Features
Supplied Software
Specifications

Features

11-Area AF System: Nikon's Multi-CAM 1000 system provides maximum flexibility and optimum performance under varied shooting situations. The 11-area autofocus system features a cross-type sensor in the center, broad frame coverage, as well as class-leading low light detection and convenient AF-assist illuminator to aid in low-light conditions. New Wide Area AF option gives greater compositional freedom when shooting sports and action. The center sensor can be switched from precise to wide-frame operation for broader coverage. Refinements to the programming algorithms that control lens focus action further improve system response and focus precision, along with subject acquisition and tracking abilities of the Dynamic AF mode.

New High-Resolution Image-Processing Engine: One of the key advances developed for the D80 is its high-resolution image-processing engine. A dedicated new high-performance system large scale integrated processing chip greatly accelerates performance on all levels, while also consuming less power than its predecessors. It inherits technological advantages developed exclusively for Nikon's latest professional digital SLR cameras, combining color independent analog, pre-conditioning with improved 12-bit digital image processing algorithms. The result is natural looking images that benefit from faithful color and tone reproduction. The level of performance attained allows the new engine to rapidly and efficiently process the 10.2 megapixel resolution images, while instantly executing the new in-camera editing, retouching and editing functions.

Instant Start-up and Immediate Response: The D80 starts up in a mere 0.18 seconds, so it is ready to shoot immediately. Its short shutter release time lag of just 80 milliseconds helps ensure instant response while shooting, as does the fast and precise focus of the new 11-area AF system with AF-assist illuminator. Images are processed and recorded extremely fast while preview images are displayed instantly.

LCD Monitor: The Nikon D80 has a 2.5" low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD monitor featuring approximately 230,000 pixels and adjustable brightness and allows up to 170-degree viewing angle.

Optical Glass Viewfinder: The D80 uses a fixed eye-level Pentaprism type viewfinder with a built-in diopter adjustment. By adjusting the diopter to suit your eyesight (with or without eyeglasses), the viewfinder image will look clearer. The viewfinder's coverage area is approximately 95%. During self-timer or remote control operation when your eye does not cover the viewfinder eyepiece, stray light may enter the eyepiece and affect the exposure when the image is captured. To prevent this, you can use the supplied eyepiece cap to cover the eyepiece.

Built-in Flash: The Nikon D80 camera has a built-in pop-up flash. When the flash is raised, photos can only be taken when the flash ready indicator is displayed. You can select from the following modes:

• TTL: the flash output is adjusted automatically in response to shooting conditions
• Manual: the flash fires at the level selected. at full power, the built in flash has a guide number of 13/42 (ISO 100)
• Repeating Flash: the flash fires repeatedly while the shutter is open producing a strobe light effect. selecting this option displays

Control Panel: The camera features a 1.5" x .875" LCD control panel, located on the top of the camera, which shows the status of numerous camera settings, such as sensitivity, battery level, image quality and size, exposure mode, shutter speed, and flash mode.

Image Sensor: The D80 features a 23.6 mm x 15.8 mm Nikon SLR DX format image sensor with a total pixel count of approximately 10.75 million pixels and an effective pixel count of approximately 10.2 million. Nikon SLR DX format image sensors incorporate individual micro-optics on each of the sensors pixels. Micro Optics construction ensures that the image from the camera's lens will be precisely aligned with each pixel's sensor and that performance will be optimized. Note: The Image Sensor size listed in Features is the diagonal measurement of the image sensor, used for comparison purposes.

Recording Media: Images are recorded onto Secure Digital memory cards. Note: No memory is supplied with the camera.

Image Size/Quality: The D80 records still images in JPEG and NEF formats. You have a choice of 3 image size options and 5 image quality options.

Digital Vari-Programs: The D80 incorporates seven Digital Vari-Programs enabling photographers to shoot great pictures with ease under common picture-taking situations. Using the mode dial, you can choose from the following Digital Vari-Programs:

• Auto: camera settings are automatically adjusted
• Portrait: main subject stands out clearly while background details are softened
• Landscape: use for vivid landscape shots that enhance outlines, colors, and contrast in subjects like skycaps and forests
• Close Up: use for close-up shots of flowers, insect, and other small objects
• Sports: high shutter speeds freeze motion for dynamic sports shots in which the main subject stands out clearly
• Night Landscape: a slow shutter speed is used to produce stunning night landscapes
• Night Portrait: use for shots that provide natural balance between main subject and background when shooting portraits under low light

Grid Display: On-demand grid lines can be displayed in the viewfinder for reference when composing photographs, taking landscape shots, or shifting or tilting a PC Nikkor lens.

