D850vs ZV-1 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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.
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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the zv-1 ii is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £649 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 915g body only | 292g |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | None |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
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