D850vs ZV-E1
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the zv-e1 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D850 (2017) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on VR lenses) | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 915g body only | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage | None — screen only |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D850 | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with D850
Camera family history