D850vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
OM System
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
Starting from £699 new
Best for Travel & lightweight outdoor photography
View Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
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.
Travel & Lightweight Outdoor Photography — Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019): The lightest weather-sealed MFT camera — compact, travel-friendly, and capable with 7.5-stop IBIS in a body that fits in a jacket pocket.
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
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
- Travel photographers who want a compact, weather-sealed MFT body
- Outdoor photographers upgrading from the E-M10 who want better sealing
- Enthusiasts who want strong IBIS in a lightweight, portable system
- Photographers who want a capable travel camera that won't weigh them down
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £699 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | 390 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 414g body only |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| 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 | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history