If you’re an enthusiast photographer wedded to your Nikon DSLR, then you’re in luck.
Because Nikon has just announced a new DSLR, dropping at the end of January:
The D780.
The Nikon D780 comes as a long-awaited upgrade to the Nikon D750, a powerhouse camera that packed a full-frame sensor into an affordable body. The D750 offered full HD video at 60p, excellent low light performance, impressive autofocus, dual card slots, and a tilting LCD, features that won over a slew of photographers back in 2014.
But can the Nikon D780 build off of the D750’s success? And what can a new midrange DSLR offer in a world where DSLRs are becoming less and less valued?
In some ways, the D780 doesn’t seem like a big step up from the D750; it offers a full-frame sensor with 24.5 megapixels (compared to the D750’s 24.3-megapixel sensor), a 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type points (specs that are identical to the D750’s AF system, though the D780 packs the D5’s focusing algorithm), and 7 frames-per-second shooting (compared to the 6.5 fps on the D750).
But in other ways, the D780 more than lives up to expectations. While the megapixel count is nearly identical to the D750’s, the sensor itself is borrowed from the Z6, one of Nikon’s two full-frame mirrorless offerings, and an impressive camera in its own right. This means we can expect a jump in ISO performance, which should excite Nikonians who often find themselves shooting in low light.
We can also expect significantly improved Live View autofocus, given that Nikon has imported the D780’s 278-point Live View AF straight from the Z6.
Not to mention the enhanced video performance on the D780: with 4K video at 30p with a full pixel readout, full HD video at 120p and 60p, and features such as focus peaking, this is the most powerful Nikon DSLR for videographers to date.
So if you’re an enthusiast photographer who is looking to upgrade to full-frame, or you’re simply looking for a great full-frame option, then the Nikon D780 is worth a look.
It will begin shipping at the end of January for $2300 USD (or $2800 with a Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G lens).
