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Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony A850

The Nikon 1 J5 and the Sony Alpha A850 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2015 and August 2009. The J5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A850 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an one-inch (J5) and a full frame (A850) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Nikon 1 J5
versus
Sony A850
Nikon 1 J5   Sony A850
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Nikon 1 mount lenses Sony A mount lenses
20.7 MP – 1" sensor 24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/15p Video no Video
ISO 160-12,800 ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
60 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
250 shots per battery charge880 shots per battery charge
98 x 60 x 32 mm, 231 g 156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon 1 J5 and the Sony Alpha A850? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon 1 J5 and the Sony A850. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The J5 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the A850 is only available in black.

Size Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony A850
Compare J5 versus A850 top
Comparison J5 or A850 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A850 is considerably larger (210 percent) than the Nikon 1 J5. Moreover, the A850 is substantially heavier (287 percent) than the J5. It is noteworthy in this context that the A850 is splash and dust-proof, while the J5 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon 1 J5 98 mm 60 mm 32 mm 231 g 250 n Apr 2015 399ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A850 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G7 X 103 mm 60 mm 40 mm 304 g 210 n Sep 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G9 X 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 209 g 220 n Oct 2015 529ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 206 g 235 n Jan 2017 529ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon 1 J4 100 mm 60 mm 29 mm 232 g 300 n Apr 2014 549ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon 1 V3 111 mm 65 mm 33 mm 381 g 310 n Mar 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 Y Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 137 mm 99 mm 131 mm 831 g 360 n Jun 2014 899ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7C 124 mm 71 mm 60 mm 509 g 740 Y Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A99 147 mm 111 mm 78 mm 812 g 500 Y Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A900 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A5000 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 269 g 420 n Jan 2014 449ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 III 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 290 g 320 n May 2014 799ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 IV 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 298 g 280 n Jun 2015 999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 V 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 299 g 220 n Oct 2016 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The J5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 80 percent) than the A850, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon 1 J5 features an one-inch sensor and the Sony A850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A850 is 643 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Nikon 1 J5 and Sony A850 sensor measures

With 24.4MP, the A850 offers a higher resolution than the J5 (20.7MP), but the A850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 2.37μm for the J5) due to its larger sensor. However, the J5 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 7 months) than the A850, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the J5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon 1 J5 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The J5 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon 1 J5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A850 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the J5 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A850 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

J5 versus A850 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A850 offers substantially better image quality than the J5 (overall score 14 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.7 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon 1 J5 1-inch 20.7 5568 37124K/15p21.112.047965
2.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.812.2141579
3.
 
Canon G7 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p23.012.755671
4.
 
Canon G9 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.512.349563
5.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.912.552265
6.
 
Nikon 1 J4 1-inch 18.2 5232 34881080/60p20.810.742653
7.
 
Nikon 1 V3 1-inch 18.2 5232 34881080/60p20.810.738452
8.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
9.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.111.751764
10.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
11.
 
Sony A7C Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7340795
12.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
13.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
14.
 
Sony A5000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.813.0108979
15.
 
Sony RX100 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.412.349567
16.
 
Sony RX100 IV 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.659170
17.
 
Sony RX100 V 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.458670

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The J5 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the A850 does not. The highest resolution format that the J5 can use is 4K/15p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A850 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the J5 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon 1 J5, the Sony A850, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon 1 J5none n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 60.0/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A850optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon G7 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/2000s 6.5/s Y Y
4.
 
Canon G9 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 6.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon G9 X Mark IInone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 8.2/s Y Y
6.
 
Nikon 1 J4none n3.0 / 1037 Fixed Y 1/4000s 60.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon 1 V3optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 60.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
9.
 
Panasonic FZ10002359 n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A7C2360 n3.0 / 922 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony A992359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 6.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony A900optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A5000none n3.0 / 461 tilting n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
15.
 
Sony RX100 III1440 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony RX100 IV2359 n3.0 / 1228 tilting n 1/2000s 16.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Sony RX100 V2359 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 24.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The J5 has one, while the A850 does not. While the built-in flash of the J5 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The J5 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the A850 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the J5 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon 1 J5 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The J5 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A850 uses Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the J5 only has one slot.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon 1 J5 and Sony Alpha A850 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon 1 J5-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Sony A850Y- / ---mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon G7 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon G9 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
6.
 
Nikon 1 J4-stereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
7.
 
Nikon 1 V3-stereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
8.
 
Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
9.
 
Panasonic FZ1000Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
10.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
11.
 
Sony A7CYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
12.
 
Sony A99Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
13.
 
Sony A900Y- / ---mini2.0---
14.
 
Sony A5000-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony RX100 III-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony RX100 IV-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony RX100 V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the J5 offers wifi support, while the A850 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A850 (unlike the J5) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the J5 and the A850 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the J5 and A850 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon 1 J5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A850 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon 1 J5 better than the Sony A850 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Reasons to prefer the Nikon 1 J5:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 4K/15p movies.
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (98x60mm vs 156x117mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 664g or 74 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (80 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 5 years and 7 months of technical progress since the A850 launch.

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A850:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24.4 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 9%.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (14 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.7 bits more color depth).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.6 stops ISO advantage).
  • Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (880 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2009).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the J5 emerges as the winner of the contest (18 : 15 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

J5 18:15 A850

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon 1 J5 and the Sony A850 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the J5 or the A850 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon 1 J5........4.5/54.5/5 Apr 2015 399ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A8503/5....75/100..4.5/5 Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G7 X4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G9 X3.5/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 529ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II4/5..4/575/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2017 529ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon 1 J43/5......4.5/54/5 Apr 2014 549ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon 1 V33/5....76/1004.5/54/5 Mar 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic FZ10004/5+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2014 899ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7C3.5/5..3.5/586/1004/54/5 Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A995/5....84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A900..+ +..+ +4.5/55/5 Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A50003/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 449ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 III5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 799ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 IV4.5/5+ +..85/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2015 999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 V4.5/5+ +..83/1004/54.5/5 Oct 2016 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony A850

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon 1 mount lenses Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date April 2015 August 2009
    Launch Price USD 399 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format 1" Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 13.2 x 8.8 mm 35.9 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 116.16 mm2 861.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 15.9 mm 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 2.7x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.7 Megapixels 24.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 pixels 6048 x 4032 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 2.37 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 17.79 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/15p Video no Video
    ISO Setting 160 - 12,800 ISO 200 - 3,200 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 6,400 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 5 BIONZ
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 65 79
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.1 23.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.0 12.2
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 479 1415
    Screen Specs Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 98%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 60 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/16000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards CF or MS cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    External Flash no Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in no Wifi
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
    Body Specs Nikon 1 J5 Sony A850
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL24 Sony NP-FM500H
    Battery Life (CIPA)250 shots per charge880 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 98 x 60 x 32 mm
    (3.9 x 2.4 x 1.3 in)
    156 x 117 x 82 mm
    (6.1 x 4.6 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 231 g (8.1 oz) 895 g (31.6 oz)
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    Check J5 offers at
    ebay.com
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    Check A850 offers at
    ebay.com

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