Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D Comparison

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Nikon D80

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

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Canon 450D

12 MP | APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two DSLR cameras from Nikon and Canon. Nikon D80 was introduced to market in September 2006 and Canon 450D was launched in May 2008. There is 20 months difference between D80 and 450D so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger 450D, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Nikon D80 has a 10.0 MP and Canon 450D has a 12.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D80 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2006-09-23

10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 3200)

Nikon F Mount

2.5" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

668g. 132 x 103 x 77 mm

Replaced Nikon D70 Compare

Canon 450D Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2008-05-23

12MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Canon EF/EF-S Mount

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

4 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

524g. 129 x 98 x 62 mm

Also known as EOS Rebel XSi / EOS Kiss X2

Replaced Canon EOS 400D Compare

Nikon D80 was replaced by Nikon D90. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80
Nikon D90 vs Canon EOS 450D (EOS Rebel XSi / EOS Kiss X2)

Canon 450D was replaced by Canon EOS 500D. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 500D vs Canon EOS 450D (EOS Rebel XSi / EOS Kiss X2)
Canon EOS 500D vs Nikon D80

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D80 and Canon 450D compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D80 over Canon EOS 450D

Viewfinder Magnification	0.64x vs 0.55x	Larger Viewfinder
Color Depth	22.1 vs 21.9	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	11.2 vs 10.8	higher dynamic range
Sensor Pixel Area	37.14µm² vs 27.00µm²	37% larger pixel area
Top LCD	Yes vs No	Help viewing and changing settings easily
Optical Viewfinder Type	Pentaprism vs Pentamirror	Pentaprism Viewfinders are brighter than Pentamirror type

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 450D over Nikon D80

Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.5"	0.5 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting	4.0fps vs 3.0fps	1 fps faster
Weight	524 g vs 668 g	144 g lighter
Low Light ISO	692 vs 524	better High ISO performance
Shutter Life Expectancy	100000 cycles vs 50000 cycles	Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism

Common Strengths of Nikon D80 and Canon EOS 450D

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Nikon D80 and Canon EOS 450D

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	No vs No	no option to fine tune Auto focus

Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon D80 and Canon 450D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D80 has external dimensions of 132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.06 x 3.03″) and weighs 668 g (1.47 lb / 23.56 oz) (including batteries). Canon 450D has external dimensions of 129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.08 x 3.86 x 2.44″) and weighs 524 g (1.16 lb / 18.48 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D. Canon 450D is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 5mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Nikon D80.

Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 450D is significantly lighter (144g ) than the Nikon D80 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Nikon D80 and Canon 450D have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D80

450D

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D80

450D

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D80 nor Canon EOS 450D (EOS Rebel XSi / EOS Kiss X2) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 450D's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D80's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D80 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Canon 450D has a 12.0MP APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the D80 and 450D sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Canon 450D Cameras

As seen above, Nikon D80 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Canon 450D. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Nikon D80	61	22.1 bits	11.2 Evs	524 ISO
Canon 450D	61	21.9 bits	10.8 Evs	692 ISO

Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 450D has an advantage over Nikon D80 There are 326 lenses for Canon 450D's Canon EF/EF-S mount, on the other hand there are only 309 lenses for Nikon D80's Nikon F lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 106 lenses for Nikon F mount and 112 lenses for Canon EF/EF-S mount with IS.

Lens Type	# of Nikon D80 Lenses	# of Canon 450D Lenses
Standard Zoom	33	40
Standard Prime	21	19
Wideangle Zoom	33	37
Wideangle Prime	48	49
Telephoto Zoom	53	58
Telephoto Prime	45	43
SuperZoom	30	28
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	8	7
Macro Prime	26	28
Perspective Control Prime	11	16
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	309	326

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Nikon D80 and Canon 450D to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF	25.5 - 82.5mm	755gr	1423gr	111mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM	25.5 - 82.5mm	645gr	1169gr	111mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	75 - 225mm	1350gr	2018gr	198mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	75 - 225mm	1350gr	1874gr	198mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon 35mm f1.8G	52.5mm	210gr	878gr	53mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM	45mm	435gr	959gr	63mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED	15 - 36mm	460gr	1128gr	87mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM	15 - 30mm	520gr	1044gr	88mm	Amazon B&H Photo

24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR	24 - 120mm	480gr	1148gr	86mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM	22.5 - 127.5mm	575gr	1099gr	88mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR	80 - 400mm	1570gr	2238gr	203mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM	100 - 400mm	1590gr	2114gr	193mm	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Nikon D80 and Canon 450D Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D80 and Canon 450D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D80 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 450D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 450D for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon 450D for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 450D for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
668g
Body Thickness 77mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
524g
Body Thickness 62mm
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon 450D for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D80 vs Canon 450D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D80 and Canon 450D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D80 and Canon 450D scores compare:

Nikon D80

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #71 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #611 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Canon 450D

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #61 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #525 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Canon 450D is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon D80 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Canon 450D vs Nikon D80 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon D80	Canon EOS 450D
Brand	Nikon	Canon
Announced	2006-09-23	2008-05-23
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Compact SLR
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23.6 x 15.8 mm	22.2 x 14.8 mm
Area	372.88mm²	328.56mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3872 x 2592	4272 x 2848
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	3200 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F	Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Available Lenses	309	326
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.5"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.64x	0.55x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m	13.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None	None
Video Formats	n/a	n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	668g	524g
Dimensions	132 x 103 x 77mm	129 x 98 x 62mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	61	61
DxO Color Depth	22.1	21.9
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2	10.8
DxO Low Light ISO	524	692
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