Nikon D80 SLR Review - Cosmetics

The body of the Nikon D80 is somewhat similar to that of the D70s, although the D80 is slightly smaller in size. The dimensions of the D80 are 5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 inches, making it a relatively small and compact digital SLR that is very mobile. The D80 has maintained the same weight as its predecessor, with both weighing in at about 1.5 pounds with the battery, and 1.3 pounds without the battery.

Although the D80 is smaller and lighter than the D70s, it has more of a solid feel to it which is in large part due to the better distribution of weight throughout the camera. Nikon has done an impressive job in designing the body of the D80 to feel comfortable in your hands while shooting. Many comparable SLRs have a tendency to slip, or twist, out of your hands because of the design and weight distribution, but the D80 does not have this problem.

The 2.5 inch display of the D80 is sufficient, and it comes along with a 0.94x magnification that helps relieve the strain on your eyes when viewing images on the camera. The camera also comes with a screen protector for the LCD display that can be removed if the user chooses to do so. This screen protector can introduce unwanted glare onto the LCD screen, so it is a nice feature to be able to remove the protector for more accurate viewing.

The button configuration of the D80 is pretty similar to that of the D70s, with a few slight changes. The top of the D80 sports a convenient status LCD display which keeps you informed of which functions you are currently using, as well as battery life and pictures remaining. The cluster of buttons on this camera can be a bit intimidating at first, but after a few uses they become familiar. Most of the buttons on the D80 are intended to speed up the use of the most common functions such as trash, menu, and ISO buttons. The D80 also comes equipped with a function button that can be programmed to do functions chosen by the user.

The body of the D80 also has three separate dials used for various functions. The mode dial gives the user a variety of functions including full manual, full auto, and the option of six preset scene modes among other functions. The other two dials allow you to change aperture and shutter speeds, which allow for quick and easy full manual control.

The overall layout and design of this camera is near the top as compared to its closest competitors like the Rebel XT. The D80 is easy to hold, well-balanced, and the controls are simple to use and are located in convenient spots. I think Nikon has fixed any cosmetic issues that may have been present in the D70s, such as any size and balance problems, and made the D80 an impressive follow-up digital SLR to the D70.

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