Sony a5000 vs Nikon D810A
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a5000 and Nikon D810A. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a5000 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D810A is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a5000 were released 2014 and Nikon D810A was released 2015. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a5000 | 2014 |
Nikon D810A | 2015 |
Type of camera
Sony a5000 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D810A is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a5000 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D810A has a "Nikon FX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.
Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
Sony a5000 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
Nikon D810A | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
** 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 a5000 has a 20 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D810A has 36 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a5000 |
20 MP
19816192 pixels 5456 x 3632 |
Nikon D810A |
36 MP
36152320 pixels 7360 x 4912 |
Nikon D810A has a 82 % larger resolution than Sony a5000. 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
Sony a5000 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D810A. Sony a5000 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 16000 while Nikon D810A has 200 to 12800.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a5000 | 100-16000 |
Nikon D810A | 200-12800 |
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 a5000
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D810A
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a5000 can shoot up to 3,5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D810A can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a5000 | 3,5 |
Nikon D810A | 5 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a5000 and Nikon D810A 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 D810A weighs 880 gr (equal to 1.94 lb) which is 227% heavier than Sony a5000 and its 269 gr (or 0.59 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a5000 | 269 gr 0.59 lb |
Nikon D810A | 880 gr 1.94 lb |
Sony a5000 vs Nikon D810A Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a5000 and Nikon D810A, 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 a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Name | Sony a5000 | Nikon D810A |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Release Year | 2014 | 2015 |
Release Date | 2014-01-07 | 2015-02-10 |
MSRP | 599 USD | 3799 USD |
Buy it today |
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Camera Type |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
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 | CMOS |
Resolution | 5456 x 3632 pixels | 7360 x 4912 pixels |
Megapixels | 20 MP | 36 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED 4 |
Image |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
ISO Range | 100 - 16000 | 200 - 12800 |
White Balance Presets | 9 | 12 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization | No | No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW + TIFF |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 25 | 51 |
Lens Mount |
Sony E 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 a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3.2” |
Screen dots | 460 | 1229000 |
Touch screen | No | No |
Screen type | TFT LCD with 180 upward tilt | TFT-LCD (RGBW) |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | No Viewfinder | Optical (tunnel) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.7× | |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Frames per second | 3,5 fps | 5 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 | 4 meters | 12 meters |
External Flash | No | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | Yes | 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, 1 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 AVCHD |
MPEG4 H.264 |
Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | No | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | No | Yes |
Headphone Port | No | Yes |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11 b/g/n with NFC) |
Yes Optional via WT-5A or Eye-Fi ![]() |
Remote Control | Yes (via smartphone) | Yes |
GPS | No |
Yes Optional via GP-1 or GP-1A ![]() |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a5000 |
Nikon D810A |
Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and USB charger
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EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery & charger
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Battery Life (CIPA) | 420 shots | 1200 shots |
Width | 110 mm | 146 mm |
Height | 63 mm | 123 mm |
Depth | 36 mm | 82 mm |
Weight | 269 gram | 880 gram |