Sony a7 III vs Nikon D810
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 III and Nikon D810. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a7 III is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D810 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a7 III were released 2018 and Nikon D810 was released 2014. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a7 III | 2018 |
Nikon D810 | 2014 |
Type of camera
Sony a7 III is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D810 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
Even though the camera sensors might be called differently they are both considered Full frame which means that the focal length of the lenses is not affected. There is no crop factor on any of these cameras and sensors.
Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
Sony a7 III | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
Nikon D810 | 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 a7 III has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D810 has 36 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a7 III |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D810 |
36 MP
36152320 pixels 7360 x 4912 |
Nikon D810 has a 51 % larger resolution than Sony a7 III. 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 a7 III has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D810. Sony a7 III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Nikon D810 has 64 to 12800.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a7 III | 100-51200 |
Nikon D810 | 64-12800 |
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 a7 III
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D810
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7 III can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Nikon D810 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a7 III | 10 |
Nikon D810 | 5 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a7 III and Nikon D810 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 D810 weighs 980 gr (equal to 2.16 lb) which is 51% heavier than Sony a7 III and its 650 gr (or 1.43 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a7 III | 650 gr 1.43 lb |
Nikon D810 | 980 gr 2.16 lb |
Sony a7 III vs Nikon D810 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 III and Nikon D810, 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 a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Name | Sony a7 III | Nikon D810 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Release Year | 2018 | 2014 |
Release Date | 2018-02-27 | 2014-06-26 |
MSRP | 1999 USD | 3299 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
Full Frame (approx 36 x 23.9 mm) Also known as "FX" |
Sensor Type | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 7360 x 4912 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 36 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED 4 |
Image |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
ISO Range | 100 - 51200 | 64 - 12800 |
White Balance Presets | 11 | 12 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 5 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW + TIFF |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
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 Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 693 | 51 |
Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Nikon F See Compatible Lenses |
Focal Length Multiplier |
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 |
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 a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
Screen dots | 921600 | 1229000 |
Touch screen | Yes | No |
Screen type | N/A | TFT-LCD (WRGB) |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (tunnel) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 0.7× |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359296 | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Frames per second | 10 fps | 5 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 12 meters |
External Flash | Yes | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | No | No |
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 a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 XAVC-S AVCHD |
MPEG4 H.264 |
Video resolution |
1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | No |
Headphone Port | Yes | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app) |
Yes Optional via WT-5A or Eye-Fi |
Remote Control | Wired | Yes |
GPS | No |
Yes Optional with GP-1 or GP-1A |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a7 III |
Nikon D810 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery and charger
|
EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 710 shots | 1200 shots |
Width | 127 mm | 146 mm |
Height | 96 mm | 123 mm |
Depth | 74 mm | 82 mm |
Weight | 650 gram | 980 gram |