Nikon D780
24 MP FX, 7 FPS, ISO 51,200 (204,800), 4K/30
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
Nikon D780 (29.3 oz./830g with battery and one card, two SD slots, $2,197) and Noct-NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2 AI-s. bigger.
I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or about $1,000 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit for $2,797 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
February 2024 Better Pictures Nikon Reviews Nikon Lenses Nikon Flash All Reviews
Previous model: Nikon D750 (2014-).
More advanced model: Nikon D850 (2017-).
Nikon D780. bigger.
Nikon D780. bigger.
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
(more at High ISOs)
These are just snapshots made in less than an hour of fooling around; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as BASIC ★ JPGs; no RAW files, NORMAL or FINE JPGs or tripods were used or needed.
These colors and images are exactly as they came out of my D780, no editing needed between shutter-click and publication:
Sun Setting into the Sea, 5:23 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 250mm wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/1,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.9), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Sun Setting into the Sea, 5:28 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 116mm at f/13 hand-held at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.4), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Sunset Palms, 5:28 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 44mm at f/16 hand-held at 1/50 at Auto ISO 110 (LV 13.5), exactly as shot in square-crop mode. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Night Stairs, 5:54 PM PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 56mm wide-open at f/4.5 hand-held at 1/30 at Auto ISO 4,000 (LV 3.9), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Modest Contemporary American Home at Dusk, 5:58 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 78mm wide-open at f/5 hand-held at 1/40 at Auto ISO 5,000 (LV 4.3), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Sunset in the Window with Mysterious Human Figure, 6:04 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 82mm wide-open at f/5 hand-held at 1/50 at Auto ISO 20,000 (LV 2.6), as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Venus Setting over the Sea, 6:09 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 32mm wide-open at f/3.8 hand-held at 1/8 of a second at Auto ISO 1,400 (LV 3.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Green, Red and Blue, 6:13 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 200mm wide-open at f/5.6 hand-held at 1/25 of a second at Auto ISO 51,200 (LV 0.6), as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Nine Balls, 6:19 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 52mm wide-open at f/4.5 hand-held at 1/13 of a second at Auto ISO 22,800 (LV 0.2), split-toned print. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Always flawless color; these next three, as the above, are the exact colors that come right out of my D780 as deliverable JPGs, no editing, no RAW files or other dilly-dallying to get between delivering my images and getting on to the next job:
Red Wall and Lamp, 8:53 AM, 07 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 180mm at f/10 at 1/320 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), as shot except for perspective correction and turd clean-up in Photoshop CS6. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Nasturtium, 9:17 AM, 07 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 98mm at f/8 hand-held at 1/25 of a second at Auto ISO 250 (LV 9.3), as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Spanish Tile in Paradise, 12:02 PM, 11 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 250mm at f/10 hand-held at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.6), exactly as shot except for perspective correction in Photoshop CS6. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
I love my Nikon D780 over everything mirrorless because, like the real camera it is, everything just works and GOES! instantly. There's never any waiting as with mirrorless; my D780 responds instantly to every button or shutter press, its autofocus is much faster than any Nikon Z camera and all its memory and saving functions work as they should, letting me recall all my settings in the flick of a dial to reset my camera completely between my favorite combinations of shooting settings. On Nikon's fancier cameras like the D5, D6 and D850 I have to stop and fiddle in idiotic "Shooting Menus" and in "Settings Menus" to do what happens with one click on my D780, ensuring I get my shot as conditions change rapidly. Also unlike any mirrorless camera, saving my settings to a card saves and recalls everything without forgetting anything. All mirrorless attempts at this easy function today have failed: the Nikon Z6, Z7 and Sony A7R Mk IV all forget and reset their shooting memories when you recall settings from a card! Losers!
Better than any Nikon mirrorless camera, the D780 has two card slots, and they're for world-standard SD cards, not QXD or other expensive boutique frou-frou cards you can't find anywhere.
Bravo D780!
I so love getting a real DSLR again after having wasted so much time with mirrorless these past two years since my glorious D850 came out. I hate having to wait for my camera to respond to my commands; I need a camera that serves me, not one that expects me to wait for it and expend my time, effort and concentration working around its defective firmware that's always updating. With my D780, it just goes and I get work done, instead of waiting in quiet desperation for firmware fixes that never come.
This D780 is a new take on Nikon's most popular FX DSLR, 2014's D750. The D780 adds two-stops (four times) higher ISOs, more battery life, USB charging and various video, autofocus and Live View features, but removes the built-in flash.
