G85vs D850
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Video — G85 (2016): The G85 is the definitive enthusiast MFT package — combining 4K/30p, Dual I.S. 2 stabilisation, and weather sealing in an affordable, well-built body. It lacks phase-detect AF (contrast-detect only) but covers travel, landscape, and casual video effectively. One of the best-value used-market MFT cameras available — a practical, capable companion for photographers who want reliability over cutting-edge specs.
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
G85 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want weather sealing on a budget
- Vloggers and hybrid shooters
- MFT system users stepping up from entry-level
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 g85 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | G85 (2016) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 426g (body only) | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 128.4 × 89.2 × 74.3mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon F-mount (FX) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | G85 | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history