Lumix S9vs D850
Lumix
Lumix S9 (2024)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
View Lumix S9
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers — Lumix S9 (2024): The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
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
Lumix S9 (2024)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact package
- Content creators attracted to Real-time LUT and 10-bit video
- Photographers already in the L-mount ecosystem wanting a lightweight second body
- Lumix S5 II users who want something smaller for travel and casual shooting
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 lumix s9 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S9 (2024) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with subject recognition | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 413g (with battery) | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S9 | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | ||
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with Lumix S9
Camera family history