The most amazing new thing about my D780 is that I can photograph a sunset and the sky looks natural, with no weird colored rings in the sky around the sun. Digital cameras used to lack the highlight dynamic range needed to show smooth sky colors around the sun, and now my images look glorious! Bravo, Nikon!
The D780 offers a great combination of mirrorless video and Live-View capabilities and the superior autofocus of a DSLR for action. The D780 is what you get when the Z6 and D750 have a baby; it's got the best features of both — except the D750's flash. The built-in flash is very useful for still shots, but it doesn't do anything for video. The D780 costs more because it has the features of both mirrorless and a DSLR in the same camera, and because it's new and not yet discounted like the D750 is today.
Much better than I had expected, the D780 is still fully compatible with manual focus lenses. Manual focus lenses are better suited to video use than AF lenses because they work much better with follow-focus rigs and have dedicated aperture control rings.
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
New since D750 intro top
Regular ISO to 51,200 and push ISO to 204,800. (D750 only went to 12,800 or push to 51,200.)
No more built-in flash.
Manual exposures now settable to 15 minutes in Manual mode, hallelujah! Oddly they are not displayed in minutes, but instead as long numbers of seconds, up to 900 seconds. Good news is that manual exposures of 60 seconds or longer are counted-down on the top LCD!
1/8,000 maximum shutter speed, up from 1/4,000.
No mention of the availability of a battery grip, and no apparent contacts for one.
Battery now rated 2,260 shots, up from 1,230 in the D750, but the lack of flash is one of the big reasons behind that.
Eye-detection AF.
In-camera USB-C charging.
Touch screen.
10-bit N-Log or HDR (Hybrid Log-Gamma) video.
Focus Stacking: the D780 will save a set of raw files at different focused distances, but you have to try to composite all these later in your computer.
Multiple Exposures, even with non-consecutive frames.
First Nikon DSLR ever with phase-detection live-view AF (Nikon 35mm SLRs have used phase-detection since at least 1986).
No more SCENE or NO FLASH modes on top dial.
INFO and i buttons reversed (doesn't matter).
ISO button now up by the shutter button while the Metering Mode button moves to the back of the camera.
Live View lever moves up near the viewfinder.
No longer works with ML-L3 infrared remote; instead use the MC-DC2 remote cord or Nikon's free app.
Good intro top
Superb high ISO performance.
Superb Nikon image quality: better looking JPGs direct-from-camera than from Sony or Fuji if you demand the vivid colors I do.
Excellent low-light autofocus.
Fast autofocus for sports and action — worlds better than Nikon's mirrorless cameras.
DX, square and 16:9 as-shot crops.
Properly saves and recalls almost all shooting settings in its U1 and U2 modes.
Saves and recalls all camera settings to and from a memory card in slot 1, and these files can be saved and shared on your computer and I share mine online. Better than mirrorless rubbish like the defective Nikon Z6, Z7 and Sony A7R Mk IV, saving to card the D780 recalls all the contents your U1 and U2 modes. (The Z6, Z7 and Sony A7R Mk IV erase the contents of their memory modes when you recall from a card, making this feature nearly useless in those half-finished mirrorless fiascoes!)
Still has full-aperture Matrix metering and focussing with AI manual focus lenses! (No Nikon Z camera can do this; the FTZ has no aperture-ring feeler.)
Still autofocuses with all AF and AF-D lenses made since 1986! (No Nikon Z camera can do this; the FTZ has no focus motor.)
Manual exposures settable to 15 minutes in Manual mode, hallelujah!
Wide compatibility with tens of millions of Nikon lenses made for over 60 years. (No Nikon Z camera can do this; the FTZ is very limited.)
In-camera USB-C charging.
Touch screen works great for entering text and data and working menus, much better than Sony.
Bad intro top
No more built-in flash.
Offshored to Thailand; not made domestically in Japan.
Much more expensive than the D750 or Z6, but not necessarily better depending on your feature preferences.
Missing intro top
No more built-in flash.
Two SD card slots - but oddly only can use the second card as backup, overflow, or raw/JPG split for still photos. Movies only record to one card at a time (card 1 or card 2), and settings only save to and recall from card 1.
No 4:3 or 4:5 "Ideal Format" crop modes (only square, 16:9 and DX crops).
AUTO AF-AREA MODE usually works wonders picking the right AF areas all by itself, or you can use the rear controller manually, but you can't use a finger on the rear LCD while looking through the viewfinder to select them as is common today on mirrorless.
