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Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14 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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Sigma SD14

5 MP | APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma SD14
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Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing D80 and SD14, two Advanced DSLR cameras from Nikon and Sigma. Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Nikon D80 has a 10.0 MP and Sigma SD14 has a 5.0 MP resolution. Nikon D80 was introduced to market in September 2006 and Sigma SD14 was launched in September 2006. Both D80 and SD14 were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 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

Sigma SD14 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2006-09-26
  • 5MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 800 ( expands to 1600)
  • Sigma SA Bayonet Mount
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 750g. 144 x 107 x 81 mm
  • Replaced Sigma SD10 Compare

Nikon D80 was replaced by Nikon D90. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80
Nikon D90 vs Sigma SD14

Sigma SD14 was replaced by Sigma SD15. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sigma SD15 vs Sigma SD14
Sigma SD15 vs Nikon D80

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D80 over Sigma SD14
Viewfinder Magnification
0.64x vs 0.6x Larger Viewfinder
Max Sensor Resolution
10 MP vs 5 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
1.600 vs 800 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 150k dots 53% higher resolution screen
Weight
668 g vs 750 g 82 g lighter
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR


Reasons to choose Sigma SD14 over Nikon D80
Viewfinder Coverage
98% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Sensor Pixel Area
61.43µm2 vs 37.14µm2 65% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14
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
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Max Resolution
10 MP vs 5 MP Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Size
2.5" vs 2.5" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 150k 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 Sigma SD14: 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 Sigma SD14 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). Sigma SD14 has external dimensions of 144 x 107 x 81 mm (5.67 x 4.21 x 3.19″) and weighs 750 g (1.65 lb / 26.46 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14. Nikon D80 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Sigma SD14.

Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 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 82g lighter than the Sigma SD14 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 Sigma SD14 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
SD14
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D80
SD14
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D80 nor Sigma SD14 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 and Sigma SD14's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 2.5".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D80 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sigma SD14 has a 5.0MP APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor .

Nikon D80's sensor provides 5MP more than Sigma SD14'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 SD14 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D80 has a 1.3x Larger sensor area than Sigma SD14. 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.

Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14 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 Sigma SD14. There are 309 lenses for Nikon D80's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 76 lenses for Sigma SD14's Sigma SA Bayonet 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 28 lenses for Sigma SA Bayonet mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon D80 Lenses # of Sigma SD14 Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 9
Standard Prime 21 5
Wideangle Zoom 33 8
Wideangle Prime 48 8
Telephoto Zoom 53 18
Telephoto Prime 45 8
SuperZoom 30 9
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 4
Macro Prime 26 7
Perspective Control Prime 11 n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 309 76

What types of Photography are Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D80 and Sigma SD14 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

Sigma SD14 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 (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma SD14 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 (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sigma SD14 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
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma SD14 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 (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
750g
Body Thickness 81mm
Read the details

Nikon D80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sigma SD14 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 (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon D80 vs Sigma SD14: 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 Sigma SD14, 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 Sigma SD14 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
Sigma SD14
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #87 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #806 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon D80 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sigma SD14 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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Sigma SD14
Sigma SD14
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Sigma SD14 vs Nikon D80 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D80 Sigma SD14
Brand Nikon Sigma
Announced 2006-09-23 2006-09-26
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS (Foveon X3)
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 20.7 x 13.8 mm
Area 372.88mm2 285.66mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 5 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 2640 x 1760
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 3200 ISO 1600 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Sigma SA Bayonet
Number of Available Lenses 309 76
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 2.5"
Resolution 230k dots 150k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 98%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.64x 0.6x
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 n/a
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 3.0 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 750g
Dimensions 132 x 103 x 77mm 144 x 107 x 81mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
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
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