Sony a6400 vs Nikon D850
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a6400 and Nikon D850. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a6400 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D850 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a6400 were released 2019 and Nikon D850 was released 2017. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a6400 | 2019 |
Nikon D850 | 2017 |
Type of camera
Sony a6400 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D850 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a6400 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D850 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 a6400 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
Nikon D850 | 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 a6400 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D850 has 46 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a6400 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D850 |
46 MP
45441024 pixels 8256 x 5504 |
Nikon D850 has a 89 % larger resolution than Sony a6400. 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 a6400 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D850. Sony a6400 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 32000 while Nikon D850 has 64 to 25600.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a6400 | 100-32000 |
Nikon D850 | 64-25600 |
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 a6400
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D850
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a6400 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds and Nikon D850 can shoot up to 9 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a6400 | 11 |
Nikon D850 | 9 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a6400 and Nikon D850 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 D850 weighs 1005 gr (equal to 2.22 lb) which is 149% heavier than Sony a6400 and its 403 gr (or 0.89 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a6400 | 403 gr 0.89 lb |
Nikon D850 | 1005 gr 2.22 lb |
Sony a6400 vs Nikon D850 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a6400 and Nikon D850, 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 a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Name | Sony a6400 | Nikon D850 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Release Year | 2019 | 2017 |
Release Date | 2019-01-15 | 2017-07-25 |
MSRP | 899 USD | 3299 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
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 | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 8256 x 5504 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 46 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED 5 |
Image |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
ISO Range | 100 - 32000 | 64 - 25600 |
White Balance Presets | 10 | 14 |
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 a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 425 | 151 |
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 a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Tilting |
Screen size | 3” | 3.2” |
Screen dots | 921600 | 2359000 |
Touch screen | Yes | Yes |
Screen type | TFT LCD | TFT LCD |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentaprism) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.) | 0.75× |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359296 | 0 |
Photography features |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Frames per second | 11 fps | 9 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
Built-in Flash Range | 6 meters | N/A |
External Flash | Yes | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | Yes | Yes |
Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot Average |
Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot |
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 a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 |
MPEG4 |
Video resolution |
1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
SD/SDHC XQD |
Connectivity |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | Yes |
Headphone Port | No | Yes |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth 4.1) |
Yes Built-In ( 802.11b/g + NFC + Bluetooth 4.1 LE) |
Remote Control | Yes (via smartphone) | Yes (wired, wireless, smartphone) |
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a6400 |
Nikon D850 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FW50
|
EN-EL15a lithium-ion battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 410 shots | 1840 shots |
Width | 120 mm | 146 mm |
Height | 67 mm | 124 mm |
Depth | 60 mm | 79 mm |
Weight | 403 gram | 1005 gram |