Nikon
D850 2017
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
£2399
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
D850 vs Z7 II
Quick take: The D850 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.
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.
Z7 II — Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution: The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
is the right camera for you if…
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | D850Nikon · 2017 | Z7 IINikon · 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,399 | £2,299Best |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronicBest |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstandingBest | ~420 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g (body only) | 615g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
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
D850
Z7 II
Portrait
6.8/10
7.9/10
Street
4.9/10
6.0/10
Travel
5.0/10
5.8/10
Wedding & Events
7.2/10
7.5/10
Filmmaking
5.6/10
6.6/10
Documentary
5.8/10
6.9/10
Sports & Action
6.5/10
7.2/10
Landscape
6.7/10
6.8/10
Wildlife
6.4/10
7.4/10
Casual
3.6/10
4.8/10
Food
5.8/10
7.0/10
Macro
5.5/10
6.8/10
Architecture
6.4/10
6.8/10
Astrophotography
6.3/10
6.0/10
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 →
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