Nikon D80

The Nikon D80 is an APS-C DSLR from 2006 with a 10-megapixel CCD sensor. It records stills only, with no video or live view, so it suits a deliberate, viewfinder-based approach to photography.

It suits a learner or anyone building a kit around the Nikon F DX mount, with a pentaprism viewfinder for composing every frame. It is less suitable if you want fast continuous shooting.

The body weighs 668 grams and measures 132 x 103 x 77 millimetres, and it is powered by an EN-EL3e battery.

The optics score of 39 out of 100, assessed as limited, sits in the bottom 4% of cameras in our database for Optics. The specifications below provide the context for that result.

The 10-megapixel APS-C CCD sensor is characteristic of the period and pairs with the Nikon image processing engine. Resolution contributed little to the section score, while the sensor format fared better.

The ISO range runs from 100 to 1600. With no settings beyond that ceiling, dim light calls for a fast lens, a flash or a tripod rather than higher sensitivity.

Eleven autofocus points and a maximum of 3 frames per second lean toward portraits and static subjects rather than fast action. The top shutter speed is 1/4000 second, and there is no in-body stabilisation, so handheld work in low light calls for steady technique, a support, or a stabilised lens.

The Nikon D80 does not record video at all. It is a stills-only DSLR released in 2006, so anyone who needs clips alongside their photographs will need a separate recording device.

Since no video mode exists, there are no recording resolutions, frame rates or clip formats to weigh up, and no crop, duration or quality trade-offs to consider. This is a complete absence of the feature rather than a limited implementation, so there is nothing here to recommend or compare.

There is also no built-in intervalometer for timelapse work. Sequences would require an external timer release or manual frame-by-frame triggering, because the camera provides no automated interval-shooting option of its own.

The 2.5-inch LCD has 230,000 dots, enough for checking composition and exposure after a shot. There is no live view, so the screen plays no part in framing; you compose through the optical viewfinder and use the LCD only for review and menus.

The screen is fixed and not touch-sensitive, so there is no angled viewing for high or low compositions.

A built-in flash handles fill light, and a shoe lets you mount an external flash when you want more power. Wi-Fi is listed, but there is no Bluetooth and no GPS, so there is no built-in location tagging.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the camera dry and protected from dust in poor conditions. The limited features score of 17 out of 100 reflects the absent weather sealing, touch screen, live view and Bluetooth, along with its modest screen size and dot count.

Battery life is the strong point here. The EN-EL3e battery is rated for 2700 shots, the only full-marks result in this section, though such ratings depend on test conditions that are not specified here.

Storage is a single SD or SDHC memory card slot, so there is no second slot for backup or overflow. That absence, along with no USB charging, holds the section score to a modest 53 out of 100.

Charging happens in an external charger rather than over USB. For trips away from mains power, carrying a charged spare EN-EL3e is the practical way to keep shooting beyond a single battery.