Sony a77 II vs Nikon D780

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a77 II and Nikon D780. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a77 II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D780 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a77 II were released 2014 and Nikon D780 was released 2020. That is a 6 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a77 II 2014
Nikon D780 2020

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a77 II has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D780 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 a77 II 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Nikon D780 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 a77 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D780 has 25 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a77 II 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000
Nikon D780 25 MP
24337152 pixels
6048 x 4024

Nikon D780 has a 1 % larger resolution than Sony a77 II. 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 51200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a77 II 100-51200
Nikon D780 100-51200

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 a77 II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D780

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a77 II can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Nikon D780 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a77 II 12
Nikon D780 12

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a77 II and Nikon D780 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 D780 weighs 840 gr (equal to 1.85 lb) which is 30% heavier than Sony a77 II and its 647 gr (or 1.43 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a77 II 647 gr
1.43 lb
Nikon D780 840 gr
1.85 lb

Sony a77 II vs Nikon D780 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a77 II and Nikon D780, 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 a77 II
Nikon D780
Name Sony a77 II Nikon D780
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Release Year 2014 2020
Release Date 2014-05-01 2020-01-07
MSRP 1199 USD 2299 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Camera Type SLT DSLR
Sensor
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
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 6048 x 4024 pixels
Megapixels 24 MP 25 MP
Image Processor Bionz X EXPEED 6
Image
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
ISO Range 100 - 51200 100 - 51200
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 a77 II
Nikon D780
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
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
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 79 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 a77 II
Nikon D780
Articulated LCD Fully articulated Tilting
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 1229000 2359000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type WhiteMagic TFT TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.) 0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Frames per second 12 fps 12 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 900 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash Yes No
Built-in Flash Range 12 meters N/A
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
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 steps)
Videography features
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone Yes No
Built-in Speakers Yes No
Storage
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes Yes
Headphone Port No Yes
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)
Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.1)
Remote Control Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone) Yes (via wired, wireless or smartphone)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a77 II
Nikon D780
Enviromentally sealed Yes Yes
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery and charger
EN-EL15b lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 480 shots 2260 shots
Width 143 mm 144 mm
Height 104 mm 116 mm
Depth 81 mm 76 mm
Weight 647 gram 840 gram