Do you want to know what's better Sony Alpha a9 or Nikon D850? SpecsPRO has compared Sony Alpha a9 vs Nikon D850: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Sony Alpha a9 vs Nikon D850

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Image stabilization notes

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • Videography features

  • File Format

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Manual focus

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

  • USB charging

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • GPS

  • Timelapse recording

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Sony Alpha a9

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 20.0 fps

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 693

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 673 g (1.48 lb / 23.74 oz)

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D850
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D850

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 46 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 8256 x 5504

    SENSOR Sensor size: Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 47 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 64-25600 (expands to 32-102400)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (minimum): 32

    IMAGE White balance presets: 14

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 2,359,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Viewfinder type: Optical (pentaprism)

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 1840

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    2017

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    SLR-style mirrorless

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    24 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    6000 x 4000

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    BSI-CMOS

  • Processor

    BIONZ X

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2, 16:9

  • Sensor photo detectors

    28 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, ISO 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    204800

  • White balance presets

    10

  • Custom white balance

    Yes

  • Image stabilization

    Sensor-shift

  • Image stabilization notes

    5-axis

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Extra fine, fine, standard

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

    1/32000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port)

  • Flash modes

    Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction, Wireless, Hi-speed sync

  • Continuous drive

    20.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 secs + continuous)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Highlight-weighted
    • Average
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (3 frames, H/L selectable)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Tilting

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    1,440,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Electronic

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.78×

  • Viewfinder resolution

    3,686,400

  • Videography features

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Number of focus points

    693

  • Lens mount

    Sony E

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Manual focus

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    673 g (1.48 lb / 23.74 oz)

  • Dimensions

    127 x 96 x 63 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.48)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    NP-FZ100

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    650

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II compatible)

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (micro-HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth

  • Remote control

    Yes (Wired or wireless)

  • USB charging

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • GPS

    None

  • Timelapse recording

  • ————

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    2017

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    46 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    8256 x 5504

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)

  • Sensor type

    BSI-CMOS

  • Processor

    Expeed 5

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 5:4, 3:2, 16:9

  • Sensor photo detectors

    47 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 64-25600 (expands to 32-102400)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    32

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    102400

  • White balance presets

    14

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (6 slots)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Image stabilization notes

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW + TIFF

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, normal, basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port)

  • Flash modes

    Front-curtain sync (normal), Rear-curtain sync, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction with slow sync, Slow sync

  • Continuous drive

    9.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10, 20 secs)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Highlight-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±5 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2-9 exposures in 1, 2, or 3EV increments)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Tilting

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    2,359,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.75×

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • Videography features

  • File Format

    MPEG-4

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Number of focus points

    151

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    1005 g (2.22 lb / 35.45 oz)

  • Dimensions

    146 x 124 x 79 mm (5.75 x 4.88 x 3.11)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    EN-EL15a lithium-ion battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    1840

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II supported) + XQD

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    802.11b/g + NFC + Bluetooth 4.1 LE

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired, wireless, smartphone)

  • USB charging

    No

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • GPS

    None

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (4K movies or '8K' stills)

  • ————

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Nikon D850 highest resolution of 8256 x 5504 pixels (46 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Alpha a9 highest resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels (24 megapixels). The Nikon D850 has larger sensor than the Alpha a9: Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) versus Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm). It is the most important difference between these cameras as large sensor lets you to make pictures of the higher quality. The Nikon D850 has a wider ISO range of 64-25600 than 100-51200 ISO range of the Alpha a9. Such ISO range let the photographer to make good quality pictures in low light situations. The Nikon D850 provides more number of white balance presets - 14. This specification gives you more control over colour. The Alpha a9 offers more number of focus points than the Nikon D850: 693 vs 151. More number of focus points means more convenience when attempting to focus on objects which are not centred.

    The Nikon D850 display is better as it has more number of screen dots 2,359,000 in compare to 1,440,000 dots of the Alpha a9 screen. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing images on your camera.

    The Nikon D850 battery life is better in compare to the Alpha a9 battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards you will be able to make 1840 photos with the D850 and only 650 with the Alpha a9. The Sony Alpha a9 weighs 673g that is 332g lighter in comparison with the weight of the Nikon D850.

    The D850 has 10 advantages and the Alpha a9 only 3 so the D850 is the best choice. Check the lowest price on Amazon.