Sony A100 vs Nikon D80 vs Canon Rebel XTi back view. Click on image to enlarge

To make it easier to compare between the Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Rebel XTi digital SLR without having to dwell into all the specification details we have provided a general overview between these cameras and added our own observations. For those that want more technical details see our Sony A100 versus Nikon D80 versus Canon Digital Rebel XTi digital SLR camera side by side feature comparison further below.

Ergonomics and Design: For some camera manufacturers ergonomics seems like an afterthought. In the field, ergonomics can make the difference between a winning shot and a shot missed. In our opinion the Nikon D80 digital SLR camera is the leader in this respect when compared to both the Sony A100 and the Canon Rebel XTi.

With the Nikon D80 digital SLR you can operate the camera without moving your eye from the viewfinder with key buttons and dials placed within instinctive reach, even when you are wearing gloves. (An unfortunate reality in our climate.)

Nikon D80 Grip

The Nikon D80 features two command dials for changing camera settings, similar to the design of the D200 and the D2Xs. One of the benefits that this offers is that you can rotate the sub-command dial to select the desired aperture value while rotating the main command dial to change the shutter speed while changing exposure settings. You can easily make adjustments with your index finger controlling the sub command dial and your thumb controlling the main command dial while looking through the camera . This is a real benefit when it comes to adjusting values quickly in manual exposure modes and when changing camera settings in general. With the Sony Alpha A100 and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi there is only one command dial located on the top of the grip. To adjust shutter speed settings on either camera you rotate the top command dial. To change the aperture when you are in manual mode you have to push the Av button located on the back of the camera while rotating the command dial. In Aperture Priority mode rotating the top command dial changes the aperture settings. If you are the type of shooter that likes to use Manual (M) override exposure control mode then the dual command dial setup on the Nikon D80 will offer a definite advantage.

The Nikon D80 also has a Function button located on the front of the camera that can be customized for quick access to specific frequently used settings.

Menu System: In terms of being able to read and navigate camera menu options we find the Nikon D80 offers the most user friendly interface compared to both the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100. The Nikon D80's Menu system is presented in plain language with minimal use of icons making it easier to quickly make selections. The D80 even incorporates a handy "Help" menu that can be accessed to provide a brief explanation of settings. The menu interface on the Rebel XTi is better than the more confusing Sony A100 setup especially from a novice perspective.

The Nikon D80 digital SLR also incorporates a traditional top LCD information display panel which is practical when you want to check and adjust camera settings quickly.

Nikon D80 Top LCD information panel with illuminated display

With the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 digital SLR the rear LCD monitor is used to display camera settings which means that you have to move the camera further away from your body when you want to simply view current settings or make adjustments . With the Nikon D80 you can view the camera settings information on the top LCD panel at a glance while keeping your eye closer to the viewfinder and ready to respond sooner to that unexpected moment.

Canon sacrificed the rear LCD information panel found on the Digital Rebel XT to make room for the larger 2.5" LCD monitor found on the Digital Rebel XTi while keeping the camera size about the same.

Grip and Feel: In terms of overall construction the Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi are all fairly similar. None of the cameras offer the ruggedness provided by magnesium alloy and enhanced weather seal body construction similar to the design found in higher end models like the Nikon D200 and EOS 1Ds Mark II. Nevertheless, the Sony A100, D80 and Rebel XTi all offer a fairly solid well built feel and are designed to withstand the type of normal use required by most novice to serious enthusiast photographers.

The Nikon D80 features a larger rounded grip portion with natural grooves for your fingers that allows you to wrap your hand comfortably around the camera for a more solid hold and feel.

We find that the grip on the Canon Rebel XTi is a bit small and lacking depth making the camera more awkward to hold. For someone who does not have big hands this might not be an issue.

The Digital Rebel XTi does become more comfortable to hold if you add the optional vertical battery grip BG-E3 that extends the base portion of the camera and provides an additional area to rest your fingers. The Nikon D80 also provides for an optional vertical battery grip MB-D80 that likewise makes the camera more comfortable to hold and helps add balance when shooting in the vertical position (portraits). The Sony A100 does not provide the option of using an accessory grip however the grip on the camera itself is pretty good.

The design of the Nikon D80 maintains an image that is consistent with the current lineup of Nikon digital SLR camera bodies like the Nikon D50, D200 and D2Xs. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 digital SLR both incorporate their own individual design. The Rebel XTi shares a similar look and design to the 8MP Rebel XT digital SLR.

