K i t Z o n e
112 DIGITAL CAMERA^ APRIL 2020 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com10-bit capture, and you can capture
HLG HDR footage to an external
recorder via the HDMI port. There’s
an external mic socket, as you’d
expect, and a headphone socket.
Other features include a focus
shifting mode for macro shots with
extended depth of field, and the ability
to ‘scan’ 35mm film via Nikon’s EX-2
digitising adapter and a Micro-Nikkor
lens (both sold separately).
The ISO range is 100-51,200,
expandable to ISO 50-204,800, and
the D780 has an extended shutter
speed range from 1/8,000 sec touse a camera body built to the same
scale as today’s full-frame zoom
lenses. We tested the D780 with the
Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4 VR and the
AF-S 16-35mm f/4 VR. These are both
lenses that enthusiasts and pros will
want to use, and both are weighty,
medium-sized lenses that feel a
good match for the D780 body.
We were also lucky enough to
test the camera for several days in
Iceland, where its size and heft were
welcome while shooting and making
adjustments in the extreme cold,
wearing gloves.
That’s not to say the D780 is quite
perfect. The four-way D-pad on the
back could do with being bigger,
and while it works faultlessly, it
has a slightly imprecise action. It’s
surrounded by a useful lock lever
designed to prevent accidental
adjustments, but which is itself
flicked a little too easily by accident.
Also, although it has the on-sensor
AF system of a mirrorless camera and
the same Live View performance, the
D780 does not offer the seamless,
automatic transition between
viewfinder and rear screen shooting
that a mirrorless camera does. On
a mirrorless camera, an eye sensor
detects when you put the camera
to your eye or take it away again,
and switches displays instantly.
On the D780, you have to press the
Live View button, and the camera’s
‘ker-chunk’ as it locks up the mirror
is a reminder that it’s making a
mechanical internal adjustment.
Users of other camera brands
sometimes remark that Nikon control
layouts are different to others and
take a little learning. That’s true to
an extent, but the D780’s buttons
and dials will be instantly familiar to
anyone who’s used Nikon DSLRs in
the past. While the camera may look
a little fussy at first, you very quicklyRival cameras
The D780 captures 4K
video and has both microphone
and headphone connection sockets.We used the D780’s auto white balance throughout our tests, and it handled different conditions really well.DSLR Nikon D780
Canon EOS 6D Mk II
£1,479/$1,599
The Canon 6D Mark II is
cheaper than the D780
and has a vari-angle
screen, but the D780
has a classier feel
and 4K video.
Reviewed: issue 194Sony Alpha 7 Mk III
£1,999/$1,999
The Alpha 7 III is still
the most accessible,
versatile and affordable
of all of Sony’s full-
frame mirrorless
camera models.
Reviewed: issue 203Nikon D750
£1,179/$1,499
The D750 is showing its
age compared with the
D780, but for regular
stills photography,
there’s not that much
between them.
Reviewed: issue 158900 sec (excellent for long exposure
fans). The D780 has dual UHS-II SD/
SDHC/SDXC memory card slots,
which is a nice surprise, and an
extremely impressive 2,260-shot
battery life, though we expect this
would drop substantially with
extensive use of Live View.Build and handling
DSLRs are bigger and bulkier than
mirrorless cameras, and full-frame
DSLRs are the biggest of the lot.
That sounds like a disadvantage,
but actually it can be refreshing to