D850vs RX100 VI
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
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 & Vlogging — RX100 VI (2018): The RX100 VI trades fast apertures for a remarkable 24-200mm zoom range — giving it more versatility than any previous model. 4K/30p, 24fps burst, a pop-up EVF, and an articulating screen round out an exceptional compact package. Variable aperture limits low-light performance at the long end, but for travel and events where reach matters, there is no practical alternative at this size.
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
RX100 VI (2018)
- Travel photographers who need versatile reach in a pocketable body
- Vloggers and content creators who need 4K and an articulating screen
- Event photographers who want discreet, capable wide-to-tele coverage
- Wildlife and sports enthusiasts who want a compact travel option
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the rx100 vi is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | RX100 VI (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £700 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch BSI Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p, 960fps HFR |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Fast Hybrid AF, 315 phase-detect points, Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 24fps |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~240 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 301g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | Pop-up EVF, 2.35M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (FX) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Single SD / Memory Stick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | RX100 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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