Viewfinder System: One of the most important components of a great SLR camera is having a good viewfinder system. A major argument provided by full frame DSLR camera advocates is the advantage offered by the larger viewfinder magnification incorporated in such cameras as the professional Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II.

Most digital SLR cameras, with the exception of a couple of offerings from Olympus and Panasonic, do not offer the option of a live LCD monitor preview as found on point and shoot consumer digital cameras. The viewfinder system on a digital SLR becomes a critical part of being able to see the image to focus and compose your shot.

With respect to having the best viewfinder system, the Nikon D80 easily trumps over the Sony A100 and the Canon DIgital Rebel XTi. Delivering a large bright viewfinder the Nikon D80 incorporates a glass pentaprism viewfinder similar to the type found on more expensive digital SLR's. The viewfinder magnification on the D80 is 94% compared to the viewfinder magnification on the Sony A100 at 83% and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi at 80%.

Below is a graphical illustration showing the difference between the viewfinder magnification as seen in the Nikon D80 versus the area seen in the viewfinder on the Canon Digital Rebel XTi (shown by inner grey area bounded by red lines). In our opinion the viewfinder system on the Sony Alpha A100 seems slightly brighter and better than the viewfinder on the Canon Digital Rebel XTi.

With the Nikon D80 you have the benefit of being able to select on-demand grid lines that are superimposed in the viewfinder. (useful for assisting in vertical and horizontal composition, architecture etc.) There is also an optional Magnifying Eyepiece DK-21M available for the Nikon D80 that improves the viewfinder magnification further from 0.94x to 1.1x.

Response and Performance: The Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi all offer a quick continuous shooting performance of 3 fps, fast enough to capture the action as it unfolds.

Both the Sony A100 and the Nikon D80 allow you to shoot continuously in JPEG mode limited pretty much only by card capacity. The Canon Rebel XTi will allow you to shoot up to 27 successive images in JPEG, however the camera offers a burst shooting capacity of up to 10 images in RAW mode. This is an advantage compared to the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 which offer a maximum of 6 shots when shooting continuously in RAW mode.

The Nikon D80 offers the fastest start up although the Canon DIgital Rebel XTi comes in very close. The Sony A100 is considerably slower taking almost a full second to start up. There is a delay that occurs on the Canon Digital Rebel XTi if you have the Self Cleaning sensor system set to activate when the camera is turned on. (1 sec delay) The dust cleaning process can be interrupted by lightly tapping the shutter release button on the Rebel XTi and the camera is ready to take pictures.

Both the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 offer a fast 2 channel output from the image sensor which helps speed up camera image processing performance. The Nikon D80 features a short shutter lag of only 80ms compared to 118ms for the Sony A100, making the D80 more responsive to catching the moment.

Exposure Metering System: The Nikon D80 incorporates the most advanced exposure metering system of the three cameras compared. The D80 features Nikon's acclaimed 3D Colour Matrix Metering II technology based on readings from a 420 segment RGB sensor, and offers variable Centre-weighted and Spot metering that can be tied to one of the 11 focus points. In dealing with creative and difficult lighting situations the Nikon D80's metering system offers an important benefit versus the exposure metering capabilities of both the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100.

Comparing the Rebel XTi to the Sony A100 we feel that the Canon Rebel XTi does a better job at exposure metering. Canon's advanced exposure metering algorithms and general metering technology account for the difference.

The Nikon D80 also supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System and Advanced Wireless Lighting capabilities with compatible Nikon Speedlights. The Nikon D80's built-in flash is able to function as the master flash unit (activated in the D80's Custom Settings menu) and perform as a two-group remote commander that provides direct control over wireless SB-800, SB-600 or SB-R200 Nikon Speedlights. User friendly setup and a great benefit if you are passionate about creative flash photography.

Nikon Creative Lighting System and Advanced Wireless Control sample setup with two Nikon SB800 external speedlights. The SU-800 transmitter would not be required with the D80 since the built in flash can act as the "Commander" unit.

The Sony A100 does allow for wireless external flash support from the built-in flash although it does not offer the same level of creative control as seen on the D80. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi does offer wireless multi-flash support when using the optional Canon wireless multi-flash ST-E2 transmitter mounted on the cameras hotshoe (a $300 CDN accessory).

Although the Sony A100 digital SLR is compatible with two new Sony flash units (Sony HVL-F56M and Sony HVL-F36M) and some of the older Minolta system units, the Sony Alpha A100 features a proprietary hotshoe for external flash connection. Both the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 feature a standard type hotshoe mount making them compatible to a certain degree with non proprietary flash systems.

