D850vs Z6 III
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.
Hybrid Video & Action — Z6 III (2024): Partial-stacked FF sensor for near-zero blackout, 6K RAW video, and 60fps burst — Nikon's most capable hybrid.
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
Z6 III (2024)
- Hybrid photographers who want partially-stacked sensor speed with full-frame quality
- Z6 II owners ready for a major AF and video upgrade
- Sports and action shooters who want 6K RAW video and fast burst
- Professionals who want a versatile full-frame Z body for any situation
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | Z6 III (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 24.5MP Full-frame Partial-stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 6K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, 4K/60p oversampled, N-Log, 10-bit |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle/aircraft) |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS, 6.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 20fps mechanical, 60fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~380 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 760g body only |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 138.5 × 101.5 × 74.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.90× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual slots: CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | Z6 III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history