Nikon D80 (with 18mm-55mm VR lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc. Part number: 9483
- CNET Editor rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
- Design: 8.0
Features: 8.0
Performance: 8.0
Image quality: 8.0
Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars) - Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Nikon scores big with the D80, its new 10-megapixel, sub-$1,000 dSLR.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Nikon D80 (with 18mm-55mm VR lens) price range: $1,299.95
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 08/31/2006
The good: Excellent color rendition and noise levels; large feature set; highly customizable; lightning-fast performance.
The bad: Full raw editor costs extra; flash sync of 1/200 second.
The bottom line: Nikon scores big with the D80, its new 10-megapixel, sub-$1,000 dSLR.
The only downside to this slight shift in focus, is a slower top shutter speed--the D80 tops out at 1/4,000 second instead of 1/8,000 second--and a slower flash-sync speed of 1/200 second instead of the 1/500 second that the D70s offers, which was significantly faster than its competitors' in the first place. This may irk sports shooters, who may appreciate the extremely fast shutter of the D70s, or other action shooters, who like to freeze movement with a fast burst of flash, but the majority of photographers won't notice the difference. But, given that more advanced enthusiasts now have the Nikon D200 to quench their needs--a D200 equivalent didn't exist when the first D70 came out--the advances in almost all other areas of this camera should outweigh these couple of changes.
The camera body is technically slightly smaller in all dimensions compared to those of the D70s, but current owners will find the design very similar. Most of the buttons are the same and in the same places, and there are dedicated buttons for many commonly used functions. For example, a cluster of buttons next to the shutter let you change metering mode, exposure compensation, drive mode, and AF mode. Meanwhile, the buttons to the left of the 2.5-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD screen let you change white balance, ISO, and image size and quality settings without diving into menus. About the only function without its own dedicated control is AF zone selection, though the camera's programmable function button can be programmed to cover that if you so choose. The default for this button is to display the current ISO setting.
Three dials adorn the camera body. The mode dial lets you choose between program, aperture- or shutter-priority, full manual, full auto, or any of six preset exposure scene modes. The other two dials, located on the front and back of the grip, let you change aperture and shutter speed. Together, they make full manual shooting quick and easy.
Nikon's menu system is straightforward and, for the most part, intuitive. An option in the setup menu lets you hide some of the menu items by either selecting Nikon's preshortened Simple menu, which displays only what Nikon thinks are the most commonly changed menu items, or My Menu, which lets you choose which items the camera displays in each of the playback, shooting, custom setting, and retouch menus. Never heard of the retouch menu? That's because it's new.
The retouch menu lets you edit your photos in camera. Choices include resize, crop, red-eye reduction, filter effects, or monochrome. The coolest is probably the overlay option. It works only with raw images, but it lets you superimpose one image on top of another and even lets you choose the opacity, so the pictures can blend more smoothly. It won't replace Photoshop, but for simple overlays, it's pretty fun. Plus, since all the retouch menu functions save a new version of your image, you can always go back to the original later, and, in the case of overlays, you can lay more photos on top of already mashed-together images.
Other fun options include creating your own tone curves using the included Camera Control Pro software, as well as adjustable hue control, and a black-and-white mode with options for virtual yellow, orange, red, or green filters. A multiple exposure mode lets you shoot as many as three frames, which are then combined into one image by the camera. Of course, like most dSLRs, the D80 includes selectable white balance, as well as the usual metering and autofocus options. The image-processing and AF system are the same ones that come in the D200, while the 3D Color Matrix Metering II included here is the same as the one in the D50.
Like the D70 and the D70s, the D80 includes Commander Mode, which lets you control compatible Nikon Speedlights without the need for a separate wireless trigger, such as Canon's ST-E2 Speedlight Transmitter, which must be purchased separately to allow you the same level of control from Canon cameras and flashes. Unlike the D70s, which could only control one group of Speedlights on one channel, the D80 can control as many as three groups on any of the four channels Nikon offers.
In the "keeping up with the Joneses" department, Nikon has included SD-HC support, so you'll be able to use SD cards with capacities larger than 2GB. Also, Nikon will offer an optional vertical grip for the D80 called the MB-D80 which will hold up to one or two EN-EL3e rechargeable lithium-ion batteries or as many as six AA batteries. That means you won't be stuck buying a third-party grip as were so many D70 and D70s users. Without the grip, the D80 runs on one EN-EL3e battery.
