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Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A

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Nikon Z 7

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

Nikon Z 7
$3,396.95
or
BUY
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Nikon D810A

36 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D810A
$3,799.99
or
BUY
Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon Z 7, which was introduced in August 2018 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 46.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Nikon D810A, which was introduced in February 2015 is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 36.0MP 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 Z 7 is ranked #2 out of 38 Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 98 whereas Nikon D810A is ranked #8 out of 90 Semi-Pro DSLR cameras with an overall score of 87.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon Z 7 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-08-23
  • 46MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 64 - 25600
  • Nikon Z Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.2 Tilting Screen
  • 3690k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 675g. 134 x 101 x 68 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon D810A Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-10
  • 36MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800 ( expands to 100-51200)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2″ Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 880g. 146 x 123 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
Reasons to choose Nikon Z 7 over Nikon D810A
Wireless Connection Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift vs None All the lenses are stabilized
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution 46 MP vs 36 MP 27% more pixels
Max ISO 25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 493 vs 51 442 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution 2.100k dots vs 1.229k dots 70% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 9.0fps vs 5.0fps 4 fps faster
Weight 675 g vs 880 g 205 g lighter
Price $3,397 vs $3,800 $403 cheaper
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Reasons to choose Nikon D810A over Nikon Z 7
Built-in Flash Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Battery Life 1200 shots vs 330 shots 870 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area 23.83µm2 vs 18.88µm2 26% larger pixel area
Flash Sync Port Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture Center point vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-I vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Strengths of Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) 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 46 MP vs 36 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
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
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A
Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A. Nikon Z 7 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 22mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Nikon D810A.

Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A.
Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon Z 7 is significantly lighter (205g ) than the Nikon D810A 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 both Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A 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

DSLR Cameras

Z 7
D810A
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Z 7
D810A
Min
Average
Max
Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A: Sensor Comparison

Nikon Z 7 has a 46.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 6 processor. On the other hand, Nikon D810A has a 36.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features EXPEED 4 processor.

Nikon Z 7's sensor provides 10MP more than Nikon D810A'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 Z 7 and D810A sensor size comparison.

Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A Sensor Size Comparison


Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A 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 Z 7 and Nikon D810A Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon Z 7 and Nikon D810A 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 Z 7 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D810A for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 46.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon Z 7 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D810A for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon Z 7 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D810A for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
493 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon Z 7 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D810A for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
675g
Body Thickness 68mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
880g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Nikon Z 7 for Landscape Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D810A 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 (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details


Nikon D810A vs Nikon Z 7 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 D810A has an advantage over Nikon Z 7 There are 299 lenses for Nikon D810A's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 5 lenses for Nikon Z 7's Nikon Z lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Nikon Z 7 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 D810A 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 Z 7 Lenses # of Nikon D810A Lenses
Standard Zoom 2 (2 Full Frame) 33 (17 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 1 (1 Full Frame) 20 (17 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 1 (1 Full Frame) 32 (16 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 1 (1 Full Frame) 46 (44 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom n/a 51 (41 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime n/a 42 (41 Full Frame)
SuperZoom n/a 30 (6 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a 8 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime n/a 25 (22 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a 11 (11 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1 (0 Full Frame)
TOTAL 5 (5 Full Frame) 299 (218 Full Frame)
Nikon Z 7 vs Nikon D810A: 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 Z 7 and Nikon D810A, 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 Z 7 and Nikon D810A scores compare:

Nikon Z 7
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #1 out of 119 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #2 out of 1166 in all Cameras
Nikon D810A
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 93 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #21 out of 1166 in all Cameras

Nikon Z 7 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon D810A in all criterias. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon Z 7
Nikon Z 7
$3,396.95

Nikon D810A
Nikon D810A
$3,799.99

Nikon D810A vs Nikon Z 7 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Z 7 Nikon D810A
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2018-08-23 2015-02-10
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Price $3,396.95 $3,799.99
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.9 x 23.9 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 858.01mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 46 megapixels 36 megapixels
Max Resolution 8256 x 5504 7360 x 4912
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO 51200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 64 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 32 ISO 100 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 493 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon Z Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 5 299
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.2 3.2″
Resolution 2,100k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 3,690k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.8 0.7
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 675g 880g
Dimensions 134 x 101 x 68mm 146 x 123 x 82mm
Battery Life 330 shots 1200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
Report a correction Report a correction
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