D850vs Z50
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
VS
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.
Who should buy what
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
Z50 (2019)
- Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
- First-time enthusiast camera buyers
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | Z50 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £499 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | None |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | 300 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 397g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-Mount (DX) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | Z50 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history