D850vs A7C II
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.
Full-Frame Hybrid — A7C II (2023): Full-frame AI autofocus in the most compact body available — the best camera under £1,500 for hybrid shooters.
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
A7C II (2023)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact body
- Hybrid shooters who need full-frame video and IBIS in a small package
- A7C owners looking for a significant AF and video upgrade
- Portrait and wedding photographers who want a discreet full-frame backup
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7c ii is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | A7C II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £1,499 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 33MP Full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/60p oversampled, S-Log3, 10-bit internal |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS, 7.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 514g body only |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual slots: SD UHS-II + CFexpress Type A |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C (3.2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | A7C II |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history