Based on the advanced flash technology available today from Canon and especially Nikon, we would definately recommend investing in one of the latest brand dedicated speedlights to take proper advantage of what these camera systems are capable of offering.

White Balance (WB): The Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi all provide an Auto WB mode that matches white balance automatically to the light source of the shot. The cameras also incorporate a number of options that allow you to set WB settings manually or select a preset option for using a gray or white object as a reference for white balance.

With respect to Auto White Balance we find that the Nikon D80 and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi do a more consistent and accurate job of determining the correct White Balance (WB), especially when dealing with mixed and difficult lighting conditions compared to the Sony A100. The Nikon D80 stands out in particular for offering very accurate Auto WB when using the built in or external flash. (D80 uses readings from its 420-segment sensor to assist in determining AWB)

AF system: The Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi all feature very capable Auto Focus (AF) systems for most shooting situations. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi inherits the reliable and proven AF system incorporated in the higher end Canon EOS 30D. The Nikon D80 does offer a more sophisticated AF system however (based on Nikon D200 technology) with the advantage of providing 11 focus areas offering improved subject acquisition and tracking capabilities compared to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 which incorporate 9 focus areas.

Nikon D80 11-Area AF Point Selection	Sony A100 9-area AF point selection	Canon Digital Rebel XTi 9-Area AF Point Selection

The D80 also features a new Auto-Area AF mode that measures from all 11 focus areas, automatically determines which of them are on the primary subject, and activates only those areas as a group. A nice feature especially for more novice users.

The Nikon D80 is also able to focus under lower light levels than the Canon Rebel XTi or the Sony A100. The D80 can focus down to -1 EV light levels compared to the Canon Rebel XTi at -0.5 EV and the Sony A100 at 0 EV.

The Nikon D80 features an Auto Focus assist beam that can illuminate a close by subject so the camera can focus under lower light conditions. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 both employ intermittent firing of the built-in flash to help the camera focus on the subject. The downside with this is that the flash has to be in the up position for the AF assist to work. With the Sony A100 a particular inconvenience is that the built in flash does not offer an Auto pop up feature like on the Nikon D80 and the Rebel XTi so you have to manually lift the flash to the upward position whenever required.

Kit Lens Options: The Sony A100, Nikon D80 or the Canon Digital Rebel XTi can be purchased as a body only or in a kit with a lens. The Sony Alpha A100 is available with a Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.

The Nikon D80 can be purchased with a Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED zoom lens (same as in the Nikon D50 kit) or in a kit with the camera body and the new Nikon AF-S DX 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF zoom lens. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi is sold with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens.

The Sony DT 18-70mm zoom offers the advantage of a longer telephoto range range compared to the standard 18-55mm zoom lenses available with the Canon or the Nikon. The lens is built on the Konica Minolta heritage of optics and offers very decent image quality for an entry level lens. Sharpness is good and the lens handles distortion well.

The Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm is also a nice entry level lens and does offer the advantage of incorporating Nikon's ED glass to help minimize chromatic abberations (purple fringing in highlight areas of an image) and Nikon's Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology for faster and quieter focusing.

The Canon EF-S 18-55mm zoom lens is in our opinion the weakest of the lenses offered showing fairly soft edges and less sharpness in general than the Nikon or Sony kit lenses. Canon has however an excellent EF-S 17-85mm image stabilized zoom lens that we would recommend taking into consideration if buying into the Canon system. Quite a bit more money although you get a much better lens with some very nice features.

The Nikon D80 is also available with the new AF-S DX 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED Nikkor zoom lens which offers considerably more telephoto range with the equivalent field of view of a 28-200mm lens in 35mm terms. A great feature for zooming in on the hockey or soccer action as it unfolds or for that candid shot across the room. The lens offers very good image quality and sharpness, ED glass and Nikon's SWM technology (similar concept to Canon's USM lens technology), and makes for a very nice all in one solution for those that like the convenience that carrying just one lens offers.

Vibration Reduction Technology: With the Sony A100 incorporating a CCD based Anti-Shake vibration reduction mechanism the A100 offers the benefit of essentially providing vibration reduction with any lens attached. With the Nikon D80 and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi the only way to get vibration reduction is to buy lenses that feature image stabilization technologies. The advantage offered by the Nikon D80 and the Rebel XTi is that optical based image stabilization systems offer a greater range of VR compensation ability as well as allow you to preview the effects while looking through the viewfinder of the camera. With the Sony A100 the stabilization effect is not visable as you are looking through the viewfinder.

