Nikon D80 vs D5000

The Nikon D80 and the Nikon D5000 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2006 and April 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D80 has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the D5000 provides 12.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D80		Nikon D5000
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
10 MP – APS-C sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		720/24p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
600 shots per battery charge		510 shots per battery charge
132 x 103 x 77 mm, 668 g		127 x 104 x 80 mm, 590 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D80 and the Nikon D5000? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D80 and the Nikon D5000. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures 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 D5000 is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Nikon D80. Moreover, the D5000 is markedly lighter (12 percent) than the D80. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D80 nor the D5000 are weather-sealed.

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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D80 gets 600 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the D5000 can take 510 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL9a power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D50	133 mm	102 mm	76 mm	620 g	400	n	Apr 2005	749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D70	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	400	n	Jan 2004	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D70s	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	500	n	Apr 2005	899	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D5000 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the D80, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the D5000 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the D80. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the D5000 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.53μm versus 6.11μm for the D80). However, it should be noted that the D5000 is much more recent (by 2 years and 8 months) than the D80, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D5000 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D5000 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D80 are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.2 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.5 x 10.4 inches or 39.3 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 12.9 x 8.6 inches or 32.8 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D80 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5000 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the D80 is build around a CCD sensor, while the D5000 uses a 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the D5000 offers substantially better image quality than the D80 (overall score 11 points higher). The advantage is based on 0.6 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.7 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
2.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
3.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
4.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
5.		Nikon D50	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.9	10.8	560	55
6.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
7.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
8.		Nikon D70s	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
9.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
10.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
11.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
12.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
13.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The D5000 indeed provides for movie recording, while the D80 does not. The highest resolution format that the D5000 can use is 720/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D80 and the D5000 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 (95%), but the viewfinder of the D80 has a higher magnification than the one of the D5000 (0.62x vs 0.51x), 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 Nikon D80, the Nikon D5000, 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.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D50	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D70	optical	n	1.8 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D70s	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon D5000 has 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 D80 and the D5000 write their files to SDHC cards.

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 Nikon D80 and Nikon D5000 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.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D50	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D70	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D70s	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the D80 and the D5000 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D80 was replaced by the Nikon D90, while the D5000 was followed by the Nikon D5100. Further information on the features and operation of the D80 and D5000 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D80 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D5000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D80 better than the Nikon D5000 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D80:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.51x).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 510) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2006).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D5000:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (12.2 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (11 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.7 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 720/24p video.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 78g or 12 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 8 months of technical progress since the D80 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D5000 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Nikon D80 and the Nikon D5000 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D80 or the D5000. 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 why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D50	..	78/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2005	749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D70	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D70s	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Apr 2005	899	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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