D850vs Nikon Zf

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon D850 Nikon D850 (2017) Starting from £2199 new Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography View D850
VS
Nikon Nikon Zf Nikon Nikon Zf (2023) Starting from £1699 new Best for Street & travel photography View Nikon Zf

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.

Street & Travel Photography — Nikon Zf (2023): Full-frame performance in a stunning retro body — the Zf's 8-stop IBIS and gorgeous design make it uniquely compelling.

↓ Full specifications below

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

Nikon Zf (2023)

  • Photographers who want full-frame Z quality in a retro-styled body
  • Street and travel photographers attracted to the classic dial aesthetic
  • Zfc owners who want to step up to full-frame without losing the retro design
  • Anyone who wants the best-looking full-frame mirrorless available

Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the nikon zf is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification D850 (2017)Nikon Zf (2023)
Price £2,199 £1,699
Sensor 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS
Resolution 45.7MP 24.5MP
Video 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p 4K/30p oversampled, FHD/120p, N-Log, 10-bit
Autofocus 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K Phase-detect 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle)
Stabilisation None (relies on VR lenses) 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops
Burst Rate 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
Battery Life ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding ~380 shots (CIPA)
Weight 915g body only 710g with battery
Dimensions 146 × 124 × 78.5mm 144.0 × 103.0 × 49.0mm
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" vari-angle touchscreen
Mount Nikon F mount Nikon Z-mount (full-frame)
Memory Cards Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II Single SD UHS-II slot
Connectivity USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Genre D850Nikon Zf
Landscape
9.0
9.0
Wildlife
9.0
Portrait
9.0
9.0
Sports
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
7.0
Travel
7.0
9.0
Street
9.0
Sports & Action
4.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side D850 prices → Nikon Zf prices →

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