Optical image stabilization systems offer superior VR effectiveness, since they use individual mechanisms which are optimized for each lens. Nikon provides lenses in their lineup that will offer up to 4 stop VR effectiveness. Canon's image stabilized (IS) lenses offer up to 3 steps of compensation while the Sony A100 offers on average only about a 2 stop effectiveness. The reason for this is that the physical amount of vibration compensation differs by the focal length of the lens. CCD shift based VR systems can not recognize the individual differences of focal length for each lens, so the accuracy suffers compared to optical VR.

System Accessories: The Canon or Nikon system offers a much larger selection of available system accessories such as lenses, grips and speedlights that can be used with the Canon Digital Rebel XTi or the Nikon D80 respectively. Sony being a new entrant to the DSLR market is working on expanding its lineup of available accessories and does offer compatibility with the Minolta AF lens system. As of now however the Sony A100 does not match Canon or Nikon with respect to available system accessories.

Dust Prevention: Digital SLRs with interchangeable lenses are susceptible to dust particles entering the camera especially when the lens is changed. The dust can settle on the sensor and affect image quality as a result. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 feature self cleaning sensor technologies that both companies are eagerly promoting in their marketing materials as "Dust Reduction" systems.

With the Canon Rebel XTi, Canon has used a number of different methods to minimize the occurance of dust.

The shutter unit (the same as in the Digital Rebel XT) generates minimal dust; the body cap is now made of a material which minimizes dust caused by normal wear and rubbing, and the low-pass filter features an antistatic design to prevent static electricity from attracting dust and foreign matter to its surface.

A Self Cleaning Sensor Unit was designed to eliminate larger types of dust. Lowpass filter #1 on the front of the sensor is attached to an ultrasonic vibrating unit (piezoelectric element). When LPF #1 is subjected to ultrasonic vibrations, the dust is shaken off the surface.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi Sensor Unit Design

Two kinds of dust are less likely to be dislocated by the movements of the vibrating Low Pass Filter: small and light particles and the worse sticky stuff. In the event that the Self Cleaning Sensor Unit cannot remove all the dust, the Dust Delete Data (the size and position of dust too small or too sticky to remove with the Self Cleaning Sensor Unit) is obtained and added to the image so that Digital Photo Professional Ver. 2.2 software that comes supplied with the camera can erase the remaining dust spots on the image automatically.

The Nikon D80 also incorporates a number of dust prevention measures. The following lists the measures taken to prevent dust or foreign matter on the surface of the optical low-pass filter (OLPF) on the D80:

• The OLPF has an antistatic design to prevent static electricity from attracting dust and foreign matter to its surface. (same as Rebel XTi and Sony A100)

• The area surrounding the rear surface of the image sensor is sealed to help prevent dust and foreign matter from entering from the rear. (same as Rebel XTi)

• The camera is designed to maintain a space between the imaging surface of the image sensor and the surface of the OLPF. As dust and foreign matter on the image sensor do not form a sharp image (degree of sharpness also varies with aperture value), it is less likely for such dust and/or foreign matter to have an effect on photographs. (same as Rebel XTi)

• It is designed so that the moving parts such as the shutter and quick-return mirror produce very little of the dust and particles associated with mechanical wear of new parts inside the camera.

• The Nikon D80 offers a "Dust Off" feature with the optional Nikon Capture NX software that allows you to map out the dust on the sensor and have the software remove it automatically. (Similar to the new Canon Dust Delete Data feature with Digital Photo Professional Ver. 2.2 software)

The Sony A100 does not offer a sensor "dust mapping" feature with software like the Nikon or the Canon although the camera does feature an anti-static coating on the OLPF and an anti-dust vibration system designed to perform similar actions to the "Self Cleaning" sensor unit in the Rebel XTi.

Overall we feel that anti-dust shake removal technologies are a bit of a marketing hype aimed at more novice consumers. These systems are only really effective in dealing with larger dust particles and other measures still have to be taken to efficiently remove smaller forms of dust and sticky substances.

There are a number of different third party sensor cleaning kits available on the market that allow for "do it yourself" sensor cleaning. We would generally recommend however that if you find that dust is becoming a persistant issue you should have the cameras sensor checked and cleaned by the manufacturer's authorized service centre.

See the deals on the Sony A100, Nikon D80 and Canon Rebel XTi at Adorama

Image Quality: The Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi are in general all capable of offering very good image quality. The sensor technologies are well developed and with the advantage of providing 10 MP resolution there is lots of detail available for extra big enlargements or cropping into an image.

