Nikon D80

Reviewed October 2006

Image Quality

The image quality of a camera is dependent on the sensor, the way the image is processed internally, and of course on the quality of the optics. The single greatest advantage a single lens reflex camera offers in comparison to fixed-lens cameras is that the lens can be changed. This allows the user to select lenses that are suited to the type of photos he or she takes, and gives control over the quality of the lens mounted on the camera.

This type of lens is a logical choice for a new digital SLR user starting from zero. The zoom covers an ideal focal length range that is useful for landscape or architecture shots at the wide angle end, but which also allows for tight framing, or capturing distant subjects with the telephoto end.

Furthermore, this is a lens that has good optical characteristics, as it yields sharp images from wide to telephoto, and has good contrast.

Still, while barrel distortion is minimal at the wide end — becoming noticeable only when the subject is close — some pincushion distortion is detectable at the telephoto end. On the other hand, chromatic aberration is limited to the outer edges of the frame at the wide angle end with high contrast subjects, and absent as soon as the zoom moves past the widest angle.

The D80 is ready to shoot instantly, making it an ideal camera to use when speed is critical, and there is no time to wait for a camera to ramp up for a shot, such as capturing a fleeting moment, when a child is up to something amusing or unusual, for example.

Similarly, when set to the Continuous mode, a mode that has no real limitations when the camera is capturing JPEG format images since it captures 10.2 megapixel images at 3 frames per second, it is a perfect camera to capture sports photos of all types.

The D80’s autofocus is fast and precise under most circumstances, but when the light is insufficient for the autofocus to operate reliably, the AF assist light can help effectively as long as the subject is not too distant.

As is the case with other Nikon cameras, the 3D Colour Matrix metering is very reliable. The Matrix system takes into account not only the luminance of the subject, but also its chrominance as well as its distance from the camera, the latter information being passed to the camera when a CPU lens is used.

The result is that even under adverse lighting conditions the camera usually delivers well-exposed images.

Moreover, just like most current Nikon compact cameras, the D80 is equipped with a D-Lighting option as part of its Retouch menu. D-Lighting is a post capture process that can brighten dark or shadow areas in an image without affecting the rest of the image.

With most lighting, the Auto white balance of the D80 yields natural looking colours with good saturation. However, it is worth noting that occasionally some artificial lighting can cause subtle changes in the colours the camera captures.

Noise is absent from the D80’s images up to the 400 ISO level. Past that point it becomes possible to detect a bit of noise in dark image areas, particularly when the light wasn’t optimal at the time the image was captured.

At higher sensitivities, from 800 ISO and up, the noise reduction processing applied to the images tends to soften the image sharpness somewhat.

The RAW mode offers the greatest flexibility for images captured with the D80, as the format retains all colour information generated by the camera. While PictureProject — included with the D80 — lacks the tools necessary to fully take advantage of the RAW format, the trial version of Capture NX, also included, or other full-feature image editors, make it possible to control precisely how RAW images are developed and get the most from this camera, whose images when printed at 300 dpi measure no less than 12.9 x 8.6 inches (32 x 21.5 cm).

In summary, the D80 is an important step beyond the D70, and is an excellent alternative to the more expensive D200. Compared to its predecessor, the D80’s autofocus is much faster, its sensitivity range is greater and it is equipped with a 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Just as important, the 10.2-megapixel resolution of the D80 allows it to capture even finer details than had been possible with the D70. Last but not least, the D80 can be mated to a vertical grip that supports a second shutter release for vertical shots, something that was unavailable on the D70.