MID RANGE
NIKON D7200 VS CANON EOS 80D
They might be under attack from compact system cameras by the likes of Fuji, Sony and Olympus, but if it’s a proper DSLR you want, nobody knows how to make one better than Canon and Nikon. Similarly priced and specced, the 80D and D7200 aren’t cameras built for beginners – but if you’re looking to make the step up from your first DSLR, these two very capable snappers will be vying for your attention.
The Nikon is hardly revolutionary. Its 24.2MP APS-C sensor and 51-point autofocus system are practically the same as its predecessor’s and it looks pretty much identical, but Nikon has boosted the max ISO to 25,600 and added Wi-fi and NFC. They’re hardly vital features but will make things feel a bit more friendly. The Canon also comes with a 24.2MP sensor and the same wireless skills (although thankfully with a better companion app), but it adds a big, responsive touchscreen that can be used to compose and even shoot your pictures. The only negative? It’s a bit on the hefty side. When it comes to the actual photos, the D7200’s are sharp and rich with accurate colours, but it’s after dark that this Nikon probably does its finest work. Even with a bog standard lens stuck to the front, its low-light shots are far from the blurry, noisy mess you might expect.
Speaking of sharpness, the 80D’s AF system is incredibly sophisticated, with 45 focus points that will lock on in a snap even when things start to get a little gloomy. In fact, you’d have to try pretty hard to shoot something blurry with the Canon, even if your subject is running about like a toddler after ten cans of Red Bull. At 7fps, it fires off frames rapidly enough, and the Live View mode on its 3in articulating screen is phenomenal too, locking on almost immediately. Neither of these cameras can manage 4K video, but if you want to take the hard work out of getting great pictures then the Canon is a clear winner.