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Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 Comparison

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Nikon D80

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

Nikon D80
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Samsung NX20

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Samsung NX20
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Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D80, which was introduced in September 2006 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 10.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Samsung NX20, which was introduced in April 2012 is a Advanced Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, D80 is 6 years older than NX20. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 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

Samsung NX20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-04-20
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Samsung NX Mount
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 8 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 341g. 122 x 90 x 40 mm
  • Replaced Samsung NX11 Compare

Nikon D80 was replaced by Nikon D90. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80
Nikon D90 vs Samsung NX20

Samsung NX20 was replaced by Samsung NX30. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Samsung NX30 vs Samsung NX20
Samsung NX30 vs Nikon D80

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D80 over Samsung NX20
Flash Coverage
13.0m vs 11.0m 2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
37.14µm2 vs 18.48µm2 100% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily


Reasons to choose Samsung NX20 over Nikon D80
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder Magnification
0.7x vs 0.64x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 10 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 1.600 700% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
614k dots vs 230k dots 166% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
8.0fps vs 3.0fps 5 fps faster
Weight
341 g vs 668 g 327 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
23.4 vs 22.1 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
12.9 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
785 vs 524 better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20
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 (Electronic) 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 Samsung NX20
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20: 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 Samsung NX20 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). Samsung NX20 has external dimensions of 122 x 90 x 40 mm (4.8 x 3.54 x 1.57″) and weighs 341 g (0.75 lb / 12.03 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20. Samsung NX20 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 37mm thinner than Nikon D80.

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20.
Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung NX20 is significantly lighter (327g ) 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 Samsung NX20 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

Mirrorless Cameras

D80
NX20
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D80
NX20
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D80 nor Samsung NX20 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
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung NX20's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D80's 2.5" screen.

Moreover, Samsung NX20 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Nikon D80 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to NX20.
Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D80 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Samsung NX20 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Samsung NX20's sensor provides 10MP more than Nikon D80's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the D80 and NX20 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 Cameras


Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 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

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It 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. Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that NX20 has a better overall score of 75, 14 points higher compared to D80's score of 61.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Nikon D80 61 22.1 bits 11.2 Evs 524 ISO
Samsung NX20 75 23.4 bits 12.9 Evs 785 ISO
Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20 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 Nikon D80 has an advantage over Samsung NX20. There are 309 lenses for Nikon D80's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 32 lenses for Samsung NX20's Samsung NX 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 7 lenses for Samsung NX mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon D80 Lenses # of Samsung NX20 Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 4
Standard Prime 21 5
Wideangle Zoom 33 1
Wideangle Prime 48 11
Telephoto Zoom 53 2
Telephoto Prime 45 3
SuperZoom 30 1
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 4
Macro Prime 26 1
Perspective Control Prime 11 n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 309 32

What types of Photography are Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D80 and Samsung NX20 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

Samsung NX20 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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung NX20 for Street Photography

GOOD
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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX20 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung NX20 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
668g
Body Thickness 77mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
341g
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung NX20 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX20: 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 Samsung NX20, 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 Samsung NX20 scores compare:

Nikon D80
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #71 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #612 out of 1226 in all Cameras
Samsung NX20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #71 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #192 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Samsung NX20 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

Nikon D80
Nikon D80
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Samsung NX20
Samsung NX20
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Samsung NX20 vs Nikon D80 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D80 Samsung NX20
Brand Nikon Samsung
Announced 2006-09-23 2012-04-20
Body Type Mid-size SLR SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
Area 372.88mm2 368.95mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 12,800 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 15
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Samsung NX
Number of Available Lenses 309 32
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 614k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.64x 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 13.00 m 11.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 8.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None 1920 x 1080
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 668g 341g
Dimensions 132 x 103 x 77mm 122 x 90 x 40mm
Battery Life n/a 360 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 61 75
DxO Color Depth 22.1 23.4
DxO Dynamic Range 11.2 12.9
DxO Low Light ISO 524 785
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