Sony A77 II vs Nikon D850
The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II and the Nikon D850 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2014 and July 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (A77 II) and a full frame (D850) 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II 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.
Body comparison
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A77 II and the Nikon D850 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 size 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 Nikon D850 is notably larger (22 percent) than the Sony A77 II. Moreover, the D850 is substantially heavier (55 percent) than the A77 II. 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. 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.
Concerning battery life, the A77 II gets 480 shots out of its Sony NP-FM500H battery, while the D850 can take 1840 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15a power pack.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.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 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5DS R | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D5 | 160 mm | 159 mm | 92 mm | 1415 g | 3780 | Y | Jan 2016 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D7200 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 1110 | Y | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D810 | 146 mm | 123 mm | 82 mm | 980 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2014 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7100 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 950 | Y | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
10. | Pentax K-3 II | 131 mm | 100 mm | 77 mm | 800 g | 720 | Y | Apr 2015 | 1,099 | ebay.com | |
11. | Pentax K-3 | 131 mm | 100 mm | 77 mm | 800 g | 560 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 69 mm | 503 g | 810 | Y | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6500 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 53 mm | 453 g | 350 | Y | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 610 g | 540 | n | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 599 g | 350 | Y | Nov 2014 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A58 | 129 mm | 95 mm | 78 mm | 492 g | 690 | n | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A77 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 64 percent) than the D850, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A77 II features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D850 is 134 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
With 45.4MP, the D850 offers a higher resolution than the A77 II (24MP), but the D850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 3.91μm for the A77 II) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the D850 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 2 months) than the A77 II, and its sensor will 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 A77 II 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200. 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.
In terms of underlying technology, the A77 II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D850 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.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 offers substantially better image quality than the A77 II (overall score 18 points higher). The advantage is based on 2 bits higher color depth, 1.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.4 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.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
2. | Nikon D850 | Full Frame | 45.4 | 8256 | 5504 | 4K/30p | 26.4 | 14.8 | 2660 | 100 | |
3. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
4. | Canon 5DS R | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.6 | 12.4 | 2308 | 86 | |
5. | Nikon D5 | Full Frame | 20.7 | 5588 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 25.1 | 12.3 | 2343 | 88 | |
6. | Nikon D7200 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.5 | 14.6 | 1333 | 87 | |
7. | Nikon D810 | Full Frame | 36.2 | 7360 | 4912 | 1080/60p | 25.7 | 14.8 | 2853 | 97 | |
8. | Nikon D7100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.2 | 13.7 | 1256 | 83 | |
9. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
10. | Pentax K-3 II | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 23.6 | 13.6 | 1106 | 80 | |
11. | Pentax K-3 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 23.7 | 13.4 | 1216 | 80 | |
12. | Sony A6600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 23.8 | 13.4 | 1497 | 82 | |
13. | Sony A6500 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.5 | 13.7 | 1405 | 85 | |
14. | Sony A68 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.5 | 701 | 79 | |
15. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
16. | Sony A58 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.3 | 12.5 | 753 | 74 | |
17. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the D850 provides a better video resolution than the A77 II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A77 II 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 D850 has a higher magnification than the one of the A77 II (0.75x vs 0.73x), 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 Sony A77 II and Nikon D850 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. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon D850 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon 5DS | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 5DS R | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Nikon D5 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Nikon D7200 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D810 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D7100 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Pentax K-3 II | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1037 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.3/s | n | Y | |
11. | Pentax K-3 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1037 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.3/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A6500 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A68 | 1440 | Y | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1230 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A58 | 1440 | n | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/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 A77 II has one, while the D850 does not. While the built-in flash of the A77 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The A77 II 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 D850 does not have a selfie-screen.The Nikon D850 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 A77 II writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the D850 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A77 II only has one slot. The D850 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A77 II can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).
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 SLT-A77 II and Nikon D850 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. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
2. | Nikon D850 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 5DS | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 5DS R | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D7200 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Nikon D810 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D7100 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Pentax K-3 II | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Pentax K-3 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Sony A6600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A6500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Sony A68 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony A7 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A58 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the D850 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The A77 II lacks such a headphone port.
Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.
The D850 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the A77 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A77 II from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A77 II and D850 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A77 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D850 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A77 II and the Nikon D850? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More compact: Is smaller (143x104mm vs 146x124mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 358g or 36 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (64 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2014).
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 substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.4 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.4 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.75x vs 0.73x).
- 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 1229k dots).
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1840 versus 480) out of a single battery charge.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A77 II launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D850 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Sony A77 II and the Nikon D850 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A77 II or the D850 perform in practice. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon D850 | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2017 | 3,299 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5DS R | 5/5 | + | .. | 83/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D5 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D7200 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D810 | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 86/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2014 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
10. | Pentax K-3 II | 4.5/5 | .. | .. | .. | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2015 | 1,099 | ebay.com | |
11. | Pentax K-3 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 83/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6500 | 5/5 | + + | 3.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 II | 5/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2014 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A58 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
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 your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 30D vs Sony A77 II
- Canon 6D Mark II vs Nikon D850
- Canon SX520 vs Nikon D850
- Canon T6i vs Sony A77 II
- Fujifilm X-E2S vs Nikon D850
- Leica V-LUX 1 vs Sony A77 II
- Nikon B700 vs Nikon D850
- Nikon D1X vs Sony A77 II
- Nikon D850 vs Olympus E-P3
- Nikon D850 vs Sony A9
- Nikon Z7 vs Sony A77 II
- Panasonic S1 vs Sony A77 II
Specifications: Sony A77 II 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 Model | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Sony A mount lenses | Nikon F mount lenses |
Launch Date | May 2014 | July 2017 |
Launch Price | USD 1,199 | USD 3,299 |
Sensor Specs | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 35.9 x 23.9 mm |
Sensor Area | 366.6 mm2 | 858.01 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.2 mm | 43.1 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | 45.4 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 8256 x 5504 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.91 μm | 4.35 μm |
Pixel Density | 6.55 MP/cm2 | 5.30 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25,600 ISO | 64 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 51,200 ISO | 32 - 102,400 ISO |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | EXPEED 5 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 82 | 100 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.4 | 26.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.4 | 14.8 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1013 | 2660 |
Screen Specs | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.73x | 0.75x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 1229k dots | 2359k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fully flexible screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 12 shutter flaps/s | 9 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | 200 000 actuations |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | SDXC or XQD cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Sony A77 II | Nikon D850 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FM500H | Nikon EN-EL15a |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 480 shots per charge | 1840 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
143 x 104 x 81 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in) |
146 x 124 x 79 mm (5.7 x 4.9 x 3.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 647 g (22.8 oz) | 1005 g (35.5 oz) |
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