The Nikon D80 is the successor of the Nikon D70 which sits nicely between the entry-level D50 and the Semi-pro Nikon D200, of which it shares many of the same features. In this Nikon D80 review, it is an excellent camera for its price, the quality of its pictures is undeniable, and the possibilities that it has are many and if you already have Nikkor lens or 3rd party lens type G or D, you can use them without any problem. The Nikon D80 is just slightly heavier than the D50 and this is good when you are holding it fitting in your hands well. The D80 is a great tool for anyone interested in the creative aspects of digital photography as well as the accurate AUTO position. One of the key advances developed for the Nikon D80 is Nikon's own high-resolution image processing engine that inherits its technology from Nikon's latest professional Digital SLR cameras. The Nikon D80 is designed to inspire creativity at every level.

D80 photographers will enjoy the camera's built-in Multiple Exposure mode for unique composite image effects, or the Optimize menu options that closely tailor results to the scene at hand or the intended use of an image or to a custom preference of the photographer. The D80’s superb 10 Mega Pixel of colors and pin sharp & well exposed images, the images are to die for, and the camera's controls put everything you need at your fingertips. There is an optional battery grip; image courtesy of Nikon USA If you want to squeeze more life out of your D80 then you'll want to check out the MB-D80 battery grip ($150).

In another Nikon D80 review,CameraLabs have compared the Nikon D80 VS Canon EOS 400D/Digital Rebel XTi where they write;"The D80’s biggest rival will arguably be the Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi, and despite them sharing essentially the same resolving power, the Nikon came out tops. The in-hand feel is excellent, typical of SLR cameras. At the top of the grip is the Sub-command dial, which serves to modify a number of camera settings, or even navigate the menus. The Control Panel occupies a large part of the camera's top right side. The shutter can only be released when the camera is able to focus. The camera focuses continuously while the shutter release is pressed halfway, and the shutter can be released even if the "in-focus" indicator is not displayed. An additional function for the AF button is indicated by a green dot : if the button is pressed simultaneously with the Exposure Compensation button, which also has a green dot, the camera can be Reset and all settings, with the exception of Custom settings, return to their factory defaults.

Images shot are processed and recorded instantly to the internal SD memory card. Image previews are also displayed almost immediately. Image quality from the Nikon D80 is quite impressive. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of them, click to display a larger image in a new window. Image quality seems no longer restricted by the sensor, but by the JPEG-settings and the applied zoom lens. Image sharpening, tone (contrast) compensation, colour mode, saturation and hue adjustment is controlled by the user-selected choice of Normal, Softer, Vivid, More vivid, Portrait, Custom and Black-and-white (with colour filter options). The D80 also features an all-new image Retouch menu, with exclusive in- camera editing functions that will certainly keep D80 users engaged when they're not busy shooting. By any measure, the Nikon D80 is clearly a superb photographic tool, offering value well beyond its relatively modest price point. In practice, using the Nikon D80 is intuitive and uncomplicated. The Nikon D80 is ready for action with no noticeable start-up time. If you want more zoom from a kit lens and are willing to pay just a bit more for a D-SLR, the Nikon D80 is the camera for you. The Nikon D80 is without a doubt a very classy camera.