Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX300M Comparison

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Nikon D80

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

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Samsung NX300M

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

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Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX300M 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 NX300M, which was introduced in January 2013 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, D80 is 7 years older than NX300M. 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 NX300M 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 NX300M Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-03

20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600

Samsung NX Mount

3.3" Tilting Screen

9 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

331g. 122 x 64 x 41 mm

Nikon D80 was replaced by Nikon D90. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80
Nikon D90 vs Samsung NX300M

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D80 over Samsung NX300M

Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Optical vs None	Better framing and control
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 NX300M over Nikon D80

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 10 MP	100% more pixels
Max ISO	25.600 vs 1.600	1500% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size	3.3" vs 2.5"	0.8 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	768k dots vs 230k dots	233% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/6000s vs 1/4000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	9.0fps vs 3.0fps	6 fps faster
Weight	331 g vs 668 g	337 g lighter
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs None	Higher Resolution Video
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Common Strengths of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
LCD Screen Size	2.5" vs 3.3"	Large display
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M

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 NX300M: 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 NX300M 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 NX300M has external dimensions of 122 x 64 x 41 mm (4.8 x 2.52 x 1.61″) and weighs 331 g (0.73 lb / 11.68 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M. Samsung NX300M is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 39mm shorter and 36mm thinner than Nikon D80.

Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung NX300M is significantly lighter (337g ) 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 NX300M 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

NX300M

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D80

NX300M

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D80 nor Samsung NX300M 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 NX300M's 3.3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D80's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Samsung NX300M LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Nikon D80 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to NX300M.

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX300M: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D80 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Samsung NX300M has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DRIMe IV processor.

Samsung NX300M'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 NX300M sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M Cameras

Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M 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.

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX300M 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 NX300M. There are 309 lenses for Nikon D80's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 32 lenses for Samsung NX300M'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 NX300M 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 NX300M Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D80 and Samsung NX300M 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 NX300M 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
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung NX300M 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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX300M for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

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

Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
247 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung NX300M 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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
331g
Body Thickness 41mm
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung NX300M 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 (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D80 vs Samsung NX300M: 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 NX300M, 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 NX300M 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 NX300M

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #75 out of 128 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #339 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Samsung NX300M has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D80. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that NX300M trails behind the D80: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon D80. If not, we recommend the Samsung NX300M.

Samsung NX300M vs Nikon D80 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon D80	Samsung NX300M
Brand	Nikon	Samsung
Announced	2006-09-23	2013-01-03
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Rangefinder-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	25,600 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	247
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F	Samsung NX
Number of Available Lenses	309	32
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	2.5"	3.3"
Resolution	230k dots	768k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	None
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	0.64x	n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/6000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	9.0 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	331g
Dimensions	132 x 103 x 77mm	122 x 64 x 41mm
Battery Life	n/a	330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	61	not tested
DxO Color Depth	22.1	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	524	not tested
	Report a correction	Report a correction