Long Exposure NR: This option controls whether photographs taken at shutter speeds slower than 1 second are processed to reduce noise.

Sensitivity: When lighting is poor, the camera will automatically increase sensitivity, permitting faster exposures, and minimizing blur caused by inadvertent camera movement, up to a maximum equivalent of ISO 1600. Using the ISO button and main command dial, you can manually select from ISO settings 100 to 1600, with incremental steps of 1/3EV. You can also choose higher ISO: HI 0.3 (ISO 2000), HI 0.7 (ISO 2500), and HI 1 (ISO 3200).

High ISO NR: Photographs that are taken at a high sensitivity can be processed to reduce noise. You can choose from the following:

• Normal: the noise reductions start to take effect at sensitivities over ISO 400
• Low or High: you can choose the amount of noise reduction will occur when the photo is taken
• Off: Noise reduction turns off unless the sensitivity exceed ISO 800

White Balance: White balance is used to preserve natural colors under different types of lighting. When the camera is set to one of the exposure modes, you can choose one of the following white balance options:

• Auto: The white balance is automatically adjusted to suit the lighting conditions.
• Incandescent: This is used under incandescent lighting situations.
• Fluorescent: This is used for most fluorescent lighting conditions.
• Direct Sunlight: This is for use with subjects that are under direct sunlight.
• Flash: This is for use with built-in Speedlight or optional Nikon Speedlights are used.
• Cloudy: This is used when taking pictures under overcast skies.
• Shade: This is used under sunny skies when subject is in shade.
• Choose Color Temp: This is an objective measure of the color of a light source, defined with reference to the temperature to which an object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same wavelength. You can choose color temperature from 2500K to 9900 Kelvin.
• Preset: A white object is used as reference to set white balance under unusual lighting conditions.

Fine Tuning White Balance: At settings other than Choose Color Temp and Preset, the white balance can be further "fine tuned" in a range from -3 to +3 in increments of 1.

Image Enhancement: When the camera is set to one of the Digital Vari-Program modes, you can optimize color, contrast, sharpening as well as other image settings according to the type of scene or output desired. You can choose from the following image enhancement options:

• Normal: recommended for most situations
• Vivid: enhances saturation, contrast, and sharpness to produce vivid images with vibrant reds, greens, and blues
• More Vivid: maximizes saturation, contrast, and sharpness to produce crisp images with sharp outlines
• Softer: softens outlines, producing natural results suitable for portraits or retouching on a computer
• Portrait: lowers contrast while lending natural texture and rounded feel to skin of portrait subjects
• Black and White: takes photos in black and white
• Custom: allows you to adjust the following settings: sharpness, contrast, color reproduction, saturation, and hue. The color reproduction setting allows you to select one of the following color modes:
  • Ia (sRGB): choose for portrait shots that will be printed or used as is, with no further modification
  • II ( Adobe RGB): photographs taken at this setting are adapted to Adobe RGB color space
  • IIIa (sRGB): choose for nature or landscape shots that will be printed or used as is, with no further modification

Shooting Modes: The shooting mode determines how the camera takes photographs. You can choose from the following shooting modes:

• Single Frame: The camera takes one photograph each time the shutter release button is pressed
• Continuous: The camera records photographs up to 3 frames per second while the shutter release button is held down. In this mode, you can get continuous bursts of up to100 JPEG images. The fast framing rates that contribute to the ability to capture moments in time instantly, along with high-speed buffer memory handling, fast image processing, high-speed SD memory card access and large system bus bandwidth help to make this feature possible.
• Self-timer: This mode can be used to reduce camera shake or for self-portraits. You can choose from the following shutter release delay times: 2, 5, 10, or 20 seconds.
• Delayed Remote: shutter release is controlled using the optional ML-L3 remote; there is a 2-second delay
• Quick Response Remote: shutter release is controlled using the optional ML-L3 remote; the picture is taken immediately after focusing is complete

Memory Buffer: The camera is equipped with a memory buffer for temporary storage, allowing shooting to continue while photographs are being saved to the memory card. The number of images that can be stored in the memory buffer at current settings is shown in the exposure count displays in the viewfinder and control panel while the shutter-release button is pressed. This number is updated as photographs are transferred to the memory card and more memory becomes available in the buffer. If 0 is displayed, the buffer is full and shooting will slow down. Shooting can continue up to a maximum of 100 shots.

