve received in comments lately. Rather than reply after each individual comment, I decided it might be good to create a series of posts devoted entirely to p80 questions and answers. That way you’ll be able to find most of your answers in one place. Or maybe two or three, since I’ll add more Q&A in coming posts. So here goes part one…

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the Nikon p80 is a very different animal from most other “point-and-shoot” cameras and understandably generates a lot of confusion, especially from folks just making the step up from a basic point-and-shoot camera. Things like —

• how does it compare with such-and-such;
• how can you get the best pix from it;
• how to make photos with the least noise

— these are all things that will eventually be important to you as you move beyond the point-and-shoot phase of photography.

The list of questions/answers below is far from complete, but it’ll get you started and probably trigger more questions which you can ask in additional comments. Later I’ll try to collate the most common queries into an FAQ.

I’ll begin with some specific questions that Kate asked here. I’ll try to answer each one briefly, with some more general comments near the end of this post. Here goes…

Q — “Will a Nikon D60 outperform the p80? If yes, how much so?”

A — Yes. The D60 is light years beyond the p80 in performance. They are completely different cameras and designed for different uses. They’re also hundreds of dollars apart in price. And for all these reasons you really can’t compare the two. The p80 is an advanced point-and-shoot; it will never equal the performance or potential image quality of a DSLR — any DSLR, not just the Nikon D60.

Q — “If I take a picture with a p80 then set the D60 with the same adjustments will the picture be visibly better? Even with the “G” lenses that comes with the D60?”

A — Maybe. In the hands of someone who can use the D60 well you’ll probably see a difference. And someone who can use the p80 well can still create stunning photos that can rival those from the D60. The camera is only a tool, but…

In almost every circumstance, a DSLR will produce better image quality than the p80. The p80 is not a DSLR, so if you want DSLR performance and image quality, you need to focus your energy on which DSLR (plus lenses and accessories) you can afford.

But bear this in mind: the Nikon D60 is an entirely different tool than the p80. The real key to a “better” photo is the photographer, not the camera. Camera is only a tool to record an image. The fidelity of that image depends in great measure on the camera, but the quality of the photo has almost nothing to do with image fidelity or the camera itself. You can make stunning photos with a pinhole box camera if you know how.

Q — “What about noise level? The p80 can go down to ISO 64 while the D60 is ISO 100, so at ISO 100-200 will the D60 produce a lot less noise?”

A — The brief answer here is: yes, for any given ISO, any DSLR will usually produce photos with less noise than the p80. This is especially true at higher ISOs.

Noise is related to sensor size and sensor construction. Generally speaking the larger the sensor, the lower the noise. The sensor in the p80 measures about 6mm x 4mm. The D60’s sensor measures 23.7mm x 16.7mm, about 66% as large as a full-size frame of 35mm film and more than sixteen times larger than the sensor in the p80.

Sidenote — Read here, here, here, here and here for good explanations of what causes digital noise and why a larger sensor is better.

Q — “I have small hands…. I remember my friend used to have a F90x some years ago and it felt BIG and HEAVY in my hands… In all the forums I read they say that the D60 is a lot smaller, now the question is… Is the dimished weight and size of the D60 a problem?”

A — A problem in what way? Are you asking if the quality is going to be less because the camera is smaller? If so, the answer is “No.” As noted above any DSLR (even a Nikon D40, since we’re talking about Nikon models) will produce better image quality than the p80.

If you’re concerned about the size of the camera and how it feels in your hands, go to a camera store and examine the cameras they sell. That’s the only way to determine whether the camera will be comfortable for you or not.

The camera is only a tool. “Bigger” and “bulkier” cameras may be better in some respects than others, or they may not. Size alone is not an important factor. How the camera processes light is important.

Q — “If I take a photo with a F90x using velvia 50 film, and ask the lab for a 8×10 and 13×18 prints.. Will the D60 outperform the f90x if i ask the lab to print the same sizes (of course using the same lenses, flash and settings)?”

[Note: the US version of the F90x was the Nikon N90.]

A — Probably not. First of all, the “same lenses and… settings” will produce different results on different cameras. But even if that were not the case, the F90x will almost always give you better image quality than the D60 (or any other 35mm-style digital camera). It’s certainly capable of far better quality than the D60 or any other 35mm-sized DSLR. Here’s why…

Even the best digital imaging still cannot match the quality of film. The nature of the digital medium makes this almost impossible because digital sensors render the world in absolutes while film renders the world in continuously variable shades, the same manner as your eye does.

