MULTIPLE CHOICE
Remember when we reviewed Nikon’s Z 6 and noted that it was a lot like a mirrorless version of the D750 DSLR? Well, it’s a funny old world and now there’s the Nikon D780 – essentially the D750’s replacement – that could be said to be the DSLR equivalent of the Z 6… well, at least when you lock up the mirror and use live view.
The D750 – launched back in 2014 – was the best mid-range DSLR Nikon had ever made (until now), combining the capabilities of a full-frame sensor with a more compact and lightweight body thanks to the adoption of an innovative monocoque construction. It’s an indication of the D750’s all-round capabilities that it’s still a good buy today, but the D780 goes a whole lot further when it comes to live view and video recording.
However, a new sensor and processor, redesigned and faster mechanical shutter, upgraded metering and autofocusing, plus a bunch of new features and spec enhancements also make the D780 significantly more accomplished than its predecessor. Of course, a number of these are developments that have happened in the five years since the D750 appeared, including touchscreen controls, in-camera battery charging via USB C and Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity.
As we’ve seen with all the latest-generation DSLRs, it’s the live functionality that’s been enhanced the most compared to what’s gone before, especially the autofocusing performance. In the case of the D780, it essentially matches the Z 6 here, with a 273-point wide-area AF system (offering 90% vertical/horixontal frame coverage) that uses on-sensor phase-difference detection pixels capable of face/eye-detection tracking.
It also uses essentially the same sensor as the Z 6 so, while the effective pixel count
