Nikon D4 has a
16.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor. On the other hand, Sony A99 has a
24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor.
Sony A99's sensor provides 8MP more than Nikon D4'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.
Below you can see the D4 and A99 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D4 and Sony A99 Cameras
Nikon D4 and Sony A99 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Nikon D4
89
24.7 bits
13.1 Evs
2965 ISO
Sony A99
89
25.0 bits
14.0 Evs
1555 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Nikon D4
or the
Sony A99 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