This is especially noticeable in the “blown highlights” you’ll find in almost all digital images. Even the best digital sensor produces only 255 possible shades of gray from darkest-to-lightest or black-to-white. And it reproduces these in specific steps along the scale of dark-to-light. When it “hits the wall” at step 255 (maximum white), it cuts off abruptly and senses nothing beyond that point. This is called “clipping” because any brightness beyond the 255 level is cut off — clipped out of the image.

Film does not operate along a scale of steps. The emulsions on modern film react to light in the very same way the retina of your eye reacts; following a smooth logarithmic curve in which multiple shades of gray are easily distinguished from one another. Digital sensors cannot distinguish between level 100.3 and level 101. They can see only level 100 or level 101. But your eye (and modern film emulsions) can easily notice the shading difference between level 100.3 and level 100.5, or 100.5 and 100.7. Your eyes (and film) can distinguish information that digital sensors cannot detect.

That’s why professional photographers who specialize in creating broad-spectrum, high-quality images with great detail prefer film over digital. Digital just doesn’t have the same tonal range or smooth tonal transitions that film permits. It might come close. But today’s technology cannot equal the range and tonal smoothness of film.

The primary reason for the success of digital cameras has been convenience, not quality. That’s the same reason the 35mm format became so successful. Serious photographers (other than news photographers) don’t use the 35mm format. For example, most advertising photography is shot in the 2-1/4, 6×7 or 4×5 formats. Serious landscape photographers use either 4×5 or 8×10 formats.

Quality is why the magazine Arizona Highways still insists that landscape submissions be on 4×5 film. They’ll make exceptions in some cases for some subjects, “but in order to achieve high-quality reproductions” the magazine advises photographers to submit 4×5 color transparency film.

There’s more to add, but that’s all I have time for today. I’ll try to amplify this post again in a day or two and offer some specific buying advice for those considering a p80, and for those who may be torn between buying a p80 (or other super-zoom compact) and a DSLR.

Thanks for reading the blog. Your comments are always welcome. Just click the link below to add one.

If you’ve been hankering for a way to add a polarizer or a protective UV filter on the front of that Nikon P80 lens here it is…

Custom accessories maker Bernie Heins now has two flavors of custom-machined lens thread adapters for the P80 in stock and ready to ship. Both are step-up rings that screw onto the front of the P80 lens, allowing you to attach standard thread accessories such as polarizers, filters and close-up/macro attachments.

You won’t be able to attach heavy extension lenses or converters because the P80 lens construction won’t handle the weight. But you should be able to use a lightweight macro adapter like the Nikon 3T or Nikon 4T without problems.

The Nikon P80 52mm thread adaptor will let you mount standard 52mm threaded accessories on the P80. The 55mm adaptor provides a 55mm thread. Either adaptor can be left on the camera even when it’s turned off and the lens retracted.

You won’t be able to use the original P80 lens cap with these adaptors because it’s too small. So you’ll have to invest a couple bucks in a cap that’s appropriate for whichever adaptor you choose.

The lens cap “Issue” is actually a huge benefit, though, since the factory-supplied Nikon P80 lens cap is more of a joke than a functional utility. Mine pops off the lens quite easily unless I’m extremely careful.

At this writing, each of these high-quality, finely-machined adaptors is priced at $27 plus shipping. You can see them along with accessories for other Nikon Coolpix, Olympus and Panasonic cameras at Bernie’s Nextphoto website.

The Nikon P80, Olympus E420, Nikon D700, Canon S5-IS, even the ancient Kodak Brownie pinhole camera all share a commonality with many of today’s sport fishermen: catch and release is the name of the game.

The obvious difference is that the cameras have less environmental impact than the fishermen. Notice I said the “cameras” not the “photographers.” We’re not always so easy on Mother Nature, even when we want to be.

Here’s my point…

Whatever collection of glass, plastic, magnesium and/or brass you shoot with, your intention is to capture the light you see, then release it later for others to admire, too. While you might occasionally “process” that light to modify its visual impact, how you view it in the first place usually determines whether it’ll make a great photograph.

Andy Paradies offers some thoughtful tips on how to make great photos, beginning with the way you approach the light that’s given you. “Light can be seen from several perspectives,” he writes. One such perspective is that light is a tool, to be shaped, controlled, and manipulated….”

Andy’s short but intriguing article is called “Looking at Light.” It’s good stuff. You can read it at his Hyperphocal blog.

Arturo Fukuda has just posted some beautiful photos of Ayacucho, Peru on his site at Foto Actualidad. There’s some accompanying text in Spanish which Google can translate into English here.

From Pakistan, Faisal Sheraz made these shots of Lahore Shahi Fort and Badshai Mosque…

And there are now two P80 users groups on Flickr… Alan from Honolulu started one to showcase P80 photos here, and another group showcases P80 photos here.

Got any p80 pix or links you’d like to share? Post a comment to tell us about ‘em.

1. When shooting with the “Vibration Reduction” item in the setup menu set to “On”, vibration reduction did not always function in some situations.

2. When shooting with the “Distortion Control” option set to on, excessive correction was sometimes applied.

The release updates your P80 to firmware version 1.1, it’s relatively easy to install, and you can download it from the Nikon Coolpix P80 firmware download pages. Installation instructions for each OS are included on the download pages.

US Nikon Coolpix P80 firmware update version 1.1 – Windows

Nikon USA Coolpix P80 firmware update version 1.1 – Macintosh

EU Nikon Coolpix P80 firmware update version 1.1 – Windows

EU Nikon Coolpix P80 firmware update version 1.1 – Macintosh

Hoping to duplicate an ordinary buyer’s initial experience with the P80, I deliberately did not read the manual. And it shows. But even without a clue how to get the best from the camera, the p80 still does okay. More on that in another post.

The p80 does well in good light at low ISO settings. Not so well at higher ISOs. And there’s some fringing evident at extreme zoom in high contrast scenes. Both characteristics should be expected from any camera whether digital or film. They’re characteristics that can be overcome when you get to know the camera. But that’s not gonna happen unless you study the manual and experiment before expecting to make superb pictures.

The p80 is capable of much better pix than what you’ll see in my week-one gallery, as Marti’s shots here and here clearly demonstrate.

More about how your p80 can realize stunning pix like those in a few days… once I get some housekeeping for this site out of the way and have a chance to play around with the camera a bit more.

What would you like to see here? Post your questions and requests in the comments.

Most of those comments come from users who bought the wrong camera. They thought the Nikon P80 is a glorified point-and-shoot with a humongous zoom lens thrown in. Something that’ll be nice for everyday shots, plus pix of those hard-to-see backyard hummingbirds and close-up action shots of Suzie’s soccer games, too.

Wrong.

The P80 is nothing like that. And even though it’s not a DSLR, there’s nothing “basic” about it.

The Nikon Coolpix P80 is not designed for casual shooters who only want to photograph the kids’ birthday parties and soccer games, family gatherings, the July 4th picnic, Thanksgiving dinner and all the pretty presents under the tree.

There’s nothing at all wrong with that. But if that describes you, buy something else. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS would be a good choice. It has almost everything the P80’s got and it’s a lot easier to use. Even has a 12x zoom lens with built-in image stabilization. And it’s cheaper than a Nikon P80, too.

So Who’ll Be Happy with the P80?

Impatient casual photographers will hate it. But if you’re serious about graduating from the point-and-shoot stage to something that’ll help you make truly stunning photos, the Nikon Coolpix P80 could be just what you want.

The P80 is a big step away from your point-and-shoot zoom camera. It’s much lighter and smaller than a DSLR and far less expensive. It doesn’t have all the features, bells and whistles you’ll find on most DSLRs. Yet it offers a much wider-range zoom than you’ll find available for any DSLR at any price.

The downside is: the P80 is not a DSLR. So don’t buy a P80 if you really crave a DSLR because you won’t be happy.

Instead, save your pennies another month or so, then invest in one of the more affordable entry-level DSLRs. You can get a pretty sweet deal on a Nikon D40 right now, priced only slightly higher than the Coolpix P80.

Nikon’s pushing their D60 and D80 DSLRs these days, so D40 prices are sinking. Even with “only” 6 megapixels, the D40 is still a terrific camera. And it accepts a huge range of the superb-quality lenses that helped make Nikon famous.

Is the Coolpix P80 for You?

Maybe. The point of this blog is to help you decide. And if you do go for the P80, I’ll show you how to get the most out of it.

As a point-and-shoot the Nikon Coolpix P80 does okay. It’s not perfect, but as point-and-shoots go, it’s among the top of the heap for quality photos. And in the right hands it excels. The P80 is really an advanced “bridge camera” that spans the gap between casual users and advancing amateurs in a very satisfying way.

With the little bit of camera knowledge almost anyone can gain in just a few hours of study and fooling around with it, the P80 can help you make truly stunning pictures. And if you own a P80, I’ll help you prove it.

That’s what this blog is all about, so set a bookmark and come back often. Or subscribe to the RSS feed and get word about each new post as soon as it’s published. In future posts I’ll chronicle my own experiences learning and using the P80. I hope you’ll find these articles helpful.