No mention of the availability of a battery grip.
No more SCENE or NO FLASH modes on top dial.
No automatic brightness control for rear LCD.
No built-in Image Stabilization (no Nikon DSLR has this).
TIME exposure mode, but no timer displayed to count time (use the new Long Manual Exposures instead which do count-down on the top LCD).
No GPS; use the optional GP-1 or GP-1A.
Nikon D780 with 58mm Noct-NIKKOR f/1.2 AI-s. bigger.
Nikon D780 with 58mm Noct-NIKKOR f/1.2 AI-s. bigger.
Lens Compatibility top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Nikon D780 Lens Mount showing focus-motor screwdriver and aperture-ring feeler. bigger.
Far better than any mirrorless camera or the crummy FTZ adapter, the D780 is compatible with every Nikon SLR and DSLR lens made since 1977. It autofocuses with every Nikon autofocus lens made since 1986.
So long as your lens is updated to AI, every Nikon SLR and DSLR lens made since 1959 is compatible, complete with Color Matrix Metering if you enter its focal length and maximum aperture at MENU > SETUP > Non-CPU Lens Data.
Explicit details at Nikon Lens Compatibility.
All these lenses made over more than 60 years work just great:
With Nikon 50mm f/1.4 G (2008-today). bigger. |
With Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-D (1986-today). bigger. |
With Noct-NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2 AI-s (1977-1997). bigger. |
With Nikon F 5.8 cm f/1.4 (1959-1962), AI converted. bigger. |
YES
AF, AF-D, AF-S and AF-P lenses (1986-today)
AI-P manual-focus lenses (1988).
DX lenses (2003-today).
AI (1977-1981), AI-s (1981-today) and AI converted (1959-1976) lenses give you A and M exposure modes and, if you tell the D780 what lens you're using at MENU > SETUP MENU (wrench icon) > Non-CPU Lens Data, you get full Color Matrix metering.
E diaphragm (2008-today).
If they mount, even Nikon's original F (non-AI) lenses (1959-1976) meter and shoot with stop-down metering. (Some will have mechanical interference and not mount; every one is different.)
With all lenses shot via the viewfinder, the electronic rangefinder works with any of the 51 points with lenses as slow as f/5.6. With lenses as slow as f/8, 11 AF points work.
NO
Won't work with:
Lenses for the 40-year-old prehistoric F3AF.
Some 1959-1976 F lenses that haven't been converted or updated to AI may not mount due to mechanical interference, but if they do mount, you can shoot them and even meter in stop-down mode. Ideally update them to AI and they work great.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Image Sensor specifications top
24 MP.
23.9 × 35.9 mm CMOS.
Ultrasonic cleaner.
ISO specifications top
ISO 100 ～ 51,200.
ISO 50 ～ 204,800 in pull and push modes.
Auto ISO
Image Sizes specifications top
6,048 × 4,024 pixels native (L, 24 MP).
4,258 × 3,016 (M).
3,024 × 2,016 (S).
Cropped Aspect Ratios
Square, DX and 16:9 crops.
Still Formats specifications top
JPG and/or raw.
sRGB and Adobe RGB.
Video specifications top
4K (3,840 × 2,160) at 23.976, 25 or 29.97 FPS.
1,920 × 1,080 at 119.88, 100, 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 or 23.976 FPS.
Slow-motion: 1,920 × 1,080 at 23.976 (1/5), 25p (1/4) or 29.97p (1/4).
Quality selection available at all sizes except 3,840 × 2,160 (when quality is fixed at high) and 1,920 × 1,080 slow-motion (when quality is fixed at normal).
Audio specifications top
Recorded only along with video.
LPCM.
S - t - e - r - e - O microphone built in.
3.5mm Mic-in jack with plug-in power overrides built-in mic.
3.5mm headphone jack.
Autofocus specifications top
51 points.
15 are cross-type.
11 work with lenses as slow as f/8.
AF Fine Tune.
With f/2 lens: LV -3 ~ +19.
Live View with f/2 lens: LV -4 ~ +17; LV -6 ~ +17 in low-light AF mode. That's good enough to focus in full moonlight!
CAM 3500 AF detector.
Light Meter specifications top
180,000 pixel 3D Color Matrix meter.
Center-weighted.
Highlight weighted.
Spot.
LV -3 ~ +20 (no lens specified) in Matrix and Center weighted.
LV +2 ~ +20 (no lens specified) in Spot and Highlight-weighted.
