There’s built-in phase-detection autofocus (AF), built-in to the sensor, giving high-speed live-view focus speeds. With 10-bit N-Log (via HDMI) and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) options. If not, why? This purple glow was only visible if I didn't capture enough light to "cover it up", which is a pretty common occurrence when doing astrophotography. Using Wi-Fi you can remotely control the camera from the SnapBridge app. Therefore, I still recommend only using LENR when photographing foregrounds. Bluetooth has been added to the camera, in addition to Wi-Fi, and this lets you transfer images using low-power Bluetooth. This is a game-changer for me! On the D750, the ISO button was placed on the back, right between some very important buttons like "Quality" and "i". Thankfully, Nikon put the ISO button up top, next to the "Record Movie" button. In the field, I was consistently able to recover extremely dark shadow regions and bright highlights with minimal issue. Once you turn this on in the "Custom Settings" menu, you can now shoot longer than 30 seconds! Nikon shooters usually have to contend with this annoying purple glow. The D780 still has a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, but now it has backside illumination that should further boost the camera’s low-light performance. These can be customised with options to adjust sharpness (includes clarity), contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue. if ($(this).visible(true)) { The D780 d-pad tends to be very mushy though, and sometimes it's hard to press. That's why I highly recommend using a star tracker for astrophotography! The D780's exceptional low light performance is nothing short of liberating. This should give improved low-light performance, as well as allow a wider usable ISO range. I've been using a Nikon D750 for the past 5 years for all of my astrophotography, landscapes, wildlife, portraits, and more. When it's turned on, the camera will take two photos (if the shutter speed is longer than 1 second). The D850 is a great camera, but the 45 megapixel photos will take up a lot of space, the camera body is noticeably larger and heavier, it uses the antiquated pin-connector for the external remote, and it does not have the extended shutter speed options. We review the new Nikon D780, Nikon's new 24mp Full-Frame DSLR, designed to give the best of both world's with the body of a DSLR, and the sensor (and features) found in Nikon's mirrorless cameras. With a lower megapixel count than other DSLRs, we get larger pixels on the sensor, and a BSI CMOS sensor gives better noise performance than standard CMOS sensors. Menus – The menus are clearly laid out, with colour coding for each section, starting with Playback, Photo Shooting, Movie Shooting, Custom Setting, Setup, Retouch, and My Menu. The viewfinder displays a good level of information including the metering, shutter, aperture, ISO speed and remaining shots. $('.article-video').each(function() { If you are happy with your Nikon D750, there's not too much incentive to upgrade to the D780. If I want to switch it up, I can always go into the menu and change things around. The camera continued to perform flawlessly. In this review I'm going to focus on how the D780 performs specifically for nightscapes and astrophotography. Get the latest photography news straight to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter. From an end-user standpoint, your shutter speed will always be doubled when LENR is turned On. Live-view focus also offers much wider coverage, letting you set the focus point to almost anywhere on the screen (except to the very far corners). This makes it very easy to find at night, and quickly switch the ISO. Exceptional image quality, especially under low light – Backside illumination CMOS sensor featuring 24.5 effective megapixels and ISO 100-51200. The D780's exceptional low light performance is nothing short of liberating. At the heart of the D780 is an FX-format backside illumination CMOS sensor featuring 24.5 effective megapixels, which strikes an optimal balance between image quality and low-light performance. If so what were your findings? We tested the camera in a variety of adverse weather conditions, including on a frozen lake at -10C, as well as next to a waterfall where the camera was covered in spray (see below). This isn't too surprising when you consider what's going on behind the scenes. Your comment will be visible to the photographer only. That changed with the inability to get a bright enough image for live view focusing with the 5D Mark IV and the greatly improved low-light live view performance in the Nikon Z 6, Z 7 and D780. This isn't a big deal, but I did want to mention it. What is the AF-EV