Meanwhile, in the "not keeping up with the Joneses" department, Nikon continues to charge extra for its Capture NX software. PictureProject software is included for free, and will do rudimentary raw conversion, but if you want full raw control you'll have to shell out the extra cash for Capture NX. To their credit, Capture NX does include more image-editing functionality than that of the free software included with other manufacturers' dSLRs, but most buyers expect full raw conversion to be included with the camera.
Because of some nasty problems with third-party batteries in recent years, the camera will accept only Nikon's official EN-EL3e batteries. However, the company's new batteries let you see more detailed info. If you look under battery info in the setup menu, you can see remaining battery life as a percentage, as well as how many pictures have been shot since the last charge, and a loose gauge of how many times the battery has been recharged. It would've been nice to see average minutes or pictures remaining, as Sony's InfoLithium batteries provide, but we're not complaining about this extra info from Nikon, and the charge meter is a well-conceived idea.
Performance was among the fastest we've seen so far. In our lab, the D80 took 0.1 second to power up and capture its first image. Subsequent shots took 0.3 second without flash and 1 second with the flash turned on. Raw shots were just as fast, with a shot-to-shot time of 0.3 second. In our lab's high-contrast test, the shutter lag measured 0.45 second, slowing to 0.9 second in the low-contrast test. Continuous shooting yielded nine fine-quality 10.2-megapixel JPEGs in 2.7 seconds, for an average of 3.33fps and turned in about the same performance on basic-quality 2.5-megapixel JPEGs, capturing 99 images in 33.3 seconds for an average of 2.97fps.
The built-in flash has a Guide number of 13 at ISO 100, up from the D70s's Guide number of 11 at ISO 100. The extra power was noticeable in our lab test shots. Plus, the D80 did an excellent job of balancing the camera's fill flash with our scene's incidental lighting. In the field, we also noticed that fill flash from the D80 was consistently even.
Image quality from the Nikon D80 is quite impressive. Colors were accurate and neutral and the camera's meter did an excellent job of reading the scene and providing an accurate exposure. At times, mostly in extreme cases when the scene was dominated by darkness, the Matrix metering tended to preserve detail in the shadows at the expense of highlights, though typically, this is what one would've intended in that situation. Plus, switching to selectable zone metering or using the camera's massive plus or minus 5EV exposure compensation should help in those situations.
The 18mm-to-135mm, f/3.5-to-f/5.6 kit lens, which pushes the suggested price well above $1,000, performed well. We saw almost no colored fringing and were impressed with the lens's sharpness given its affordable price. Despite its plastic lens-mount, it feels more solid than many of the kit lenses on the market. Our only complaint was a slight amount of vignetting noticeable at the wide end of the zoom range.
Images from the D80 showed very little noise in our tests. At ISO 100, ISO 200, and ISO 400 noise was practically nonexistent, with only an extremely fine grain beginning to become apparent at ISO 400. Even at ISO 800, noise was a little more noticeable but still no more than a fine grain. At ISO 1,600, noise became noticeable but lacked the many off-color speckles that characterize many cameras' noise profile, and was similar to what we've come to expect at ISO 800 on some other dSLRs. At ISO 3,200--Nikon calls it H1.0--noise was obvious, resembling a coating of fine, snowy grain. A fair amount of detail was obscured by the grain but plenty still remained, and prints as large as letter size--and possibly even larger--should be acceptable, though far from perfect.
Buying an SLR is a complex process, which should include not only the camera body, but also a given manufacturer's--and third parties'--complement of lenses and accessories. That's exactly why manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, and KonicaMinolta have built up such a large following over the years. Now that Sony has bought KonicaMinolta's know-how and released the DSLR-A100, which is compatible with past KonicaMinolta lenses and accessories, the consumer electronics giant has gained entrée into this market in a meaningful and substantial way. The same can be said for Samsung and Panasonic and their respective licensing of Pentax's and Olympus's technology. That means that big players, such as Nikon, have to continue to refine their technology if they want to remain competitive.
