The curtains are finally drawn for the new Nikon D80 DSLR! Other than the exterior button changes and rearrangement that we’ve went through some time ago here, these are the rest of the features:
- 10.2-megapixel DX format CCD sensor (which means like D50 and D70, no metering with primitive lenses).
- 0.18sec start-up time. No big deal, just 0.2sec faster than D70.
- 3fps shooting rate like D70.
- New EN-EL3e battery that claims to provide up to 2,700 shots per charge in ideal conditions! Amazing.
- Built-in flash can command up to 2 groups of external flashes wirelessly. D70 can only control 1 group while D50 has no commander mode.
- 2.5-inch 170-degree viewable LCD display.
11-area AF system just like D200. But it runs on Multi-CAM 2000 system, newer than D200’s Multi-CAM 1000!(no thanks to your typo, Nikon!)- 11-area Multi-CAM 1000 AF system just like D200.
- 0.94x pentaprism viewfinder, equivalent to D200’s and bigger than D50 and D70’s.
Viewfinder shows ISO information, unlike D50 and D70 which didn’t.
I would say the best reasons to upgrade to D80 from D50/D70 are for the better viewfinder, the better 11-area Multi-CAM 2000 AF system and the superior button layout. For D50 users, the built-in flash commander mode opens doors to creative wireless lighting. And for D70 users, the D80 probably has the same low noise in high ISO settings as the D50. The only problem for D70 users is the change to SD memory card format.
Available from next month, the camera body alone is expected to be $999.95. While packaged with the new Nikkor 18-135mm DX Zoom will cost $1299.95.
I can’t wait!
August 15th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
In your summary of the Nikon D80, you said:
“Viewfinder shows ISO information, unlike D50 and D70 which didn’t.”
However, Ken Rockwell says:
“OTCHA: The D80 lacks the in-viewfinder ISO display of the D200.”
The link is:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm
So which is it: do the D80 viewfinder display the ISO or not?
August 15th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Nice catch there Matthew! According to Nikon USA’s official specs, it says the viewfinder shows “ISO Sensitivity”. But after checking the actual viewfinder screen from DPReview’s D80 preview, it’s obvious that the D80 shows only ISO Auto information like the D50 and D70.
So yup, KRW has got it right this time.