Finder specifications top
100% coverage.
0.7× magnification with 50mm lens.
21mm eyepoint.
-3 ～ +1 diopters.
Shutter specifications top
1/8,000 ～ 30 seconds in all modes.
To 15 minutes in Manual mode, hallelujah!
TIME mode that keeps the shutter open until you press the shutter button again.
1/200 flash sync speed.
Remote Releases specifications top
App-controlled (good luck!).
Flash specifications top
1/200 sync speed.
High Speed Sync to 1/8,000.
Built-in Flash
NONE.
External Flash
Dedicated hot shoe.
No Prontor-Compur (PC) terminal; use a hot-shoe adapter for corded sync.
LCD Monitor specifications top
Nikon D780 with 58mm Noct-NIKKOR f/1.2 AI-s. bigger.
3.2" diagonal.
2,359,000 dots.
4:3 aspect ratio.
Tilts up 130º and down 85º.
Doesn't swing left or right.
Can't be flipped 180º for self portraits
Connectors specifications top
|
|
D780 Connector Covers. bigger. |
D780 Crappy Plastic Flaps. bigger. |
From the top:
3.5mm stereo mic-in with plug-in power.
3.5mm stereo headphone jack.
Jack for the MC-DC2 remote cord.
USB-C 3.1 Gen 1.
Mini-C HDMI.
WiFi specifications top
Built-in.
Storage specifications top
Two SD slots:
Nikon D780 Card Slots. bigger.
SD, SDHC and SDXC UHS-II cards.
Power specifications top
Rated 2,260 shots, CIPA.
Battery
Nikon EN-EL15b battery. bigger.
Nikon EN-EL15b battery. bigger.
The D780 also works with the older EN-EL15 and EN-EL15a batteries, but they can't charge in-camera.
Charging
Charges via USB-C, and comes with Nikon's usual dorky MH-25a charger.
The MH-25a charger is as idiotic as earlier Nikon chargers. Instead of a flipping plug like a good charger, it has a screwy flipping socket into which you either plug the bizarre short US plug, or a standard charger cord.
The charger is clumsy, requires you slip the battery into the hole instead of popping it in from the top like most good chargers, is useless unless you also bring another cord and plug, and the light is Nikon's standard blink while charging and solid when done. There is no indication of charge percentage while charging. This charger is one of the things I like least about the D750. If this is my biggest complaint, this is a very good camera!
Nikon MH-25a charger, included with Nikon D780. enlarge.
Rear, Nikon MH-25a charger. enlarge.
Optional AC adapters EH-5d, EH-5c or EH-5b and EP-B5 power connector.
Size specifications top
4.6 × 5.7 × 3.0 inches HWD.
115.5 × 143.5 × 76 millimeters HWD.
Weight specifications top
29.265 oz. (829.7 g) with battery and one card, actual measured weight.
29.330 oz. (831.5 g) with battery and two cards, actual measured weight.
Rated 29.7 oz. (840 g) with battery and card; 26.7 oz. (755g) stripped.
Quality specifications top
Made in Thailand:
Nikon D780: Made in Thailand. bigger.
Operating Environment specifications top
0º ～ 40º C (32º ～ 104º F).
Up to 85% RH, non-condensing.
Included specifications top
EN-EL15b Rechargeable Li-ion Battery.
MH-25a Battery Charger.
DK-5 Eyepiece Cap.
UC-E24 USB Cable.
AN-DC21 Strap.
BF-1B Body Cap.
DK-31 Rubber Eyecup (attached).
Announced specifications top
9:12 PM, 05 January 2020, NYC time.
Promised for & Shipping Since specifications top
Late January, 2020.
Nikon's Model Numbers specifications top
N1722 (camera body only).
1618 (packaged body and accessories).
1619 (kit with 24-120mm VR).
Price, USA specifications top
February 2024
$2,197 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
$2,797 with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $1,000 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
April 2023
$2,197 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
$2,797 with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $1,300 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
November 2022
$2,297 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
$2,797 with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $1,600 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
January ~ March 2020
$2,297 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
$2,797 with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Unboxing top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
The box is completely unsealed. Just like packages of ice cream that kids open, lick and put back in store freezer sections or mouthwash that's been gargled and put it back on the store shelf, there is no way to know if anyone else has been fiddling with your camera or lens, swapping parts and accessories, or even if it's a dropped, returned, damaged or used lens or camera.
