Nikon D850 vs Sony a1 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon D850 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | July 2017 | January 2021 |
| Camera Type | DSLR | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 5 | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 50.1 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 8256×5504 | 8640×5760 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.35µ | 4.16µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 64 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 32-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 7 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 7 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | Up to 9 FPS with MB-D18 grip | Compressed raw at 30 FPS (uncompressed and lossless compressed raw at 20 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 200 frames (7 FPS) | 155 frames (30 FPS), 238 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Phase Detect | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 153 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -4 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/400 |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | No | Yes, externally |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 30 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.36 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism / OVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.75x | 0.90x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | 9.44 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Micro B 3.0 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15a | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 1840 frames | 430 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | N/A1 | 530 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 1005 g (2.22 lbs.) | 737 g (1.62 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 146 x 124 x 79 mm (5.7 x 4.9 x 3.1″) | 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $3000 (Check Current Price) | $6500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices (Affiliate) | Nikon D850 Used Prices | Sony a1 Used Prices |
| 1Not specified by Nikon | ||
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
Photography Life is part of the B&H and KEH affiliate programs. When you make a purchase through the affiliate links in this article, we can be compensated with a percentage of each sale. If you found this comparison useful, buying anything through these links allows you to support Photography Life at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our efforts!