Nikon Z50 vs Sony a9 II Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z50 | Sony a9 II |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | October 2019 | October 2019 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 6 | BIONZ X (front-end LSI) |
| Resolution | 20.9 MP | 24.2 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 5568×3712 | 6000×4000 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 23.5 x 15.7 mm (APS-C) | 35.6 x 23.8 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.22µ | 5.93µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 51,200 | ISO 51,200 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 100-204,800 | ISO 50-204,800 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/4000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 11 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 11 FPS | 20 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | 12-bit raw at 11 FPS (14-bit raw is available at 9 FPS) | Compressed 12-bit raw at 20 FPS (uncompressed 14-bit raw is available at 12 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 35 frames (11 FPS) | 239 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 209 | 693 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -4 EV | -3 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/250 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | Yes |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 8 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 8 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 30 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0 | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-I) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | N/A | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 1.04 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 1.02x (0.67x FF equiv.) | 0.78x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2.36 million dots | 3.69 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | No | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type B 2.0 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL25 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 280 frames | 500 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 320 frames | 690 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 450 g (0.99 lbs.) | 678 g (1.49 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 127 x 94 x 75 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.9″)1 | 129 x 96 x 78 mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 3.1″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $860 (Check Current Price) | $4500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices (Affiliate) | Nikon Z50 Used Prices | Sony a9 II Used Prices |
| 1The Nikon Z50’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the typical standards today, 15mm were added to the Z50’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
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!
