Sony A7R III vs Nikon D850

Camera to replace

Change

Sony A7R III

42 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Change

Nikon D850

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

Sony A7R III vs Nikon D850 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7R III, which was introduced in October 2017 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 42.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Nikon D850, which was introduced in August 2017 is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 46.0MP 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. Sony A7R III is ranked #6 out of 39 Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 95 whereas Nikon D850 is ranked #1 out of 90 Semi-Pro DSLR cameras with an overall score of 94.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony A7R III and Nikon D850 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7R III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2017-10-25

42MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter

ISO 100 - 32000 ( expands to 50-102400)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

3686k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

657g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha 7R II 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

3.2" 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

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Nikon D850

Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	All the lenses are stabilized
Max ISO	32.000 vs 25.600	25% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	425 vs 153	272 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 7.0fps	3 fps faster
Weight	657 g vs 1015 g	358 g lighter
Low Light ISO	3523 vs 2660	better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area	20.43µm² vs 18.88µm²	8% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Nikon D850 over Sony Alpha A7R III

Max Sensor Resolution	46 MP vs 42 MP	9% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3.2" vs 3″	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	2.359k dots vs 1.440k dots	63% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	1840 shots vs 650 shots	1190 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs With optional app	creative shooting
Color Depth	26.4 vs 26.0	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	14.8 vs 14.7	higher dynamic range
Top LCD	Yes vs No	Help viewing and changing settings easily
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Illuminated Buttons	Yes vs No	Find the buttons easily in dark
8K Timelapse mode	Yes vs No	Create 8K resolution timelapse videos
Autofocus at f/8 aperture	15 point vs 0 point	Autofocus with teleconverters

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Nikon D850

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 (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	42 MP vs 46 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size	3″ vs 3.2"	Large display
LCD Screen Resolution	1.440k dots vs 2.359k dots	Higher resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps 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
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs Yes	Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection	Yes vs Yes	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
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 Sony Alpha A7R III and Nikon D850

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Sony A7R III vs Nikon D850: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7R III and Nikon D850. Sony A7R III is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 19mm narrower, 28mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Nikon D850.

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7R III and Nikon D850.

Sony A7R III vs Nikon D850 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7R III is significantly lighter (358g ) 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 both Sony A7R III and Nikon D850 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

A7R III

D850

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A7R III

D850

Min

Average

Max

Sony A7R III vs Nikon D850: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7R III has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X 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.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Nikon D850 and Sony A7R III 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 A7R III and D850 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III and Nikon D850 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 Sony A7R III and Nikon D850 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III 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.

Sony A7R III for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
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

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Street Photography

GOOD

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

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
425 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
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
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
657g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

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

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D850 for Landscape Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
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

Nikon D850 vs Sony A7R III 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 Sony A7R III There are 302 lenses for Nikon D850's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 102 lenses for Sony A7R III's Sony E lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A7R III 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 Sony A7R III Lenses	# of Nikon D850 Lenses
Standard Zoom	9 (7 Full Frame)	33
Standard Prime	17 (8 Full Frame)	20
Wideangle Zoom	5 (4 Full Frame)	32
Wideangle Prime	32 (17 Full Frame)	46
Telephoto Zoom	6 (5 Full Frame)	51
Telephoto Prime	13 (9 Full Frame)	42
SuperZoom	8 (1 Full Frame)	30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	2 (0 Full Frame)	8
Macro Prime	7 (6 Full Frame)	25
Perspective Control Prime	2 (2 Full Frame)	11
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	1
TOTAL	102 (59 Full Frame)	302

Sony A7R III 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 Sony A7R III and Nikon D850, 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 Sony A7R III and Nikon D850 scores compare:

Sony A7R III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #3 out of 64 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #5 out of 1175 in all Cameras

Nikon D850

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #2 out of 93 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #6 out of 1175 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III scores higher than the Nikon D850 thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Nikon D850 has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Nikon D850 is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Sony A7R III.

Sony A7R III

Nikon D850

Nikon D850 vs Sony A7R III Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha A7R III	Nikon D850
Brand	Sony	Nikon
Announced	2017-10-25	2017-08-24
Body Type	SLR-style mirrorless	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	35.9 x 24 mm	35.9 x 23.9 mm
Area	861.60mm²	858.01mm²
Megapixels	42 megapixels	46 megapixels
Max Resolution	7952 x 5304	8256 x 5504
Max Native Light sensitivity	32,000 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	102400 ISO	102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	64 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	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	425	153
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E	Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses	102	302
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3″	3.2"
Resolution	1,440k dots	2,359k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	3,686k dots	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.78	0.75
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
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	7.0 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, AVCHD, XAVC S	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	657g	1015g
Dimensions	127 x 96 x 74mm	146 x 124 x 79mm
Battery Life	650 shots	1840 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording	With Downloadable App
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	100	100
DxO Color Depth	26.0	26.4
DxO Dynamic Range	14.7	14.8
DxO Low Light ISO	3523	2660
	Report a correction	Report a correction