Canon 90D vs Nikon D780

The Canon EOS 90D and the Nikon D780 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2019 and January 2020. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (90D) and a full frame (D780) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 32.3 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24.3 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 90D		Nikon D780
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
32.3 MP – APS-C sensor		24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1300 shots per battery charge		2260 shots per battery charge
141 x 105 x 77 mm, 701 g		144 x 116 x 76 mm, 840 g

Check 90D price at
amazon.com
Check D780 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 90D and the Nikon D780? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 90D and the Nikon D780 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D780 is notably larger (13 percent) than the Canon 90D. Moreover, the D780 is markedly heavier (20 percent) than the 90D. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (90D) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D780).

Concerning battery life, the 90D gets 1300 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the D780 can take 2260 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15b power pack. The power pack in the D780 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 2 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
16.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GH5s	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	660 g	440	Y	Jan 2018	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 90D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 48 percent) than the D780, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 90D features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D780 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D780 is 154 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon 90D offers a higher resolution of 32.3 megapixels, compared with 24.3 MP of the Nikon D780. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 5.94μm for the D780). Moreover, it should be noted that the D780 is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the 90D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 90D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 90D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D780 are 30.2 x 20.1 inches or 76.8 x 51.1 cm for good quality, 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 40.9 cm for very good quality, and 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 90D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D780 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the 90D is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D780 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
2.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2877	95
3.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
4.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
5.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
6.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
7.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
8.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
9.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
10.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
11.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
12.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
13.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
14.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
15.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
16.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
17.		Panasonic GH5s	Four Thirds	9.9	3680	2700	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1154	74
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 90D and the D780 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the D780 has a higher magnification than the one of the 90D (0.70x vs 0.59x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 90D, the Nikon D780, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D780	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
14.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
17.		Panasonic GH5s	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 90D has one, while the D780 does not. While the built-in flash of the 90D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the 90D is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon 90D and the Nikon D780 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 90D and the D780 write their files to SDXC cards. The D780 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 90D only has one slot. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 90D and Nikon D780 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon D780	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic GH5s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D780 (unlike the 90D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 90D and the D780 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 90D replaced the earlier Canon 80D, while the D780 followed on from the Nikon D750. Further information on the features and operation of the 90D and D780 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 90D Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D780 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 90D and the Nikon D780? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 90D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (32.3 vs 24.3MP) with a 15% higher linear resolution.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (141x105mm vs 144x116mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 139g or 17 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (48 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D780:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.59x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1040k dots).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (2260 versus 1300) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (4 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D780 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 9 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 90D and the Nikon D780 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 90D and the D780 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	US$ 2 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
16.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GH5s	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2018	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check 90D price at
amazon.com
Check D780 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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