D850vs A7S II
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S II
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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7s ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history