Nikon D80 vs Nikon D70 Comparison

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Nikon D80

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

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Nikon D70

6 MP | APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon D80 vs Nikon D70 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Nikon D80 with the camera that it replaced, the Nikon D70, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the D80 is a worthy upgrade to the D70. Nikon D80 was introduced to market in September 2006 and Nikon D70 was launched in April 2004 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 30 months between the two cameras make.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 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

2.50" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

3.0fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

668g. 132 x 103 x 77 mm

Replaced Nikon D70 Compare

Nikon D70 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2004-04-05

6MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 200 - 1600

Nikon F Mount

1.80" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

3.0fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

679g. 140 x 111 x 78 mm

Nikon D80 was replaced by Nikon D90. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D70

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Nikon D80 over Nikon D70

Viewfinder Magnif.	0.64x vs 0.5x	Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution	10 MP vs 6 MP	66% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	2.5" vs 1.8"	0.7 inches larger display
LCD Resolution	230k dots vs 130k dots	76% higher resolution screen
Weight	668 g vs 679 g	11 g lighter
Flash Coverage	13.0m vs 11.0m	2m longer range
Color Depth	22.1 vs 20.4	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	11.2 vs 10.3	higher dynamic range
Optical Viewfinder Type	Pentaprism vs Pentamirror	Pentaprism Viewfinders are brighter than Pentamirror type

CHECK D80 PRICE

Reasons to choose Nikon D70 over Nikon D80

Max Mech. Shutter	1/8000s vs 1/4000s	faster mechanical shutter
Low Light ISO	529 vs 524	better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area	61.02µm2 vs 37.14µm2	64% larger pixel area

CHECK D70 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70

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
Top LCD Display	Yes vs Yes	Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Max Resolution	10 MP vs 6 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Size	1.80" vs 1.80"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 130k 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 Nikon D70: 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 Nikon D70 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). Nikon D70 has external dimensions of 140 x 111 x 78 mm (5.51 x 4.37 x 3.07″) and weighs 679 g (1.50 lb / 23.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70. Nikon D80 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 8mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Nikon D70.

Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon D80 is 11g lighter than the Nikon D70 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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 Nikon D70 have the same Nikon F lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D80

D70

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D80

D70

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D80 nor Nikon D70 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

Nikon D80's 2.50" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D70's 1.8" screen.

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

Nikon D80 vs Nikon D70: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D80 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Nikon D70 has a 6.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the D80 and D70 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 Cameras

Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, D80 has scored 61, 11 points higher than D70.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Nikon D80	61	22.1 bits	11.2 Evs	524 ISO
Nikon D70	50	20.4 bits	10.3 Evs	529 ISO

Nikon D80 vs Nikon D70 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 have the same Nikon F lens mount and currently there are 316 native lenses available for these cameras.

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 107 lenses with Image stabilization for Nikon F mount.

Lens Type	# of Nikon D80 Lenses	# of Nikon D70 Lenses
Standard Zoom	32	32
Standard Prime	22	22
Wideangle Zoom	33	33
Wideangle Prime	50	50
Telephoto Zoom	55	55
Telephoto Prime	46	46
SuperZoom	30	30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	8	8
Macro Prime	26	26
Perspective Control Prime	11	11
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	316	316

Here are some of the most popular Nikon F Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Nikon F Mount Lenses for D80 and D70

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G	35mm FF	425gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR	35mm FF	1340gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR	35mm FF	745gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD	35mm FF	1951gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR	35mm FF	2300gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR	35mm FF	720gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM	35mm FF	5880gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8G	APS-C / DX	200gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D80 and Nikon D70 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

Nikon D70 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 (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D70 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 (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D70 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: 1/8000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D70 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 (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Large Body
679g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D70 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 (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon D80 vs Nikon D70: 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 Nikon D70, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Nikon D70 scores compare:

Nikon D80

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #72 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #620 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Nikon D70

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #76 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #685 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Nikon D80 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D70 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon D70 vs Nikon D80 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon D80	Nikon D70
Brand	Nikon	Nikon
Announced	2006-09-23	2004-04-05
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23.6 x 15.8 mm	23.7 x 15.5 mm
Area	372.88mm²	367.35mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	6 megapixels
Max Resolution	3872 x 2592	3008 x 2000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	3200 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	200 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F	Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses	316	316
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.50"	1.80"
Resolution	230k dots	130k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.64x	0.5x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m	11.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	1/500s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	3.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
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	679g
Dimensions	132 x 103 x 77mm	140 x 111 x 78mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	61	50
DxO Color Depth	22.1	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2	10.3
DxO Low Light ISO	524	529
	Report a correction	Report a correction