Sony a300 vs Nikon D800

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a300 and Nikon D800. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a300 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D800 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a300 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D800 has a "Nikon FX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a300 has a 10 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D800 has 36,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Nikon D800 has a 260 % larger resolution than Sony a300. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Nikon D800 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a300. Nikon D800 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Sony a300 has 100 to 3200.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a300
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D800

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a300 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Nikon D800 can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Nikon D800. Sadly, the Sony a300 does not support this.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D800 weighs 900 gr (equal to 1.98 lb) which is 42% heavier than Sony a300 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).

Sony a300 vs Nikon D800 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a300 and Nikon D800, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Name	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Release Year	2008	2012
Release Date	2008-01-30	2012-02-07
MSRP	799 USD	2999 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 23.9 mm) Also known as "FX"
Sensor Type	CCD	CMOS
Resolution	3872 x 2592 pixels	7360 x 4912 pixels
Megapixels	10 MP	36,3 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	EXPEED 3
Image	Sony a300	Nikon D800
ISO Range	100 - 3200	100 - 25600
White Balance Presets	6	12
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	51
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	FX (Full frame) No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	2.7”	3,2”
Screen dots	230000	921000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	TFT Color LCD with 170 degrees wide-viewing angle
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74× (0.49× 35mm equiv.)	0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Frames per second	3 fps	6 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	12 meters	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot Average
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Video recording	No	Yes
Video format	N/A	MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	N/A	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	No	Yes
Built-in Speakers	No	Yes
Storage	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Memory Card	Compact Flash	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Sony a300	Nikon D800
HDMI Output	No	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	No	Yes Optional with Nikon Wireless Transmitter for D800 (WT-4A)
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or wirelss (optional))	Yes (Optional, wired or wireless)
GPS	No	Yes Optional with GP-1
Body & Dimensions	Sony a300	Nikon D800
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FM500H	Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	730 shots	900 shots
Width	131 mm	146 mm
Height	99 mm	123 mm
Depth	75 mm	82 mm
Weight	632 gram	900 gram