Sony a57 vs Nikon D700

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a57 and Nikon D700. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a57 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D700 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a57 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D700 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 a57 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D700 has 12,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a57 has a 33 % larger resolution than Nikon D700. 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 D700 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a57. Nikon D700 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 25600 while Sony a57 has 100 to 16000.

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 a57
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D700

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Nikon D700 can shoot up to 8 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a57. Unfortunately Nikon D700 does not support recording movies and movie clips.

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 D700 weighs 1074 gr (equal to 2.37 lb) which is 74% heavier than Sony a57 and its 618 gr (or 1.36 lb).

Sony a57 vs Nikon D700 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a57 and Nikon D700, 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 a57	Nikon D700
Name	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Release Year	2012	2008
Release Date	2012-03-13	2008-07-01
MSRP	699 USD	2999 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a57	Nikon D700
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	4912 x 3264 pixels	4256 x 2832 pixels
Megapixels	16 MP	12,1 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	EXPEED
Image	Sony a57	Nikon D700
ISO Range	100 - 16000	200 - 25600
White Balance Presets	9	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 a57	Nikon D700
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous 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 a57	Nikon D700
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921000	922000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology	TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.)	0.72×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Frames per second	12 fps	8 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	10 meters	N/A
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	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD	N/A
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Sony a57	Nikon D700
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	No
Remote Control	Yes (Optional)	Optional
GPS	No	Yes Optional through GP-1
Body & Dimensions	Sony a57	Nikon D700
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger	Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	550 shots	1000 shots
Width	132 mm	147 mm
Height	98 mm	123 mm
Depth	81 mm	77 mm
Weight	618 gram	1074 gram