The Nikon D80 with its advanced metering capabilities does offer an advantage over both the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Sony A100 allowing much finer precision in determing the correct exposure important for creative control and overall image quality. As mentioned previously we are also particularly impressed with the Nikon D80's Auto White Balance capability especially with respect to flash photography.

In terms of low light and high ISO performance, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 both perform very well with a slight bit of an advantage given to the Canon Rebel XTi at 1600 ISO. The Nikon D80 provides the advantage of featuring ISO boost settings up to 1 stop which can be set in 1/3 increments (H0.3, H0.7, H1 3200 ISO). The Sony A100 provides poorer results showing higher than average image noise levels at 800 ISO and 1600 ISO.

The Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 offer the benefit of incorporating proven image processing technologies and other advanced trickle down features from some of the higher end digital SLR's in their respective lineups.

Canon and Sony have taken the step of naming their image processors. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi incorporates Canon's DIGIC II image processor the same reliable and high quality processor found in their top of the line DSLR's including the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. The Sony "Bionz" image processor is newly developed for the Sony A100.

The Nikon D80 features a newly developed image processing engine based on the Nikon D200 and the Nikon D2Xs image processing technologies. Nikon does not market a name for their image processing technology.

Other Features: although they all provide many similar standard features (10MP, 2.5" LCD, 3fps shooting etc.) the Sony A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi all incorporate certain proprietary and exclusive options. Some of these are highlighted below:

• Sony has introduced a feature called "D-Range Optimizer" in the Sony A100. Sony's Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) analyzes the captured image data and instantly determines the best exposure and color tonality of an image before JPEG compression. Unlike software optimization of a processed image, DRO is performed in the hardware. In comparison with Nikon's similar D-Lighting feature, there are a few advantages with the Nikon approach.

D-Lighting (accessed in the Nikon D80's Retouch Menu) offers three different intensity settings and can be applied to an image in camera anytime after capture and the corrected image is then saved as a copy. With Sony's D-Range Optimizer settings have to be made before taking the picture.

From the images that we have seen so far we feel that the Nikon D-Lighting software based dynamic range optimization technology does a better job than the results provided by the Sony hardware based "D-Range Optimizer". The Nikon D-Lighting feature seems to open up detail in the shadows to a better degree compared to the Sony while keeping highlight detail well maintained. With Nikon's optional Nikon Capture NX software it is also possible to apply D-Lighting in post-production workflow while viewing and editing images. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi does not offer a specific dynamic range optimization feature other than a new direct to print option for "Face Brighten".

• Canon has added their user friendly "Picture Style" image processing settings in the Canon Rebel XTi (similar to EOS 30D). The process of selecting or refining a Picture Style can be likened to deciding on a film: something a little more saturated and sharper, or perhaps something less forward and vivid. The Nikon D80 incorporates a very similar functionality with the "Optimize Image" settings menu. Both cameras also allow you to apply a variety of black and white filter effects in Monochrome mode. The Sony A100 provides 7 image enhacement settings and a standard black and white mode.

• The Nikon D80 features a handy "Retouch Menu" and also offers the advantage of a multiple exposure mode. Selectable in the Nikon D80 Shooting Menu, multiple exposure mode creates a single image within the camera from up to 3 consecutive exposures, producing an effect automatically that resembles multiple exposure techniques traditionally used with film.

  The Nikon D80 Retouch Menu includes options for the following selections:

• D-lighting: Brighten dark or back-lit subjects
  
• Red-eye correction: Correct “red-eye” that may be caused by flash
  
• Trim: Create cropped copies of existing photographs
  
• Monochrome: Copy pictures in black-and-white, sepia, or cyanotype
  
• Filter effects: Create copies with color filter effects
  
• Small picture: Create small copies of existing photographs
  
• Image overlay: Combine two RAW photographs into a single image

Conclusion: When comparing the Sony Alpha A100, Nikon D80 and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi it can be seen how each of these camera systems have their own respective advantages and feature overall good performance as outlined above. When viewed as a total package however the Nikon D80 maintains a definate advantage over its competitors with its combination of advanced metering capabilities, brighter viewfinder system, enhanced AF performance, industry leading flash technology, superior camera handling (ergonomics) and expanded feature set.

The Canon Digital Rebel XTi is a solid performer in its own right, certainly the lightest and most compact, and with its very capable feature set, good image quality, wide range of optional system accessories and relatively aggressive price point will be sure to be another Canon success.