range? Two SD card slots. Thoughts. Calibrate your monitor so you can see 16 different shades : why you would leave the flash off this model is a really poor decision.:(. There's a fairly small OK button in the middle, that could be difficult to use with gloves on. One shortcoming of the D780 is the lack of illuminated buttons. It was very easy to accidentally switch from RAW to JPEG if you weren't careful, especially in the dark. Focus is also more sensitive in low-light when using live view. Superb high ISO performance. Press the ISO button and you can use use the rear command dial to adjust the ISO speed, or use the front command dial to switch between AUTO ISO and fixed ISO. Aside from having a battery life that keeps it going for up to 2260 shots through the optical viewfinder (better than that of the Nikon D810 DSLR Camera), the D780 … The Nikon D780 uses the same 51 points AF module. However, I still prefer DSLRs for a few reasons - optical viewfinder, comfortable camera grip, no lens adapter required. There's a multi-direction D-Pad on the back of the camera, which can be used to adjust the AF position, as well as go through the menu options. The Nikon D780 is the long-awaited replacement for the popular D750. However, extended use of Bluetooth / Wi-Fi, as well as leaving Bluetooth transfer switched on will reduce the battery life. In terms of speed, image processing, video capability and autofocus performance, the results check every box on the photographer’s wish list, including Dual USH-II card slots and two readout modes, one dedicated to an expanded dynamic range and the other to higher gain for improved low-light performance. (Especially for nightscape photography)  For those attempting deep space astrophotography with a telephoto lens or telescope, don't use LENR! Thankfully, as I’ve already indicated, the D780 makes a big leap forward with its hybrid AF system. Support this site by making a Donation, purchasing Plus Membership, or shopping with one of our affiliates: It can handle low light pretty well and can be used to shoot videos. As we discussed in the LENR section, there are still some bugs when using LENR and photographing the night sky. At the heart of the D780 is an FX-format backside illumination CMOS sensor featuring 24.5 effective megapixels, which strikes an optimal balance between image quality and low-light performance. Even my test photos taken at ISO 25,600 and just 8 seconds long look really good! A couple of early adopter colleagues are reporting shutter shock at 1/10 - 1/40 sec, 200mm and f/3.5 (nautical & civil twilight landscapes). When you have "Exposure Preview ON", the Live View will update the image in real-time as you adjust the aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed (on Manual Mode). The "info" button has also moved from the upper right to the lower left. The Custom Settings menus are colour coded so that you can more quickly get to the section you're looking for, and is something we wish Olympus would re-introduce into its cameras! There were also a few small problems with the D750, the main one being this annoying purple glow. One of the most exciting new features of the D780 is the Extended Shutter Speed Options. Focus - The D780 offers both the AF system of a DSLR, with 51 AF points when using the OVF, and also the on-sensor phase-detection system of the Nikon Z6, with 273 AF points when using live-view. I'd recommend watching this very thorough video from Steve Perry if you want to see all the menu options on the D780. Again, not a big deal, but it would have been nice. One of the big problems I had with the Nikon D750 was the bugged LENR mode. In addition to greater energy efficiency, EXPEED 6 delivers improved low-light performance, 4K UHD full-frame video with full pixel readout, and enhanced image clarity. - visible to everyone. The D780 has a good autofocus EV range, being able to focus in low-light down to -3 EV (moonlight) using the OVF focus system, although the camera can struggle in VERY low-light (eg a music gig in a basement with terrible lighting). It also improves burst speeds to 12fps using the electronic shutter. Click here to read my full article detailing this problem, Public comment Able to perform just as well in low light conditions, the D780 offers low illumination AF detection, available down to -5.0 EV 2 in live -view shooting, and down to -7.0 EV 2 when using low-light AF in live view shooting. Search for all the latest photography gear and services in our dedicated photography directories. Until now Nikon has stuck with a contrast detection system for its DSLRs in Live View, and it’s pretty ponderous. If you'd rather not have the touch-screen functionality, you can always turn it off in the menu. Like the Nikon