D3S vs D850

Name: Nikon D3S
Brand: Nikon
Price: 268.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Quick take: The D850 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the D3S is the most affordable.

16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Nikon D3S 2009

£268 list price · used from £268 at Wex Photo Video

Used £268 at Wex Photo Video → Full specs & prices

Nikon D850 2017 Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography

£2399 new today at Wex Photo Video

£2399 at Wex Photo Video → Full specs & prices

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

D850 — Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography: 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

D850 (2017)

is the right camera for you if…

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

Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted

Specification	D3SNikon · 2009	D850Nikon · 2017
Price	£268Best	£2,399
Sensor	12.1MP full-frame CMOS	45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS
Resolution	12.1MP	45.7MPBest
Video	720p/24	4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view (tripod mode)	153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K
Stabilisation	No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only)	None (relies on VR lenses)
Burst Rate	9fps	9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF)
Battery Life	~4200 shots (CIPA)Best	~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding
Weight	1420g (with battery)	915g (body only)Best
Dimensions	159.5 × 157 × 87.5mm	146 × 124 × 78.5mm
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.7x	Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage
Screen	3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots	3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots
Mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon F mount
Memory Cards	Dual CompactFlash slots	Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II
Connectivity	USB 2.0, mini HDMI, 3.5mm mic jack, 10-pin remote	USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10

Genre

D3S

D850

Portrait

5.5/10

6.8/10

Street

3.7/10

4.9/10

Travel

3.8/10

5.0/10

Wedding & Events

6.5/10

7.2/10

Documentary

4.4/10

5.8/10

Sports & Action

6.2/10

6.5/10

Landscape

4.6/10

6.7/10

Wildlife

6.0/10

6.4/10

Casual

2.0/10

3.6/10

Food

3.5/10

5.8/10

Macro

3.1/10

5.5/10

Architecture

4.1/10

6.4/10

Astrophotography

6.6/10

6.3/10

Filmmaking

—

5.6/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

Open in the compare tool → D3S prices D850 prices

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