How much dynamic range does the Nikon D850 offer?
According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Nikon D850 provides a maximum of 14.8 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.
High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Nikon D850 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D850 | Full Frame | 45.4 | 8256 | 5504 | 4K/30p | 26.4 | 14.8 | 2660 | 100 | |
2. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.6 | 12.4 | 2308 | 86 | |
4. | Nikon D5 | Full Frame | 20.7 | 5588 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 25.1 | 12.3 | 2343 | 88 | |
5. | Nikon D810 | Full Frame | 36.2 | 7360 | 4912 | 1080/60p | 25.7 | 14.8 | 2853 | 97 | |
6. | Nikon Df | Full Frame | 16.2 | 4928 | 3280 | none | 24.6 | 13.1 | 3279 | 89 | |
7. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
8. | Nikon D600 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.2 | 2980 | 94 | |
9. | Nikon D800 | Full Frame | 36.2 | 7360 | 4912 | 1080/30p | 25.3 | 14.4 | 2853 | 95 | |
10. | Nikon D800E | Full Frame | 36.2 | 7360 | 4912 | 1080/30p | 25.6 | 14.3 | 2979 | 96 | |
11. | Sony A99 II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 25.4 | 13.4 | 2317 | 92 |
In the United States, the D850 was initially launched in July 2017 at a price of $3,299.
Camera to camera comparisons
If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1D Mark II vs Nikon D850
- Canon 1Ds Mark II vs Nikon Z6
- Canon 70D vs Nikon D850
- Canon M6 Mark II vs Nikon Z6
- Canon R10 vs Nikon Z6
- Fujifilm X100F vs Nikon D850
- Nikon D850 vs Panasonic ZS80
- Nikon D850 vs Sony A6000
- Nikon D850 vs Sony A7S
- Nikon Z6 vs Panasonic G5
- Nikon Z6 vs Panasonic GH2
- Nikon Z6 vs Sony HX400V
Camera Model | Nikon D850 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | |
Launch Date | July 2017 | |
Launch Price | USD 3 299 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.9 x 23.9 mm | |
Sensor Area | 858 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.1 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 45.4 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 8 256 x 5 504 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.35 μm | |
Pixel Density | 5.30 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 64 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 32 - 102 400 ISO | |
Image Processor | EXPEED 5 | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 100 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 26.4 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.8 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2660 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.75x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.2 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 2359k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 9 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 200 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC or XQD cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | UHS-II | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 3.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL15a power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 1840 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
146 x 124 x 79 mm (5.7 x 4.9 x 3.1 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 1 005 g (35.5 oz) |
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