This is why it's critical to buy only from an approved online source, since they ship from automated warehouses where no shifty salesmen or other customers ever getting to touch your new camera before it ships. While new home security cameras, $5 CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and bottles of milk and drinking water are sealed and quite obvious if anyone's opened them, paradoxically Nikon doesn't bother sealing anything, so your only insurance is to buy only from a trusted online dealer.
Getting a Legal USA Version top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This section applies in the USA only.
Nikon D780 USA box. bigger.
In the USA, be sure your box has a "US" after "D780 BK" above the UPC code.
Inside the box, a legal USA version has a warranty card from Nikon USA. The serial number on the card must match the serial number on the bottom of your camera, or you have no warranty. The serial number on the box should also match.
Nikon D780 USA Warranty Card. bigger.
If you don't have this card, if the card doesn't say "www.nikonusa.com/register" or the serial number on the card doesn't match the one on your camera exactly, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. All legitimate cameras come with printed warranty cards, even if you prefer to register online. (The serial number on the box doesn't have to match, but if it doesn't it means you bought from a shady dealer who took cameras out of boxes and then resold them as new.)
Always be sure to check your box, warranty card and serial numbers while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.
This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you won't even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!
Nikon USA enforces its trademarks strictly. It's unlikely, but possible that US customs won't let your camera back in the country if you bought a gray-market version in the USA, carried it overseas, and try to bring it back in. (If you take the chance of buying one overseas, be sure you have a receipt to prove you bought it overseas and be prepared to pay duty on it.)
If a gray market version saves you $1,000 it may be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.
USA versions include two printed manuals, one in English y uno en español.
Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
Overall Autofocus Auto ISO Auto White Balance
Color & Tone Rendition Ergonomics Finder Flash
High ISOs Lens Corrections Mechanics
U1 & U2 Rear LCD Top LCD Video
Power & Battery Data Clock Accuracy
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Overall performance top
The D780 is a joy to shoot because it's a real DSLR, not some watered-down mirrorless garbage for amateurs. Unlike mirrorless, everything works instantly; there's no delay or waiting for anything. The D780 just shoots, and the images look great in any light.
Especially great are the D780's immediate low-light autofocus, and how well it handles highlight overload. Gone are the rings around the sun that used to be a tell-tale defect in all digital camera photos of the sky or sunsets; the D780's images look just as they should; the first I've ever noticed in a digital camera.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is fast and sure in any light. Even wandering around in the dark my D780 just grabs focus immediately and shoots.
Bravo!
Cove at Dusk, 5:59 PM, 06 February 2020. Nikon D780, Nikon 28-300mm VR at 82mm wide-open at f/5 hand-held at 1/50 of a second at Auto ISO 9,000 (LV 3.8). bigger.
Auto ISO performance top
Auto ISO is fully functional, with ±2 stops of shift in the automatically-selected minimum shutter speeds. No news here; this is excellent.
Auto White Balance performance top
Auto White Balance works great. I rarely need to select anything other than AUTO 1 or NATURAL.
How to Use the D780's Auto White Balance Settings.
Color & Tone Rendition performance top
Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults.
It's like pianos: anyone can talk forever about how pianos are made, but to most ordinary players the subtle variations between different samples of a Steinway Model D are eclipsed by their own limitations in playing, but when you're a virtuoso even subtle differences become obvious to the seasoned master. That's why when you buy, or choose a Steinway for your tour as a Steinway Artist, you go to Steinway's Astoria factory and pick from among several samples of the same model which suits your style best. To a master, the subtle details are everything, just like subtle differences in color rendition between different brands of camera. Art is not the duplication of reality; art is the expression of imagination.
I'm a working artist, not some online tweaker, YouTuber or tech blogger. Color is critical to my work. I'm pickier about color than almost anyone; I see things most people don't.
I find my D780 matches the colors and tones I get from all my other modern Nikons introduced since 2007. Set to the same Picture Controls, the results seem to match, and I love these results.
I prefer what I get from my Nikons, with my Canons about as good. I very much prefer how my pictures look from my Nikons over the colors I get from my Fujis and Sonys for the sorts of crazy things I shoot.
This is just me; your preferences and results will vary.
Ergonomics performance top
The D780 handles much better and faster than any mirrorless camera. This is Nikon's first full-frame DSLR in over two years, and it feels so much better using a real camera for a change rather than the pokey mirrorless excuses that have come out since the D850 in 2017.
To look at details, remembering that overall everything works better and faster on the D780 versus a mirrorless camera:
The [ FORMAT ] marking between the movie and ISO buttons near the shutter release doesn't make clear to which of these two buttons it refers (hint: it's the red dot button. Press the red movie dot button and the rear trash button at the same time to format a card).
