Do you want to know what's better Nikon D90 or Nikon D80? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D90 vs Nikon D80

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • Flash range

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Wireless

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

Nikon D90
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D90

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 12 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 4288 x 2848

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 13 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 200 - 3200 (plus 6400 with boost)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 6400

    IMAGE White balance presets: 12

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Flash range: 17.00 m (at ISO 100)

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 4.5 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Fixed

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen size: 3

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 920,000

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Mono

    CONNECTIVITY HDMI: Yes (Mini Type C)

    OTHER FEATURES Timelapse recording: Yes (by USB cable and PC)

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D80
  • launch

  • Announced

    Aug 27, 2008

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    12 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4288 x 2848

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424

  • Sensor photo detectors

    13 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 200 - 3200 (plus 6400 with boost)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    6400

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (5)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (pop-up)

  • Flash range

    17.00 m (at ISO 100)

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync

  • Continuous drive

    4.5 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    (2, 3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2 or 3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    920,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    Super Density TFT color LCD with wide-viewing angle

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    96%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.96×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1280 x 720 (24 fps), 640 x 424 (24 fps), 320 x 216 (24 fps)

  • File Format

    Motion JPEG

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    11

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    703 g (1.55 lb / 24.80 oz)

  • Dimensions

    132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.06 x 3.03)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    850

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Mini Type C)

  • Wireless

    Eye-Fi Connected

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional ML-L3 or MC-DC2)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by USB cable and PC)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Aug 9, 2006

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    10 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    3872 x 2592

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CCD

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    2896 x 1944, 1936 x 1296

  • Sensor photo detectors

    11 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100 - 1600 (plus 3200 with boost)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    3200

  • White balance presets

    6

  • Custom white balance

    Yes

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (pop-up)

  • Flash range

    13.00 m

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Wireless

  • Continuous drive

    3.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    No

  • Screen size

    2.5

  • Screen dots

    230,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

  • Live view

    No

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    95%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.95×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

    None

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    668 g (1.47 lb / 23.56 oz)

  • Dimensions

    132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.06 x 3.03)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Nikon EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion battery

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC card

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    No

  • Wireless

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional (ML-L3 or MC-DC1))

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    No

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Nikon D90 highest resolution of 4288 x 2848 pixels (12 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Nikon D80 maximum resolution of 3872 x 2592 pixels (10 megapixels). The Nikon D90 offers a wider ISO range of 200-3200 in compare with 100-1600 ISO range of the Nikon D80. Such ISO numbers allow the camera owner to capture better pictures in dim light conditions. The Nikon D90 has more number of white balance presets - 12. This option gives the camera owner more control over colour.

    The D90 is equipped with tilting LCD that will allow the camera owner to make photos from any odd angle. The Nikon D90 display is better as it has more screen dots 920,000 in compare to 230,000 dots of the Nikon D80 display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing images on your camera.

    The D80 weighs 668g which is 35g less in comparison with the weight of the D90.

    The D90 has 14 advantages and the Nikon D80 only 1 so the D90 will become the best choice. Get the lowest price on Amazon.