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Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Comparison

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Canon 90D

33 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 90D
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Nikon D850

46 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon D850
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Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 90D and D850, two Advanced DSLR cameras from Canon and Nikon. Canon 90D was introduced to market in August 2019 and Nikon D850 was launched in August 2017. As you can see, D850 is 2 years older than 90D. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

We can expect this to be a close match up because both models are ranked amongst the best in Advanced DSLR cameras. Out of 93 cameras in this class, Canon 90D is ranked #7 with an overall score of 80 and Nikon D850 is ranked #1 with an overall score of 87.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 90D and Nikon D850 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 90D Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-08-28
  • 33MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 51200)
  • Canon EF/EF-S Mount
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 11.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 701g. 141 x 105 x 77 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 80D Compare

Nikon D850 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-08-24
  • 46MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 64 - 25600 ( expands to 32 - 102400)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.20" Tilting Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 1015g. 146 x 124 x 79 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D810 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 90D and Nikon D850 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Canon EOS 90D over Nikon D850
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Continuous Shooting
11.0fps vs 7.0fps 4 fps faster
Weight
701 g vs 1015 g 314 g lighter
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
27 point vs 15 point Autofocus with teleconverters
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
CHECK 90D PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon D850 over Canon EOS 90D
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.75x vs 0.6x Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution
46 MP vs 33 MP 39% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
153 vs 45 108 more focus points
Number of Cross Type Focus Points
99 vs 45 54 more cross type focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
2.359k dots vs 1.040k dots 126% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
1840 shots vs 1300 shots 540 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
18.88µm2 vs 10.29µm2 83% larger pixel area
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Illuminated Buttons
Yes vs No Find the buttons easily in dark
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
8K Timelapse mode
Yes vs No Create 8K resolution timelapse videos
CHECK D850 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 90D and Nikon D850
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Adjustable LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
33 MP vs 46 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size
3.20" vs 3.20" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 2.359k dots High resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
11.0fps vs 7.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Shutter Life Expectancy
200000 cycles vs 200000 cycles High Shutter Rating
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs UHS-II Read/Write in High Speeds
Anti_flicker
Yes vs Yes Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 90D and Nikon D850
In-body Image Stabilization
Digital only vs No No Built-in stabilization
Canon 90D vs Nikon D850: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 90D and Nikon D850 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 90D has external dimensions of 141 x 105 x 77 mm (5.55 x 4.13 x 3.03″) and weighs 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D850 has external dimensions of 146 x 124 x 79 mm (5.75 x 4.88 x 3.11″) and weighs 1015 g (2.24 lb / 35.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 90D and Nikon D850. Canon 90D is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 5mm narrower, 19mm shorter and 2mm thinner than Nikon D850.

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon 90D and Nikon D850 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon 90D and Nikon D850.

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon 90D and Nikon D850 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 90D and Nikon D850.
Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon 90D and Nikon D850 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 90D is significantly lighter (314g ) than the Nikon D850 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Nikon D850 has a Full frame sensor and Canon 90D has a smaller APS-C sensor, Canon 90D's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Nikon D850 lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

90D
D850
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

90D
D850
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both 90D and D850 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D850's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon 90D's 3 screen.

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850: Sensor Comparison

Canon 90D has a 33.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 8 processor. On the other hand, Nikon D850 has a 46.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed 5 processor.

Nikon D850's sensor provides 13MP more than Canon 90D's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D850's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the 90D and D850 sensor size comparison.

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 90D and Nikon D850 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D850 has a 2.6x Larger sensor area than Canon 90D. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 90D has an advantage over Nikon D850. There are 333 lenses for Canon 90D's Canon EF/EF-S mount, on the other hand there are only 316 lenses for Nikon D850's Nikon F lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 113 lenses for Canon EF/EF-S mount and 107 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Canon 90D Lenses # of Nikon D850 Lenses
Standard Zoom 40 33 (17 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 21 22 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 37 33 (17 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 51 50 (48 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 59 54 (44 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 44 46 (45 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 28 30 (6 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 7 8 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 28 26 (23 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 16 11 (11 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1 (0 Full Frame)
TOTAL 333 316 (233 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon 90D and Nikon D850 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM
27.2 - 88mm 645gr 1346gr 111mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR Lens Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR
24 - 70mm 1070gr 2085gr 155mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
80 - 240mm 1350gr 2051gr 198mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR Lens Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR
70 - 200mm 1430gr 2445gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Lens Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM
48mm 435gr 1136gr 63mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 50mm f1.4G Lens Nikon 50mm f1.4G
50mm 290gr 1305gr 54mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM Lens Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
16 - 32mm 520gr 1221gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF Lens Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF
17 - 35mm 745gr 1760gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM
24 - 136mm 575gr 1276gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR Lens Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR
24 - 120mm 710gr 1725gr 104mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM
100 - 400mm 1590gr 2291gr 193mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2945gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Canon 90D and Nikon D850 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 90D and Nikon D850 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 90D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D850 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 33.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 46.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 90D for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D850 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 90D for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
45 Cross Type Focus sensors
45 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1300 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
99 Cross Type Focus sensors
153 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1840 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 90D for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D850 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
701g
Body Thickness 77mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Large Body
1015g
Body Thickness 79mm
Read the details

Canon 90D for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D850 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 33.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 46.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 90D vs Nikon D850: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 90D and Nikon D850, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 90D and Nikon D850 scores compare:

Canon 90D
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #57 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Nikon D850
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #1 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #28 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Nikon D850 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 90D in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon 90D. Otherwise, Nikon D850 is the better camera overall.

Canon 90D
Canon 90D
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Nikon D850
Nikon D850
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Nikon D850 vs Canon 90D Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS 90D Nikon D850
Brand Canon Nikon
Announced 2019-08-28 2017-08-24
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 35.9 x 23.9 mm
Area 332.27mm2 858.01mm2
Megapixels 33 megapixels 46 megapixels
Max Resolution 6960 x 4640 8256 x 5504
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 51200 ISO 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 64 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 32 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 45 153
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF/EF-S Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 333 316
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.20"
Resolution 1,040k dots 2,359k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.6x 0.75x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps 7.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 701g 1015g
Dimensions 141 x 105 x 77mm 146 x 124 x 79mm
Battery Life 1300 shots 1840 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 100
DxO Color Depth not tested 26.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.8
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2660
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