Focus Modes: You can choose from the following focus modes:

• Autofocus (AF): There are three choices for autofocus mode:
  • AF-A: This feature automatically selects single-servo autofocus when subject is stationary and continuous servo autofocus when subject is moving. The shutter can only be released when in-focus indicator is displayed.
  • Single-servo Autofocus (AF-S): This feature is used with stationary subjects. Focus locks when shutter-release button is pressed halfway. The shutter can only be released when in-focus indication is displayed.
  • Continuous-servo Autofocus (AF-C): The camera focuses continuously while the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. Photographs can be taken whether or not the camera is in focus.
• Manual (M): Manual focus is available for lenses that do not support autofocus (non-AF Nikkor lenses) or when autofocus does not produce the desired results.

AF Assist Illuminator: The built-in AF assist illuminator enables the camera to focus even when the subject is poorly lit. This feature will light automatically to assist the autofocus operation when the shutter release button is pressed halfway. It has an operating range of 1'8" to 9'10".

AF-Area Modes: The D80 offers a choice of five focus areas that together cover a wide area of the frame. The AF-area mode determines how the focus area is selected and what happens if the subject moves out of the selected focus area while the camera is still focusing. You can choose one of the following AF-area modes:

• Single Area: You select the focus area manually and the camera focuses on the subject in the selected focus area only. The selection can be made from any one of the eleven AF spot sensors.
• Dynamic Area: The camera focuses on subject in the selected area, but follows the subject if it moves from its original position, shifting instantly and automatically to the focus area into which the subject has moved.
• Auto-Area AF: The camera measures all 11 focus areas and automatically determines which of them are on the primary subject, and activates only those areas.

AF Area illumination: This option controls whether or not the active focus area is highlighted in the viewfinder. You can choose one of the following settings:

• On: selected focus area is always highlighted
• Off: selected area is not highlighted

Focus Lock: Focus Lock can be used to change the composition after focusing, making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be in one of the five focus areas in the final composition.

Exposure Modes: Using the mode dial, you can choose from the following exposure modes:

• Auto Multi Programs (P): camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and aperture according to a built-in program for optimal exposure in most situations
• Shutter-Priority Auto (S): user chooses shutter speed; camera sets aperture for best results
• Aperture-Priority Auto (A): user chooses aperture; camera sets shutter speed for best results
• Manual (M): user controls both shutter speed and aperture for complete control over exposure

Metering: When the camera is set to one of the exposure modes, you can choose one of the following metering modes:

• 3D Color Matrix/Color Matrix II: Metering is performed by a 420 segment RGB sensor, which meters a wide area of the frame and sets exposure according to the distribution of brightness, color, distance and composition for natural results, with the results referenced against the expansive onboard database of exposure data from over 30,000 actual photographic scenes.
• Variable-size Center-Weighted: The camera meters the entire frame but assigns 75% of the metering to 6, 8, or 10mm diameter circle in center of frame. This is often used for portraits and when you are using filters with an exposure factor over 1x.
• Spot: The camera meters a circle that is 3.5mm (0.14") in diameter. The circle is centered on current focus area, making it possible to meter off-center subjects. This mode ensures that the subject will be correctly exposed, even when background is much brighter or darker.

Exposure Metering Range (ISO 100):

• 3D Color Matrix or Center-Weighted Metering: 0 to 20 EV
• Spot Metering: 2 to 20 EV

Depth of Field Preview: When CPU lens is attached, lens aperture can be stopped down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or value selected by camera (P and S modes)

AE/AF Lock: If your subject is off-centered in the frame, it can become difficult to achieve proper exposure and focus. By engaging the AE/AF Lock feature, you can focus and meter on your subject, lock the exposure and focus by pressing the shutter release button halfway, then recompose your shot before taking the picture.