The hand grip is a bit skinny, and otherwise fits my big American hands.
It's easy to enter my copyright text data (name, address, phone) using the touch screen.
The left-side connector covers are crappy; just rubbery flaps that tend to fall off unless you carefully press each one back in after opening it; there is no door.
Only the rear dial shifts program exposure; the front dial is ignored.
Each button paradoxically can't be programmed to all the different options at MENU > CUSTOM SETTING MENU (pencil icon) > f Controls > f3 Custom controls; only some different functions program to each of the many buttons.
The lens mounting index is on the side of the camera, not up on the front near the mount where we could see it better.
The Mode Dial lock is a pain; taking three fingers or two hands to move the dial.
The mode dial feels wobbly and weak.
Finder performance top
Actual View Through Nikon D780 Finder. bigger.
The finder is great. Ignore the darker corners; those are artifacts of the special camera I use to photograph the finder screen itself.
The AF Areas are dark LCDs.
The eyepiece is the smaller rectangular one, a Nikon standard for their smaller cameras for decades.
The DK-31 eyecup is included.
The laser-cut matte screen is optimized for lenses of f/2. Faster lenses won't look any brighter than they do at f/2. This is typical for Nikon DSLRs.
The data is backlit with white LEDs, and the flash bolt is orange.
Flash performance top
With a 1/200 flash sync speed, 1/8,000 High-Speed Sync (HSS) and Nikon's usual i-TTL system, the D780's flash performance is as great as Nikon's other DSLRs have been for the past 15 years — however it now has no built-in flash, which I really miss, because I don't like having to lug along a separate on-camera shoe-mount flash, even if it's my tiny SB-400, just in case I need it — and I always do for fill-flash.
Lighting is the most important technical part of every photo and every painting. Fill flash is a critical part of almost all people, animal and pet pictures made indoors and out, where it gives catchlights in the eyes, makes faces stand out and softens shadows so we can see our subjects and make them look much, much better. Fill flash improves the light and therefore the picture; I don't use flash in pitch dark as the only source of light; that went away with film.
In this typical shot under normal backlight, I had no on-camera flash so my little dog's face wound up being in shadow, with dark holes for eyes devoid of the life-giving catchlights usually given from a pop-up fill flash:
No Flash: Sad Christmas Zoey Misses the Built-in Flash, 8:01 AM, 21 December 2016. Sony A6600, no flash, Sony E 18-135mm OSS at 108mm, f/5.6 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 1,250 (LV 9.0), Perfectly Clear v3.) bigger or camera-original © file.
With Flash: Happy Zoey and Her Carrots, 7:19 AM, 30 November 2019. Cropped from Nikon Z50 with flash, Nikon Z 16-50mm DX VR at 35mm wide-open at f/5.3 hand-held at 1/15 of a second at Auto ISO 640 (LV 6.0), Perfectly Clear. bigger, full resolution 20MP file or camera-original © JPG file.
With a flash the face lights up, which you want to do to make the person, animal or pet stand out from the background, and the little dots of light reflected in the eyes make the subject look alive. I especially use fill flash in direct sunlight, where it softens and opens up shadows on faces.
High ISOs do nothing to help here; the flash improves the quality of light rather than just the quantity.
Other than the omission of built-in flash, the D780 has the usual excellent flash control we expect from all Nikons.
High ISO Performance performance top
High ISOs are magnificent.
As you've seen at Sample Images, I can wander around in the dark with my slow Nikon 28-300mm VR and shoot anything I can see, handheld. What you can't see is that all these images have more detail than I could see with my naked eye at the time; the D780, even with a slow lens, is more sensitive to light than my own two eyes!
High ISO Image Sample Files
Complete Images Fine Detail Crops Dark Detail Crops
Complete Images Fine Detail Crops Dark Detail Crops High ISOs performance top
As seen at normal image sizes as I show below, the D780 pretty much makes the same images from ISO 50 to ISO 51,200. ISO 102,400 (Hi 1.0) gets a little blotchier or noisy, and ISO 204,800 (Hi 2.0) gets blotchier and grainier, but still quite usable if I need it for normal-sized images. This is magnificent performance.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files (about 15 MB each).
