D850vs A7S III
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S 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.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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 III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the d850 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 915g body only | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Video | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history