Exposure Compensation: You can alter the exposure from the value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. You can adjust the exposure from -5.0 to +5.0 EV either in 1/3 or 1/2 incremental steps.

Bracketing: When using this feature, the camera automatically varies selected settings slightly with each shot, bracketing the current value. You can choose either 2 or 3 shots as well as what value you want to bracket. You can choose the following bracketing modes:

• Exposure Bracketing (AE & flash or AE only): With each shot, the camera varies exposure by a maximum of +/- 2 EV. You can choose the incremental steps from 1/3 EV to 2 EV. One photograph is produced each time the shutter is released.
• Flash Bracketing (AE & flash or Flash only): The camera varies flash level with each shot. You can choose the incremental steps of the flash level, from 1/3 EV to 2 EV. One photograph is produced each time the shutter is released.
• White Balance Bracketing: The camera creates up to three images each time the shutter is released, bracketing the current white balance setting.

Function Button (FUNC): You have the ability to activate a certain feature by pressing this button. You can choose from the following features: ISO display, framing grid, AF-area mode, center AF area, FV lock, flash off, matrix metering, center-weighted metering, and spot metering.

Built-in Speedlight with i-TTL Flash Control: When natural lighting is inadequate or when there is strong backlighting, the powerful built-in Speedlight add balanced fill flash. With Nikon's i-TTL flash control evaluates flash exposure with greater precision to achieve better automatic flash balance and deliver outstanding results. It also works with built-in features such as Repeating Flash function for capturing fast moving subjects and Modeling Flash, which allows photographers to visually check for shadows and reflective objects and assess overall lighting prior to shooting. Full support for the Advanced Wireless Lighting System lets the built-in Speedlight function as a remote commander that provides direct control over two remote groups of wireless SB-600, SB-800 or SB-R200 Speedlights. The following types of flash control are available with CPU lenses:

• i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash for Digital SLR: the Speedlight emits a series of nearly invisible preflashes immediately before the main flash. Preflashes reflected from objects in all areas of the frame are picked up by the sensor and are analyzed in combination with information from the matrix metering system to adjust flash output fro natural balance between the main subject and the ambient background lighting.
• Standard i-TTL Flash for Digital SLR: the flash output is adjusted to ensure main subject is correctly exposed; brightness of the background is not taken into account

Flash Modes: Using the built-in flash, you can choose from the following options:

Flash Exposure Compensation: In P, S, A, and M modes, the flash exposure compensation can be used to increase or reduce flash output from the level chosen by the camera's flash control system. The flash exposure compensation can be set to values between -3 EV and +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV. You can also change the incremental steps from 1/3 EV to 1/2 EV.

FV Lock: This feature is used to lock flash output, allowing photographs to be recomposed without changing the flash level. This ensures that flash output is appropriate to the subject even when the subject is not positioned in the center of the frame.

Image Review: When this setting is enabled, the camera displays the image on the LCD monitor after the picture is taken.

Single-Image Playback: During single-image playback, you can view all the pictures stored on the memory card one at a time.

Thumbnail Playback: This feature allows you to view four or nine thumbnail images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly.

Playback Zoom: During single-image and thumbnail playback, you can zoom in on the selected image. Once the image is enlarged, you can move it around on the LCD monitor using the multi selector.

In-Camera Image Editing with Retouching Menu: These options can be used to create, trimmed, resized, or retouch existing copies of the photographs is the memory card. You can choose from the following options:

• D-Lighting: D-Lighting can be used to brighten dark or backlit subjects

• Red-eye Correction: correct "red-eye" caused by flash.

• Image Trimming: create cropped copies of existing photos

• Image Overlay: combine two RAW photographs

• Monochrome: copy pictures in the Black and White, Sepia and Cyanotype colors

• D-Lighting: D-Lighting can be used to brighten dark or backlit subjects create that copies with color filter effects

• Small Picture: You can create a small copy of a recorded image. The copy will be stored as a JPEG file. You can choose from the following sizes:

  • 640 x 480: Suited to television playback
  • 320 x 240: Suited to display on web pages
  • 160 x 120: Suitable for email attachments

• Filter Effects: Create copies with color filter effects. You can choose from one of the following:

  • Sky Light: Creates the effect of a sky light filter, giving the copy a "cold" blue cast.

