Nikon N65 vs N75?

I am trying to decide whether to buy a Nikon N65 or N75.

The N65 seems to be the newer camera with more elaborate programs,
etc. Or maybe that is just my wrong impression. According to Nikon
specs, it also weighs more, for some reason.

The N75 costs only slightly more, so price is not an issue. But what,
in a nutshell, would I gain or loose by it? I guess I am asking for an
interpretation here.

The N80 is a bit out of my budget.

Thanks for your reply.

Bob Martin

 

N75 is newer. You get a spot meter, custom functions but
a slower drive (1.5 vs 2.5).

 

Would it be out of your budget to have to buy an N80 six months or a year
from now because the N75 does not allow you to re-set film speed except
through PITA kludges?
In the basic class of cameras Canon Rebel Ti, Minolta Maxxum 5 and the
similar Pentax model are all complete cameras. Nikon cripples it's lower end
bodies to force upgrades later. Take a look at this article on buying a
first SLR -- and if this is not going to be a first SLR you probably should
go up to the next level (N80, Elan, Maxxum 7) anyway.
http://www.chapelhillnoir.com/mani/equip/mmselect.html

 

The N80 is a bit out of my budget.

In that case don't buy any camera yet, keep saving. No I'm not joking, you
will quickly grow out of the other 2 models you mentioned, if you are anyway
serious about photography you will buy a camera you can grow with, the F80
is currently the lowest model in the Nikon AF line that will allow you to
grow with it.

 

"So the advantages of manual focus become pretty marginal, and at times become
dis-advantages. There are other arguments against auto-focus but most are
downright silly "You will be at the mercy of the batteries", is one. Oddly
enough I was told that in 1966 about my Spotmatic. It used a battery for the
meter. The old timers who hung out at camera stores would shake their heads
and tsk tsk. "That 'ere auto-everything whizz bang, electro geegaw thingy
m'bob doohinkey of yours is agonna let you down sonny me boyo. You'll be out
there in the middle of an important... nay, THE MOST IMPORTANT shoot of your
life and that battery will up and croak, and depart this vale of tears,
kicking the bucket, buying the farm, giving up the ghost, going to that great
battery graveyard in the sky, and leaving you, me bonny heilan' laddie, with a
dead useless meter, and no way to know what exposure to use -- EVER AGAIN!"
The spare battery was a concept humans never fully grasped before the
invention of the Walkman."

LOL!

I good a good chucle outta that. Very true as well..

J

 

Have you tried used? I bought a F80 about a month ago. I got it used for
$400CDN. I found a used 50mm F1.8 for about $100CDN. At this stage, I can't
see needing anymore for quite a while. Fast lens, easy to compose etc etc.

After about 2 weeks, I ditched the auto focus. Its fine when shooting stuff
that you have the time to compose on. Sucks when you don't. I'm also in the
process of ditching the program mode. It let me down recently and I've
been reading a bunch on manually setting the exposure. I try to shoot "street
photography" where shutter lag means the world. I can't wait for the thing to
focus and figure out exposure etc. The more manual, the better. But of course
that requires some learning.

I don't think I would have been able to do either of those two things with
a model lower then the F80.

J

 

Them old timers are still out there -- You know, if you get dependant on
a lens you'll never know how to operate a real camera, one with a pinhole!

 

A fairly common solution to street shooting is a wide angle lens set for
hyperfocal distance.

 

Quite true. Of course, one has to pay for such a lens. The other option is
to just get a used Canonet on EBay.

J

 

Also true, and it has the further advantage of being less noticable.

 

you might find aperture priority to be a good compromise of manual dof
selection and semi automation for the exposure, and manual focus most of
the time to ensure focus at the right plane regardless of where you're
pointing. Understanding the meter of the camera is essential.


Cheers,
Alan

Maxxum 5 definitely. F65/75 probably.