The mode dial on the left side of the D80's top panel
provides access to its various exposure modes, the same arrangement of
Auto, three semi-auto, one Manual, and six scene modes as on the
original D70/D70S. Here's a list of what's available:
Program: Puts the camera in charge of aperture and shutter speed,
though all remaining camera settings are available. (And you can vary
the combination of aperture and shutter speed the camera has selected,
by rotating the Main Command Dial.)
Shutter Priority: The user controls shutter speed, from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, while the camera sets the aperture value.
Aperture Priority: The opposite of Shutter Priority mode, this mode lets the user control the aperture, while the camera sets the shutter speed.
Manual:
Gives the user complete control over the exposure (both shutter and
aperture settings), and provides access to the camera's Bulb shutter
setting for exposures longer than 30 seconds.
Auto:
The camera sets everything. Used for snapshots or users who just don't
want to be bothered with the details of how the camera will do its work.
Flash is set to front curtain sync.
Portrait: Adjusts Aperture to soften background details to help the main subject stand out more clearly. Flash set to front curtain sync
Landscape:
Turns up color, saturation, contrast, and enhances outlines for city
and forest landscape shots. Flash is turned off in this mode.
Close up: Reds and greens are pumped up, camera sets center focus point, flash set to front curtain sync.
Sports: Uses high shutter speed, camera switches to continuous focus, both flash and AF illuminator are turned off and will not fire.
Night Landscape: Uses a slow shutter speed with no flash.
Night Portrait: Uses slow shutter speed with flash, balancing the two so that night portraits look natural even with flash.
The big picture of composition
Program: Puts the camera in charge of aperture and shutter speed,
though all remaining camera settings are available. (And you can vary
the combination of aperture and shutter speed the camera has selected,
by rotating the Main Command Dial.)
Shutter Priority: The user controls shutter speed, from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, while the camera sets the aperture value.
Aperture Priority: The opposite of Shutter Priority mode, this mode lets the user control the aperture, while the camera sets the shutter speed.
Manual:
Gives the user complete control over the exposure (both shutter and
aperture settings), and provides access to the camera's Bulb shutter
setting for exposures longer than 30 seconds.
Auto:
The camera sets everything. Used for snapshots or users who just don't
want to be bothered with the details of how the camera will do its work.
Flash is set to front curtain sync.
Portrait: Adjusts Aperture to soften background details to help the main subject stand out more clearly. Flash set to front curtain sync
Landscape:
Turns up color, saturation, contrast, and enhances outlines for city
and forest landscape shots. Flash is turned off in this mode.
Close up: Reds and greens are pumped up, camera sets center focus point, flash set to front curtain sync.
Sports: Uses high shutter speed, camera switches to continuous focus, both flash and AF illuminator are turned off and will not fire.
Night Landscape: Uses a slow shutter speed with no flash.
Night Portrait: Uses slow shutter speed with flash, balancing the two so that night portraits look natural even with flash.