With the D80, Nikon has proven that it is very much still pushing ahead strongly. With 10.2 megapixels, lightning-fast performance, high-quality images with very low noise, and a heaping pile of convenience features, Nikon's D80 will not disappoint. We're just eager to see how it stacks up to Canon's Rebel XTi, which is due to hit stores just weeks from now. But, if you already own some Nikon lenses and have been waiting for an affordable 10.2-megapixel dSLR, this one is a sure winner.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
- Part number: 9483
- Description: One of the key advances developed for the D80 is its high-resolution image-processing engine. At its heart is a dedicated new high-performance processing chip that greatly accelerates performance on all levels, while also consuming less power than its predecessors. It also inherits advantages developed exclusively for Nikon's latest professional digital SLR cameras, combining color independent analog pre-conditioning with improved 12-bit digital image-processing algorithms. The result is natural-looking images that benefit from faithful color and tone reproduction. The level of performance attained allows the new engine to rapidly and efficiently process the 10.2-megapixel resolution images captured by the DX-format CCD image sensor. Optimized to capture sharp details, the 10.2 effective megapixel CCD image sensor yields extraordinarily high-resolution images, providing plenty of freedom to crop creatively or print impressive enlargements. Consistently dependable exposure is the hallmark of Nikon's exclusive 3D-Color Matrix Metering II. Refinements for the D80 include its inheriting the advanced exposure evaluation system from the Nikon D2XS and D200 digital SLR cameras. Brightness, color, contrast, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance information is evaluated, with the results referenced against the expansive onboard database of exposure data from over 30.000 actual photographic scenes, and the final exposure value calculated - instantly. Variable-size center-weighted metering is also available, as are a choice of 11 spot meters linked to each of the 11-area AF system's area sensors. The D80 features extensive range for sure performance through diverse lighting conditions. Sensitivity can be set manually between ISO speeds of 100 and 1600 in 1/3-EV increments, or boosted even higher using the HI-0.3, HI-0.7 or HI-1 settings. Automatic sensitivity adjustment (ISO AUTO) is also available offering the freedom to concentrate on composition while the camera selects the right sensitivity for the shot. Advanced Auto White Balance (AWB) produces natural coloration by matching white balance to the light source of the shot. Other flexible options include a choice of six specific manual settings with fine-tuning (Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, and Shade), as well as a preset option for using a gray or white object as a reference. The D80 inherits Nikon's advanced Multi-CAM 1000 AF Sensor Module that recently debuted in the D200. Refinements to this new 11-area AF system ensure consistently fast and precise focus lock under varying shooting conditions, all while the addition of effective new focusing options instills photographers with greater confidence to get the desired shot. For example, while the system is able to use each of its 11 focus areas individually, the center sensor can also be switched to wide-frame operation for broader coverage. Refinements to the programming algorithms that control lens focus action further improve system response and focus precision, along with subject acquisition and tracking abilities. The Auto-area AF mode measures all 11 focus areas, automatically determines which of them are on the primary subject, and activates only those areas. During AF measurement, all focus areas that lie within the range of proper focus blink for easier confirmation. Nikon's advanced color reproduction system optimizes the three available color modes to best match the subject or intended use for the image. The D80 starts up in approx. 0.18 seconds, so it's ready to shoot immediately. Its short shutter release time lag of approximately 80 milliseconds helps ensure instant response while shooting, as does the fast and precise focus of the new 11-area AF system with AF-assist illuminator. Images are processed and recorded extremely quickly. Preview images are displayed instantly. Capable of shooting a rapid 3 frames per second in continuous bursts of up to 100 JPEG (FINE M-size or smaller) or 6 RAW (NEF) images, the D80 makes it easier to stay on top of the action or to capture those unexpected, yet precious picture opportunities. Refinements to achieve this performance include improved processing speed, optimized buffer memory handling, as well as higher data transfer rates. Shutter speeds from 1/4,000 to 30 sec. can be selected manually or used in conjunction with the automated program modes. Bulb and time options as well as flash-synchronized shutter speeds of up to 1/200 sec. further enhance the digital photo experience. Easily accessed optimization options closely tailor results to the scene at hand or the intended use of the image. Image sharpening, tone compensation, color mode, saturation and hue adjustment is controlled by the user-selected choice of Normal, Softer, Vivid, More vivid, Portrait, Custom or Black-and-white options. Multiple Exposure feature creates a single image within the camera from up to 3 consecutive exposures, producing an effect that resembles multiple exposure techniques used with film. The EN-EL3e rechargeable lithium-ion battery with increased energy capacity delivers enough power to shoot as many as 2.700 images per charge. The battery can be recharged at any time, and it now features an accurate real-time fuel gauge system that displays the percentage of remaining charge, number of shots since last charge and overall status of battery service life. Exclusive in-camera image-editing features under the new Retouch menu help ensure consistently satisfying results and greater creative freedom. D-Lighting automatically brings out detail to enhance results and add creative flair, all while achieving overall exposure balance. In-camera Red-eye correction automatically detects and compensates the annoying red-eye effect sometimes caused by flash. Images can be trimmed within the camera to produce smaller files for easy sharing or greater efficiency for specific end purposes. This Nikon D80 camera is packaged with 18-55mm DX Zoom Nikkor lens.