Nikon D810 vs Sony A7S III
The Nikon D810 and the Sony Alpha 7S III are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2014 and July 2020. The D810 is a DSLR, while the A7S III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 36.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 12 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D810 and the Sony Alpha 7S III? 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.
Body comparison
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D810 and the Sony A7S III is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7S III is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Nikon D810. Moreover, the A7S III is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the D810. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.
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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D810) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7S III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7S III, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the D810 gets 1200 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15 battery, while the A7S III can take 600 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7S III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D810 | 146 mm | 123 mm | 82 mm | 980 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2014 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A7S III | 127 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 699 g | 600 | Y | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D4S | 160 mm | 157 mm | 91 mm | 1350 g | 3020 | Y | Feb 2014 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D600 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D700 | 147 mm | 123 mm | 77 mm | 1074 g | 1000 | Y | Jul 2008 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D750 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 78 mm | 750 g | 1230 | Y | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D800 | 146 mm | 123 mm | 82 mm | 1000 g | 900 | Y | Feb 2012 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D800E | 146 mm | 123 mm | 82 mm | 1000 g | 900 | Y | Feb 2012 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D850 | 146 mm | 124 mm | 79 mm | 1005 g | 1840 | Y | Jul 2017 | 3,299 | amazon.com | |
12. | Nikon Df | 144 mm | 110 mm | 67 mm | 760 g | 1400 | Y | Nov 2013 | 2,749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A7R III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 129 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 665 g | 670 | Y | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IVA | 129 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 665 g | 670 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7S II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 627 g | 370 | Y | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 D810 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the A7S III at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7S III is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
With 36.2MP, the D810 offers a higher resolution than the A7S III (12MP), but the D810 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 8.40μm for the A7S III). Moreover, the A7S III is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 1 month) than the D810, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D810 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Nikon D810 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D810 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7S III are 21.2 x 14.2 inches or 53.8 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.1 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.1 x 9.4 inches or 35.9 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A7S III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Nikon D810 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 32-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha 7S III are ISO 80 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 40-409600.
In terms of underlying technology, the D810 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7S III uses a BSI-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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the D810 provides substantially higher image quality than the A7S III, with an overall score that is 11 points higher. This advantage is based on 2 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D810 | Full Frame | 36.2 | 7360 | 4912 | 1080/60p | 25.7 | 14.8 | 2853 | 97 | |
2. | Sony A7S III | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/120p | 23.7 | 13.9 | 2520 | 86 | |
3. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
4. | Nikon D4S | Full Frame | 16.2 | 4928 | 3280 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.3 | 3074 | 89 | |
5. | Nikon D600 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.2 | 2980 | 94 | |
6. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
7. | Nikon D700 | Full Frame | 12.1 | 4256 | 2832 | none | 23.5 | 12.2 | 2303 | 80 | |
8. | Nikon D750 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 14.5 | 2956 | 93 | |
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. | Nikon D850 | Full Frame | 45.4 | 8256 | 5504 | 4K/30p | 26.4 | 14.8 | 2660 | 100 | |
12. | Nikon Df | Full Frame | 16.2 | 4928 | 3280 | none | 24.6 | 13.1 | 3279 | 89 | |
13. | Sony A7R III | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.8 | 3344 | 99 | |
15. | Sony A7R IVA | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.8 | 3344 | 99 | |
16. | Sony A7S II | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/30p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 2993 | 85 | |
17. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A7S III provides a better video resolution than the D810. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7S III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), while the D810 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A7S III has a higher magnification than the one of the D810 (0.91x vs 0.70x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D810 and Sony A7S III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
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 D810 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony A7S III | 9440 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 5DS | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Nikon D4S | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 11.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Nikon D600 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D700 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D750 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D800 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D800E | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D850 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | n | |
12. | Nikon Df | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | n | |
13. | Sony A7R III | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7R IVA | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A7S II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | 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 D810 has one, while the A7S III does not. While the built-in flash of the D810 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The A7S III has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the D810 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 A7S III 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 D810 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 D810 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the A7S III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The A7S III supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the D810 can use UHS-I cards.
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 D810 and Sony Alpha 7S III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D810 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
2. | Sony A7S III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Canon 5DS | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Nikon D4S | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D600 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D700 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D750 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D800 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D800E | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Nikon D850 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Nikon Df | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Sony A7R III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A7R IVA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A7S II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y |
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D810 (unlike the A7S III) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
The A7S III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the D810 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D810 was succeeded by the Nikon D850. Further information on the features and operation of the D810 and A7S III can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D810 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7S III Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D810 or the Sony A7S III – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Nikon D810:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (36.2 vs 12MP) with a 74% higher linear resolution.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (11 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
- Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (2 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 600) on a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2014).
Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha 7S III:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/120p vs 1080/60p).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.91x vs 0.70x).
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1229k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (127x97mm vs 146x123mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 281g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Reflects 6 years and 1 month of technical progress since the D810 launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7S III is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 13 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D810 and the Sony A7S III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D810 or the A7S III. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D810 | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 86/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2014 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A7S III | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D4S | 5/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2014 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D600 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D700 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2008 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D750 | 5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D800 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2012 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D800E | .. | .. | .. | 84/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2012 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D850 | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2017 | 3,299 | amazon.com | |
12. | Nikon Df | 4/5 | .. | .. | 81/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2013 | 2,749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A7R III | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IVA | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7S II | 5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 4000D vs Sony A7S III
- Canon 700D vs Sony A7S III
- Canon 7D II vs Sony A7S III
- Canon M50 Mark II vs Nikon D810
- Nikon D810 vs Olympus E-450
- Nikon D810 vs Panasonic FZ100
- Nikon D810 vs Panasonic GH1
- Nikon D810 vs Panasonic S5
- Nikon D810 vs Sony A3000
- Panasonic FZ1000 vs Sony A7S III
- Sony A6400 vs Sony A7S III
- Sony A7 II vs Sony A7S III
Specifications: Nikon D810 vs Sony A7S III
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 Model | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | June 2014 | July 2020 |
Launch Price | USD 3,299 | USD 3,499 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 861.6 mm2 | 847.28 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | 42.8 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 36.2 Megapixels | 12 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 7360 x 4912 pixels | 4240 x 2832 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.88 μm | 8.40 μm |
Pixel Density | 4.20 MP/cm2 | 1.42 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | 4K/120p Video |
ISO Setting | 64 - 12,800 ISO | 80 - 102,400 ISO |
ISO Boost | 32 - 51,200 ISO | 40 - 409,600 ISO |
Image Processor | EXPEED 4 | BIONZ XR |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 97 | 86 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.7 | 23.7 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.8 | 13.9 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2853 | 2520 |
Screen Specs | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | 0.91x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 9440k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.2inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1229k dots | 1440k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 200 000 actuations | 200 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | YES |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or SDXC cards | CFexA or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | UHS-I | Dual UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 3.0 | USB 3.2 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | full HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Nikon D810 | Sony A7S III |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL15 | Sony NP-FZ100 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 1200 shots per charge | 600 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
146 x 123 x 82 mm (5.7 x 4.8 x 3.2 in) |
127 x 97 x 81 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 3.2 in) |
Camera Weight | 980 g (34.6 oz) | 699 g (24.7 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.