Z6, the D780 has very impressive dynamic range – slightly better than Nikon’s previous generation 24 megapixel sensors. This means the Nikon D780 gives you fast snappy performance, whether you’re using the camera as a “traditional” DSLR using the OVF, or whether you’re using the live-view screen. This is made of foam around the memory card compartment, and rubber around the battery compartment. I would like to try astrophotography but much cheaper astrophotography than the d780 so keeping the lenses would be great. All things considered, as long as you don't mind 24 megapixels, I think the D780 is a better choice. If Silent Shutter is enabled, the camera will take photos in Live View without making any noise. On my D750 I could shoot up to 3200 without the need for NR in post for most images, and could even get away with ISO 4000 as well. I will try to find the speed/focal combination shots in your gallery. What do you think about the Nikon Z6? The D780 has access to Nikon F mount lenses, and we’ve been using a variety of lenses, including the 24-70mm f/2.8 VR, and 70-200mm f/4 VR, plus others. Choosing your first Dedicated Astro Camera, Light Pollution Filters for Astrophotography. for all of my astrophotography, landscapes, wildlife, portraits, and more, Click here to see the Nikon D750's button layout, here to see the Nikon D780's button layout. The stars appear brighter and you should be able to pick out fainter stars and more detail. The first problem I have is the price. Amazon US, The Nikon D780 is designed to offer the best of both worlds, with the 24mp BSI CMOS sensor from the Nikon … By using our service, you agree to our use of cookies. That's why I highly recommend using a star tracker for astrophotography! $('#div-gpt-ad-EPZ-Article-Video').find("iframe").contents().find('#video1').get(0).pause(); This should help quite a bit. I'm happy to report that the Nikon D780 does not suffer from this purple glow! I just feel that the new features in the D780 don't quite justify the premium. This isn't that big of a problem, and you should know how to use your camera in the dark. Cookies help us deliver our service. The camera is likely overwhelmed by all the stars, thinking they may be hot pixels. Therefore, a 30 second photo will take 60 seconds to complete. The battery and memory card compartments are solid enough, with ample weather sealing. As you've probably heard, the Nikon D780 does not have a built-in flash, unlike virtually every other DSLR. The D780 has a 24.5 megapixel FX sensor and EXPEED 6 processor, 4K video recording, ISO range of 50-204,800, 12fps burst shooting, in-camera USB charging, and dual SD card memory slots. I would rather have the D780 to be honest. Focus shift can be selected in the photo menus, and once you have your shots, you'll need to use a third-party application, such as Adobe Photoshop to put the images together. ebay UK. The D780 has many features specifically designed for night shooting, so it seems odd Nikon did not include illuminated buttons. The camera weighs 840g (body only, with battery and SD card), making it quite heavy in comparison to mirrorless cameras, and smaller DSLRs, however, there will be those that prefer their camera to have some weight attached. Nikon included some great features for astrophotography, so that makes it even more puzzling why they left out the illuminated buttons. This is one area where mirrorless cameras really shine! I would love to hear your thoughts! Public comments are not allowed by the guestbook owner. Thank you Nikon!! Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Fuji - DSLRs, Mirrorless, and even Dedicated Astro Cameras. why you would leave the flash off this model is a really poor decision. Unless you are shooting 60+ second exposures, I don't recommend turning LENR On. The Retouch menu has options to process raw files in-camera, as well as apply other edits to your photos. Highly sensitive with minimal noise, the D780 achieves ISOs up to 51,200 (expandable to ISO 204,800), eclipsing the coveted D850. The most important change to the button layout is the ISO button. Bluetooth is also relatively slow compared to Wi-Fi, so if you have a large number of photos to transfer (even when transferring 2mp images), you would be better served by switching over to Wi-Fi. The layout of controls, buttons, and switches should be familiar to anyone who's used other Nikon DSLRs, and mirrorless cameras. Thankfully, most of the Nikon DLSRs have decent Live View systems, and you should be able to see the stars on your LCD screen. $(window).scroll(function() { In short, LENR was causing the stars to turn weird colors. There's a solid feel thanks to the magnesium alloy body, giving reassurance and confidence in the camera. Features. This