Sony a37 vs Nikon D780

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a37 and Nikon D780. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a37 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D780 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a37 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D780 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 a37 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D780 has 25 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Nikon D780 has a 52 % larger resolution than Sony a37. 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 D780 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a37. Nikon D780 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony a37 has 100 to 25600.

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 a37
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D780

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a37 can shoot up to 5,5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D780 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a37 and Nikon D780 can shoot movies.

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 D780 weighs 840 gr (equal to 1.85 lb) which is 66% heavier than Sony a37 and its 506 gr (or 1.12 lb).

Sony a37 vs Nikon D780 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a37 and Nikon D780, 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 a37	Nikon D780
Name	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Release Year	2012	2020
Release Date	2012-05-17	2020-01-07
MSRP	599 USD	2299 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a37	Nikon D780
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	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Resolution	4912 x 3264 pixels	6048 x 4024 pixels
Megapixels	16 MP	25 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	EXPEED 6
Image	Sony a37	Nikon D780
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 51200
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 a37	Nikon D780
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	15	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 a37	Nikon D780
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Tilting
Screen size	2.6”	3.2”
Screen dots	230400	2359000
Touch screen	No	Yes
Screen type	N/A	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)	0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	0
Photography features	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Frames per second	5,5 fps	12 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	900 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	No
Built-in Flash Range	12 meters	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD	MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a37	Nikon D780
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.1)
Remote Control	Yes (Optional)	Yes (via wired, wireless or smartphone)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a37	Nikon D780
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Rechargeable NP-FW50 battery & charger	EN-EL15b lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	500 shots	2260 shots
Width	124 mm	144 mm
Height	92 mm	116 mm
Depth	85 mm	76 mm
Weight	506 gram	840 gram