Nikon comparison data provided by DP Review
  Nikon D700 Nikon D3 Nikon D300 Nikon D80
  Nikon D700 Nikon D3 Nikon D300 Nikon D80
 Date
Announced July 1, 2008
Announced August 23, 2007
Announced August 23, 2007
Announced August 9, 2006
 Format      SLR SLR SLR SLR
 Price (street)     
$2966.34
$4447.38
$1627.66
$716.99
 Max resolution      4256 x 2832 4256 x 2832 4288 x 2848 3872 x 2592
 Low resolution      3184 x 2120, 2128 x 1416 3184 x 2120, 2128 x 1416 3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424 2896 x 1944, 1936 x 1296
 Image ratio w:h      3:2 3:2, 5:4 3:2 3:2
 Effective pixels      12.1 million 12.1 million 12.3 million 10.0 million
 Sensor photo detectors      12.9 million 12.9 million 13.1 million 10.8 million
 Sensor size      36 x 24 mm (8.64 cm²) 36 x 24 mm (8.64 cm²) 23.6 x 15.8 mm (3.72 cm²) 23.6 x 15.8 mm (3.72 cm²)
 Pixel density      1.4 MP/cm² 1.4 MP/cm² 3.3 MP/cm² 2.7 MP/cm²
 Sensor type      CMOS CMOS CMOS CCD
 Sensor manufacturer      Unknown Unknown Sony Sony
 ISO rating      200 - 6400 in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps (100 - 25600 with boost) 200 - 6400 in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps (100 - 25600 with boost) 200 - 3200 in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps (100 - 6400 with boost) Auto, 100 - 1600 (plus 3200 with boost)
 Zoom wide (W)      n/a n/a n/a n/a
 Zoom tele (T)      n/a n/a n/a n/a
 Digital zoom      No No No No
 Image stabilization      No No No No
 Auto Focus      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Manual Focus      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Auto focus type      Nikon Multi-CAM3500 FX Nikon Multi-CAM3500 FX Nikon Multi-CAM3500 DX Nikon Multi-CAM1000
 Normal focus range      n/a n/a n/a n/a
 Macro focus range      n/a n/a n/a n/a
 White balance override      6 positions, plus manual preset and Kelvin 6 positions, plus manual preset and Kelvin 6 positions, plus manual preset and Kelvin 6 positions, plus manual preset and Kelvin
 Aperture range      n/a n/a n/a n/a
 Min shutter      30 sec + Bulb 30 sec + Bulb 30 sec + Bulb 30 sec + Bulb
 Max shutter      1/8000 sec 1/8000 sec 1/8000 sec 1/4000 sec
 Built-in Flash      Yes, pop-up No Yes, pop-up Yes, pop-up
 Flash guide no.          12 m (39.3 ft) 13 m (42.6 ft)
 External flash      Yes, hot-shoe plus sync connector Yes, hot-shoe plus sync connector Yes, hot-shoe plus sync connector Yes, hot-shoe
 Flash modes      Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow, Red-Eye Slow Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow, Red-Eye Slow Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow, Red-Eye Slow Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow, Red-Eye Slow
 Exposure compensation      -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
 Metering      3D Matrix metering II, Center weighted, Spot 3D Matrix metering II, Center weighted, Spot 3D Matrix metering II, Center weighted, Spot 3D Matrix metering II, Center weighted, Spot
 Aperture priority      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Shutter priority      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Focal length multiplier      1 1 1.5 1.5
 Lens thread      Nikkor AF / F-mount, D-Type Nikkor AF / F-mount, D-Type Nikkor AF / F-mount, D-Type Nikkor AF / F-mount, D-Type
 Continuous Drive      Yes, 5 fps @ 12 mp, 8 fps @ 12 mp (with battery pack) Yes, 9 fps @ 12 mp, 11 fps @ 5 mp Yes, 6 fps, 100 JPEG / ?? RAW Yes, 3 fps, up to 23 JPEG, 6 NEF images
 Movie Clips      No No No No
 Remote control      Yes Yes Optional Optional (ML-L3 or MC-DC1)
 Self-timer      2 to 20 sec 2 to 20 sec 2 to 20 sec 2, 5, 10 or 20 sec
 Timelapse recording      Yes Yes Yes No
 Orientation sensor      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Storage types      Compact Flash (Type I or II) Compact Flash (Type I or II) x2 Compact Flash (Type I or II) SD/SDHC card
 Storage included      None None None None
 Uncompressed format      RAW, TIFF RAW, TIFF RAW, TIFF RAW
 Compressed format      JPEG (EXIF 2.21) JPEG (EXIF 2.21) JPEG (EXIF 2.21) JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
 Quality Levels      Fine, Normal, Basic Fine, Normal, Basic Fine, Normal, Basic Fine, Normal, Basic
 Viewfinder      Optical (Pentaprism, 95% coverage, 0.72x magnification) Optical (Pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.7x magnification) Optical (Pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x magnification) Optical (Pentaprism, 95% coverage, 0.95x magnification)
 LCD      3.0 " 3.0 " 3.0 " 2.5 "
 LCD Pixels      922,000 922,000 922,000 230,000
 Video out      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 USB      Yes, 2.0 Yes, 2.0 Yes, 2.0 Yes, 2.0
 Firewire (IEEE 1394)      No No No No
 Battery / Charger      Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Battery      Nikon EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion battery Nikon EN-EL4a Lithium-Ion battery Nikon EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion battery Nikon EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion battery
 Weight (inc. batteries)      1074 g (37.9 oz) 1300 g (45.9 oz) 925 g (32.6 oz) 668 g (23.6 oz)
 Dimensions      147 x 123 x 77 mm (5.8 x 4.8 x 3 in) 160 x 157 x 88 mm (6.3 x 6.2 x 3.5 in) 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in) 132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3 in)
 Notes      Live view available First Nikon full-frame, still supports DX lenses (crops). Includes Live view Live view available  
 Resolution Chart        
 Colour Patches