Fine Details: 600 × 450 Pixel Crops from Above Complete Images Dark Detail Crops High ISOs performance top
The differences between ISOs is most visible at large magnifications. Below are 600 × 450 pixel crops from the full images that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
What we see at these crazy-high magnifications is that fine details go away as the ISO increases. This happens with all cameras and is an artifact of the noise reduction working harder as the ISO increases.
In the D780, the most detail is at ISO 50, and becomes softer at every higher ISO. This is normal and how noise reduction works in every camera.
ISO 50 is a "pull" ISO, and thus has more highlight contrast. This usually increases perceived highlight detail, and can lead to clipped highlights if you have too much subject contrast, as in the case of the window reflection in the glass of the clock face.
By ISO 6,400 most of the detailed scrollwork between the clock numbers is gone.
By ISO 25,600 the minute marks are mostly gone.
By ISO 102,400 all the detail is gone from the clock face, leaving only the numbers.
At ISO 204,800 even the numbers and hands are starting to disappear.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files (about 15 MB each).
Dark Detail: 600 × 450 Pixel Crops from Above Complete Images Fine Detail Crops High ISOs performance top
The differences between ISOs is most visible at large magnifications. Below are 600 × 450 pixel crops from a different part of the full images that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
What we see at these crazy-high magnifications is that shadow detail goes away as the ISO increases. This happens with all cameras and is an artifact of the noise reduction working harder as the ISO increases.
In the D780, the most detail is at ISO 50, and becomes softer at every higher ISO.
Even at ISO 100 there is slightly less detail in the mesh fireplace grill.
By ISO 3,200 the lines between the bricks in the back of the fireplace are starting to disappear.
By ISO 6,400 the mesh grill is mostly gone.
By ISO 12,800 the bricks in the back of the fireplace are gone.
At ISO 204,800 even the iron scrollwork is half gone.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files (about 15 MB each).
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Lens Corrections performance top
The D780 can correct for any or all of distortion, diffraction and falloff, any of which you may turn ON or OFF.
Mechanical Quality performance top
It's made in Thailand of the usual combination of plastic and metal:
Metal: Strap lugs, top cover, hot shoe, lens mount, back cover, LCD hinges, card door pivot shaft and ¼″ × 20 TPI tripod socket.
Plastic: All knobs, dials and buttons, top LCD cover, rear LCD frame and cover, card door and latch, battery door, hinge and latch and the entire camera bottom.
Rubbery plastic: Grip coverings, front and rear control dials and connector crappy flaps.
U1 and U2 modes performance top
The top dial's U1 and U2 modes do a great job of recalling most or all of the camera settings we've programmed into them.
I LOVE this as I program U1 for places and things, and with a click I can reset all my camera to my settings for people pictures, and back again, as conditions change.
The great news is that unlike any of the pathetically defective mirrorless cameras introduced recently with flawed software like the Nikon Z6, Z7 and Sony A7R Mk IV, saving and recalling the D780's settings to and from a card saves and recalls the contents of the U1 and U2 modes. (The Nikon Z6, Z7 and Sony A7R Mk IV erase these settings as you recall them from a card, making this feature not as useful on those sorry cameras!)
Rear LCD Monitor performance top
The rear LCD moves up and down, but not left or right and doesn't move far enough for self-portraits.
The touch screen works OK for typing in copyright text data.
Top LCD performance top
Nikon D780. bigger.
While it look glorious in my studio photo above, in actual use it's smaller than I'd like, and unless you look at it from directly above as I've shown, the camera body cuts off the bottom of the LCD!
It has a green LED backlight if you twist the power lever to the ☀ position.
Video performance top
I shoot my iPhone for video, so I haven't tried this.
My iPhone focuses better and faster, has rock-like stabilization even hand-held (no gimbals needed) and has far better ability to capture highlights and shadows than any interchangeable lens camera I've ever tried; the physics of the iPhone's camera and the brilliance inside its firmware give it many advantages over larger cameras.
I get better results faster and easier with my iPhone.
Power & Battery performance top
I love that I can charge via USB-C; no more external charger needed even though one is included.
Mine draws 478mA at 5V through a 99¢ USB-C cord and generic 5V USB charger.
I get the usual huge battery life typical of DSLRs, about 2,000 shots per charge. I'll get less if I stop and twiddle settings and zoom-into each and every shot played back, and more if all I do is shoot action sequences without ever looking at the LCD.
Data performance top
Card are properly titled as "NIKON D780."
There is now a bogus "NC_FLLST.DAT" file in the DCIM folder along with your images.
Clock Accuracy performance top
Every sample is different, but mine loses 71 milliseconds per day, or loses 2.1 seconds per month.
