D850vs Nikon Zfc
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
Nikon
Nikon Zfc (2021)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Lifestyle, street & casual shooters
View Nikon Zfc
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.
Lifestyle, Street & Casual Shooters — Nikon Zfc (2021): Nikon's most beautiful camera — FM2-inspired dials and styling wrapped around a capable modern sensor with Z-mount access.
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
Nikon Zfc (2021)
- Photographers who want APS-C Z quality in a retro film-camera aesthetic
- Beginners and enthusiasts attracted to tactile dial controls
- Street and travel photographers who want a compact, stylish Z body
- Anyone who wants the Nikon Z system entry point with a distinctive look
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the nikon zfc is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | Nikon Zfc (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with subject detection |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | None (lens-based only) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | 300 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 445g body only |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 134.5 × 93.5 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | 0.39" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Single UHS-I SD |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | Nikon Zfc |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history