travvller's Full Review: Nikon N65 35mm Film Camera
I purchased the N65 for a young nephew who's just getting involved in photography. For the most part, this camera fits his needs. It's highly automated and allows him to do high speed photography (sports), something many point and shoot 35mm cameras simply can't do.
I've been using a Nikon N70, an older and somewhat more advanced camera, for about ten years. I've always been pleased with it, for the most part. One of the drawbacks, however, was its lack of a focus assist light. The N65 delivers this. The N65 also has a more advanced focus system, especially for moving objects. Again, great for shooting sports.
The N65 has all the standard modes - Full auto, aperature priority, shutter priority, portrait, sports, night, landscape, manual, etc. As a hardcore user I find some these things unnecessary. Still, I can see why other users would like these extra fuctions.
Unlike the N70, the N65 in low light situations, in auto modes (auto, portrait, etc.), will release the flash without input from the user. This is probably a great function for novice users. As someone who can take a handheld shot at 1/15 or even 1/8 of a second, without using a flash, I found this feature annoying. The user can circumvent this feature by using the manual modes (e.g. aperature priority).
Another feature lacking on the N65 is a spot meter button. This comes in handy in difficult lighting situations (e.g. half the image is in sunlight, the other in shade) when a center metering system will fail completely.
I also found the N65, like most of the modern SLRS, as just a bit too flimsy. (The heavier N70, when first released, was considered "cheap" by pro users.) It's mostly plastic and it feels like it will break easily if dropped. This is true with SLRs made by all the major manufacturers. The 28-80mm lens also shares this cheap feel.
The N65 is a bargain for novice users with prices on 35mm cameras falling steadily as digital begins to dominate the market. Another good camera in this price range is the Canon K2. Still, if you want control over your images or you need something tough and sturdy, it would be best to either pay more for a better camera or, at the other extreme, buy an older used Nikon from the days when they built cameras to last.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 120.00 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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