A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Sony A7 III vs Nikon D850

The Sony Alpha A7 III and the Nikon D850 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2018 and July 2017. The A7 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D850 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 45.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Sony A7 III
versus
Nikon D850
Sony A7 III   Nikon D850
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor 45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800) ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots 3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second 9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
610 shots per battery charge1840 shots per battery charge
127 x 96 x 74 mm, 650 g 146 x 124 x 79 mm, 1005 g
logo
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com
logo
Check D850 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A7 III and the Nikon D850? 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.

ad

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Sony A7 III and the Nikon D850 are illustrated 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.

Size Sony A7 III vs Nikon D850
Compare A7 III versus D850 top
Comparison A7 III or D850 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D850 is considerably larger (48 percent) than the Sony A7 III. Moreover, the D850 is substantially heavier (55 percent) than the A7 III. 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 Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 III) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D850). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A7 III, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the A7 III gets 610 shots out of its Sony NP-FZ100 battery, while the D850 can take 1840 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15a power pack. The power pack in the A7 III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

scroll hint
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.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
2.
 
Nikon D850 146 mm 124 mm 79 mm 1005 g 1840 Y Jul 2017 3,299 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5DS R 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 6D Mark II 144 mm 111 mm 75 mm 765 g 1200 Y Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D5 160 mm 159 mm 92 mm 1415 g 3780 Y Jan 2016 6,499ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D810 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 980 g 1200 Y Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon Z6 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7 IV 131 mm 96 mm 80 mm 659 g 580 Y Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7C 124 mm 71 mm 60 mm 509 g 740 Y Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IV 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the D850, 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 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 D850 is 1 percent bigger. 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.

Sony A7 III and Nikon D850 sensor measures

With 45.4MP, the D850 offers a higher resolution than the A7 III (24MP), but the D850 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 5.94μm for the A7 III). It is noteworthy in this context that the A7 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the D850, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D850 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.3 x 27.5 inches or 104.9 x 69.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33 x 22 inches or 83.9 x 55.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.5 x 18.3 inches or 69.9 x 46.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7 III are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A7 III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D850 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

A7 III versus D850 MP

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 consideration, the D850 has a markedly higher DXO score than the A7 III (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.4 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

scroll hint
Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
2.
 
Nikon D850 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/30p26.414.82660100
3.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
4.
 
Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.4230886
5.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
6.
 
Nikon D5 Full Frame 20.7 5588 37124K/30p25.112.3234388
7.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
8.
 
Nikon D810 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.714.8285397
9.
 
Nikon Z6 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
10.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
11.
 
Sony A7 IV Full Frame 32.7 7008 46724K/60p25.414.7337997
12.
 
Sony A7C Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7340795
13.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
15.
 
Sony A7R IV Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499
16.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
17.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

ad

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7 III has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the D850 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 A7 III has a higher magnification than the one of the D850 (0.78x vs 0.75x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A7 III, the Nikon D850, and comparable cameras.

scroll hint
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.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
2.
 
Nikon D850optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
4.
 
Canon 5DS Roptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
5.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.5/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D5optical Y3.2 / 2359 fixed Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
7.
 
Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D810optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A7 IV3686 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony A7C2360 n3.0 / 922 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R IV5760 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 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 feature that differentiates the A7 III and the D850 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A7 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the D850 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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 A7 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 Sony A7 III and the Nikon D850 both have 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 A7 III writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the D850 uses SDXC or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s (the second slot of the A7 III supports only UHS-I, though).

ad

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 Sony Alpha A7 III and Nikon D850 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
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.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
2.
 
Nikon D850Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
3.
 
Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
4.
 
Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
5.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
6.
 
Nikon D5Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0---
7.
 
Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D810Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0Y--
9.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
10.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony A7 IVYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
12.
 
Sony A7CYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
13.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
15.
 
Sony A7R IVYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
16.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
17.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D850 (unlike the A7 III) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A7 III and the D850 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The D850 replaced the earlier Nikon D810, while the A7 III followed on from the Sony A7 II. Further information on the features and operation of the A7 III and D850 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D850 Manual.

ad

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A7 III and the Nikon D850? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

ilogo

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A7 III:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
  • 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 (0.78x vs 0.75x).
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 146x124mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 355g or 35 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the D850).

ilogo

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D850:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 38%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.4 bits more color depth).
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 922k dots).
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1840 versus 610) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7 III emerges as the winner of the contest (13 : 11 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

A7 III 13:11 D850

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7 III and the Nikon D850 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the A7 III and the D850 in practical situations. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

scroll hint
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.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
2.
 
Nikon D8504.5/5+ +5/589/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2017 3,299 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5DS R5/5+..83/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 6D Mark II4/5+4/580/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D5....4/589/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 6,499ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D8105/5..5/586/1005/54.5/5 Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7 IV5/5+ +4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7C3.5/5..3.5/586/1004/54/5 Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IV5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

logo
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com
logo
Check D850 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~
    loader
    ad

    Specifications: Sony A7 III vs Nikon D850

    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 Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2018 July 2017
    Launch Price USD 1,999 USD 3,299
    Sensor Specs Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.6 x 23.8 mm 35.9 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 847.28 mm2 858.01 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 42.8 mm 43.1 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 45.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 8256 x 5504 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.94 μm 4.35 μm
    Pixel Density 2.83 MP/cm2 5.30 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 64 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 204,800 ISO 32 - 102,400 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X EXPEED 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 96 100
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.0 26.4
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.7 14.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 3730 2660
    Screen Specs Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.75x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s 9 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations200 000 actuations
    Electronic ShutterYESno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards SDXC or XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support Single UHS-II UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.1 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Sony A7 III Nikon D850
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FZ100 Nikon EN-EL15a
    Battery Life (CIPA)610 shots per charge1840 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in)
    146 x 124 x 79 mm
    (5.7 x 4.9 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 650 g (22.9 oz) 1005 g (35.5 oz)
    logo
    Check A7 III price at
    amazon.com
    logo
    Check D850 price at
    amazon.com

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Sony A7 III vs Nikon D850