dark frame does not capture any light (the camera's mirror and shutter will close), it simply records the hot pixels on your sensor. The D850 allows you to flick the "on/off" switch and illuminate the rear buttons temporarily. It certainly helps balance the camera, when using Nikon's larger lenses, such as the 24-70mm f/2.8 VR. The Nikon D780 further improves upon previous Nikon DSLRs with its addition of a pinpoint AF Area mode (only found on the D850 beforehand) and exceptional low-light focusing capabilities. All things considered, the Nikon D780 has an improved button layout that makes more sense than the D750. With a detection range of -6 to +17 EV in live view with an f/2 lens, the D780 is able to focus in lower light conditions than any other Nikon DSLR. Wireless Connectivity - Using Bluetooth, you need to be very aware of whether the camera is set to transfer images when switched off, as this can quickly drain the battery, leaving you with an almost flat battery when you wake up in the morning. Viewing angles are excellent and viewability is very good, even outdoors in bright light. My biggest problem with the Nikon D750 was the annoying purple glow seen in every single photo I took at night (at least until I bought a star tracker). Battery life - Battery life is rated at 2260 shots according to Nikon / CIPA test results, which is excellent. In terms of image quality, the Nikon D780 does a wonderful job at night! Highly sensitive with minimal noise, the D780 achieves ISOs up to 51,200 (expandable to ISO 204,800), eclipsing the coveted D850. Nikon D780. The rubber covers protect the side ports and are re-assuringly snug in fit. After using the camera for a day, it's pretty easy to get used to these small changes. You can try to remove them in Post Processing, but it's usually better done in-camera. I've used a lot of different cameras over the past 2 years as an astrophotography instructor. $('#div-gpt-ad-EPZ-Article-Video').find("iframe").contents().find('#video1').get(0).play(); Fast autofocus for sports and action — worlds better than Nikon's mirrorless cameras. ePHOTOzine, the web's friendliest photography community. My favorite upgrade with the D780 is the new "i" menu, which gives you complete control over your quick-access menu! This makes it particularly useful for live-view stills shooting as well as recording video. Highly sensitive with minimal noise, the D780 achieves ISOs up to 51,200 (expandable to ISO … This makes it quick and easy to change this without having to go into the Nikon menus. }) Using the left AF button, and front command dial, you can quickly choose the different AF modes, which include: Auto, Single, 9, 21, 51 AF points, 3D, and Group. There are a range of Creative Picture Controls, that give your images a different style of look with options including Dream, Morning, Pop, Sunday, Somber, Dramatic, Silence, Bleached, Melancholic, Pure, Denim, Toy, Sepia, Blue, Red, Pink, Charcoal, Graphite, Binary, Carbon. }); The Nikon D780 does have a touch-screen LCD now, although I rarely use it. Bring every spectacular vision to life with the versatility and agility of the full frame Nikon D780. The sensor features faster readout, allowing 4K footage at up to 30p from the full width of the sensor. In live-view, you can set the focus point using the touch-screen, or using the D-pad on the back. Thank you for responding. After waiting for years to upgrade to a new camera body, I was very excited when Nikon finally released the D780! The camera is designed for two-handed operation, with a row of buttons on the left of the rear screen. This is another great feature for astrophotography and completely eliminates the need for an external remote! In fact, the only time I use LENR is when I'm taking 4+ minute exposures for my foregrounds. (Although you'd be hard-pressed to ever see any shutter-induced camera shake in your astro images)   Live View is critical for astrophotography, if your camera has a poor Live View you will be in a for a lot of headaches each night! This Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED is a compact, lightweight FX-format lens that combines the ultra-wide perspective of a 20mm focal length, the low-light capabilities and shallow depth of field of an f/1.8 maximum aperture and the superb optical characteristics of an advanced NIKKOR prime lens. The photographer allowed comments from registered users only, Leave your comment below and click the Add Comment button. Chosen for its versatility, the full-frame 24.5MP CMOS sensor provides apt resolution, fast readout speeds, and impressive low-light performance. I just shoot stills, so this seemed like a no-brainer as the record button is very easy to find by touch. With virtually every other