Sony a77 II vs Nikon D90

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a77 II and Nikon D90. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a77 II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D90 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a77 II has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D90 has a "Nikon DX"-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 a77 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D90 has 12,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a77 II has a 97 % larger resolution than Nikon D90. 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 a77 II has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D90. Sony a77 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Nikon D90 has 200 to 6400.

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 D90

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 D90 can shoot up to 4,5 pictures per seconds.

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 D90 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 D90 weighs 703 gr (equal to 1.55 lb) which is 9% heavier than Sony a77 II and its 647 gr (or 1.43 lb).

Sony a77 II vs Nikon D90 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a77 II and Nikon D90, 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 D90
Name	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Release Year	2014	2008
Release Date	2014-05-01	2008-08-27
MSRP	1199 USD	899 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6000 x 4000 pixels	4288 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	12,3 MP
Image Processor	Bionz X	Nikon LSI (Large Scale Integration)
Image	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
ISO Range	100 - 51200	200 - 6400
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 D90
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 Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	79	11
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	DX / APS-C (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
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	1229000	920000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	WhiteMagic TFT	Super Density TFT color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	96%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)	0.96× (0.64× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Frames per second	12 fps	4,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	12 meters	17 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center 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 D90
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 AVCHD	MPEG4
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone)	Yes (Optional ML-L3 or MC-DC2)
GPS	No	Yes Optional
Body & Dimensions	Sony a77 II	Nikon D90
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery and charger	Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	480 shots	850 shots
Width	143 mm	132 mm
Height	104 mm	103 mm
Depth	81 mm	77 mm
Weight	647 gram	703 gram