X-E3vs D850
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street & Travel — X-E3 (2017): The X-E3 is the lightest Fujifilm interchangeable-lens camera with the 24.3MP X-Trans III sensor. Its slim, compact body appeals to street photographers who find the X-T line too bulky. The touchscreen joystick and Bluetooth connection are welcome additions. 4K is technically available but limited to 15fps — this is a stills-first camera. An excellent compact travel camera at used-market prices.
Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography — D850 (2017): The finest DSLR ever made — 45MP, 9fps, and nearly 2000 shots per charge in a body that still outperforms most mirrorless cameras for battery life.
Who should buy what
X-E3 (2017)
- Street photographers who want Fujifilm colours
- Travel photographers prioritising size
- Minimalist camera users
D850 (2017)
- Nikon F-mount lens owners who want the highest resolution DSLR before switching to mirrorless
- Landscape and wildlife photographers who value the optical viewfinder and outstanding battery life
- Professional photographers who need 45MP resolution without the price of a medium format system
- Photojournalists and event photographers with a large F-mount lens investment
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the x-e3 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | X-E3 (2017) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/15p, 1080p/60p | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF, face detection | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | None | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 8fps (electronic shutter up to 14fps) | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 337g (body only) | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 121.3 × 73.9 × 42.7mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.62× magnification | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen (fixed), 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Fujifilm X-mount | Nikon F-mount (FX) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | X-E3 | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with X-E3
Camera family history