DSLR out there, you are limited to a max of 30 seconds on your shutter speed. Private comments are not allowed by the photographer. All of these problems are caused by the camera sensor and the fact that the photographer isn't capturing enough light in their exposure. Built-in help gives you a quick guide to the options available and helps make the camera easier to use. Finally, the Live View button has moved from the lower right to the upper right. The photos taken by a Singapore photographer of a Fisher cat (apparently called a "Fishing cat in that country) are amazing using Nikon's 80-400mm lens at f5.6 while hand-held. This complicates the process considerably, and turns a relatively straightforward technique into a guessing game. The first photo will be a normal image, the second photo will be a dark frame. There's also the option to shoot 1:1 aspect ratio photos and, in video mode, you can shoot 16:9 images. Live view focus has the added benefit of face and eye-detection AF, with OVF focus limited to only face detection. Video: The D780 offers 4K video recording - 4K UHD resolution video can be recorded at 30/25 or 24p, with no crop for up to 29 minutes. If you plan to photograph the sky, turn off LENR. The D780's exceptional low light performance is nothing short of liberating. Register to save your cart before it expires. However, the D780 (with Extended Shutter Speeds turned ON) will allow you to keep scrolling past 30 seconds. Unfortunately, DSLRs are still "old-fashioned" so we don't get this extra benefit. If you're comfortable using your D750 at night, it will be very easy to switch to the D780. Looking for a Nikon D6 vs Nikon D780 comparison? DX, square and 16:9 as-shot crops. Performance. Ultimately the combination of an excellent 24mp BSI CMOS sensor, and high-quality lenses delivers exceptional image quality in a variety of conditions. The D780 makes this so much easier now, I can very quickly take my 10 second test shots, then scroll over to a 4 minute long exposure. The Nikon D750 has a very loud mechanical shutter, which I found to be a bit off-putting the first time I heard it. Highly sensitive with minimal noise, the D780 achieves ISOs up to 51,200 (expandable to ISO … Once Nikon developed this tech, you'd think they would include it on all new cameras. Reveal detail and nuance in low light. You can also map this "Exposure Preview" to your Live View's "i" menu. With the sensor from the Nikon Z6, the camera also offers 12fps continuous shooting, using an electronic shutter. You can now do 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, 480, 600, 720, and 900 seconds! Amazon UK, The screen does not tilt far enough for use as a "selfie" or vlogging screen. This drove my crazy, and I had to edit my photos with a unique color balance to hide the problem. If you want to shoot longer, you need to put the camera to Bulb mode and attach a remote. The new D780 has a noticeably quieter and "lower pitched" shutter. You can now fully customize how you want the "i" menu to appear in both optical viewfinder mode and Live View mode. This combination of features makes the D780 an excellent camera for both wide-angle and deep space astrophotography! The camera has P, A, S, M shooting modes, giving you manual controls, plus Auto, Effects, and two customisable user modes, U1, and U2. The grip is ample, and comfortable, with a generous helping of rubber grip to hold on to. Simply taking a longer exposure and capturing more light will fix these problems in most cases. This can actually help to make the stars even brighter at night. I normally shoot 4 minute exposures at night, so I can capture a lot of light and have a clean photo. Its design allows incoming light to reach photodiodes more efficiently, meaning the D780 can achieve (Perfect for star trails!) In fact, they may perform even better than the D780, at least when it comes to the Live View display. //}); The Nikon D780 has perhaps the best available full-frame sensor of any DSLR, thanks to having a 24mp full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, which can also be found in the Nikon Z6. Having used both DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras for astrophotography, the D780 seems to be at a unique spot between the two. Out of all the cameras I've used over the past few years, the Nikon D780 is at the top of my list for astrophotography. I am doing your online courses and loving them! The screen is a 3.2inch touch-screen that tilts up as well as down. //$( document ).ready(function() { The resolution is good at 2.3 million dots, and the refresh rate is reasonable, but not the fastest we've seen. Highly-refined scene recognition. Highly-refined scene recognition. The D780 has a number of advanced features