Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1

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Nikon D850

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

$3,096.95

BUY

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Panasonic S1

24 MP | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

$2,497.99

BUY

Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D850, which was introduced in August 2017 is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 46.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Panasonic S1, which was introduced in February 2019 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting. Fortunately, you can't go wrong with any of these cameras as we rank them amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Nikon D850 is ranked #1 out of 90 Semi-Pro DSLR cameras with an overall score of 95 whereas Panasonic S1 is ranked #9 out of 38 Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 92.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

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

3.2" Tilting Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

7.0 fps continuous shooting

9 fps with MB-D18 battery grip

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

1015g. 146 x 124 x 79 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Nikon D810 Compare

Panasonic S1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2019-02-01

24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter

ISO 100 - 51200

Leica L Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.2 Tilting Screen

5760k dot Electronic viewfinder

9.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

899g. 149 x 110 x 97 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Reasons to choose Nikon D850 over Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Max Sensor Resolution	46 MP vs 24 MP	91% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution	2.359k dots vs 2.100k dots	12% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	1840 shots vs 380 shots	1460 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
AE Bracketing Range	±5 EV vs ±3 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
8K Timelapse mode	Yes vs No	Create 8K resolution timelapse videos
Autofocus at f/8 aperture	15 points vs none	Autofocus with teleconverters

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 over Nikon D850

Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	All the lenses are stabilized
Max ISO	51.200 vs 25.600	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	225 vs 153	72 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	9.0fps vs 7.0fps	2 fps faster
Weight	899 g vs 1015 g	116 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	35.30µm² vs 18.88µm²	86% larger pixel area
Price	$2,498 vs $3,097	$599 cheaper
Shutter Life Expectancy	400000 cycles vs 200000 cycles	Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism
Pixel Shift High Resolution Mode	Yes (96.0MP) vs No	Increased resolution with pixel shift
Min Focus Sensitivity	EV -6 vs EV -4	Autofocus in lower light

Common Strengths of Nikon D850 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection	Yes vs Yes	Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Articulating Screen	Yes vs Yes	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 (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	46 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size	3.2" vs 3.2	Large display
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
Top LCD Display	Yes vs Yes	Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs Yes	Connect off-camera flash
Shutter Life Expectancy	200000 cycles vs 400000 cycles	High Shutter Rating
Illuminated Buttons	Yes vs Yes	Find the buttons easily in dark
Storage Slot	2 vs 2	Extra Storage Slot
Smartphone Remote Control	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Support for UHS Memory Cards	UHS-II vs UHS-II	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Weaknesses of Nikon D850 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1. Nikon D850 is 3mm narrower and 18mm thinner than Panasonic S1 but it is also 14mm taller.

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1.

Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic S1 is 116g lighter than the Nikon D850 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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 both Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D850

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D850

Min

Average

Max

Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D850 has a 46.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed 5 processor. On the other hand, Panasonic S1 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Nikon D850's sensor provides 22MP more than Panasonic S1'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.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Panasonic S1 and Nikon D850 sensors lack anti-alias (Low-Pass) filters. 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 D850 and S1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 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.

Nikon D850 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic S1 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

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

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon D850 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic S1 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

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

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Nikon D850 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic S1 for Sports Photography

GOOD

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
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Nikon D850 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic S1 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1015g
Body Thickness 79mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
899g
Body Thickness 97mm
Read the details

Nikon D850 for Landscape Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic S1 for Landscape Photography

GOOD

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

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Panasonic S1 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 Nikon D850 has an advantage over Panasonic S1. There are 299 lenses for Nikon D850's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 9 lenses for Panasonic S1's Leica L lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Panasonic S1 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Nikon D850 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 88 lenses for Nikon F mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type	# of Nikon D850 Lenses	# of Panasonic S1 Lenses
Standard Zoom	33	1 (1 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	20	3 (3 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	32	1 (1 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	46	n/a
Telephoto Zoom	51	2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	42	1 (1 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	30	n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	8	n/a
Macro Prime	25	n/a
Perspective Control Prime	11	n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	n/a
TOTAL	299	9 (8 Full Frame)

Nikon D850 vs Panasonic S1: 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 Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 Nikon D850 and Panasonic S1 scores compare:

Nikon D850

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #2 out of 93 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #6 out of 1168 in all Cameras

Panasonic S1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #5 out of 60 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #11 out of 1168 in all Cameras

Nikon D850 scores higher than the Panasonic S1 in Overall. It has better image quality and better value than Panasonic S1. On the other hand, Panasonic S1 is more portable and has more features than Nikon D850.
If image quality is very important for you and you want to get the most bang for your bucks, choose the Nikon D850.
If you are looking for a small camera where you can take everywhere with you, and having more features are also important, Panasonic S1 is the right choice for you.

Nikon D850

$3,096.95

Panasonic S1

$2,497.99

Panasonic S1 vs Nikon D850 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon D850	Panasonic Lumix DC-S1
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2017-08-24	2019-02-01
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	SLR-style mirrorless
Price	$3,096.95	$2,497.99
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	35.9 x 23.9 mm	35.6 x 23.8 mm
Area	858.01mm²	847.28mm²
Megapixels	46 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	8256 x 5504	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	25,600 ISO	51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	102400 ISO	204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	64 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	32 ISO	50 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	153	225
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F	Leica L
Number of Available Lenses	299	9
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3.2"	3.2
Resolution	2,359k dots	2,100k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	5,760k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.75	0.78
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	no built-in flash	1/320s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	9.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4	MPEG-4, H.264, H.265
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	1015g	899g
Dimensions	146 x 124 x 79mm	149 x 110 x 97mm
Battery Life	1840 shots	380 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	100	not tested
DxO Color Depth	26.4	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	14.8	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	2660	not tested
	Report a correction	Report a correction