Which to Buy: Nikon D750 vs D780 Comparison

May 2020

The D750 is 10 years old while the D780 is 4 years old. These are both FX cameras and there are additional similarities but some important differences worth noting.

The similarities between these two cameras are:

24 megapixel full-frame — or FX — sensor
Anti-aliasing filter/optical low pass filter
Fast startup and little shutter lag
Support JPEG, 12-bit and 14-bit RAW images
Dedicated Fn (function) buttons
Hotshoe
HDMI jack
External microphone jack
Headphone jack
Top-side control panel
Tilting monitor vs fixed
Dual card slots (SDXC)
Matrix, center-weighted, highlight-weighted and spot metering
1080p video
1/200th sec. flash sync speed
External flash support
Auto FP High-Speed flash sync
Bulb and time shutter
Top-side control panel
High dynamic range mode
Interval shooting
DX crop mode
Pentaprism optical viewfinder
100% viewfinder coverage
Same low-light AF performance of -3 EV through the viewfinder
Built-in WiFi
Support for bracketing
Self-timer
Similar size and weight

The advantages the D750 has over the D780 are:

Less expensive
Built-in flash w/commander mode and GN of 39 ft.
Optional battery grip accessory

The advantages the D780 has over the D750 are:

Significantly longer rated battery life at 2280 shots vs 1230 shots
Backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor
On sensor phase detect AF
51 AF points (with 15 cross type, 11 at f/8) vs 51 AF points (with 15 cross type, 9 at f/8)
Eye-AF
Better low-light AF performance (down to -5 EV, but requires Live view)
In-camera battery charging
Focus-stacking
273 focus points in Live view
Buffer holds more RAW images (28 vs 14)
Dual card slots are UHS-II vs UHS-I
7 frames-per-sec. stills vs 6.5 fps
900-1/8000th sec. shutter speeds vs 30-1/4000th sec.
Built-in Bluetooth to pair the camera with a smartphone
Touchscreen rear monitor
3.2 in. 2359k-dot TFT LCD monitor vs 1229k-dot
4K UHD video
4:2:2 video output
Slow motion 1080p video
Hybrid Log-Gamma
Timecode to synchronize video
Native ISO 100-51200 vs ISO 100-12800
EXPEED 6 image processor vs EXPEED 4
Built-in WiFi to pair the camera with a smartphone

Neither camera has:

Compact DSLR design
Built-in GPS
Built-in NFC to pair the camera with a smartphone
Panorama Mode
EVF
IBIS
Fully articulated monitor
Support for the TIFF format

Additional Notes

The D780, with its on-sensor phase-detect AF, is a lot like the Canon DSLR's with Dual-Pixel AF. It is a much better choice for video.

The size and weight of the D780 is 5.7 x 4.6 x 3 in. and 840g (1 lb 13.7 oz).

The size and weight of the D750 is 5.6 x 4.5 x 3.1 in. and 834g (1 lb 13.5 oz).

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