that have been added or updated compared to the D750: Auto Focus has been improved, with the addition of live-view focus, which lets you use the 273 phase-detection autofocus (AF) points built-in to the sensor, in addition to the 51 AF points available when using the optical viewfinder (OVF). There are only a handful of problems I can find with the D780. All I can say is that the D750 feels a little bit better in the hand, the D780 almost seems maybe a centimeter or two less deep? The Nikon D780 has great low-light performance, a well-designed camera body, customizable menus, a BSI sensor, extended shutter speed options, and a fantastic Live View display. The mirrorless cameras, like the Nikon Z6 / Z7, Canon EOS R / Ra, Sony, etc... are all great options too. Click here to see the Nikon D750's button layout, and here to see the Nikon D780's button layout. It's going to be particularly beneficial for people who regularly shoot weddings, portraits, or shoot at night, where low-light performance is key. Eventually I realized this purple glow was essentially "white noise" being generated by the camera. To be clear, this is the same price as the Nikon D750 at launch. The menu layout itself is almost identical to the D750. On most new mirrorless cameras you can actually see the Milky Way galaxy in real-time on the LCD screen! If I took longer exposures, and captured more light, I was able to "cover-up" the white noise and have a clean, detailed photo! Be sure to put the Shutter Speed to 30 seconds, and the ISO to at least 12,800 when you are trying to focus. It appears LENR is still causing some artifacts in the sky. We've still got the Playback, Photo, Video, Custom Settings, and Setup menus. The Nikon D780 is designed to offer the best of both worlds, with the 24mp BSI CMOS sensor from the Nikon Z6, plus the tough weather-sealed body of a Nikon DSLR, along with the impressive battery life performance that comes with a Nikon DSLR. Every camera has its own unique benefits, quirks, and annoyances. As we found out, the Nikon D780 copes with almost everything you throw at it, including freezing cold climates and continues to produce excellent results. Like the D750, the D780 also contains a 24.5MP imaging sensor, but this time around it’s the same back-side illuminated sensor found in Nikon’s Z6, which features on-sensor phase detection, improved light-gathering abilities, and improved high-ISO performance. You will not be able to edit or delete this comment because you are not logged in. I eventually got used to it though. My D750 d-pad still acts like it's brand new, even after all these years. Location information is supported so that you can add GPS data to images from your smartphone. Even my test photos taken at ISO 25,600 and just 8 seconds long look really good! The second problem I have is the lack of illuminated buttons. If you've been having trouble seeing the stars with your current DSLR's Live View, I guarantee the D780 will be a big step up! The Nikon D850 has center AF points that can focus down to a so called -4 EV which on paper should be a non issue even at the Night Safari but don't forget about the EXTREME LOW CONTRAST levels which when combined with the low light levels becomes a mountain of a challenge for any DSLR Auto Focus system. The Nikon D780 feels great in the hand. } else { I have some nikon lenses from a film camera (that I still use). You can set this to continue to transfer photos, even when the camera is switched off, however, you'll need to keep an eye on battery life as this could leave you with less battery life than expected. A Breakthrough in low light. Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more. For example, many of my students use Canon DSLRs. Designed around a brilliant, high resolution 24.5 MP backside illuminated FX sensor, an incredibly intelligent and robust AF system and next generation EXPEED 6 image processing, both full frame stills and 4K video benefit from the same impressive detail, clarity and stellar low-light performance. } Achieve rich tones under bright sunlight. In my experience, many of these cameras have terrible Live View displays, making it almost impossible to find and focus on a star at night. An ISO range of 100–51200, extendable up to an incredible 204800 and down to ISO 50, lets you adapt instantly to changing light. The camera has done a phenomenal job, but it was starting to show its age. Nikon Updates WebCam Software So It's Compatible with More N... New Pentax K-3 III DSLR Coming With ISO 1.6Million, Canon EOS C70 RF Mount Cinema EOS System Camera Introduced, Reach 1.6 million Photographers; Advertise on EPZ, Canon EOS 5D Mark I Vs Mark II Vs Mark III Vs Mark IV, Top 21 Best Low Light Photography Cameras 2020, Top 13 Best