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - SLR
- Width 5.2 in
- Depth 3 in
- Height 4.1 in
- Weight 1.3 lbs
Main Features
- Resolution 10.2 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 10,750,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,200,000 pixels
- Field of View Crop Factor 1.5
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100-1600
- Shooting Programs Close-up, Landscape, Sports mode, Portrait mode, Night portrait, Night landscape
- Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 sec
- X-sync Speed 1/200 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Center-weighted, 3D color matrix II
- Exposure Modes Bulb, Manual, Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority, I-TTL program flash
- Exposure Range EV 0-20 ( ISO 100 )
- Exposure Compensation ±5 EV range, in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 3 steps in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Shade, Cloudy, Sunlight, Fluorescent, Incandescent
- White Balance Bracketing Yes
- Status LCD Display Illumination Yes
- Status LCD Display Information Program, Aperture, Film speed, Flash mode, Frame counter, Metering mode, Photo quality, Shutter speed, Autofocus mode, Self-timer mode, Photos remaining, Battery condition, Red-eye reduction, Memory card status, Picture resolution, Exposure compensation, Remote control indicator, White balance indicators
- Still Image Format JPEG, NEF (RAW), RAW + JPEG
- Remote Control Optional
- TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage 3872 x 2592, 2896 x 1944, 1936 x 1296
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 13
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Rear curtain sync, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Features AF illuminator, Flash +/- compensation, Flash exposure bracketing
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G ED Nikon AF-S DX
- Focal Length 18 mm - 55 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 27 - 82.5 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL phase detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 11
- Min Focus Range 11 in
- Lens Aperture F/3.5-5.6
- Optical Zoom 3 x
- Zoom Adjustment Manual
- Lens Construction 5 group(s) / 7 element(s)
- Filter Size 52 mm
- Lens System Mounting Nikon F
- Features ED glass, Aspherical lens, Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 - 20 sec
- Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features AE lock, AF lock, FE lock, DPOF support, Direct print, Auto power save, Histogram display, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, Highlight point display, RGB primary color filter, Text input to Exif header, Display brightness control, Depth-of-field preview button
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Fixed eye-level pentaprism
- Field Coverage 95%
- Magnification 0.94x
- Dioptric Correction Range -2 to +1
- Viewfinder Frames Autofocus frame
- LCD Display Information AE lock, Aperture, AF-in-focus, Exposure mode, Frame counter, Shutter speed, Metering system, Exposure compensation, Flash charge completion
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Composite video output, 1 x USB, 1 x Remote control, 1 x DC power input
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities, Nikon PictureProject
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows 98, MS Windows ME, MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, MS Windows 98 SE, Apple Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Included Accessories Body cap, Dust cap, Lens cap, Lens hood, Eyepiece cover, Shoulder strap, LCD display cover
- Cables Included Video cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Nikon EN-EL3e
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 2.5 in LCD display
-
Nikon D80 w/Nikkor 28mm-80mm f/3.3-to-f/5.6 AF zoom lens
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 2.9 x, 2.5 in LCD display
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Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display
-
Nikon D80 (with 18-135mm lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 7.5 x, 2.5 in LCD display
-
Nikon D80 DSLR Camera w/Quantaray 18-200 mm DC 3.5-6.3 Lens
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: 10.2 megapixels, 2.5 in, - SD Memory Card
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Nikon D80 (with 18mm-55mm VR lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display
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Nikon D80 kit (18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.2 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Nikon Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nikon Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.nikonusa.com/
- Address:
1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747-3064 - Phone: 1-631-547-4200
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