Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera
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. True to Nikon’s commitment to intuitive operation, the size, layout and operation of all buttons and controls are designed for maximum ease of use.
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.
As with other SLRs, the D80 has extensive manual controls, can shoot images in both JPG and RAW formats, and has excellent battery life. Performance was among the fastest we’ve seen so far. The D80 only takes 0.1 second to power up and capture its first image. Image quality from the Nikon D80 is quite unbeatable at this price level. Colors were accurate and neutral and the camera’s meter did an excellent job of reading the scene and providing an accurate exposure. 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. Lab test shows that the images begin to be noticeably grainier at ISO1600 and higher (its maximum setting is 3200).
If you’re an experienced photographer who needs advanced features, buy the Nikon. The D80 offers a lot of features and very good performance for the money. On field tests, the battery lasted 600 shots. It also has a feature that is unusual among less-expensive digital SLRs: It can measure reflected light, or can spot meter, on a very small portion of an image. Spot metering can help you determine the best exposure in tricky light conditions or for creative effect. With 10.2 megapixels, lightning-fast performance, high-quality images with very low noise, and a host of convenient features, Nikon’s D80
