Sony a6000 vs Nikon D800
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a6000 and Nikon D800. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a6000 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D800 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a6000 were released 2014 and Nikon D800 was released 2012. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a6000 | 2014 |
Nikon D800 | 2012 |
Type of camera
Sony a6000 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D800 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a6000 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.
Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
Sony a6000 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
Nikon D800 | 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 a6000 has a 24 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:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a6000 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D800 |
36,3 MP
36152320 pixels 7360 x 4912 |
Nikon D800 has a 51 % larger resolution than Sony a6000. 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
Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 25600.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a6000 | 100-25600 |
Nikon D800 | 100-25600 |
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 a6000
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 a6000 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds and Nikon D800 can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a6000 | 11 |
Nikon D800 | 6 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a6000 and Nikon D800 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 D800 weighs 900 gr (equal to 1.98 lb) which is 162% heavier than Sony a6000 and its 344 gr (or 0.76 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a6000 | 344 gr 0.76 lb |
Nikon D800 | 900 gr 1.98 lb |
Sony a6000 vs Nikon D800 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a6000 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 a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Name | Sony a6000 | Nikon D800 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Release Year | 2014 | 2012 |
Release Date | 2014-02-12 | 2012-02-07 |
MSRP | 799 USD | 2999 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a6000 |
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 | CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 7360 x 4912 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 36,3 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED 3 |
Image |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 25600 |
White Balance Presets | 10 | 12 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization | No | No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 179 | 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 a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
Screen dots | 921600 | 921000 |
Touch screen | No | No |
Screen type | TFT LCD | TFT Color LCD with 170 degrees wide-viewing angle |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentaprism) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 1.05× (0.7× 35mm equiv.) | 0.7× |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Frames per second | 11 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 | 6 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 | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
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 | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash |
Connectivity |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | No | Yes |
Headphone Port | No | Yes |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC) |
Yes Optional with Nikon Wireless Transmitter for D800 (WT-4A) |
Remote Control | Yes (wired or PC) | Yes (Optional, wired or wireless) |
GPS | No |
Yes Optional with GP-1 |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a6000 |
Nikon D800 |
Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and USB charger
|
Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 360 shots | 900 shots |
Width | 120 mm | 146 mm |
Height | 67 mm | 123 mm |
Depth | 45 mm | 82 mm |
Weight | 344 gram | 900 gram |