D850vs FX3
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
VS
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
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) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history