APS-C Digital SLRs For Enthusiasts 2020, OVF focus and metering not as advanced or accurate as live-view, Leaving Bluetooth transfer on can quickly reduce battery life, Some will miss the lack of built-in flash, Focus shift shooting, letting you take a number of shots and put them together later for more of the shot in focus, 12fps silent continuous shooting (live-view), 1/8000s shutter speed, 900s slowest shutter speed (15min), 0.7x magnification optical viewfinder - Eye-level pentaprism, ISO range: 100-51200, extended ISO range: 50-204800. Sounds like an evolution rather than revolution ... i.e not an update for d750 users but an option for new FF entrants. The camera grip is very similar between the two camera bodies, however the Nikon D750 is still more comfortable to hold. Built-in timecode is included. Red illuminated focus points are re-assuring, giving clear confirmation of the focus point, and the camera will display a "FLICKER" warning when there is the possibility of flicker from artificial lighting. ... Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance. Unfortunately, there's no joystick on the rear of the camera, however, you will find one on the Nikon D500, and D850 - if you're not used to using one this shouldn't be an issue. When the camera is collecting light for so long, the sensor tends to get very warm and produce a lot of hot pixels. Long Exposure Noise Reduction is a special camera setting you can enable at any time. It’s fast and decisive, even in quite low light. The D780 shows that Nikon's DSLR cameras continue to offer great all-around performance by Jeremy Gray | Posted 08/17/2020 Nikon 300mm f/4E lens at f/4, 1/1000s, ISO 4500. Is there a more affordable Nikon for beginners you could suggest? Amazon CA, If you are looking to buy a new DSLR, I would say that the D780 is one of the best options on the market! The optical viewfinder (OVF) gives a relatively large view of the scene. The Nikon D850 is one of Nikon’s top DSLRs and an amazing low light shooter in its own right. The top LCD gives vital information at a quick glance, as well as displaying the status of your memory card(s) when the cameras switched off. Using live-view shooting will also reduce the battery life as the sensor is on constantly, compared to shooting through the OVF, where the sensor is only switched on to take the photo. I'm glad that Nikon is giving us this new freedom to setup the camera how we want! Under the mode dial you'll find the drive mode dial, again this is a locking dial, and stops you accidentally turning this. Excellent low-light autofocus. This can be very handy at night, especially if you're still new to the camera. Did you test for shutter shock? Be sure to go into the camera menu and turn "Exposure Preview On". For those who like touch screens, you can use this to focus the image by tapping on the screen, scroll through photos and menus, change settings, zoom in, and more. As expected, you can set the interval to any time frame you want. Most importantly there is dual gain technology integrated, this improves high ISO low light performance significantly. Visit our Competitions Forum, where you'll find our monthly competition and other external competitions to enter. If you'd like to do deep space astrophotography or timelapse photography, the D780 also has a robust Interval Shooting menu. It's noticeably more sensitive in low-light than a typical DSLR, but nowhere near as sensitive as a mirrorless camera. The Silent Shooting mode should help to reduce some camera shake, since the mechanical shutter is not coming down after each photo. There's quick access to ISO and exposure compensation, as well as a video button next to these. The main difference is that the "i" button has moved from the lower left to the lower right. In this YouTube video I discuss the problems I've found with various cameras over the past few months. The D780's exceptional low light performance is nothing short of liberating. This will make the camera take one photo after another, with no gaps in-between. Click here to read my full article detailing this problem. The LCD screen can be illuminated in low-light, however, the camera buttons aren't illuminated, this being a feature of more sports orientated cameras in Nikon's line up, such as the Nikon D850, D500, and D5 / D6. Changes you make will be visible to photographer. I found it hard to believe when looking at the detail the D850 captured in extreme low light conditions of 1 ev - 5 ev with ISO's between 32K and 51K using fine jpeg. There are a number of "Picture Control" options letting you choose the photo colour settings, including a "Flat" profile which will be useful for video, or for greater control over the final look of an image when processing.