  • Warm Filter: Creates a copy with warm tone filter effects, giving the copy "warm" red cast.

  • Color Balance: Using this method, you can individually increase the amount of green, red, blue or magenta in the copied images

Playback Information: Photo information is superimposed on images displayer in full-frame playback. The information that will be displayed are: shooting data, image data, highlights, and RGB histogram (a graph showing the distribution of tones in the image).

Remote Control: Via MC-DC1 Remote Cord (optional) or ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control (optional)

Protecting Images: The protect feature allows you to protect important images from accidental erasure.

Playback Menu: The playback menu contains the following options:

• Delete: allows you to delete the current image or all the images in the selected folder or folders

• Playback Folder: allows you to play back the images in the current folder or all folders

• Rotate Tall: portrait photos are displayed in tall orientation during playback

• Slide Show: allows you to play back images one after the other. You can adjust how long each picture is displayed, allowing you to choose one of the following frame intervals: 2, 3, 5, or 10 seconds.

• Hide Image: allows you to hide or reveal selected images

• Print Set: used to create a digital "print order" that lists the photographs to be printed, the number of copies, and the information to be included on each print

Built-in Slideshow function with Pictmotion: Select a range of images, pick a style and add music for beautiful picture presentations delivered from the D80 to a television or simply view on the camera's 2.5 inches LCD. Effects include: slide-in, slide-out, fade-in, and fade-out.

PictBridge Printing Capability: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer. PictBridge is a new standard that allows you to connect a PictBridge compliant camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer and make prints, regardless of brand.

Exif Print (Exif 2.21): The D80 conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

Optional Lens Compatibility: Nikon CPU lenses (particularly type G and D lenses) are recommended for use with the D80.

Optional Flash Compatibility: The D80 is equipped with an accessory shoe that allows SB-series Speedlights, including the SB-800, 600, 80DX, 28DX, 28, 50DX, 27, 23, 22S, and 29S to be mounted directly to the camera's accessory shoe without a sync cable.

EN-EL3a Battery: The D80 outfit comes with a Nikon EN-EL3e rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack (7.4 Volts/1500 mAh), and a MH-18a Quick Charger. When the supplied battery is fully charged, you would be able to shoot up to 2,700 images on a single charge. The battery can be recharged at any time, and it now features an accurate real-time fuel gauge system that displays the percentage of remaining charge, number of shots since last charge and overall status of battery service life.

Optional AC Adapter/Power Sources: Use of an optional EH-5 AC adapter is recommended for extended playback. You can also use the MB-D80 battery pack (optional) with one or two rechargeable Nikon EN-EL3e Li-ion batteries or six AA alkaline (LR6), Ni-MH (HR6), lithium (FR6) batteries, or nickel-manganese (ZR6) AA batteries, EH-5 AC Adapter (optional)

Accessory Shoe: Standard ISO hot-shoe contact with safety lock provided on top of the optical viewfinder.

Supplied Software

PictureProject: The supplied PictureProject software allows you to do the following: view pictures, print pictures, transfer pictures, retouch pictures, and send pictures by email.

Windows System Requirements:

• CPU: Pentium 300 MHz, Pentium 4 or equivalent (Pentium 550Mhz or faster recommended for muvee function)
• OS: Preinstalled versions of Windows XP Home Edition/Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Windows 98 Second Edition (SE)
• Hard Disk Space: 60 MB
• RAM: Minimum 64 MB (128 MB with Raw images)
• Video Resolution: 800 x 600 or more with 16-bit color (High Color) or better

Macintosh System Requirements:

• Models: built-in USB or FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface required
• OS: Mac OS X (version 10.1.5 or later), (10.2.8 or later for disc creation function)
• Hard Disk Space: 60 MB
• RAM: Minimum 64 MB (128 MB with Raw images)
• Video Resolution: 800 x 600 or more with 16-bit color (High Color) or better

Specifications

Estimated Image Capacity of an Optional 1GB SD Flash Card: