Reasons to choose D70
Released in 2004, D70 has about 370 mm² of sensor area, 6.1 MP effective resolution, and a 679 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Nikon D70
vs Nikon D80
VS
Sensor area
370 mm²
D70373 mm²
D80- Area ratio
- 1.01:1
- Absolute difference
- 3 mm²
- Relative difference
- 0.9%
The D80 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
D70MetricD80
6.1 MPEffective pixels10.2 MP
23.7 × 15.6Sensor23.6 × 15.8
7.79 µmPixel pitch6.05 µm
60.61 µm²Pixel area36.56 µm²
1.65 MP/cm²Pixel density2.74 MP/cm²
1.53Crop factor1.52
—Maximum video—
679 gWeight668 g
CompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type IIStorageSecure Digital
Nikon EN-EL3 Lithium-Ion included Li-ion batteryBatteryNikon EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The D80 has the larger sensor area. The D80 has the lighter body. The D80 has the higher effective resolution. The D80 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose D80
Released in 2006, D80 has about 373 mm² of sensor area, 10.2 MP effective resolution, and a 668 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.