This is much better than average, but every sample is different.
This matters when you shoot multiple cameras (or this camera and an iPhone) and then sort all the images based on capture time to compare the similar views of each scene.
Compared top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Which of these is the best — for you — doesn't depend on anything technical like high ISOs or resolution. Which is best for you depends on what you want to do with it in the first place.
In any sort of reasonable light, all of these take the same pictures. At three- and four-digit ISOs the images from each of these three cameras are indistinguishable from each other.
If you need a built-in flash, get the D750.
If you need to see everything through the viewfinder (menus, playback, focus magnifiers, etc.), need to see playback in direct sunlight or are only shooting video, get the Z6, because it's the only one with an electronic viewfinder.
If you need to see how the pictures is going to look before you take the pictures, get the Z6.
If you want a camera that responds instantly to everything and has fast autofocus, get the D780 or D750.
If you need two cards for live backup to protect you from accidental deletions, card formatting and card errors, get the D780 or D750.
For action, sports and moving things, get the D780 or D750.
If you often use stupid-high five-digit ISOs, get the Z6 or D780.
|
|
|
|
| Introduced | January 2020 |
August 2018 |
September 2014 |
| Resolution & Format | 24 MP FX |
24 MP FX |
24 MP FX |
| Built-in Flash | No |
No |
Yes |
| Frame Rate, tracking AF & Exposure | 7 FPS |
5.5 FPS |
6.5 FPS |
| Frame Rate, locked | 12 FPS |
12 FPS |
6.5 FPS |
| Top Shutter Speed | 1/8,000 |
1/8,000 |
1/4,000 |
| Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 |
1/200 |
1/200 |
| Slowest Timed Manual Shutter Speed | 30 seconds |
30 seconds |
|
| TIME exposure mode? | Only with ML-L3 remote. |
||
| AF Points | 51, central area only |
237, full-frame coverage |
51, central area only |
| Standard ISO | 100 - 51,200 |
100 - 51,200 |
100 - 12,800 |
| Stretch ISO | 50 - 204,800 |
50 - 204,800 |
100 - 51,200 |
| Storage | Two SD |
One XQD |
Two SD |
| Works well with older AF, AF-D and Manual-Focus lenses? | Yes |
No! Even with FTZ there is no autofocus with the older AF and AF-D lenses and there is no aperture ring coupling with Manual-Focus Lenses. |
Yes |
| Battery | |||
| USB Charging? | Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Rated shots | 2,260 with no flash |
Not specified |
1,230 with 50% flash |
| Flipping LCD | 3.2" 2,359 kDot |
3.2" 2,100 kDot |
3.2" 1,229 kDot |
| Size, HWD | 4.6 × 5.7 × 3.0" 115.5 × 143.5 × 76mm |
4 × 5.3 × 2.7" 100.5 × 134 × 67.5mm |
4.5 × 5.6 × 3.1" 113 × 141 × 82mm |
| Weight w/battery & card | 29.7 oz. 840g |
23.5 oz. 667g |
29.5 oz. 834 g. |
| Price, 01~03/2020 |
User's Guide top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
See my Nikon D780 User's Guide.
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Which would I buy? Cost aside, I'd get this new D780 for its better low-light high-ISO performance and I'll just have to be sure my SB-400 is always on top. If money mattered, I'd get the D750 and never look back. I wouldn't buy the Z6; it's a pain to use and too slow to respond (I use my iPhone for video, not a large camera like this).
If money matters and you're mostly a stills shooter or don't want to carry an external flash for use for critical fill-flash, get today's deeply discounted D750. If you mostly want to shoot video or Live View stills, get the less expensive Z6 which works better for video and Live View and adds a great electronic finder (the finders of the D750 and D780 turn black during Live View). If you want a combination of great video and Live-View capabilities and the superior autofocus of a DSLR for action along with superb ultra-ultra-high ISO performance, get this D780.
The D780 is for someone who wants the best features of both mirrorless and a DSLR in the same camera, and is willing to pay for it and forgo a built-in flash. The flash is only useful for still shots; for video it doesn't do anything.
This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used camera. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken Rockwell.
More Information top
Sample Images Intro Lens Compatibility
Specifications Unboxing USA Version
User's Guide Recommendations More
I got my D780 body at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield. It also comes with the 24-120mm VR as a kit at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield. You also can get it at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ken Rockwell's Nikon D780 User's Guide.
Nikon's own D780 User's Guide PDF.
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