There are no fireworks with the Nikon D780. It doesn’t bring radical new technologies, bar-raising specifications or wacky design features. It’s simply an excellent evolution of a great camera design that has something for enthusiasts and experts everywhere.

Chunky; satisfying handling; Fast live view AF; Uncropped 4K video; Good burst mode; Dual UHS-II card slots

Dual AF systems; Manual live view swapping; Expensive while new

In the mirrorless world, the Nikon D780 has been able to keep up by staying true to its DSLR roots while adopting its mirrorless cousin's more advanced capabilities. Are its efforts enough? It's certainly compelling for those who still love the look and feel of DSLRs over anything else.

Excellent sensor; Great ISO performance; 4K at 30fps video capability with N-Log; Long battery life; Articulating touchscreen LCD; Comfortable grip; Rugged built

Optical viewfinder has limited AF area; No in-body image stabilization; Bulkier than mirrorless bodies

An all-rounder DSLR built like a tank, borrowing some tricks from its mirrorless siblings

Two cards slots; Great for video; Sturdy

Expensive

First introduced in January 2020 , Nikon D780 is a 25.0MP Advanced DSLR camera with a Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, Tilting touch screen and Nikon F lens mount. Nikon replaced the older D750 with this model.

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi); Bluetooth Connectivity; Articulating Screen; 4K (UHD) Video; No crop on 4K Videos; Touch Screen; Optical Built-in Viewfinder; Face Detection Focusing; 25.0MP - High Resolution Sensor; 51.200 Max ISO; 51 Focus Points; Large 3.2" Screen; 2.359k dots LCD Resolution; 1/8000s...

No Image Stabilization; Heavy Body: 840g

The Nikon D780 a great DSLR and is an excellent choice of camera for anyone wedded to an optical viewfinder. It has a solid, dependable body and impressive battery life. It also has Nikon's best Live View system to date, which makes the camera that bit more versatile.

Excellent Live View AF system; Great battery life; Dual UHS-II SD card slots

High launch price; SLR design means the Live View is not visible in the viewfinder; No joystick for speedy AF point selection when using the viewfinder

The D780 proves that you can still have plenty of modern, truly useful features, while offering the DSLR experience you probably already know and love.

Incredible image quality & video quality; Best live view experience of any DSLR; Impressive battery life; Dual UHS-II SD card slots; Speed & responsiveness improvements; Portability without sacrificing durability; Goldilocks ergonomics; Articulated touchscreen; Value

A refurbished D750 is still a great value; Missing out on Z-mount lenses and sensor stabilization; Battery grip unlikely; Minor physical differences from D750 & D850; Wireless apps

Mastering the Nikon D780 is a new book in the NikoniansPress/RockyNook series by Darrell Young ( digitaldarrell ) providing a wealth of experience-based information and insights for owners of the new D780 camera.

There’s nothing particularly headline grabbing about the D780, but we found the D780 to be a grower with some very desirable qualities. The video specs are excellent, there's an updated and advanced autofocus system, serious battery performance, and a body built like a tank that will serve you well on any adventure. Asking £2,199 (body-only) seems a little steep and a considerable hike from the Nikon Z6, but this is combining a lot of goodies form the Z6, plus all the qualities many love from a DSLR. Only time will tell is this is the last dying breath of the DSLR, or a sign of more to come.

Two cards slots; Great for video; Sturdy;

Expensive;

We hear a lot of talk about the death of the DSLR, and the unstoppable rise of mirrorless. But DSLRs remain the best choice for many photographers, particularly those who have existing lenses or honed their craft with optical viewfinders – and the D780 is one of the best full-frame options around. It combines great image quality, a weather-proof build, superb battery life and modern autofocus skills. It's a shame there's no in-body image stabilization and it's currently pretty pricey, but the D780 is otherwise a superb all-round DSLR.

Plenty of direct access controls; Tilting touch-sensitive screen; Dual card slots; Fast live-view focusing; Great battery life;

Big and heavy; Expensive

The Nikon D780 is a fabulous all-around stills and video camera for folks who prefer the DSLR-format. It's well-built, comfortable to shoot with and highly customizable. Autofocus performance is, for the most part, excellent. But inconsistencies between live view autofocus and through the finder autofocus may cause some confusion. Still, battery life is great and a dedicated smartphone app offers good connectivity.

Stills and video shooters looking for a DSLR-style camera that can do it all.;

Anyone requiring in-body image stabilization or folks seeking a small/light package;